March 1, 2026 • 46 mins
Even after losing Saturday’s game at Miami, the Rockets (37-22) remain at No. 3 in the Western Conference standings. When factoring in widespread injuries throughout Houston’s roster, things could certainly be a lot worse.
Yet, even with Kevin Durant in All-NBA form, there are still several questions to answer as the Rockets embark upon the final weeks of the regular season and what they hope is an extended run in the 2026 playoffs. Those questions include:
This episode can also be viewed in video form here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvMphBfmsgA
Yet, even with Kevin Durant in All-NBA form, there are still several questions to answer as the Rockets embark upon the final weeks of the regular season and what they hope is an extended run in the 2026 playoffs. Those questions include:
- With Steven Adams unavailable and Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle sprain) sidelined for at least a few days, is Alperen Sengun becoming a liability at center?
- Should Reed Sheppard start in the backcourt?
- Is Ime Udoka maximizing Houston’s offense?
- Could a potential buyout signing make a difference?
This episode can also be viewed in video form here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvMphBfmsgA
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
All right, can you guys hear me?
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Okay, thumb.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Gotcha? Gotcha? Yeah? Welcome in everybody. It's is a tough game.
Rockets fall and a Saturday afternoon special on Amazon Prime TV.
Rockets fall one fifteen to one oh five in Miami
in a game that was pretty physical and the Rockets
for the most part, got bullied.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Today.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
There's lots of Kevin Durant was was certainly his special self.
He played, put up thirty two points, was efficient shooting
from the field. Katie did certainly his part. There's lots
to talk about Re Shepherd closed the game. There's none
of that talk about him not playing at the end.
Played big minutes, thirty five plus minutes, but Rockets down
the stretch just could not.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Hang with Miami.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
I'm here with Ben Dubos. You can follow him on
Twitter and Blue Sky at Bendubos and read all of
his stuff on Rockets Wire and on Clutch Fans as
well as Powo Alves. Powow is good to have you
here as well. You can follow him on Twitter at
Pollo Alves. NBA a really good follow for Rockets and
NBA talk. Guys. There's lots of talk about in the dress.
We're certainly going to talk about some of the players
(01:09):
here at for this game, but this was one where
after a really blistering hot start out of the gate
for the Rockets, which everybody was like, oh my gosh,
this is for real, I think it was a thirty
seven to fourteen Miami run from there that changed the game.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, I think this is a frustrating one because the
Rockets got beaten at their own game, like they were
out physical, they were bullied, as you said, And I
think it's only fitting that we have Powlo on today
because if there's two things that Powlo is known for,
well there's probably more than two things. But I think
if you listen to the Rockets launchpot and shows that
I've done with Powlo over the years, you know a
(01:44):
couple of Powow's favorite talking points. This year it's been
about the regression from all par in Shangoon on defense
and ever since, well even before khalel Ware was drafted,
that was his guy. And then you fast forward to
today and Miami's backup center outplays Houston started center and
the Rockets also don't have Steven Adams, they don't have
Jabari Smith Junior, who typically does a lot to help
(02:05):
Shangoon that comes to defense and rebounding and providing another
physical presence inside. You don't have the backup in Steven,
you don't have the reinforcement in Jabari, who typically starts
alongside Alpi. So it's basically alp and four perimeter guys
in that starting lineup, and both bam Adebayo, who you
would expect BAM's an all star level player, but also
collel where outplay Alprah and Shangoon you're all star. It's
(02:29):
tough to come up with a formula to when when
that happens. So, Powell, I don't know what to say.
I'll I'll just kick it to you on that because
it feels like a game in which you know shingoon
shortcomings defensively works posed and also, you know all the
reasons you were high on Colo where are going into
you know that draft class couple of years ago. I
think those were on display today as well.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, it just feels like, sorry to throw it back
again to Asher, but it feels like last year the
Rockets just had two elite advantages reoffensive, rebounding, elite defense,
and now it seems like Robertson having an advantage basically
anywhere other than Kevin Run having probably the best go
to scorer on every single game, not every single but
most of the games. It's probably the Rockets only. Yet
(03:09):
at this point, we're not getting that at offensive rebounding,
our defense is not nearly the same, and we're not
a good offensive team either against most teams. And what
the leads to is just games like this game where
the Rockets should just completely out talent the Miami Heat,
but it just doesn't matter because at any point in
the game they are always at risk of being ten points. Now,
(03:30):
there's just there's very few teams in the league that
the Rockets are just just clearly being too big of
an ask for those other teams. Right, it feels like
every single team that plays the Rockets is in the
game until the very end. And when you play a
lot of games like that, you're gonna finish games like
you did this time, where you just can't play a three,
and since you're not a good defense that could have
a defensive team and you can string stops together, then
(03:54):
you're not gonna be able to make up for that
on the defensive event that what they did last season
and to turn Shane gunpoint. You know, you guys have
heard plenty from me about Shanghun. I was initially low
on him, then got really high on him last season
because the defense seemed to be a major step forward.
But now it's not even just the defense. Defense has
(04:14):
clearly requested. The rebounding has requested as well. Like we
used to look at Chegun and see a guy that
would get you know, a lot of offensive a lot
offensive rebounds and me being in the correct place at
the correct type. That's mostly gone as well. And then well,
what the cell on shan Gun is He's going to
be such a good offensive player, draw so much attention,
(04:34):
be so efficient that you can live with whatever defensive
shortcomings come with. Well, it's yet another game where he's
been inefficient, not only for a center, but for a
guard as well. The steplight that he put up today
for a guard isn't inefficient. Step lin more topnovers than
assists six or fourteen forty three percent from the field.
(04:55):
Like that's terrible numbers for a garb let alone the center.
And it's just it feels like this was a game
where the Rockets couldn't shoot right, and then the two
guys from their team who they who they don't for
why I'm shooting for a man and Shingun didn't necessarily
single more so than a man, but didn't necessarily have
good games either. And then well the question becomes, how
do you win if you can If you're not good
(05:17):
at shooting and your inside threats are not winning you
of the game either, well you're not gonna win regardless
of the opponent. Then they were playing they're not very
good Miami. He team a five hundred team, and they
still couldn't make it work. So just all in all,
just the disappointing was but more symptoms of what we've
seen so far.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
This is Yeah, to me, this was the worst shan
Gun game in a while. I mean he's had some
pretty bad ones, I think lately, but this one. This
was more of a playoff style game. And you know,
the Rockets kind of get away with putting Shangun on
the worst player, the guy they want to shoot or
do something. Pela Larson is thirty two three point shooter.
(05:55):
A Larson just destroyed him. I mean he just went
at him. You know, several times there was a play
in the third quarter where Bam went around Shngun. I
swear there was five six feet between them the whole time.
