Saving the Skyhook » Jeremy Lin

Are the Houston Rockets a playoff team?

J.P. Pelosi — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:38:13 +0000

Jan 12, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) brings the ball up court during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers defeated the Rockets 107-100. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Rockets have lost enough games now to drift out of the Western Conference top eight, and into distant mediocrity.

Suffice it to say, Houston has some problems.

Firstly, the team’s defense is weighing down its progress. There are often three or four Rockets overcommitted on the attacking end, who are then unable to turn their feet around and hustle the other way.

There’s also a lack of energy in the way this group covers outside shooters. Coach Kevin McHale could move to the perimeter faster at age 55. It’s a dangerous flaw to have because when dribblers move so easily past their man, the inside help needs to be perkier than a mission control staffer on his fifth cup of joe. But Houston’s rotation plods, and it’s frontline is undersized anyway. In short, the Rockets are one of the NBA’s worst shot-blocking teams (averaging 4 per game).

The third issue for this team is careless passing, which leads to an inordinate amount of turnovers. The Rockets give the rock away more than any other team. And lately, the club’s premier player, James Harden, has been responsible for a large portion of loose balls (he had seven in a loss to the Nuggets, and four in a loss to the Timberwolves).

If the Rockets’ scoring doesn’t overcome its turnovers, then there’s no way for this squad to stay in close games. Turnovers, of course, are easily curtailed when things are clicking. So I believe Houston can get back in rhythm with some of the easier games coming up in their schedule. The defense is a work in progress though.

On the flip side, there are genuine positives for the Rockets. When Harden and Jeremy Lin play off each other, for instance, the offense can be stunning. Harden lets the game come to him, which is great to watch. When he holds the ball on the wing, he’s patient, and that’s refreshing in a rapid-fire league. It allows screens to be set, and cuts to be made.

Along with his rebounding, center Omer Asik sets solid picks, allowing Houston’s perimeter players the option of driving, or stepping back for a three, a shot this club makes with regularity—about 10 a game, in fact.

Then there’s the fast-break, generally led by Lin or Harden, and when it’s the latter, anything is possible. Harden’s breaks are among the most exciting in the league because his charge to the basket is passive aggressive—a surprise attack, if you will. At 6’4, left-handed, and a deceptive dribbler, there’s little defenders can do to combat him. Guarding such a player, always stutter-stepping and bobbing, isn’t just a physical adjustment but a mental one.

Lin similarly has size and speed. But he is clearly more reliant on Harden’s presence than vice versa. That’s strange for a point guard, usually the man everyone else leans on. But Lin isn’t without his virtues, chief of which is his eye for the open shooter. Though he has scoring talent of his own, it’s a blessing for Houston to have an unselfish player at point, something that has eluded them in other eras.

Lin’s running crossover and poised finishing show a fearlessness that’s also valuable. There’s a little Clyde Drexler to it. This ability to fly by everyone creates space for shooters, too, who can benefit from a last minute Lin kick-out. This combined with Harden’s savvy on the drive, which gets him to the line at a prolific rate, are the keys to Houston’s offensive success.

Ultimately this team needs to communicate better on defense, and react faster on switches. The recent run of losses is nothing to panic about—not yet, at least. The opponents have mostly been sound, some with veterans capable of rattling a young club.

So yes, there’s still time for the Rockets to fire up again and propel themselves back into the eight, past other edge teams like Portland, Utah and Denver, and even higher.

Miami Heat 104 New York Knicks 94: Knicks Down 0-2 After Failing to Extinguish Heat

Kenneth O'Brien — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:00:43 +0000

How does a team that was just handed a humiliating 100-67 loss on national television prepare themselves to come right back to the grisly crime scene where they were just violently destroyed so they can give their clearly superior foes another crack at abusing them? What kind of adjustments can be made to correct the issues that helped them crawl down into a 33 point hole in such a crucial game? If anything says “We don’t belong here,” it’s certainly that kind of rubbish performance. Monday night was proof that it will serve us well to stick with this one through its entire duration.

Apr 30, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) reacts next to New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the second half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

These New York Knicks were hell bent on proving to the world that they are not a team that’s going to be decimated by 33 points routinely, and that’s exactly what they did. They brought more energy and determination onto the court and proved that if Miami wants to beat them they are going to have to beat them by 10 points; no more 30+ point laughers. Way to go, boys.

The Miami Heat continued their hot play this post-season as they took everything New York threw at them before finishing them off en route to a 104-94 victory. Dwayne Wade led the Heat with 25 points, while Chris Bosh and Lebron James contributed 21 and 19 points respectively. James made sure to fill other areas of his stat-line, too, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out nine assists.

Despite the deflating loss, the Knicks showed some guts in their effort this time around. Carmelo Anthony responded to the criticism of his lackluster game 1 performance by racking up a game high 30 points. Tyson Chandler added 13 points and 7 boards, 6 of those actually came on the offensive end of the court. It was nice to see Baron Davis enjoy a solid performance of his own with 12 points and 6 assists. Of course we cannot forget the man of the hour himself, Amar’e Stoudemire. He definitely left his imprint on this game – as well as the now-infamous hallway fire extinguisher – by chipping in 18 points and pulling down 7 boards. His biggest play of the night won’t show up in any stat sheet though, I’ll get to that in a minute.

New York did a commendable job of responding every time Miami attempted to shift gears and pull away from them. The Knicks stayed more or less within striking distance for the better part of three quarters, but a barrage of Lebron James directed offensive firepower to close out the third period would prove to be the proverbial dagger. The Heat led 78-69 at the opening of the fourth period. The Knicks would never get any closer than that.

