Houston Rockets 2017 Preseason Thread - Spurs MyPlayers Take Over

[Peep Game]

Stop stealing my hot takes Peep

I was just making a guess there's no way he wasn't. Either that, or multiple AM crunch wraps in between the end of game 5 and 6

 

[Peep Game]

It was idiotic to have harden guard Pau and LMA the entire game. Why not stick with same starting lineup and give Trez Nene's minutes.

Hindsight is 20/20. People were clamoring for James to guard LMA or a shooting big since he plays such great post defense.

But realistically it's okay in spurts but MDA did not adjust at all.

Yea harden on either LMA or Pau in spurts is cool, but for a whole game, nah, you get the results just as we did. That's what is even more frustrating that you have a big PF in Harrell that could have been put up against either one, yet Harrell got 3 garbage time minutes. Meanwhile, Pop gave Murray, KYLE ANDERSON, and David Lee in 2017 a chunk of minutes to contribute. Harden played like he was ready for vacation already, and MDA coached that same way.

Also, can't post them right now, but the +/- is brutal. Bev and Anderson both had -30, Harden -28, and Ariza & Capela with -24 and -28, even though those are the only 2 to really show up. And to add even more insult, Dekker was in a walking boot due to spraining his ankle on the last play. Such a miserable pathetic ending to this season.

 

[Peep Game]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19364260/zach-lowe-san-antonio-spurs-vs-houston-rockets-nba

A good write-up on how the Rockets were thoroughly dismantled, but I'm gonna post one of the standout things below:

It's fair to criticize D'Antoni for using only seven players in Game 5 with Nene injured. Houston gassed out in a game that was there to take. It's fitting the Spurs humiliated Houston, in Houston, with Dejounte Murray, Jonathon Simmons, and Kyle Anderson getting huge minutes -- even if Popovich played them that much only out of necessity.

All three guys played significant minutes in the regular season, even while spending chunks of it outside Popovich's rotation. Murray started a high-profile game in Cleveland, and played quite well. Thursday night is why you do that in January and February. Your rotation will not be intact for the full playoffs. You will need guys to step up. It will be helpful if they have already played a bit in the regular season.

That is why D'Antoni's refusal to play Montrezl Harrell (and, to a lesser extent given his late-season injury, Dekker) in Nene's absence was so strange. What was the point of the 1,064 minutes Harrell logged in the regular season, if not to use him in a postseason circumstance in which you literally have no other options beyond playing seven guys past their breaking points?

 

[Peep Game]

Here's an entire list of upcoming FAs, player options included. Have fun
http://hoopshype.com/2017/04/26/nba-free-agency-2017-the-top-players/

 

[hardens beard]

I'm hoping for a backup 3/4 or someone to replace Ariza.

Either Ryno has to learn to shoot at home or they gotta move him

 

[Peep Game]

I'm hoping for a backup 3/4 or someone to replace Ariza.

Either Ryno has to learn to shoot at home or they gotta move him

We talk about teh minutes Harden has played, but Ariza seems to have played even more than him. He's an ironman no doubt, but even defenders need relief. he was looking tired as hell at points during the season as well

 

[bonafide hustla]

I see they gave JH 100/100 first team all nba votes (only player. RWB has 99/100 ) as consolation for this MVP he's about to lose

 

[Peep Game]

I see they gave JH 100/100 first team all nba votes (only player. RWB has 99/100 ) as consolation for this MVP he's about to lose

That, plus making up for screwing him over last year leaving him off the All-NBA team

 

[Retroballer]

Someone from the Bay Area had to vote Steph 1st team as backlash for all the KD shade that OKC has thrown.

 

[bonafide hustla]

View media item 2431512
Anybody know if they made this in any size other than XL? I've seen like 10 people selling sz XL but no other size

 

[Peep Game]

^I hate when they just have XL as the standard size

Highlighting some good times this season from Fansided:











https://youtu.be/e1Jf_w-Q2xw

 

[Peep Game]

Rockets have plans for Zhou Qi

The Rockets are looking to bring Zhou Qi over from China for next season.