He went out uncontested for a dunk. You know, there
were times where he was caught flat footed twice. Imo
Udoka had raged timeouts to chew out Shangoon, including the
(06:17):
one where he was caught flat footed, and you know,
out of bio missed and where got the board? I mean,
you guys are the tip and slam. You guys have
kind of already addressed this. But I think what he
had five six six boards today? I think Bam had
eleven and where had fifteen, So it was like twenty
six boards between those two. Yeah, I mean Jabari not
being there helps, you know, it hurts you know Shangun
(06:39):
that's a factor as well. But I mean this is
I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but I've
been saying this for like five years. This is always
my skit. My fear with Shangun always is like we're
going to get into a playoff style situation and this
kind of stuff could happen. Now he's he's had games
that have proven me wrong where he looks really good
but this game, if you watch this game, this is
(06:59):
the with Schengun. Why would you want to have somebody
who's a pretty good offensive player, but it could be
a liability defensively when you're you know, having a different
style center could have such a more significant impact. So look,
it's not his best game, so I'm not going to
judge him by just specifically this game. I think he'll
have more better games where he's much more energetic. I
(07:21):
think was it the King's game. He looked quite spry,
but this was a game that kind of brings fear
to me, reminds me of all the the Shngun takes.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yeah, Shngoon was minus eighteen today in his thirty five
minutes and Kevin Durant was plus five in his thirty
seven minutes, and most of those minutes overlap, so that
tells you how bad they were in the Shangoon minutes
without KD. And you also look at Clint Capella off
the bench was a neutral in the plus minus. So
(07:52):
all the advantages that the heat had on the glass
and in terms of bullying the rockets, they came against
all Parisian goon and specifically when Shinoon didn't have the
Kadi stimulus factor offensively, just insane shot making to get
the Rockets going. And so yeah, you shouldn't judge him
just by this game. And I agree this was a
rough matchup, especially without Jabbari. But it's concerning and that's
(08:15):
why I think the Steven Adams injury was so much
bigger than a lot of people gave it credit for, because,
as you said plenty of times day offensive rebounding and
rebounding overall is this team superpower And for the Rockets
to have this happen to them against any team, this
was not on a back to back to be able,
I know. Overall, I think they won the rebounding battle
(08:37):
very slightly, right.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
They did, And we were talking about this, Palin I
before you came on. I had like five or six
rebounds and the final minute it was crazy. But they
did win fifty nine to fifty four. It was probably
a pretty even matchup.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Yeah, but if you watched the game, it felt like
the Heat were by far the more physicalty. Yeah, and
so it's disconcerting when you have an all star center
and that happens to you. It speaks to the importance
of Steven Adams now maybe they target a guy like
a Kevon Looney on the buyout market. The next few days,
we'll have to wait and see. The deadline is actually
tomorrow for players to get released, so within twenty four
hours or so, I think we'll have a lot more
(09:10):
clarity as far as who the targets might be. Sure
seems like the Rockets are targeting someone with you know,
holding on to the fifty game limit for JD. Davison.
We've talked about that before. I don't think we need
to go into it today. We'll talk more about that
on Monday, once we know who the actual potential targets
are when the buyout list is finalized. But I just
think Jabari specifically, let's transition to him, because I do
(09:33):
think that this game showed you how important he is
as a communicator, as a connector. I think it's it's
absolutely silly for all the discussions in recent days about
starting Read Shepherd, and it's fair you can have that conversation.
Reid wasn't great in the second half, but he's been
very good overall the last few games. I think it
is crystal clear if Reed Shepherd is going to start
(09:54):
for this basketball team, it's not in place for the
men Thompson, it's not in place of Jobory Smith Junior,
it's in place of Tari Eason. I think there's a
reason the Rockets didn't start Tarri until Christmas. There's a
reason why Amn Thompson and Jabari were confirmed starters before
preseason even began. And I think when it's Shingoon and
four perimeter players, then those flaws become even more glaring.
(10:17):
I think today showed you you need. You know, Javari
isn't the guy that jumps off the page in terms
of his totals defensively when it comes to block shots
and rebounding, but the presence, the physical edge that he
plays with is just so so important. And he's a
great communicator on that end as well. And so if
you're trying to surround all parin Shangoon with basically four
(10:39):
perimeter players, I think you're gonna have a lot of
matchups where it looks like tonight. So you know, we
talked the other night about how it's silly to talk
about replacing an Thompson because of the combination of his
defense and then the rim pressure offensively. Well, I think
tonight you saw how valuable Jabari Is in terms of
making threes, the Rockets struggled to do that at volume
and also the presence. I'm sorry, javari Is, It's just
(11:00):
not nearly the same archetype of player. So say what
you will about Reach Shepherd. Powell. I'll bring you in
on this because obviously we haven't talked to you since
red Menia started on social media with all these calls
to start him. You can certainly make the argument, but
I just think it's pretty clear to me, if you're
going to start Reach Shepherd, it shouldn't be at the
expense of an Nn Thompson or Jabari Smith Junior Powell,
(11:23):
what do you think about that?
Speaker 3 (11:25):
You know, I just don't think you should start Reaching Shepherd.
You're supposed to maximize the talent that you have on
your team. The Rockets have three guys who are supposed
to be go to scorers and read Shepherd is right
now better that Emmen Conson is, and so you have
to spread those guys out to make sure you have
always got to on the floor. And to do that,
it's all it's easier if one of them comes off
the bench and shin Gun and Katie are not going
(11:45):
to come off the bench. So just from you've got
a minus forty eight minutes, you're not just managing the
best starting line up possible. And so that's that's how
I feel about that. This game, in particular, Rea was
you know, really good in the first half. That makes
some time only threes, But then again he ended up
(12:08):
shooting for the game thirty seven percent, which is not
his average, but is probably the best shooting and the
best shooting he had from in the game. Even with
all the misses in the second half, who averaged all
that out, he still had a decent game shooting life right,
And I guess in the second half what came into
play was what we've talked about earlier again, which is
when he's playing with Scheng Gun and with Kadi, especially
(12:32):
down the streat when responsibilities are higher, it seems like
he's more hesitant to shoot. He's less intentional about getting
his own shots. He's less crisp when he gets around screens.
He forces it a little bit less and he's not
gonna get or he's not getting those same opportunities, partly
because of how less intentional he is about carrying the
ball in those spots. But then again bringing it back
(12:53):
to Jabari Snato, which is what you were touching on,
It's yes, the rebounding that you talked about, it's yes.
As much as people don't like talking about Jeberry Smith
has the slete defender one on one, which you know,
I can see why he's a good defense not necessarily
shut down guy, but it does help make up for
a lot of signals deficiencies that we're not that we
(13:13):
were projecting him to be that earlier on when he
was first drafted and then he wasn't that good of
a week side defender came coming into the league, but
he has really improved and simply have our mind made
up early on about how probably couldn't be that guy.
He's now become a lot more of that guy, and
he's not he's not getting the credit for it, but
even more so offensively, I think it makes it makes
(13:36):
a lot of difference. Rockets put up one hundred and
time five points as much as as much as we
want to, you know, talk about the defense and the
heat did put to put up one fifteen? Actually not
yet one fifteen.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
I'm not going to beat a.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Lot of teams making the record one hundred and five
points right down down the stretch in clutch time. Yes,
the defense was even more so of a problem. And
yet the Heat are a much West talented team, and
so defense should have made it so this isn't even
a close game at all. But then again, at one
hundred and five points in a game, you're not gonna
be a lot of teams. And Jebarry Smith Junior is
(14:11):
someone who, yes, can help you shoot the threes. But
and this is the really underrated part, is he scores
a lot of those you know, the snow what we
use the word connector for, but those buckets that string
possessions together. When Kadi is not ice wing or or
sa guns of iceoing, or someone is not making threes,
Jabari st strings together possessions, scoring those mid range buckets
(14:34):
and those and those offensive rebounds and sometimes gets it. Gets.
It's someone who can very easily get easy offense. That
was really missed this game as well. But then again, yes,
the Heat a lot West out of the other team,
But you're missing Japari, you're missing Fred, you're missing Steven Adams.
And the only guy that played well this game, which
(14:55):
I guess maybe Capella, who could make an argument for
but other than that the only had played well with
Katie going to be anyone. Basically nobody's flayed well.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
A couple of comments from the chat Tarry Eason over
his last nine games, shooting just twenty eight percent from
three now.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
He seems the worse over the last eight. But sorry,
I go ahead. He had a good one ninety games ago.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Oh shitty, okay, yeah, eight right now he's the last eight.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
It's brutal. It's like it might be like twenty.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Five percent or some him. Yeah, So it's been a
rough stretch. I don't expect it to continue. But I
also don't think you should expect the forty seven percent
he was at for you know, his first thirty or
so games of this season to continue. I think he's gonna,
you know, slide back into hopefully upper thirties rather than
mid thirties. I think that'd be a very good outcome.
