Oh, boy. Really rough start for Houston.
So many problems ...
They have a hangover from last year. It is really exhausting mentally and physically to get that close to a championship and not get it.
Related, this is a veteran team that doesn't need a great regular season to win in the playoffs and they know it. But that is leading to too much poor play during dull games. Look at some of those losses to bad teams and the effort just wasn't there. But they destroyed the Warriors and a few other teams.
Pros watch tape. The Rockets employed many successful strategies last year. Other teams and co-opted those tactics and are also taking them away from the Rockets. There have been many turnovers this year that I attribute to players watching tape and knowing the tendencies.
EVERYONE keeps bringing up Ariza and Moute. Houston replaced Moute well with James Ennis. He puts in a few points, does all the other stuff, and sometimes shows flashes - just what Moute did. (BTW, Moute has been out injured almost all year - maybe Houston knew something and didn't re-sign him.)
But they haven't replaced Ariza. Ariza provided two things. First, he was "another guy" who could get you 15-20 when others were struggling. He was also happy to get six when that's what there was. More importantly, he was another voice in the locker room and maybe a balancing voice with Chris Paul. Houston will likely pick up another wing, but since it isn't going to be Jimmy Butler, they will not be picking up another voice. And that makes this team softer.
Harden isn't a leader. That isn't a criticism. Durant and Leonard and probably somewhat negative in the leadership department. Harden is at least neutral. Of the top four players in the world, only LeBron is a great leader. So, for Houston, the loss of this strong voice hurts because only Chris Paul is a strong player voice.
Everyone also says that Melo was a failed replacement for Ariza and Moute, but I think he was a failed replacement for Ryan Anderson. I'm not a fan, but Houston had Anderson the last couple of years and no one is arguing that he couldn't put up points. He didn't buy into Houston's new defense so he was benched and then traded away. Again, nobody on the bench can come in and provide that scoring. My guess is Melo was told to stand around on offense and wait for an open shot. He probably could've scored 17 every night on 5-11 from three and 1-3 from two. But he kept drifting to his old spots and not taking the shots given. On defense, I'm sure he was told to just play within the scheme. Houston had great success turning Harden into a passable defender with this approach, but again, Melo just couldn't do it.
So, Houston needs a couple of scorers who can play decent defense. And ideally another leadership voice in the locker room. They need those things to get through the regular season more than the playoffs. In the playoffs they will play their best players and I honestly believe they will be fine.
I think they can work their way up to a Warrior rematch, even.
Capela is better this year. Harden is himself. Paul seems to have declined a bit. I'm hoping Eric Gordon will return to form and that his slow start reflects the whole team. PJ Tucker is himself. That's the Rockets best five and I think they can play.
If Brandon Knight ends up being healthy he could contribute. But he's probably just a trade salary. M. Chriss and M. Carter-Williams have also been totally useless. Isiah H., Clark and House show potential but maybe not this year. I suspect Houston signed Clark to trade him and that they will keep developing the other two.
We'll see ...
So many problems ...
They have a hangover from last year. It is really exhausting mentally and physically to get that close to a championship and not get it.
Related, this is a veteran team that doesn't need a great regular season to win in the playoffs and they know it. But that is leading to too much poor play during dull games. Look at some of those losses to bad teams and the effort just wasn't there. But they destroyed the Warriors and a few other teams.
Pros watch tape. The Rockets employed many successful strategies last year. Other teams and co-opted those tactics and are also taking them away from the Rockets. There have been many turnovers this year that I attribute to players watching tape and knowing the tendencies.
EVERYONE keeps bringing up Ariza and Moute. Houston replaced Moute well with James Ennis. He puts in a few points, does all the other stuff, and sometimes shows flashes - just what Moute did. (BTW, Moute has been out injured almost all year - maybe Houston knew something and didn't re-sign him.)
But they haven't replaced Ariza. Ariza provided two things. First, he was "another guy" who could get you 15-20 when others were struggling. He was also happy to get six when that's what there was. More importantly, he was another voice in the locker room and maybe a balancing voice with Chris Paul. Houston will likely pick up another wing, but since it isn't going to be Jimmy Butler, they will not be picking up another voice. And that makes this team softer.
Harden isn't a leader. That isn't a criticism. Durant and Leonard and probably somewhat negative in the leadership department. Harden is at least neutral. Of the top four players in the world, only LeBron is a great leader. So, for Houston, the loss of this strong voice hurts because only Chris Paul is a strong player voice.
Everyone also says that Melo was a failed replacement for Ariza and Moute, but I think he was a failed replacement for Ryan Anderson. I'm not a fan, but Houston had Anderson the last couple of years and no one is arguing that he couldn't put up points. He didn't buy into Houston's new defense so he was benched and then traded away. Again, nobody on the bench can come in and provide that scoring. My guess is Melo was told to stand around on offense and wait for an open shot. He probably could've scored 17 every night on 5-11 from three and 1-3 from two. But he kept drifting to his old spots and not taking the shots given. On defense, I'm sure he was told to just play within the scheme. Houston had great success turning Harden into a passable defender with this approach, but again, Melo just couldn't do it.
So, Houston needs a couple of scorers who can play decent defense. And ideally another leadership voice in the locker room. They need those things to get through the regular season more than the playoffs. In the playoffs they will play their best players and I honestly believe they will be fine.
I think they can work their way up to a Warrior rematch, even.
Capela is better this year. Harden is himself. Paul seems to have declined a bit. I'm hoping Eric Gordon will return to form and that his slow start reflects the whole team. PJ Tucker is himself. That's the Rockets best five and I think they can play.
If Brandon Knight ends up being healthy he could contribute. But he's probably just a trade salary. M. Chriss and M. Carter-Williams have also been totally useless. Isiah H., Clark and House show potential but maybe not this year. I suspect Houston signed Clark to trade him and that they will keep developing the other two.
We'll see ...
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