The Houston Rockets Thread

[MHSL82]

What do you think about Royce Wright and his situation? What do you think the Rockets can do to best come out of this? I don't think they have signed him, but have obviously have wasted their pick on him (they retain his rights). If he goes anywhere, he'll still have his anxiety but I feel the next team will be treated better than the Rockets because Wright will see them as understanding. Unfair in my opinion because they didn't know that Wright would be unwilling to go to the D-League or couldn't just play home and Texas games.

He could take buses to Dallas, San Antonio, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, and play all home games. That would add up to 49 games in a season. He'd have a better chance in Brooklyn or something. It would be close to the Knicks, Wizards, Celtics, Sixers, Raptors, and all home games - 51 games. Toronto's probably too far. A lot of driving and a bad precedence even if it's for medical reasons, but what are you to do? What would happen in the playoffs? Work him into the schedule only to take him out later?

The Rockets could not sign him or cut him if they've signed him already, but he could go elsewhere and all of a sudden overcome his anxiety. The Rockets can't tie up a roster spot when the guy won't play, can they? He doesn't want to quit basketball, so what's he to do? I'm being a bit insensitive in some of my comments, but I really don't understand what any of them should do. Other than him retiring. Could they pay him less and play him at home? What does that say to other players? How does that effect the rotation and his development as a player? Not worth it if he can't be there for all playoff games, home and away. If he could just take a few plane rides for the playoffs, he would have. He sounds like he's saying take me or leave me and understand medical protocols because I'm not going to overcome this. I know it's hard and maybe impossible for him, but there should be understanding or the Rockets' position. Then again, apparently other teams knew of this and passed on him because of it. Maybe the Rockets did underestimate the anxiety?

Royce White: Houston Rockets Should Set Protocol for Mental Health Care in NBA | Bleacher Report

 

[MHSL82]

I jinxed Lin, he had, again, another down in his rollercoaster year (inconsistent) - 3 for 10, 1-4, 2-2 in a win, thankfully for them.

 

[nuraman00]

I plan to keep watching and see as it goes. He's now my Alex Smith of the NBA (I think you know why

Don't take what Stephen A. Smith says so vigorously. He can provide some critical comments at times, but is not one of the top analysts among the media.

 

[MHSL82]

Don't take what Stephen A. Smith says so vigorously. He can provide some critical comments at times, but is not one of the top analysts among the media.

I think you meant to quote something else? Because I mentioned Stephen A. days ago before this post, right? I guess I could check, but man, these days are blending together right now. But I think the quote otherwise was intentional, given the Niners reference.

 

[nuraman00]

I think you meant to quote something else? Because I mentioned Stephen A. days ago before this post, right? I guess I could check, but man, these days are blending together right now. But I think the quote otherwise was intentional, given the Niners reference.

Not a Niners reference, a LIN reference. You didn't like what Smith said about Lin's impact on the Knicks salary cap.

I thought that was why Lin was the Alex Smith of the NBA for you.

If not, you'll have to expand further.

What I also didn't like was Stephen A. Smith's constant misinterpretation of what Lin said about last year's playoff's availability. Lin said he was 80% to being the minimal health to play. Smith said that Lin said he was 80% healthy. TOTALLY different things. Let's say you have to be 70% healthy to play. If he's 80% there, he's 56% healthy. If the percent healthy to play is less than 70%, then obviously he might have been less than 50% healthy. It's math. Stephen A. Smith never acknowledged that he misinterpreted the statement, insisting that it was heart - that his teammates were battling and he was nursing his injury, waiting for his big contract.

 

[MHSL82]

Not a Niners reference, a LIN reference. You didn't like what Smith said about Lin's impact on the Knicks salary cap.

I thought that was why Lin was the Alex Smith of the NBA for you.

If not, you'll have to expand further.

Alex Smith is from Utah college wise. Jeremy Lin's has a Taiwanese background. I'm not Taiwanese, but my friends and family have ties to Taiwanese people, whether it be friends or through marriage. So I follow Jeremy Lin.

It's a little different because I'm from Utah and have a basketball team, so the Rockets would never be my team, I have no need to go choose a team. With the NFL, there was no NFL team in my state, so as a kid, I had to choose a team. SF, though farther away than Denver or Arizona and the same distance as Oakland give or take a bit, was my "local" team, so I rooted for them, even when they weren't good, before and during Smith's tenure here. I could have rooted for da Bears, as my uncle was from Chicago, but that was too removed for me. Then, Alex Smith from my local college at the time, went to SF. Perfect match rooting wise.