But at the end of the day, when you look
(15:40):
at everything else and specifically the fit with the starting lineup,
you know, Jabari is much better, especially in recent games,
at attacking off the dribble, at making things happen. He's
got a little more fluidity to him. You know, Tarri,
I suspect it's the combination of the lower leg the
last couple of years, and then he's been playing with
the ankle strain the last couple of months. But he
just doesn't seem as springy as he has at times
(16:02):
in the past. Like it seems from the majority of
this season, the most of Tari's value has been as
a three point shooter, and now that the three point
shooting is going south, you know, some of the other
flaws are becoming much more pronounced. And he may had
a rage time out for Tari as well in the
first half of this game.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, And the funny thing is Tari had raged back.
Did you guys see that that was a big flip
friction moment. I was like, whoa, do we have an
issue on our hands? They were definitely going jawn at
each other.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And then there's a few other
comments about the struggles of DFS. Who Yeah, I've said
to give him time. I did think in the middle
of this month, the Clippers game, right before the All
Star break, in the Hornet's game right after it, we're
encouraging He's been terrible since I don't know what to
tell you. Tomorrow is March first, so we're running out
of time. It's not impossible. But this time a year ago,
(16:50):
you know, Dave, you've made the comparison to Stephen Adams
coming off of his surgery the year before. Well, Stephen
was showing a few more flashes now than DFS is.
It's not impossible, but to go back to the Craig
Ackerman phrase, it's getting late early right right.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
And for some reason, I guess I'm just not panicked
about DFS because of my whole like still looking at
next year as being even better. I'm not giving up
on this year. I want to be clear, but I
think next year should be even better. And the fact is,
if DFS doesn't do well, you're still just fine because
it's an expiring deal. Next year it should be an
asset that you can move in the right deal. So
that's one for sure. I agree with you because I
(17:28):
think Adams and Jabari would have made a big difference.
One other thing, Ben, I know you mentioned the Tari
things you know started eight nine games ago. That's exactly
when Reid took off. Reid was really struggling for a
good long stretch and Reid has been like fifty percent
since then. I do want to talk a little bit
about Reid. I mean, like I said, as far as Jabbari,
I mean, I consider Jabari to be unappreciated and undervalued
(17:51):
in our fan base period, and I think a game
like this at least shows that he's you know, he's
a guy who can hit threes and he does defend.
I think that when you boil this game down the
box score, you're looking at the rebounds, you're looking at
the possession battle, the turnovers all very similar. Well, it
wasn't similar today. It was three point shooting. The bench
won for eight, the starters eight for twenty eight, and Miami.
(18:11):
That was the difference in the game, along with some
of these other things. But as far as re Spard,
I mean, it's a big story. He played thirty six minutes.
As far as a meaningful game, I wonder if it's
a career high. I don't know, because I know he's
played in some games.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
That you started Golden State before Thanksgiving, but it's up there.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
Maybe he did play that those kind of that high
of minutes. In that game, he had a red hot start,
hit his first two threes, started the game perfect. That
was funny. The Rockets jumped out of this out of
the gate fourteen to four. In this game, they hit
eight of their first ten shots, looked like world beaters.
Then that eleven to two kind of shngun defensive run
that the Miami went on, and then like I said,
thirty seven to fourteen overall run. But Reid looked really good.
(18:52):
He ended up hitting four of his first six, then
he missed his final five, and it was interesting because
he may did rest him early in the four and
you could see that this was setting up for Reed
to close, and he did. He missed some threes down
the stretch Rockets. Again, it wasn't on Reid. I'm not
blaming Red, but he played and the lead widened for
(19:14):
Miami during that stretch. So, you know, five or fourteen overall,
four of eleven from three. I think you got to
keep playing him, even if he's coming off the bench.
You got to keep doing it. You know, Ben, and
you and I have talked about this like a men
and Red, like we want to see these guys develop,
especially you know, for this year for the playoffs, but
also for next year. So I'm hoping Reid will continue
to play good minutes even if he's coming off the bench.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Yeah, I think it's worth noting that even though he
started with the men today, it felt like a men
was still the closest thing to a point guard. They
were largely using Reed as an off ball guy, you know,
a relocation shooter, and in the first half it worked
very well. So I think we should keep that in
the back of our minds. I mean, I've heard that
the Rockets internally sort of view him as a two
(19:57):
as well. Now he can handle the ball, so it's
not as if there's no point guard skills there. But
at the same time, he's not a drop in Fred
van Vleet replacement either. Like it's like, yeah, and so, Dave,
I'm curious your thoughts. Well, let me start with this.
Did you watch the Amazon Prime or the Space City
broadcast today?
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Amazon Prime?
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Okay, I thought so based on our talks during the game.
So one thing that Craig Ackerman pointed out during the game,
and I thought the same. Reid was hesitant for most
of the second half, and I thought, you know, late
in the game he started firing away again and he
mostly missed them, but for especially the first eighteen minutes
or so. There were some looks he could have put
(20:37):
up and probably should have on a couple of instances,
but it felt like he was deferring given that it
was a close game in the second half to the
two big name All Stars Kevin Durant and all for
In Shangoon. And there's a couple of ways to look
at it. You can look at it the way Paolo
did and say, well, you know you've got these two
in theory high level creators. Now, I know Shinoon wasn't today,
but in theory, you know he's an All Star for
(20:58):
a reason. And your bench, especially if DFST is struggling
like he is right now, could use the stimulus. I mean,
the Rockets lost these games. They lost this game in
the minutes that Shingoon played with the bench when you
didn't have Katie. And so yeah, in theory, if you
were bringing in Reid with that unit, then you know
Reid isn't going to be quite the creator that KD is,
(21:19):
but he can mitigate that a little bit. So that's
an argument in favor of you know, as Polo laid out,
you know, making read your monogenobili if you will, the
flip side. Maybe in the long run, Reid needs to
get better at at figuring out when to you know,
put his fingerprints on a game, when to shoot, when
to pull back, because for a lot of this year
(21:40):
his role has been simplified as a six man and
that you know, he's got the permanent green light, and
I think for a young player you're two twenty one
years old, that's good in a lot of ways. But
in the grand scheme, if you want to get him to,
you know, potentially like that offensive engine level that I
think fans see him as and I believe the Rockets
internally see him as that as well, it's just going
to take a little bit of time. There's still a
lot of development still to go. Then maybe it benefits
(22:03):
you to sort of put him with the starters now.
So I'm just sort of curious your thoughts on that blend, Dave,
And it doesn't have to be like one extreme of
the other. It could be bringing him off the bench
but also letting him close so that you know he
has exposure in both of these configurations. But how do
you blend I guess needing to provide a stimulus for
those bench units without KD with also the idea that hey,
(22:24):
there's a big picture and eventually you want to get
Read more confident to where you know, he's more comfortable
operating with Kdie and Alpi and high leverage possessions.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
So that's a great question. I mean, not only that
you got Fred, you know, waiting in the wings next
year and balance there for that too. I mean, I
look at this, when Read starts, You've got a pretty
good strong five and the bench is so weak. I
would love for him to continue to come off the bench,
not put all this pressure on him, but increase his minutes.
That's just my personal view. I'm not saying this necessary
(23:00):
correct because I think you look at it and the
bench is missing kind of like you said, that's stimulus
that they need something to kind of run that. But
I do think I'd like to see his minutes at
least at about twenty eight what the right name. They've
been increasing for a while. I mean, my personal opinion
is I think the Rockets have been doing a pretty
darn good job of developing Read, and I think the
front office, I mean they said it as soon as
(23:20):
they drafted him. They were so ridiculously high on him
as a matter of fact, we got mocked at times
like they would have taken him number one, very clearly
from the way that they said if he was not
available at number three, they were going to trade down.
So you're like, okay, so they wouldn't have taken Castle
or cling In or Sarro or I guess reesa Schet looks,
you know, like this pretty wise decision right now. But
(23:40):
you know so I think that they've been a big
believers and Emay as well. It's just Emay is balancing
this win now with developing read as well. He he
loves read. I think he wants him to develop, but
there's a lot to learn, and I think he's made
quite a bit of strides this year. So but to
answer your question, I'd kind of like to see him
continue to come off the bench, but just see increase
(24:02):
minutes and then eventually take that role. And one last
note on that, if you remember last year, a men
was coming off the bench and there was a big,
huge push like this is ridiculous that a men's coming
off the bench, Why is this happening. He needs to
start Jabari needs to go to the bench. That was
a big, big, big push in the fan base. And
it's kind of funny that it's now flipped and for
some people they want him over.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
So I just would say, just be patient, it's coming.