The Heat did what they were supposed to do as time expired and their 104-94 victory became official. The teams went through their post game motions before heading back to their respective locker rooms just like any other game. This story should have ended already but oddly enough, it was far from over. Leave it to the boys from Broadway to dazzle us with a flair for the dramatics.

By now I am sure you have heard the details of this strange development over and over again, so I won’t delve too deep into them. As Amar’e Stoudemire made his way back to the visitors locker room of the American Airlines Arena he apparently had some sort of altercation with a fire extinguisher. He reportedly punched the fire extinguisher and suffered a laceration on his hand as a result. This injury is rumored to be serious enough to keep him out of game 3.

Apr 30, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) reacts during the first half of game two in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Much is being made of Stoudemire’s selfishness and how it may have very well cost The Knicks their season. Normally I wouldn’t see a purpose in dignifying such absurd statements with a response, but I am in a jolly mood so I will state the obvious for anyone who needs assistance. If you want to get down and dirty into it, you can dig up the statistics that suggest the Knicks perform better without Amar’e and you can try to make sense of how and why that is. If you don’t like wasting time and energy on pointless drivel then I wouldn’t suggest that method. Instead, just turn to my good friend, logic. The Knicks were annihilated by 33 points in game 1. Then they put up an admirable fight and still lost by double digits. If you think the absence of Stoudemire for a single game is what will keep the Knicks from making a series of this then I would strongly suggest you make an appointment to have your head examined.

If you are a Knicks fan and you are looking for a positive to take away from this game, I think I can help you out. When was the last time Amar’e attacked the glass like that? I got jokes. It appears the entire internet does too though. What kind of dramatics await us in game 3? We will find out May 3rd on TNT.

2011-12 NBA Most Improved Player Prediction

Vijay Shravah — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:20:30 +0000

Awards Predictions Links:

MVP – Coach of the Year – Defensive Player of the Year – Sixth Man

Most years, this is one of the tougher and most competitive awards to give out. However, the last two years have been exceptions to that trend. Last season, Kevin Love catapulted himself into the best power forward in the league, thus making the 2011 honor a no-brainer. This year, we’ve had several players make great strides in their game, but one stood out the most. Here are my top five candidates:

5. Greg Monroe, Detroit Pistons

Mandatory Credit: Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE

After a few lackluster seasons, the Pistons have been somewhat of an afterthought in the basketball world. But their biggest bright spot, by far, has been the emergence of their new big man, Greg Monroe. He has quietly blossomed into one of the league’s best centers, and has helped a relatively weak team overachieve; on paper, they should be one of the worst teams in the league. And the play of Monroe is the biggest reason why. They even have a winning record (14-12) at home to boot. As Brandon Knight develops, and Rodney Stuckey continues to improve, Joe Dumars needs to continue to build around Monroe to make the Pistons relevant again.

4. Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies

When Pau Gasol was traded from Memphis to the Lakers in 2009, the Lakers gave up virtually nothing for him; Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, and an imminently-retiring Aaron McKie. But the Lakers also included a couple of draft picks, one of which happened to be the rights to Pau’s brother Marc. As the only (and I mean, ONLY) saving grace from that trade, Marc has morphed into an All-Star Center for the Grizz. His numbers may not wow everyone, but his impact on the floor has made Memphis a winning team. His confidence has peaked to the point where he looked like the best Gasol on the court vs. the Lakers last weekend. Furthermore, when coaches vote you into the All-Star reserves over your perennial championship-contending older brother, you know you’re on the right track.

3. James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder

As my pick for the Sixth Man of the Year award, Harden has become a huge part of the Thunder team. In the shadow of superstar teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, Harden has become one of OKC’s most underrated strengths that has propelled them atop the NBA standings. Championship teams generally need more than just two creators on offense, and Harden gives them an elite third option.

2. Ryan Anderson

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

Does anyone remember that Anderson played for the Nets? Didn’t think so. Already in his 4^th year, Anderson has shown that you can improve considerably even after your first few years in the league (ala Kris Humphries last season). He has established himself as the clear-cut 2^nd best Magic player behind Dwight Howard, and is absolutely deadly from three-point range. He also is one of the better offensive rebounding big men (ranking in the top 20 in offensive rebounding rate), which is very impressive when you consider two main things working against him: 1) as an outside shooter, he often finds himself 30+ feet from the basket, and 2) most of the team’s rebounds being hoarded up by Howard. In fact, there aren’t too many big men in the league that are equally proficient in rebounding and outside shooting – other than he and Kevin Love, that is. If and when Howard leaves the Magic, Anderson may very well be their franchise player for the time being.

1. Jeremy Lin

Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Saw this coming, didn’t you? Forget improvement in his numbers for a second, even though those alone can make a case for him; Jeremy Lin is the only player in the history of the NBA to make a gargantuan leap into stardom that has captivated the entire world. Linsanity was a once-in-a-lifetime type stuff that NEEDS to be recognized in some form, and this award seems to be the most appropriate. The phenomenon has quieted down for sure, as defenses clamped down on him, and he later suffered a knee injury that will shut him down the rest of the season. But as far as Most Improved, it doesn’t get any better than this: a guy who slept on his brother’s couch to save money in anticipation of unemployment – days before getting CUT – just so happened to get his number called by ex-Coach Mike D’Antoni for a mightily struggling Knicks team. The rest was history.

You can argue that he hasn’t played enough games this season to deserve the award. But whether he wins this or not, most people will remember the 2011-12 season as the year Linsanity happened.

*Coming up next: Defensive Player of the Year