Now, I can't root for the Rockets, as they are a rival (more in the 1990's), but I do have few players I follow around the league. OJ Mayo went to USC, so I hope the best for him, but I didn't watch him much in college. Bogut will retire after being injured too long. Andre Miller is getting older.

 

[MHSL82]

Jeremy Lin played well today, now all he needs is 99 more points next game to match last year's output in the same number of games. Honestly, I can't see him getting any more than 85.

 

[MHSL82]

Houston Rockets suspend Royce White, cite breach of contract

 

[nuraman00]

Houston Rockets suspend Royce White, cite breach of contract

You asked me about White a few days ago. I'll get back to that. I need to do more reading.

 

[nuraman00]

What do you think about Royce Wright and his situation? What do you think the Rockets can do to best come out of this? I don't think they have signed him, but have obviously have wasted their pick on him (they retain his rights). If he goes anywhere, he'll still have his anxiety but I feel the next team will be treated better than the Rockets because Wright will see them as understanding. Unfair in my opinion because they didn't know that Wright would be unwilling to go to the D-League or couldn't just play home and Texas games.

He could take buses to Dallas, San Antonio, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, and play all home games. That would add up to 49 games in a season. He'd have a better chance in Brooklyn or something. It would be close to the Knicks, Wizards, Celtics, Sixers, Raptors, and all home games - 51 games. Toronto's probably too far. A lot of driving and a bad precedence even if it's for medical reasons, but what are you to do? What would happen in the playoffs? Work him into the schedule only to take him out later?

The Rockets could not sign him or cut him if they've signed him already, but he could go elsewhere and all of a sudden overcome his anxiety. The Rockets can't tie up a roster spot when the guy won't play, can they? He doesn't want to quit basketball, so what's he to do? I'm being a bit insensitive in some of my comments, but I really don't understand what any of them should do. Other than him retiring. Could they pay him less and play him at home? What does that say to other players? How does that effect the rotation and his development as a player? Not worth it if he can't be there for all playoff games, home and away. If he could just take a few plane rides for the playoffs, he would have. He sounds like he's saying take me or leave me and understand medical protocols because I'm not going to overcome this. I know it's hard and maybe impossible for him, but there should be understanding or the Rockets' position. Then again, apparently other teams knew of this and passed on him because of it. Maybe the Rockets did underestimate the anxiety?

Royce White: Houston Rockets Should Set Protocol for Mental Health Care in NBA | Bleacher Report

Does anyone know what Royce wants? I can't comment on this, until I know what exactly he wants, and what he thinks Houston isn't providing him with.

There was something mentioned about what he wanted a few months ago when the problems first surfaced, but I'm not sure about what he wants in this more recent incident.

 

[MHSL82]

Does anyone know what Royce wants? I can't comment on this, until I know what exactly he wants, and what he thinks Houston isn't providing him with.

There was something mentioned about what he wanted a few months ago when the problems first surfaced, but I'm not sure about what he wants in this more recent incident.

He wants them to bend over backwards as far as I can tell. I've read that they have basically offered to let him play home games and drive in a bus to the feasible locations. They might want less pay if he's there fewer games. They have him seeing a medical therapist, psychologist or whatnot. I don't know what Houston can do, but I also wouldn't say that the NBA is the premier league for mental disorders, either.

I think he confuses the issue when it comes to Houston's point of view. They are not saying that he's a bad guy or that his issues are not real - they are saying that they cannot proceed if he's not there and unwilling to take the alternatives. He won't go to the developmental league, he won't go on all the bus trips (at least not without a guarantee of playing - some players don't get to play), and apparently, home games aren't an option because he keeps citing medical reasons re: anxiety to not play.

Will add more when I can, to color my comments better.

 

[nuraman00]

He wants them to bend over backwards as far as I can tell. I've read that they have basically offered to let him play home games and drive in a bus to the feasible locations. They might want less pay if he's there fewer games. They have him seeing a medical therapist, psychologist or whatnot. I don't know what Houston can do, but I also wouldn't say that the NBA is the premier league for mental disorders, either.