We hope read Shepherd will eventually start. Just let it
happen naturally and just you know, increase his minutes as
he develops, is my personal opinion.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
And Paolo, let me bring you in on this. So
Dave and I have talked a little bit about e
May and recent shows. I don't think Paolo that we've
had a pod since it feels like a lot of
Rockets Twitter has turned on im Udoka. I'm just curious
your thoughts on some of the narratives of the past week,
because certainly it does feel like there's some meat being
left on the bone offensively, and you can netpick exactly
(24:56):
how and when they're using read Shepherd. I get that
the collapse against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden was
very frustrating, and if you make one or two plays different,
one or two substitutions different, the whole thing can change.
Yet at the end of the day, like the Rockets
have had all these injuries, and even with the loss
today they're thirty seven and twenty two third in the
Western Conference. They still have a game buffer in the
(25:16):
lost column, which is what matters on the Denver Nuggets rematch.
With the Nuggets coming up in a week and a
half in Denver, that will be a big game. And
even with the loss today, Look, they just wrapped up
a three and one week. I believe they're fourteen and
seven in their last twenty one games. So you know,
we sort of, you know, hit the panic button when
they went through a twenty one game stretch right before
(25:37):
that when they were ten and eleven. Well, now they're
fourteen and seven in the last twenty one. I don't
know that they look like a championship contender, but I
mean at some point you do have to look at
the overall results and you know, thirty seven and twenty two,
number three in the West, three and one week. I mean,
it's tough to be as I see it, too despondent,
especially when you know there's reasons to believe. For all
(25:59):
the criticism of e may Udoka over his young NBA
coaching career, like he's a guy who has shown an
ability to have his teams playing the best ball late
in the year. You know, two years ago they had
the eleven game winning streak. When Jalen Green broke out
in March last year, they had the nine game winning
streak and the double big too Cole his one year
in Boston, they started twenty five and twenty five in
(26:19):
late January, and then they were twenty six and six
over the final thirty two games of that regular season February,
March and April, and then they went on to the
NBA Finals. So as frustrating as it is, you know,
it feels like after that next game, a lot of
people just sort of said, well, you know, the narrative
for this season, it's already set. This team is what
it is. But historically it hasn't been the case with
emy Udoka. Historically, his teams have shown an ability to
(26:42):
sort of find that extra gear in the second half
of the season. They didn't show it. Today they have
shown more signs overall lately. I guess, Paulo, I'm just
curious your thoughts on, you know, balancing the meat that's
being left on the bone offensively, because I do think
there's some validities to the critiques there. You know, I
certainly wouldn't be opposed to bringing in an offense version
of Jeff Bestella to the you know, assistant coaching pool
(27:03):
this offseason. But at the same time balancing that against
the big picture and you know, when you consider who
the Rockets are missing, it's hard to complain about the
record and placement and the standings. Right.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Yeah, about about the Udoka thing, I do think that
there are things that are valid criticisms, and looking at
it from a you know, always to view, I think, yes,
I do think that might be considered more of a
floor razer than a ceiling razor, like he is someone
(27:35):
who was really valuable to bring this team from you know,
think that just wasn't good at all, change the standard,
establish a new culture, get them to where they are today.
I think it is valid to question whether he is
the guy to take that team to a champion team,
championship level team. Then again, with the Celtics, who were
you know, really really talented, right not the stud They
(27:56):
weren't blacking for talent when he was there. So that's
maybe because it's the credit as he gets for forgetting
them to the finals, but that's not my point. Overall,
I think there's some validity to saying, Okay, this may
be a team that's at a point where it might
make sense to bring in someone who's more of a
ceiling resident than you look.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Right.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
And at the same time, I do think that one
of the famous sports metaphors is that guys that come
in and change the culture, those four razers that in
those defensive oriented guys, eventually the efforts and play hard
voice eventually wears thin in the locker room. Right when
you first come in, your impact is a little bit bigger,
(28:36):
and as guys get used, you intimidate the team and you,
you know, rally these guys together as time goes on.
I think that's something that the case more than someone
who's a taxician or a access and those genius because
that's just transf and as you are, unless you're one
of the guys that only has one system that eventually
I think that kind of ike Steve Curry is someone
(28:58):
that that will pass through time a little bit longer.
I do think that those two are volight criticisms. At
the same time, what is he working with this season?
He doesn't have Fred, he doesn't have Steven Adams. At
the beginning of the season, they were historically good and
they're third.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Or West, Yeah, or I don't if there are now
after losing to Night, but yeah, okay, okay.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
Yeah, they're still thirty in the West, right. You could
argue that they should be better than the Spurs, But
then again, the Spurts are pretty damn close to the
Thunder at this moment, and it just feels like hard
to judge based on how much different a typical season
is from what he got the season. Sorry missed time.
Smith missed a couple of games here and there, Shangun
(29:38):
has missed time, Kiby has missed surprisingly low amount of time,
but in Phinnis Smith has turned out to be completely unplayable. Joshakogi,
was a nice booster earlier in the season, has fallen off.
A Clive played seven minutes this game. I think it's
worth it's sort of debating whether he or DFS should play,
you know, whether those minutes should be swapped. But he's
kind of managing a lot of a lot of a
(30:01):
lot of adversity, and I think perhaps a coach that's
a higher kind of more of a ceiling raizer might
have this team currently with the worst record. I think
with all of the with all of the injurers, that
the Rockets are paddling through. I think it's pretty impressive
that we're still talking about this team with the expectation
that the season is a failure if you don't, you know,
have a really competitive at least like a non exit
(30:23):
right par I think for most teams, if you take
out two starters and a big rotation piece is just
completely useless and you have underperforming an underperforming star player
in Opera and ching Gun, well you should translate that
to the Nuggets. For example, Let's imagine Yokis is having
an underperforming season, Jamal Worry is about the same, but
(30:45):
Aaron Gordon's out for you know, extend the amount of time.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Does just mean that you're saying all for inchin Dune
is the Koala Yoki.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
That might get me some brownie points with the chat,
but not necessarily have Yokis and Curry on this thing.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
No.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
Yeah, So it's not a take the move on from
you those It's not a take that I necessarily hate.
I just think it's a bit early to do or
it's a bit early to have that treatment because we
don't have I don't think enough evidence at this point
to make a decision like that. And before I trod
back to you as I did one didn't want to
touch on one thing about Read. I think a significant
(31:27):
part of while we lost this came in that fourth
quarter was because well, if you reference pell Larson scoring
on chingun earlier on in the fourth quarter, there are
like three possessions where and this is this is this
goes against the Mildoka as well, where by the fault
Email was carding Pelle Larson and he got the ball
inside and tested whatever you wanted, like just massive size,
missmat massive strength. Missmat Red does need to get a
(31:50):
lot stronger, both defensively and u fumutably. Sometimes he dribbles
into a hole and has no ability whatsoever to get
out of it. You guys just kind of hug him
and there's no going going from there. But he did
have later It was not just not shooting well defensively.
There were four or three possessions where it was an
instant defensive breakdown because Reed was on audern game not
(32:11):
to bail here.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
Interesting, I saw that last game. I didn't notice it
as much this game, but you did. I saw the
Larsen read friction at the end. Did you guys see
that that looked like Reid was pissed and like maybe
Larson was giving him the business or something, but uh, yeah,
I didn't. I mean, I'm sure it happened. I just
didn't catch it because I usually try to focus on read.
