Rockets Howard/Asik as told by a Scout

The Rockets have had an up and down season and at times you have seen parts of what this team could be. Early on the Rockets employed a 2 center lineup which consisted of the team’s newest toy Dwight Howard and last years starting center Omer Asik. After a few games Head coach Kevin McHale decided to go in a different direction and scraped the lineup, and seemed to hasten the end of Asik’s career as a Houston Rocket.

On Thursday November 14^th it was learned before the game with the Knicks that Asik through his agent had requested a trade and wants out of Houston. Asik since the ending of McHales big line up has seen his minutes shrink from 23 minutes down to 7 minutes a game the past 3 games including being benched on Thursday and Saturday. Last season before Howard, Asik was averaging 30 minutes a game, his role has been cut and it’s clear he wants out and now has asked twice to be traded since Howard become a Rocket.

When speaking with an NBA scout I went in to determine Asik’s value to the rest of the NBA and while talking with the scout he went on to share “he (Asik) actually may be more impactful offensively than Howard at this point as Howard seems to have regressed”. When he told me this I had to follow up and really wanted to understand what he meant, so the scout shared “he (Howard) has 0 post moves nor does he work to get the ball. He's playing like Eric Dampier, makes a move and doesn't take up space or fight for "real estate" when he makes his move.” While the debate is moot because Howard can catch the lob pass and can dunk the ball, the scout is right every time Howard shoots the ball it’s more luck than skill if he makes the basket. Howard on the season is second in the NBA with 23 dunks so far this season.

Asik has plenty of value to teams and proved last season he can be a legit starting big man, last season averaging a double double. This season Asik was phased out by the ultra-athletic Howard and Asik seems to not even be in the team’s plans going forward as he been benched in the past 2 games. The scout went on to say the Bull’s would take him back, and mentioned that Daryl Morey could be looking for “a high unprotected pick, in my estimation, along with a role player to strengthen his bench.” Lots of teams could you use this big man on their team. The question is where is he going and what will Morey get back in return!

   

Rockets Defensive as told by a NBA Scout

The Rockets have ran in to many problems early in this young season the offensive spacing early was off due to having both Dwight Howard and Omer Asik operating in the same space.  Defensively the Rockets at times were having trouble stopping 3 year olds from scoring.

In talking with a NBA scout he mentioned when you have a Dwight Howard you should be better defensively “you can certainly be more aggressive on the ball when you have Howard protecting the rim”. I can personally remember before the start of the season Jeremy Lin joked, the defensive was something the coaching staff stressed last season, and last season they just didn’t listen very much…. The scout I spoke to with mentioned “you should always have consistency at the defensive end, although there's let downs in some capacity during a long season.  That's why you need a consistent philosophy”. Really does anyone know what the defensive philosophy on this team is….. Anyone?

The team has defensive players and has players that have the talent to play defensive on high level, James Harden? The scout went on to say “He (Kevin McHale) has some defensive talent but they have to embrace their philosophy.” Which leads me to believe in what Jeremy Lin said, we just didn’t listen….  

Omer Asik Wants Out

It seems likely Omer Asik will not be here after the NBA trade deadline, it was leaned today that Asik through his agent has asked for a trade for the 2nd time since Dwight Howard joined the team. IMO coach Kevin McHale tried to make Asik happy by starting both him and Howard at the start of the season using the Twin Towers lineup.

After a double overtime win at home against the Raptors it was learned the McHale had soured on the Big lineup and the following game with the 76ers Asik was benched in favor of Terrence Jones. Asik has seen his role on the Rockets disappear VERY quickly, against the Raptors Asik saw 19 minutes action, against the 76ers Asik saw 4 minutes action, and so far tonight with the Knicks Asik has yet to see the court at all.

The big question going forward is what is the return value for Asik who last season made it clear he could be a starting NBA big man. In the coming days Rockets GM Daryl Morey and Hed Coach Kevin McHale will no doubts have talks about what the team needs going forward.

Rockets 110 Raptors 104

Terrence Jones joined the Rockets rotation and join he did. Jones was a key member in the Rockets double overtime win over the Raptors 110 to 104. Before the game a flu bug was going through the team it affected James Harden and it sidelined Francisco Garcia for the night. The Rockets started off like normal and went with twin towers lineup, 6 minutes in to the game Head Coach Kevin McHale had seen enough and scrapped the lineup and inserted Omri Casspi for some spacing.

2 minutes left in the 1^st quarter Terrence Jones entered the game and Jones ended up playing 32 minutes, Jones played more minutes tonight than he played in the 1^st 8 games combined. While Jones may not have had a perfect night, he played the robin to Dwight Howard’s batman very well. Jones on the night finished with 7 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Totally out playing Omer Asik who finished with 18 minutes despite no injury, or no foul trouble. In big spots it was Jones not Asik in the game. The Twin Towers lineup is neat and can cause problems for teams, but it seems Coach Kevin McHale might be wavering on that lineup “you have the big lineup to start off and I’m 50/50 on it”.

