I've noticed it for a while, but I don't think I've ever posted it on this board. To put it plain and simple............we're a "soft" team. At times we play soft when we refuse to take it into the basket and settle for jumpshots and then we're also mentally soft. At the end of last nights game when we were getting our heads smashed in, me and a couple of other rowdies glanced down at the rockets bench and we saw Tmac laughing it up with one of the spurs players on the court. Seriously what in the hell is up with that? Would Hakeem,Jordan,Bird,Wade, or Kobe laugh when they're getting killed by the opponent on their home floor in a big game? Yao or no Yao this team better find some "passion" and "heart" real fast or we won't make it out of the first round....talent can only take you so far.
yep that's what me and my dad were saying this morning, I miss bobby.....there just aren't any "mean" guys on this team.....we have talent,hardworkers,etc., but we lack some mental toughness at times.....besides a backup point we also need to look to add a guy with some sort of mean streak this coming up offseason....
Yeah, you need some kind of seriousness on the team, doesn't necessarily have to be an enforcer. Tim Duncan is not an enforcer, but he brings his game face and sets a tone. TMac along with his cousin Vince come off as EASILY the nicest superstar players out there. But there comes a time to get mean.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">TMac along with his cousin Vince come off as EASILY the nicest superstar players out there. But there comes a time to get mean</div> runs in the family I guess, lol......a couple of notes this year and one incident from last Last Year: We played the sixers with a semi healthy tmac....we were fighting for a playoff spot and we ended up losing the game....once again you see tmac laughing and smiling in a key stretch of the game when the rockets were down..... This Year: A few weeks ago when we played the hornets, Tmac took it to the basket and was fouled hard....that set the tone for the game, because for the rest of the game we seemed to "shy" away a little bit....some of it had to with Raefer being kicked out of the game, but you could kind of see how that play shook our team.... Earlier this week when Toronto blew us out, Juan Dixon guarded Tmac for a pretty long period, I don't recall Tmac taking to the basket once on him.....why he didn't, I don't know....
Maybe Tmac is more hesistant to driving to the rack, because he is afraid of reaggravating his back? I agree, Tmac should be more agressive on a guy like Juan Dixon, but he is probably afraid that his back would need a fixin. My attempt at a rhyme lol. (The first sentence I did by accident) Anyway, injuries do affect players even after they heal, sometimes players aren't 100% healed when they come back. I'm not sure about TMac though, because I haven't seen any Rockets games in the last month or two.
I've seen games this year where tmac takes it to the rim and he does fine....I just don't think he looks to take it to the basket...
Maybe he chooses not to take it hard to the basket, because he knows there is a greater chance of contact/fouling to occur, which increases the chances of aggravating his back? And he feels that a non-aggressive Tmac > an aggressive Tmac that has to rehab his back half the time. and he doesn't enjoy not playing.
I've seen games this year where tmac takes it to the rim and he does fine....I just don't think he looks to take it to the basket...
last night there were a couple of occasions where he took it to the basket, but speaking for the entire season, I'd say he doesn't attack the basket enough....but that goes for the whole team also....we fall in love with tough jumpshots a tad bit too much...
^durvasa^ I have. We need T-Mac in the playoffs. I know in the playoffs he will take it in and dunk over 7"6 players, that's all that matters to me. Bonzi can take it in, that's why I like him on our team as well as Snyder. <div class="quote_poster">THE DREAM Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">runs in the family I guess, lol......a couple of notes this year and one incident from last Last Year: We played the sixers with a semi healthy tmac....we were fighting for a playoff spot and we ended up losing the game....once again you see tmac laughing and smiling in a key stretch of the game when the rockets were down..... This Year: A few weeks ago when we played the hornets, Tmac took it to the basket and was fouled hard....that set the tone for the game, because for the rest of the game we seemed to "shy" away a little bit....some of it had to with Raefer being kicked out of the game, but you could kind of see how that play shook our team.... Earlier this week when Toronto blew us out, Juan Dixon guarded Tmac for a pretty long period, I don't recall Tmac taking to the basket once on him.....why he didn't, I don't know....</div> T-Mac rised up and J'd Dixon every time he guarded T-Mac. Last year: We were losing to Boston and T-Mac jacked up a 3 after Paul Pierce and they both started laughing it up. I agree in that we're mentally soft/weak at times, but that's because we don't have Yao right now and the players know they can't keep winning games at the rate they were. There not as good as there record without Yao and were overachieving without him. Let's grade the Rockets players for there driving abilities: T-Mac: A Bonzi: B+ Snyder: B- (if he could hit his free throws more consistently) Hayes: B- (doesn't really drive in) Head C+ Rafer: C Howard: C- Battier: D When Yao comes back, it will be hard for our players to drive in with the lanes so clogged up, which is why we need our 3pt shooters to shoot better when they get open looks.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">T-Mac rised up and J'd Dixon every time he guarded T-Mac.</div> yes he did.... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">When Yao comes back, it will be hard for our players to drive in with the lanes so clogged up, which is why we need our 3pt shooters to shoot better when they get open looks. </div> yeah I think our 3 point shooting will approve with Yao back...we'll get easier looks than we're getting right now
T-Mac: A Bonzi: B+ Snyder: B- (if he could hit his free throws more consistently) Hayes: B- (doesn't really drive in) Head C+ Rafer: C Howard: C Battier: C (if he could go in more and do that little left handed hook, he would be a "B") Point is, T-Mac will drive in the playoffs (if we make it), Bonzi needs more minutes now, and JVG needs to find a way to get both Bonzi <u>and</u>Snyder minutes with Yao's return. Then the Rockets will finally have aggressive players in their rotation. Yao, T-Mac, Bonzi, and Snyder. Outside of those four, we don't really have anyone that can take it in. Head/Rafer take it in, but can't really finish. Snyder will at least get to the line. I have seen Howard take it in and dunk it a few times, but he looked slow, even when no one gets in his way. In the playoffs (if we make it), T-Mac and Yao need to 'set the tone' and take it in. Bonzi, Synder, Head, Rafer, Battier, Hayes and Howard will follow.
The problem isn't Tmac ppl. It's the lack of offense creativity from everybody outside of Tmac. It all falls back on JVG. Think about it, we depend on Tmac every game to be superman on offense. We don't run any plays other than screens and Tmac high pick n'roll. JVG doesn't really believe in his bench, forcing Battier and Howard to play increased minutes. Even with Bonzi playin, he rarely gets more than 10 shots a game. That's BAD OFFENSE! This is why I was clueless in why Snyder doesn't get more playin time. Head & Skip both get outta control sometimes. What's so bad about playin Snyder & Bonzi at the same time? JVG needs to add more plays to the offense along with more ball movement. We can't depend on Tmac to be superman every game.
I wish T-Mac would express his emotions more ( like Vince when he gets pissed ) ... get a technical or something. He's turning into a little sissy really fast.