But so you saw some breakdowns, but especially in like
(32:34):
they were.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
The reason this is also a may of Doka and
comment is because they weren't PHILOI. Larson wasn't getting switched
on to read. He was with him by the fault
to start a lot of possessions. And they just told
Parson to post up and then gave him the ball,
and Red couldn't really do anything about it. So that's
both a red comment and they made it could comment
(32:57):
as well, because well, why is read by the fall
being metched up against belly loss and when quit's a
clear miss my steps, that's getting instantly putted.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Well, and Dave, let me pose the same ema Udoka
question to you, because you followed the Rockets longer than
either of us, what kind of grade? Sorry, Uh, you
know you're fine. You're going back thirty years with clutch fans.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
Yeah, I'm yeah, I'm old dude for sure. Now you've
gotten serious. I'm just laughing at it. It's the truth
of it. Yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
I'm curious what grade you would give him, because for
all the hystoria out there, when I look at the
big picture, you know, depending on the day, you know,
might go be might go be minus. If I'm particularly pessimistic,
maybe I go like C plus. But I just can't
look at this season and considering what they're missing and
consider it off the rails bad. Like. He hasn't been
(33:49):
a perfect coach, But I don't subscribe to the theories
that that there's some major problem here, or that there's
you know, friction, that he's not playing the players enough
that that the front office wants him to play like.
I just think the Rockets are you know, sort of
working with a hand or two tied behind their backs
and hasn't been pretty. It's been you know, ugly at times,
(34:11):
but all in all, the results are what they are,
and while it's not a perfect season, I just I
can't get to the depths that a lot of Rockets
fans I feel like, have been the last few weeks.
I'm curious your thoughts.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Yeah, so, I don't know if I'm biased or not.
I look at emao O Doka as kind of like
a coach for the long haul. That's just me. I
feel like they got somebody from a San Antonio tree,
Like I'm my original hope was they found their pop. Right,
nobody's going to last that long, but I'm saying it's
going to be.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Rare in the NBA.
Speaker 1 (34:38):
Let let's put it that way. But that they have
him for several years. He established the culture. Try to
remember what the culture was like before he got here.
And of course, uh, Dylan and Fred and you know,
Jeff Green and Landel and all those guys, the bets
that they brought in, it was really really bad and
I think he changed things around quite a bit. I
can't judge him for this year. I think the KD
(34:58):
trade has a accelerated things for people like meaning, oh gosh,
he's going to be thirty eight rant year, so what
was the trade about? And if he's not winning this year?
And look, I'm not saying that if you took you know,
Fred van Vliet and Steven Adams and made them the
core of a rando team that they're going to be
a great team. They are very very important complimentary players
to how to what the Rockets do. And it hurts
(35:21):
them significantly without those guys. That's why I feel like
developing Reid and the men is important. I think that
they're doing a pretty good job of that. I do
think in the nixt game, he screwed up. He played,
he went into prevent defense. Yeah, you know, I've said
this before, but I'll say it again. The criticism was
that he didn't close with Reid. Okay, maybe, but Reid
played that first six plus minutes in that first quarter.
(35:42):
The lead went from eighteen to six, and you know,
if Tari hit a couple of free throws to build
an eight, but he was already pulling him out.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
And do you have that ass on an island against Towns.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
Yes, and he went to a prevent defense and whatever,
they switched their defensive, you know, work on Brunson, and
that burned them. I mean, Jabari got you know, I
thought he did a solid job one on one, but
Brunson just hit fade away fifteen footers and that wingstop lineup.
The prevent defense got burned and so that decision backfired.
But I think what he was saying was, Okay, I
(36:11):
gave read that time. I'm not gonna defend the next game.
But let's just say that was bad. I just think
he's a good coach and I maybe it doesn't work out,
but I think you have to you can't judge that now.
That's at least an end of next season kind of thing,
you know, when you see how you have everybody that
you expect to have right now, I don't feel in
any way you may Udoka's job is threatened, and I
(36:33):
think when you look at what he's done without Fred
and without Adams now for half the season, I'm pretty impressed.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
Well, last topic, and we've already gone on a little long,
so I think we can wrap up after this and hollow.
I'll see you up. Because Dave and I have talked
about buyout targets the last few shows. I won't mention
Kevon Looney again because I think we've done that too
many times already. Sorry, So pallow aside from Kevon Looney,
is there anyone that jumps out to you as someone
someone in the chat was actually asking if you had
(37:01):
input on this. Is there anyone that jumps out as
someone available now or potentially available that that might be
a fit. And you know, I will say, with the
DFS struggles sort of accelerating in recent games. I still
think they're most likely to look at the big market.
I think they are likely to at least pursue a
buyout signing how tightly they've managed the remaining games. On JD.
(37:23):
Davison's two way, he's maxed out at fifty. I think
he's been you know, in the upper forties for a while.
That tells me that you know, they want to make
a buy out signing. For reasons we let off this
show discussing. I think they need reinforcements up front. I
think that was evident today, but with DFS struggling, I mean,
there is a world where maybe it makes sense to
bring in another you know, forward or wing type. I've
(37:44):
seen some people express interest in Chris Middleton if he
becomes available. Uh, Paolo, I'm just curious. You know one
or two names that jump out to you other than
Kevon Looney as potential fits here.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
Yeah, so I'll first sell you a name that I've
seen it at least on the rite it A lot
of people talk about that. I really don't like. Dias
Jones is not as good as people think.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
He is.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Complete viability on defense. Please don't mention again.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
And let me cut you off right there. I think
it's pretty clear that if they decide they want to guard,
they're just gonna stick with Jady Davison. They like the guy.
There's a reason they trusted him in that Oklahoma City
game earlier this month. I think, you know, if you
give him a contract now, you're more likely to be
able to keep him the next few years and a
very team friendly deal. And they just had so many
(38:30):
opportunities to add guard depth and they haven't passed on it.
So I really do believe they want to get even
if fans don't like it. Majority of the point guard
reps to a mend and read, and so I just
think that it's probably a center, maybe a wing slash forward,
But I would just be surprised if guard is the target.
Sorry if for interrupting, go on.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
Yeah, So well, if it is a center, I think
the answer is just Kevana Wini. I don't think there's
anybody else ilse at the Tide Bannershoe from saying that,
But I will say I'll give you a little bit
of a hot take. If there's the guy that the
rockets should convert, that's the two weights. Actually, I see
a Crawford. It's not shady bits. And as far as
(39:07):
other byout guys, the guys I had ready were just
you look at the balls since the trade deadline. They're
playing a bunch of guards. They're giving, but they're like
giving him such small tiny bits of minutes like Collin
Sexton's playing eighteen minutes and for Simon's and this Sea
is in a game where Anthony Simons was out, which
is the last game that they play. So I don't
(39:29):
think they finished the season with all of those guys
still on the roster. I think some of them get
poor out. And I do think if it is called
Sexon more so than if it is Afriney Simons, those
are guys that might be worth taking a shot at,
especially if because not only do you need help for
who is playing right now, you also need help for
if another cart throws down to injuries because they have
(39:49):
to Holliday. You know this game was not good. So
I think those guys, and I'm not sure if there's
been news on this, but I still think that there's
gotta be a shout that Mark Rosen gets far.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
Up and I and I'm is he expiring this year?
Speaker 2 (40:05):
Nobody has a very small partial guarantee next year. It's
like eight million something like that, so it'd have to
eat a little bit of money, but it's pretty small and.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
They may be even they may even be able to
get him to give back that amount and a buyout
since he's gonna hit frequency or earlier, who knows, and
he's gonna likely goes to a contender if he's a
good fit or not, who knows. Not necessarily the best
defensive guy, not necessarily, the guy that loves the personnel
on this team the most seems to always get into.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
Conflict and the chief shot last week, yeah.
Speaker 3 (40:39):
Yeah, and last year every time we played the mart
of the rolls took it personally. But going back to
the other bit vers I think is the more interesting take,
and I've had it since the beginning of the season.
I think Kenny Crawford's a real play When the very
little chances that he gets, he seemed like a real player.
