<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Apr. 20 - (Jeff Van Gundy) has to implement changes to beat the Lakers this series. He must utilize Padgett and Nachbar in order to obtain enough points to counter the effectiveness of Kareem Rush. These two players will give him the offense to get the extra points he needs. He will not win this series without going deeper into his bench. Whenever the Lakers go to the bench and bring in Rush or Walton he needs to counter immediately with Boki or Padgett and instruct them to stay with them wherever they go and do not allow them to get a shot off. He needs fresh legs to do this. He needs to surprise Phil Jackson and force him to have to adjust at short notice. He has to change his philosophy and use them before the series gets away from him. He needs fresh legs in the game with specific defensive assignments. The players also need to know that in the playoffs all fouls should be hard fouls. There is no place for touch fouls in the playoffs. --Lionel A. Lynch - League City, TX </div> This is a fan's email from rockets.com. Do you think that the two mentioned players have to be used more? I think so. Eric Piatkowski has yet to play in a game in the series, and Boki and Padgett didn't see any minutes in the 2nd game. All three of them can knock down the three and I think that they should be used for just that to counter the 3-pointers Derek Fisher and Kareem Rush gives the Lakers.
Yeah I agree with Padgett and Pike needing more minutes...Weatherspoon has been ineffective and I think Padgett should be getting his PT...atleast Padgett can stretch the defense and rebounds well and is a veteran...Pike needs minutes...the lakers give up a lot of 3-point shots and Pike would THRIVE in that...Pike should share some of Cats and JJ's minutes and atleast just be a designated shooter off the bench, particuarly if Yao is in the game...
Nachbar hasn't impressed me this year with his play; I wouldn't put him in the game. I think playing Piatkowski or Padgett at small forward, depending on the Laker's size, might be a good idea. But in order to get them good looks, Yao needs to step up and start drawing double teams.