So if McHale does scrap the “BIG” lineup with 2 true centers, you would have Dwight Howard starting with Omer Asik providing the relief. It looks like Terrence Jones would be the favorite to start opposite Howard, coach has complained about spacing from day 1 and while Jones is by no means a 3 point shooting specialists he provides more room for the offense to operate.

Rockets vs. Lakers: Game 6 preview and starting lineups

Tonight the Rockets will be able to be seen on TV (T.N.T. Late game), 40 percent of Houston might not understand that. The Rockets free agent acquisition Center Dwight Howard will make his debut over the team he chose to get traded to, but not stay with after his one season in LA. Howard traded ageing stars in Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol for the youth of the Rockets James Harden and Chandler Parsons. The X’s and O’s aside the game tonight is all about did or did not Dwight Howard make the right choice in hitching his saddle to the Rockets, the Lakers will no doubt be looking to show up Howard at home.

The Rockets come in tonight’s 4-1 aside from a trampling by the Clippers the Rockets have looked like a top 3 team at various times during the games they have played. Dwight Howard knows the team could be much better than it is now “I don’t think we have played are best brand of basketball yet” he knows it would be nice for the team to PLAY 4 quarters Howard went on to mention that so far they have only really played 2 or 3 quarters.

The Lakers tonight will match Kevin McHale’s twin towers with their poor’s man’s attempt at the same. Lakers will match Howard/Asik with Pau Gasol and Chris Kaman, Kaman when it became clear Howard would not dawn a Lakers uni again the Lakers brought in Kaman to replace Howard. Kaman so far this season is averaging 9 pts and almost 6 rebs in a little over 15 minutes a game.  The Lakers are still reeling from not having all-time great Kobe Bryant who is still recovering from his injury last season. *All though an update is that Kobe is here in Houston and did work out in the team’s hotel*

Tonight the match up of the game will between James Harden vs. Steve Blake this match is decidedly WAY in the Rockets favor. The Lakers will more than likely not spend much time covering anybody in man to man defense because they can’t afford to. Don’t look past the Lakers just because they don’t have Kobe…. In the words of Patrick Beverley “The Lakers are the Lakers their a phenomenal team”

Starting Lineups

Rockets

F – Chandler Parsons

F – Dwight Howard

C – Omer Asik

G – James Harden

G – Jeremy Lin

Lakers

F – Xavier Henry

F – Chris Kaman

C – Pau Gasol

G – Steve Blake

G – Steve Nash 

Rockets beat Trailblazers: Game 5 (4-1)

Tonight the Rockets came back following a really tough loss to the Clippers 137 to 118 and tonight the Rockets beat the Trailblazers 116 to 101. The road trip ends 2-1 and the team heads back to Toyota center 4-1. Patrick Beverley gave it a go after suffering an injury against vs. the Bobcats in game 1, but did not start.


The Rockets started tonight's game just a little bit better than they did against the Clippers only giving up 31 points instead of the insanely high 42 1st quarter points they allowed. After the 1st quarter the Rockets pulled away scoring 86 points over the final 3 periods and limiting the Trailblazers to 70 points.

The Rockets got a HUGE effort from stars Dwight Howard (29) and James Harden (33) getting 62 points from the 2. Harden went 9-11 on shots inside the arc, Howard used monster slams to get his buckets and also manged to pull down 13 rebounds 4 of which were offensive rebounds. The Trailblazers made it close a few times, due to the fact the Rockets turned the ball over ALOT 20 to be exact.

Rockets vs Jazz preview

The Rockets head to Utah to take on the Jazz, last season the Rockets went in 4 tries with the Jazz the Rockets took 3 of 4 but lost the very 1st match up with the Jazz, tonight is the very 1st match up of the 2013-2014 season. The difference is this Jazz team is no where near the same Jazz team as it was last season. The Rockets and the Jazz will both go in to this game with changes from last years team but the Jazz have 4 new starters, Derrick Favors is the only carry over from last seasons team.


Rockets come in to the game following 2 wins at home over the Bobcats and the Mavericks. Rockets have gotta big contributions from All Stars James Harden and Dwight Howard. Harden in 1st 2 games has 55 points and Howard has 42 rebounds. The team has gotten good help off the bench both Francisco Garcia in the 1st night and Omri Casspi in the 2nd game. Rockets will still be with Patrick Beverley who was injured opening night Jeremy Lin will start with Aaron Brooks coming in the spell him.