He has the measurables if you look at his stats
in the GI he is a good shooter. More, I
(41:00):
think that he's more projectable as a long sort of
vast than JD. Davison is because of the size. So
if they're looking for a wing. I don't think the
market's great out that I would seriously consider. They might
not need to give them a stand up than me
deal because he's probably got a lot more NBA days
than than JD. Davison has, although I'm not sure if
(41:22):
that's counted as games played or days with the main
dmth plays with the main team, right, that might be
a little bit different, but it doesn't played less. And
I do think that there's that's a real world where
he's a better player than that JACKA. Cogan and Finish
Smith are right.
Speaker 1 (41:35):
Now, just to add that real quick, a band, I
know we are. We're going to close up here, you know.
I just I don't have a name. I just think
that they're going to if they add somebody the buyout,
it's going to be somebody on the bigger like a
big maybe a four, but somebody who compliments these other players.
And I say, if we go back and look at
that trade deadline, Kobe White day right like everybody's go
(41:56):
with going with reed mania right now, this doesn't happen
if you had bought somebody in who plays another point guard.
And that's why we were saying all along They're not
going to bring somebody in who's going to play ahead
of a man or ahead of a Reed. I'm going
to say read mainly right, nobody's playing ahead of a
men as far as they're concerned. But I'm saying Reid.
They want to develop read, they believe in read. I
(42:17):
don't know where this they don't believe and read stuff
comes from. You look at all I mean, look at
Jokich's minutes. You know how he came up the league.
Look at Jalen Johnson, he was in the G League
his first year. This is what development looks like. It's
you're not going to play thirty five minutes a night
unless you're in a tanking team like Jalen and Jabari.
Right off the bat, they're going to just hand them
all the minutes because there's nothing in front of them,
(42:37):
and so this is a win now team reads developing,
they would want to find somebody who sets good screens
for Reid, who basically can compliment and highlight Read or
other players Shangoon, Katie, somebody like that. That it will
be an underwhelming signing. I will say that right now,
and I'm not going to say the name of who
I think.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
It is so anyway, go ahead, Yeah, let me just
say one more thing before clothes that I actually forgot
and read as well. I think it's a bit criminal
that we This is why I haven't checked the stats.
It's purely from watching that we see a lot more
read KD lineups than read che gun lineups. Like reading
shing gun should be really deadly combo on our offense, right.
(43:17):
I know, maybe the defense is the answer there, but
there should that they should be getting more reps on
offense because we'll read someone who can score at all
three levels, who has the base of a lead ball
hand handler in the pick and roll, and if shinghun
puts some extra, some extra whom, let's call it that
on those screens like that should be a deadly offensive combination,
(43:38):
more so than having both read MTV both in the
in the backyard spots, you know, around the perimeter, passing
the ball to each other hoping that the defense over
commits to one of them by miracle or in eventually
leading into a TV you know, trying to get through
two guys get a shot. They should be trying to
at least lean on that to see if there's something there,
because well, first there surely is we might need more reps,
(44:02):
but that's got to be explored, especially because, oh, I'm
not elite on defense anyway, so you might as well
try to be elite on offense.
Speaker 2 (44:10):
And to address the comment that Dave briefly put on
the screen the update on Jabari, they think it's a
minor ankle sprain, but I think they view that game
Monday as one that they should be able to win
even without him. And so if you sack today's game
off with Monday's game off, that'll give him a full
week between games. And I think if there's one thing
that you should learn from watching Tarry East in the
(44:33):
last few games, I think it's pretty clear that he
came back a little too early from his ankle sprain
in January, and he's had consistent issues. Ankles. Frains are
so easy to linger. So even if it's minor, I
think the way the Rockets view it, his sprain happened
late Thursday in Orlando, and so you give him this
game off. Monday's a game in Washington against a bad
Wizards team they should be able to win regardless, and
(44:54):
then you don't play again until Thursday at home. Against
the Warriors. That will give Jabari a full week off
and hopefully that's enough that he can put it behind him.
And it doesn't linger like what's happened with Tori the
last few games, so I think that's what's happening there.
It's nothing alarming. It's just I think they see this
as a spot in the schedule that hey, we can
sneak him a few days and then hopefully he comes
back against the Warriors and it's good the rest of
(45:14):
the way.
Speaker 1 (45:16):
Absolutely, Ben Powell appreciate all you guys are were you
guys comments and everything about this game. Rockets fall one
fifteen one O five. Will be back Monday when they
take on Washington. As Ben said, should be a win
and salvage this road trip. Go to him one. On
the bright side, Rockets are thirty seven and twenty two.
They are exactly what they were last year, thirty seven
and twenty two. I think the team last year lost
the next couple of games. Maybe they catch up here.
(45:38):
I have him two games behind the pace. I thought
they'd be thirty nine and twenty at this point, but
still very very good. All things, you know, the injuries
and stuff considered, so really good outlook so far despite
the game.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
Today.
Speaker 1 (45:50):
Will be back Monday for sure, Ben pel or anything
you guys want to say before we close, No, I'll.
Speaker 2 (45:54):
Just tease to Monday's show, we've got Michael Shapiro of
crime dot COM's winning us, so he'll have some perspective
essentially on buyout names, because by Monday, which is March second,
we'll know who is and isn't out there, and so
we can you know, if the game goes the way
I think we hope it will, which is that you know,
the Rockets be the Bad Wizard's team by a comfortable margin,
then maybe we can talk a little bit more about
the buyout market on Monday, or maybe the Rockets have
(46:16):
even signed someone that point and we can react to that.
But yeah, we'll have Michael Shapirocrime dot Com with us
for that one awesome.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
Appreciate you guys, and thank everybody for listening and watching today.
Appreciate all the support, and we will see you guys Monday.
Have a great rest of your weekend.
All right, can you guys hear me?
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Okay, thumb.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Gotcha? Gotcha? Yeah? Welcome in everybody. It's is a tough game.
Rockets fall and a Saturday afternoon special on Amazon Prime TV.
Rockets fall one fifteen to one oh five in Miami
in a game that was pretty physical and the Rockets
for the most part, got bullied.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Today.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
There's lots of Kevin Durant was was certainly his special self.
He played, put up thirty two points, was efficient shooting
from the field. Katie did certainly his part. There's lots
to talk about Re Shepherd closed the game. There's none
of that talk about him not playing at the end.
Played big minutes, thirty five plus minutes, but Rockets down
the stretch just could not.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Hang with Miami.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
I'm here with Ben Dubos. You can follow him on
Twitter and Blue Sky at Bendubos and read all of
his stuff on Rockets Wire and on Clutch Fans as
well as Powo Alves. Powow is good to have you
here as well. You can follow him on Twitter at
Pollo Alves. NBA a really good follow for Rockets and
NBA talk. Guys. There's lots of talk about in the dress.
We're certainly going to talk about some of the players
(01:09):
here at for this game, but this was one where
after a really blistering hot start out of the gate
for the Rockets, which everybody was like, oh my gosh,
this is for real, I think it was a thirty
seven to fourteen Miami run from there that changed the game.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, I think this is a frustrating one because the
Rockets got beaten at their own game, like they were
out physical, they were bullied, as you said, And I
think it's only fitting that we have Powlo on today
because if there's two things that Powlo is known for,
well there's probably more than two things. But I think
if you listen to the Rockets launchpot and shows that
I've done with Powlo over the years, you know a
(01:44):
couple of Powow's favorite talking points. This year it's been
about the regression from all par in Shangoon on defense
and ever since, well even before khalel Ware was drafted,
that was his guy. And then you fast forward to
today and Miami's backup center outplays Houston started center and
the Rockets also don't have Steven Adams, they don't have
Jabari Smith Junior, who typically does a lot to help
(02:05):
Shangoon that comes to defense and rebounding and providing another
physical presence inside. You don't have the backup in Steven,
you don't have the reinforcement in Jabari, who typically starts
alongside Alpi. So it's basically alp and four perimeter guys
in that starting lineup, and both bam Adebayo, who you
would expect BAM's an all star level player, but also
collel where outplay Alprah and Shangoon you're all star. It's
(02:29):
tough to come up with a formula to when when
that happens. So, Powell, I don't know what to say.