I think he confuses the issue when it comes to Houston's point of view. They are not saying that he's a bad guy or that his issues are not real - they are saying that they cannot proceed if he's not there and unwilling to take the alternatives. He won't go to the developmental league, he won't go on all the bus trips (at least not without a guarantee of playing - some players don't get to play), and apparently, home games aren't an option because he keeps citing medical reasons re: anxiety to not play.

Will add more when I can, to color my comments better.

Ok.

Most of your post was on what Houston wanted or offered (Only home games; bus to feasible locations; therapist).

You mentioned a little bit of what he wants (guaranteed playing time if he travels). What else?

 

[nuraman00]

I suppose he didn't have to worry about playing time in college. He was too good, and it's not like colleges can trade you. And I never read anything about disputes with teammates.

 

[MHSL82]

Jeremy Lin played well today, now all he needs is 99 more points next game to match last year's output in the same number of games. Honestly, I can't see him getting any more than 85.

Boo. Jeremy Lin again did well, but he fell short of the goal by 80 points. Disappointed. I expected at least 76 points from him against the Lakers, you know to double his output against them last year. He can make up for it if he scores 95 points tonight against New Orleans. But I still think his ceiling is 85.

 

[MHSL82]

Seriously speaking, I hope he goes 8-11 tonight against New Orleans, because then he'll catch last years FG%.

Here are some cherry picking stats to show his improvement thus far:

Field Goal Percentage

First 12 games: 42-126 33.3%
Last 12 games: 71-139 51.1%

Three-Point Shooting Percentage

First 12 games: 8-35 22.9%
Last 17 games: 19-60 31.7%

Free Throw Percentage

First 35 games: 76-95 80%
Last 35 games: 76-95 80%
First 19 games: 32-40 80%
Last 16 games: 44-55 80%

Points per game

First 17 games: 9.95 ppg
Last 12 games: 15.25 ppg

Assists Per Game

First 23 games: 5.96 assists
Last 12 games: 7.08 assists

Rebounds

First 34 games: 3.79 Rebounds
Last 1 game: 6.000000000 Rebounds

Turnovers

First 1 game: 4.0000 TPG
Last 34 games: 3.12 TPG

Steals Per Second

First 28 games: 0.00089 sps
Last 10 games: 0.00113 sps
Last 1 game: 0.001905 sps

 

[MHSL82]

Jeremy Lin got a 5 by 5. 9 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, and yes, 5 turnovers. Too bad that wasn't 5 blocks instead.

Houston gets a lot of turnovers, do you think it's more personnel or system? It obviously is a bit of both, but where do you look at when looking at turnovers.

 

[nuraman00]

Jeremy Lin got a 5 by 5. 9 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, and yes, 5 turnovers. Too bad that wasn't 5 blocks instead.

Houston gets a lot of turnovers, do you think it's more personnel or system? It obviously is a bit of both, but where do you look at when looking at turnovers.

As I previously said, I only saw the Christmas Day Houston game, and since that was a blowout, I wasn't paying close attention.

 

[MHSL82]

As I previously said, I only saw the Christmas Day Houston game, and since that was a blowout, I wasn't paying close attention.

Christmas was 16 days and 9 games ago. I'm going to ask you every 16 days or 9 games, whichever comes first. I'm only kidding, Nuraman. Houston to me seems semi-irrelevant - meaning they can get hot and win, but I'd never see them in contention, but we do have some good WC teams.

 

[nuraman00]

Christmas was 16 days and 9 games ago. I'm going to ask you every 16 days or 9 games, whichever comes first. I'm only kidding, Nuraman. Houston to me seems semi-irrelevant - meaning they can get hot and win, but I'd never see them in contention, but we do have some good WC teams.

LP Broadband only lets you choose and lock in 5 teams.

In 2007-2008 and 2008-2009, it was all 30 teams.

In 2009-2010 and 2010-2011, there were 2 tiers, 7 teams and 30 teams.

In 2011-2012 and this year, the 7 team plan was reduced to 5 teams.

So I couldn't watch Houston on a random late night even if I wanted to.

 

[MHSL82]

LP Broadband only lets you choose and lock in 5 teams.

In 2007-2008 and 2008-2009, it was all 30 teams.

In 2009-2010 and 2010-2011, there were 2 tiers, 7 teams and 30 teams.

In 2011-2012 and this year, the 7 team plan was reduced to 5 teams.

So I couldn't watch Houston on a random late night even if I wanted to.

Plus, even if you could, I don't know why you'd want to, I mean, the Jazz are the best! Well, I mean 17th best.