Hello everyone.
of houston rockets 10-30 at the midpoint of the season. Needless to say, there are many topics to discuss. No need to waste time. Let’s dive right in.
Is there any truth to the rumors that Steven Cyrus’ job is in jeopardy? Or does the organization understand this is a restructuring and have the patience? – Aaron G.
Given the climate these days, this is arguably the most pressing issue, so let’s start here.
With each passing day, it feels like the frustration surrounding this team is growing, both externally and internally. You can’t get around it. It’s rough out here for young people. The Rockets are 10-30 and have lost 12 of their last 13 games. This is eerily similar to a slow start to the season, losing 12 of his 14 games in the first. Their recent slides only raised more questions about the legitimacy of the overall restructuring and whether the group is moving forward.
Were there any fundamental improvements? Cyrus had a lot to say about the concept.
“We’re the best offensive rebounding team in the league,” the Rockets head coach said earlier this week. “I’m proud of it. Paint protection — last year’s paint protection was horrible, but this year he’s fifth. He came in 11th place.The growth of Kevin Porter Jr. As long as you are a point guard, you play evenly and help your teammates play. Jalen Green We got to the free-throw line, made a play, and had five assists and a half. Jabari Smith Jr.came slowly but surely and has his rookie ups and downs.
However, even with these growth areas, the product as a whole still falls short and can be a headache. per glass cleaningLast season, he was 26th in offense and 30th in defense. In 2020, the Rockets ranked 27th in both. Young people are often relied upon and even defended to an extent when talking about perseverance, but Houston shouldn’t get worse offensively as the rebuild progresses. increase.
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But does that mean his job is in jeopardy? Is Cyrus really in the hot seat?
To be honest, I didn’t expect Cyrus to make it through that brutal 2-12 start. It looks like the wall is coming down and we’ve seen coaches get fired early in the season. But he survived and Houston looked better in the next stretch, going 7-6 over the next 13 games. It’s implied that Cyrus could lose his job sooner or later.
My feeling is that there is no need to rush into a relationship with Cyrus at this point. He has always had management support, from convincing them in the interview process to giving him complete autonomy in building his support staff. There is a lot of love for him in the building after his tragic death.
But it would be a lie to say that their front office wasn’t frustrated. If you want a game that encapsulates the Rockets’ experience in 2022-23, Sunday night’s loss Minnesota Timberwolves had everything They built a big lead out of the joy of youth and watched it crumble with sloppy execution and mistakes. Watching them play, no one seems to have the same idea and the floor is really confused. Players seem to lack confidence at times. There is no real order of operations. Understanding the flow of attacks is essentially a crap shoot. They are dead last on the turnover. Teams don’t respect them defensively. Multiple opposing players have called the Rockets the “right” game.
That’s what Cyrus is all about. Coaching is about making people successful, but so are intangibles. confidence. trust. safety. He has three variables that are important to young players that seem to be lacking now.
Jalen Green gives up a directionless and uncontrollable dribble to pass to Eric Gordon. Eric Gordon makes a directionless and uncontrollable dribble, gives up and passes to his KPJ. KPJ dribbles directionally and out of control pic.twitter.com/qUbTMwSqre
— ً (@CLE_Optimistic) January 6, 2023
Zooming out, Houston executives always saw this rebuild as a three-year plan rather than a drawn-out story that lasts forever. . Chris Paul–Russell Westbrook traded a few years ago. ( oklahoma city thunder He won the Rockets first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, both securing top-four spots and the right to trade picks in 2025.) Houston has allowed Cyrus to make the bed he wants, but that also comes with accountability if things go south.
If I were a betting man, my money would be on Cyrus finishing the season. However (important caveat!) this assumes this losing streak doesn’t reach his double digits. Before this new year, the most consecutive games Houston has lost was six. The Rockets are currently on a seven-game losing streak, the only game looking at the upcoming schedule. Might be so wife is home fixtures Charlotte January 18th. Sacramento Kings and future los angeles lakers/LA Clippers If you swing, your losing streak will very likely reach 11.
If we’re talking about a 13-14 losing streak, I’m not sure Cyrus can survive it.
Hey Kelly. If the Rockets get his No. 2 or No. 3 pick, do you think they’ll move Kevin Porter Jr. (maybe Scoot Henderson or Amen Thompson?) KPJ is the winning team’s starting point guard. I often see him talked about as a good sixth man instead of as. Any thoughts on that? Thanks in advance. — Mateo C.
In a world where Houston can’t win Victor Wenbanyama’s sweepstakes, the focus should only be on Scoot Henderson and Armen Thompson. That’s a home run for a team that really needs playmaking help.
As for Porter, I still believe his best role is wing scorer. His offensive ability is evident both physically and technically. His playmaking development has gone relatively well since he was traded to Houston (his assists have hit slightly compared to last season), and he’s come to a point where he can be trusted with making leads. I’m here.The problem comes when Porter feels he must be entrusted with setting all Join the Rockets and find yourself relying on old habits. Having a natural lead ball handler allows Porter to settle into a more comfortable role in addition to helping Jaylen Green and Jabari Smith.
But I don’t think the two things, Houston getting a high draft pick and moving Porter, are necessarily related.
Kevin Porter Jr. (Troy Taormina/USA Today)
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What kind of veterans should the Rockets entertain? Deadline trades or free agency over the summer? — Clayton M.
I had the pleasure of catching up with Austin Rivers over the weekend. During that conversation, it was clear that Houston’s wealth of youth – attractive in the long run – is not without holes. We need seasoned leadership around this core.
“They got it,” Rivers said athletic“They just need direction. You know what I mean? They can’t give themselves. We need good vets here.”
Miles Turnerin my opinion, should be a major free agency target If he doesn’t sign a mid-season extension. of Indiana Pacers is in the midst of a mini-revival that will ultimately eliminate any hope of a shocking trade deadline move. has everything a big man needs. Proven rim He’s a protector and a floor He’s a spacer and has a knack for making things easier around him. You can’t ask for more for the potential off-season additions. Houston has cap space, which puts Turner’s Texas roots to his advantage. The Rockets should go all out.
Additionally, it would be wise to add another veteran point guard at some point.
Statistics show the rest of the league is running more than they did last season. Why would Rockets content play at such a slow, syrupy pace? Why is there no commitment to be on the running team?— Jason F.
I really like the word syrup. It now visually shows what is happening between the lines.
The Rockets’ Pace is in 18th place, just a year after finishing second. NBAGiven Greenporter’s backcourt and their penchant for speed and power, this is one of the most confusing parts of their season. You might think they’d continue to pick up the pace as they did in the 2021-22 season, but this has been an odd campaign overall.
I think they understand the importance of being on a running team. Cyrus talks about his desire for his team to return to that style of play, especially how devastating they are on the open floor.
Kevin Porter Jr. Steals Jalen Greene>> pic.twitter.com/V0adFOSvGY
— Bradeau (@BradeauxNBA) December 9, 2022
The simplest excuse is the lack of defensive stops. If you’re constantly robbing the net of the ball, things tend to slow down. Combine that with execution issues and you find yourself in an unnecessarily slow style of play. Or syrupy. So can they get to a point where they can be defensive enough to kickstart a lot of haste?He’s 26th in that division, scoring just 11.5 points per game during the transition. am. Given the exercise equipment at your disposal, that number has to be fairly high.
(Stephen Cyrus top photo: Tim Warner/Getty Images)