I'll I'll just kick it to you on that because
it feels like a game in which you know shingoon
shortcomings defensively works posed and also, you know all the
reasons you were high on Colo where are going into
you know that draft class couple of years ago. I
think those were on display today as well.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, it just feels like, sorry to throw it back
again to Asher, but it feels like last year the
Rockets just had two elite advantages reoffensive, rebounding, elite defense,
and now it seems like Robertson having an advantage basically
anywhere other than Kevin Run having probably the best go
to scorer on every single game, not every single but
most of the games. It's probably the Rockets only. Yet
(03:09):
at this point, we're not getting that at offensive rebounding,
our defense is not nearly the same, and we're not
a good offensive team either against most teams. And what
the leads to is just games like this game where
the Rockets should just completely out talent the Miami Heat,
but it just doesn't matter because at any point in
the game they are always at risk of being ten points. Now,
(03:30):
there's just there's very few teams in the league that
the Rockets are just just clearly being too big of
an ask for those other teams. Right, it feels like
every single team that plays the Rockets is in the
game until the very end. And when you play a
lot of games like that, you're gonna finish games like
you did this time, where you just can't play a three,
and since you're not a good defense that could have
a defensive team and you can string stops together, then
(03:54):
you're not gonna be able to make up for that
on the defensive event that what they did last season
and to turn Shane gunpoint. You know, you guys have
heard plenty from me about Shanghun. I was initially low
on him, then got really high on him last season
because the defense seemed to be a major step forward.
But now it's not even just the defense. Defense has
(04:14):
clearly requested. The rebounding has requested as well. Like we
used to look at Chegun and see a guy that
would get you know, a lot of offensive a lot
offensive rebounds and me being in the correct place at
the correct type. That's mostly gone as well. And then well,
what the cell on shan Gun is He's going to
be such a good offensive player, draw so much attention,
(04:34):
be so efficient that you can live with whatever defensive
shortcomings come with. Well, it's yet another game where he's
been inefficient, not only for a center, but for a
guard as well. The steplight that he put up today
for a guard isn't inefficient. Step lin more topnovers than
assists six or fourteen forty three percent from the field.
(04:55):
Like that's terrible numbers for a garb let alone the center.
And it's just it feels like this was a game
where the Rockets couldn't shoot right, and then the two
guys from their team who they who they don't for
why I'm shooting for a man and Shingun didn't necessarily
single more so than a man, but didn't necessarily have
good games either. And then well the question becomes, how
do you win if you can If you're not good
(05:17):
at shooting and your inside threats are not winning you
of the game either, well you're not gonna win regardless
of the opponent. Then they were playing they're not very
good Miami. He team a five hundred team, and they
still couldn't make it work. So just all in all,
just the disappointing was but more symptoms of what we've
seen so far.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
This is Yeah, to me, this was the worst shan
Gun game in a while. I mean he's had some
pretty bad ones, I think lately, but this one. This
was more of a playoff style game. And you know,
the Rockets kind of get away with putting Shangun on
the worst player, the guy they want to shoot or
do something. Pela Larson is thirty two three point shooter.
(05:55):
A Larson just destroyed him. I mean he just went
at him. You know, several times there was a play
in the third quarter where Bam went around Shngun. I
swear there was five six feet between them the whole time.
He went out uncontested for a dunk. You know, there
were times where he was caught flat footed twice. Imo
Udoka had raged timeouts to chew out Shangoon, including the
(06:17):
one where he was caught flat footed, and you know,
out of bio missed and where got the board? I mean,
you guys are the tip and slam. You guys have
kind of already addressed this. But I think what he
had five six six boards today? I think Bam had
eleven and where had fifteen, So it was like twenty
six boards between those two. Yeah, I mean Jabari not
being there helps, you know, it hurts you know Shangun
(06:39):
that's a factor as well. But I mean this is
I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but I've
been saying this for like five years. This is always
my skit. My fear with Shangun always is like we're
going to get into a playoff style situation and this
kind of stuff could happen. Now he's he's had games
that have proven me wrong where he looks really good
but this game, if you watch this game, this is
(06:59):
the with Schengun. Why would you want to have somebody
who's a pretty good offensive player, but it could be
a liability defensively when you're you know, having a different
style center could have such a more significant impact. So look,
it's not his best game, so I'm not going to
judge him by just specifically this game. I think he'll
have more better games where he's much more energetic. I
(07:21):
think was it the King's game. He looked quite spry,
but this was a game that kind of brings fear
to me, reminds me of all the the Shngun takes.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yeah, Shngoon was minus eighteen today in his thirty five
minutes and Kevin Durant was plus five in his thirty
seven minutes, and most of those minutes overlap, so that
tells you how bad they were in the Shangoon minutes
without KD. And you also look at Clint Capella off
the bench was a neutral in the plus minus. So
(07:52):
all the advantages that the heat had on the glass
and in terms of bullying the rockets, they came against
all Parisian goon and specifically when Shinoon didn't have the
Kadi stimulus factor offensively, just insane shot making to get
the Rockets going. And so yeah, you shouldn't judge him
just by this game. And I agree this was a
rough matchup, especially without Jabbari. But it's concerning and that's
(08:15):
why I think the Steven Adams injury was so much
bigger than a lot of people gave it credit for, because,
as you said plenty of times day offensive rebounding and
rebounding overall is this team superpower And for the Rockets
to have this happen to them against any team, this
was not on a back to back to be able,
I know. Overall, I think they won the rebounding battle
(08:37):
very slightly, right.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
They did, And we were talking about this, Palin I
before you came on. I had like five or six
rebounds and the final minute it was crazy. But they
did win fifty nine to fifty four. It was probably
a pretty even matchup.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Yeah, but if you watched the game, it felt like
the Heat were by far the more physicalty. Yeah, and
so it's disconcerting when you have an all star center
and that happens to you. It speaks to the importance
of Steven Adams now maybe they target a guy like
a Kevon Looney on the buyout market. The next few days,
we'll have to wait and see. The deadline is actually
tomorrow for players to get released, so within twenty four
hours or so, I think we'll have a lot more
(09:10):
clarity as far as who the targets might be. Sure
seems like the Rockets are targeting someone with you know,
holding on to the fifty game limit for JD. Davison.
We've talked about that before. I don't think we need
to go into it today. We'll talk more about that
on Monday, once we know who the actual potential targets
are when the buyout list is finalized. But I just
think Jabari specifically, let's transition to him, because I do
(09:33):
think that this game showed you how important he is
as a communicator, as a connector. I think it's it's
absolutely silly for all the discussions in recent days about
starting Read Shepherd, and it's fair you can have that conversation.
Reid wasn't great in the second half, but he's been
very good overall the last few games. I think it
is crystal clear if Reed Shepherd is going to start
(09:54):
for this basketball team, it's not in place for the
men Thompson, it's not in place of Jobory Smith Junior,
it's in place of Tari Eason. I think there's a
reason the Rockets didn't start Tarri until Christmas. There's a
reason why Amn Thompson and Jabari were confirmed starters before
preseason even began. And I think when it's Shingoon and
four perimeter players, then those flaws become even more glaring.
(10:17):
I think today showed you you need. You know, Javari
isn't the guy that jumps off the page in terms
of his totals defensively when it comes to block shots
and rebounding, but the presence, the physical edge that he
plays with is just so so important. And he's a
great communicator on that end as well. And so if
you're trying to surround all parin Shangoon with basically four
(10:39):
perimeter players, I think you're gonna have a lot of
matchups where it looks like tonight. So you know, we
talked the other night about how it's silly to talk
about replacing an Thompson because of the combination of his
defense and then the rim pressure offensively. Well, I think
tonight you saw how valuable Jabari Is in terms of
making threes, the Rockets struggled to do that at volume
and also the presence. I'm sorry, javari Is, It's just
(11:00):
not nearly the same archetype of player. So say what
you will about Reach Shepherd. Powell. I'll bring you in
on this because obviously we haven't talked to you since
red Menia started on social media with all these calls
to start him. You can certainly make the argument, but
I just think it's pretty clear to me, if you're
going to start Reach Shepherd, it shouldn't be at the
expense of an Nn Thompson or Jabari Smith Junior Powell,
(11:23):
what do you think about that?