Last year, the Rockets drafted 7’2” center/forward Zhou Qi out of China. The talented tall man (he weighs just 218 pounds, so I hesitate to call him a “big man”) spent this past season playing for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association, but now it appears the Rockets will make every effort to have him in the fold in H-town for this coming year.

According to Rockets beat man Jonathan Feigen:

As mentioned in some of our post-season coverage, Rockets do intend to sign Zhou Qi, a 2nd round pick in 2016, this off season. https://t.co/iRH4Hb8Wqv

— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) June 2, 2017

The 21-year-old (although there’s been some Mutombo-esque rumors of his true age) Zhou is coming off a season in the CBA in which he averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and a steal per game, and he shot 55.8 percent from the field. He also showed as a capable three-point shooter, knocking down 36.4 percent from beyond the arc in a little over 1 attempt per game. He also shot almost 72 percent from the free throw line, and his shooting prowess could find him a place in a Houston rotation in need of some talent and additional range in the front court.

He’s also a skilled shot blocker, has a high basketball IQ, and can run the floor, but the obvious question mark is can he handle the physicality of the NBA? Zhou’s slight frame will be a huge liability banging inside, and he’ll need to pack on some serious muscle and man-strength to avoid being pushed around.

Luckily though, it shouldn’t be anything a professional strength and conditioning program can’t fix, and Zhou has the height and the skills to make him an intriguing option. The Rockets could really use another promising young player in the pipeline, and Zhou’s development will be something to keep an eye on if the Rockets do, in fact, manage to get him over here this year.

He was already training in Houston back in April, so hopefully that’s a good sign we’ll see him in the fold. Here’s some Zhou highlights from this year’s CBA playoffs.

 

[hardens beard]

His first spot needs to be the Breakfast Klub to put on weight

 

[Peep Game]

Yep

 

[bonafide hustla]

s/o my guy Bob just saying "Dream was...20x better than Tim Duncan"


I know we wiped our hands clean of this mess, but @ Dwight talking this shooting nonsense, again


http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/d...s-about-shooting-more-3-pointers-next-season/

 

[puglife]

Anything we can do this summer to make us better? I have a feeling we're about to take a step back and lose a couple of key pieces.

 

[Peep Game]

Anything we can do this summer to make us better? I have a feeling we're about to take a step back and lose a couple of key pieces.

I don't see the Rockets finishing below 5th cause it's possible the the roster doesn't change much. Realistically I think the only thing that could be fixed is the bench. I just don't see some scenario where Paul George or Gordon Hayward is here

 

[puglife]

Stayed off clutchfans for a while, but just read about a possible altercation between Ariza and harden after game 5 which may have led to harden's piss poor performance game 6. Just rumors, but apparently we might be trying to trade Ariza this summer because of it.

 

[Retroballer]

Im very meh on Ariza going forward anyway. Getting old.

 

[hardens beard]

Seems like they're grooming Troy Williams to take Ariza's role.

 

[bonafide hustla]

Anything we can do this summer to make us better? I have a feeling we're about to take a step back and lose a couple of key pieces.

http://larrybrownsports.com/basketb...have-something-up-sleeve-beat-warriors/375628


#trustinMorey

maybe we're about to steal KD from GS

 

[Peep Game]

Im very meh on Ariza going forward anyway. Getting old.

He'd been cool taking a lesser role. He's playing an ungodly amount of minutes as well, and it would help his defense if he didn't have to be on the court for 40+ minutes every night. His athleticism has obviously declined, but for him to simply get walked by on the way to the basket is not just age, but fatigue

 

[polosanddunks]

http://larrybrownsports.com/basketb...have-something-up-sleeve-beat-warriors/375628


#trustinMorey

maybe we're about to steal KD from GS

MDA gotta make it through Pop before we think about the Warriors . Dudes couldnt even get past a Kawhi less Spurs team so we could at least SEE how we stack against the Warriors for next season.

Unless its KD from GS aint nothing coming of this

 

[hardens beard]

The rockets should target James Johnson in free agency. He can play both forwards spots and he physical something we've been missing from the wings.

 

[Peep Game]

The rockets should target James Johnson in free agency. He can play both forwards spots and he physical something we've been missing from the wings.

They do need a nasty physical person with some attitude. That person can't always be your PG/SG