Jazz opened at home with a loss to the Thunder 98 to 101 then at traveled and lost to the Suns 84 to 87, came with a 3 pointer of being 2-0 instead of 0-2. Gordon Hayward has filled up the stat sheet of late and is 5 for 5 on 3's this season and Enes Kanter has 2 double doubles in the 1st 2 games. Leading the Jazz in scoring is Alec Burks and he is doing his damage of the bench.

Rockets beat Mavericks 113 to 105

Rockets win against I-45noth rivals the Dallas Mavericks 113 to 105, the Rockets got major contributions from All Stars James Harden and Dwight Howard to start of the season with two wins. Harden lit up the Mavericks to the tune of 34 points while Howard cleaned up the backboard to the tune of 16 rebounds.

The Rockets unlike their previous game got off to a MUCH better start even though within minutes Omer Asik was out of the game due to picking up two quick personal fouls killing the twin towers lineup. The Rockets used pace and 3’s to take a 61 to 50 lead at the half. When the 2^nd half started the Mavs were soon to employ Hack A Howard which seemed to work for a while with Howard clanking free throws left and right. The game inching ever closer Howard was able to nail back to back free throws which pretty much ended the Hack A Howard technique.

Dwight Howard in his 1^st two games as a Houston Rocket he has 42 rebounds, 30 points showing he was worth every penny the Rockets shelled out to snag the super star free agent this past offseason. Before the game Mavericks owner Mark Cuban made comments that Howard picked the wrong team and you can see why Cuban was so frustrated, because this version of Dwight Howard makes your team 10 times better than the year before.

Below is post game comments from Dwight Howard where he talks about his game and about Mark Cuban. 

Rockets beat Bobcats 96 to 83

The new look Rockets took the court minus last year’s starter Jeremy Lin who was relegated to the bench role and replaced with defensive minded Patrick Beverley. The Rockets also added a new element to the team they have lacked in so many years past, A TRUE POWER FORWARD. Dwight Howard made his Houston Rockets debut alongside Center Omer Asik giving the team true size.

Tip off came and it was time for the hype to meet the Bobcats in the 1st game of a long 82 game season.  On the 1^st offensive and defensive possession you saw the bad and the good of the Rockets Twin Towers lineup. After winning the tip Dwight Howard stepped out of bounds while trying to drive the baseline, but on the defensive end he came off the weakside to cause a miss from Bobcats Al Jefferson. For the better part of the 1^st half the 1^st team offense seemed to struggle as the team seemed to play in slow motion.

Head coach Kevin McHale said in his post-game press conference that watching the offense was like going to the dentist. The team was saved by Francisco Garcia who started lighting up the Bobcats with 3’s finishing with 19 points. The team was able to remaining in the game while the offense stalled early with both Dwight Howard and Omer Aisk combining to snag 40 rebounds, 3 more rebounds than the entire Bobcats team. In the end the team was able to best the lowly Bobcats at home 96 to 83 and hold the 37% shooting.

Below is Francisco Garcia talking about tonight’s game     

Rockets Finalize Roster

The Rockets today announced the season opening roster has been made and that the team has parted ways with two more players. Yesterday the Rockets cut ties with late addition guard Troy Daniels, today the team sent vet's Marcus Camby (Center) and Reggie Williams (guard) packing. These moves finalized the roster to the league mandated 15. The Final roster is below check it out and see who made the final 15, the highlighted is the probable starting lineup

3  - Omer Asik (C) 7-0

2 - Patrick Beverley (G) 6-1 

10 - Ronnie Brewer (F) 6-7 

0 - Aaron Brooks (G) 6-0

1 - Isaiah Canaan (G) 6-0

18 - Omri Casspi (F) 6-9

33 - Robert Covington (F) 6-9

32 - Francisco Garcia (G/F) 6-7

13 - James Harden (G) 6-5

12 - Dwight Howard (C) 6-11

6 - Terrence Jones (F) 6-9

7 - Jeremy Lin (G)

20 - Donatas Motiejunas (F/C) 7-0

25 - Chandler Parsons (F) 6-9

4 - Greg Smith (F/C) 6-10

Rockets Next Great Superpower?

Jalen Rose on Grantland said when Kevin Durant becomes a free agent he will leave the Oklahoma City Thunder and join the Houston Rockets. If this does become a possibility, it would make the Houston Rockets the new Los Angeles Lakers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-_K3gWqaBk

This season the Rockets added a seemingly rejuvenated Dwight Howard to a team of budding stars. James Harden was voted by NBA General Mangers to be the best shooting guard in the league, one of many signs of the surging growth of this young talented team. Of course this is just speculation by Rose, but if true it "could" turn out to be the best collection of NBA talent the NBA has ever seen in my opinion. If the Rockets are able to keep the core group of Dwight Howard, James Harden, Chandler Parsons and add Kevin Durant to the mix, it would be a near unstoppable force, easily better then the Miami Heat's collection of current stars.