Speaker 3 (11:25):
You know, I just don't think you should start Reaching Shepherd.
You're supposed to maximize the talent that you have on
your team. The Rockets have three guys who are supposed
to be go to scorers and read Shepherd is right
now better that Emmen Conson is, and so you have
to spread those guys out to make sure you have
always got to on the floor. And to do that,
it's all it's easier if one of them comes off
the bench and shin Gun and Katie are not going
(11:45):
to come off the bench. So just from you've got
a minus forty eight minutes, you're not just managing the
best starting line up possible. And so that's that's how
I feel about that. This game, in particular, Rea was
you know, really good in the first half. That makes
some time only threes, But then again he ended up
(12:08):
shooting for the game thirty seven percent, which is not
his average, but is probably the best shooting and the
best shooting he had from in the game. Even with
all the misses in the second half, who averaged all
that out, he still had a decent game shooting life right,
And I guess in the second half what came into
play was what we've talked about earlier again, which is
when he's playing with Scheng Gun and with Kadi, especially
(12:32):
down the streat when responsibilities are higher, it seems like
he's more hesitant to shoot. He's less intentional about getting
his own shots. He's less crisp when he gets around screens.
He forces it a little bit less and he's not
gonna get or he's not getting those same opportunities, partly
because of how less intentional he is about carrying the
ball in those spots. But then again bringing it back
(12:53):
to Jabari Snato, which is what you were touching on,
It's yes, the rebounding that you talked about, it's yes.
As much as people don't like talking about Jeberry Smith
has the slete defender one on one, which you know,
I can see why he's a good defense not necessarily
shut down guy, but it does help make up for
a lot of signals deficiencies that we're not that we
(13:13):
were projecting him to be that earlier on when he
was first drafted and then he wasn't that good of
a week side defender came coming into the league, but
he has really improved and simply have our mind made
up early on about how probably couldn't be that guy.
He's now become a lot more of that guy, and
he's not he's not getting the credit for it, but
even more so offensively, I think it makes it makes
(13:36):
a lot of difference. Rockets put up one hundred and
time five points as much as as much as we
want to, you know, talk about the defense and the
heat did put to put up one fifteen? Actually not
yet one fifteen.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
I'm not going to beat a.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Lot of teams making the record one hundred and five
points right down down the stretch in clutch time. Yes,
the defense was even more so of a problem. And
yet the Heat are a much West talented team, and
so defense should have made it so this isn't even
a close game at all. But then again, at one
hundred and five points in a game, you're not gonna
be a lot of teams. And Jebarry Smith Junior is
(14:11):
someone who, yes, can help you shoot the threes. But
and this is the really underrated part, is he scores
a lot of those you know, the snow what we
use the word connector for, but those buckets that string
possessions together. When Kadi is not ice wing or or
sa guns of iceoing, or someone is not making threes,
Jabari st strings together possessions, scoring those mid range buckets
(14:34):
and those and those offensive rebounds and sometimes gets it. Gets.
It's someone who can very easily get easy offense. That
was really missed this game as well. But then again, yes,
the Heat a lot West out of the other team,
But you're missing Japari, you're missing Fred, you're missing Steven Adams.
And the only guy that played well this game, which
(14:55):
I guess maybe Capella, who could make an argument for
but other than that the only had played well with
Katie going to be anyone. Basically nobody's flayed well.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
A couple of comments from the chat Tarry Eason over
his last nine games, shooting just twenty eight percent from
three now.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
He seems the worse over the last eight. But sorry,
I go ahead. He had a good one ninety games ago.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Oh shitty, okay, yeah, eight right now he's the last eight.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
It's brutal. It's like it might be like twenty.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Five percent or some him. Yeah, So it's been a
rough stretch. I don't expect it to continue. But I
also don't think you should expect the forty seven percent
he was at for you know, his first thirty or
so games of this season to continue. I think he's gonna,
you know, slide back into hopefully upper thirties rather than
mid thirties. I think that'd be a very good outcome.
But at the end of the day, when you look
(15:40):
at everything else and specifically the fit with the starting lineup,
you know, Jabari is much better, especially in recent games,
at attacking off the dribble, at making things happen. He's
got a little more fluidity to him. You know, Tarri,
I suspect it's the combination of the lower leg the
last couple of years, and then he's been playing with
the ankle strain the last couple of months. But he
just doesn't seem as springy as he has at times
(16:02):
in the past. Like it seems from the majority of
this season, the most of Tari's value has been as
a three point shooter, and now that the three point
shooting is going south, you know, some of the other
flaws are becoming much more pronounced. And he may had
a rage time out for Tari as well in the
first half of this game.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, And the funny thing is Tari had raged back.
Did you guys see that that was a big flip
friction moment. I was like, whoa, do we have an
issue on our hands? They were definitely going jawn at
each other.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And then there's a few other
comments about the struggles of DFS. Who Yeah, I've said
to give him time. I did think in the middle
of this month, the Clippers game, right before the All
Star break, in the Hornet's game right after it, we're
encouraging He's been terrible since I don't know what to
tell you. Tomorrow is March first, so we're running out
of time. It's not impossible. But this time a year ago,
(16:50):
you know, Dave, you've made the comparison to Stephen Adams
coming off of his surgery the year before. Well, Stephen
was showing a few more flashes now than DFS is.
It's not impossible, but to go back to the Craig
Ackerman phrase, it's getting late early right right.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
And for some reason, I guess I'm just not panicked
about DFS because of my whole like still looking at
next year as being even better. I'm not giving up
on this year. I want to be clear, but I
think next year should be even better. And the fact is,
if DFS doesn't do well, you're still just fine because
it's an expiring deal. Next year it should be an
asset that you can move in the right deal. So
that's one for sure. I agree with you because I
(17:28):
think Adams and Jabari would have made a big difference.
One other thing, Ben, I know you mentioned the Tari
things you know started eight nine games ago. That's exactly
when Reid took off. Reid was really struggling for a
good long stretch and Reid has been like fifty percent
since then. I do want to talk a little bit
about Reid. I mean, like I said, as far as Jabbari,
I mean, I consider Jabari to be unappreciated and undervalued
(17:51):
in our fan base period, and I think a game
like this at least shows that he's you know, he's
a guy who can hit threes and he does defend.
I think that when you boil this game down the
box score, you're looking at the rebounds, you're looking at
the possession battle, the turnovers all very similar. Well, it
wasn't similar today. It was three point shooting. The bench
won for eight, the starters eight for twenty eight, and Miami.
(18:11):
That was the difference in the game, along with some
of these other things. But as far as re Spard,
I mean, it's a big story. He played thirty six minutes.
As far as a meaningful game, I wonder if it's
a career high. I don't know, because I know he's
played in some games.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
That you started Golden State before Thanksgiving, but it's up there.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
Maybe he did play that those kind of that high
of minutes. In that game, he had a red hot start,
hit his first two threes, started the game perfect. That
was funny. The Rockets jumped out of this out of
the gate fourteen to four. In this game, they hit
eight of their first ten shots, looked like world beaters.
Then that eleven to two kind of shngun defensive run
that the Miami went on, and then like I said,
thirty seven to fourteen overall run. But Reid looked really good.
(18:52):
He ended up hitting four of his first six, then
he missed his final five, and it was interesting because
he may did rest him early in the four and
you could see that this was setting up for Reed
to close, and he did. He missed some threes down
the stretch Rockets. Again, it wasn't on Reid. I'm not
blaming Red, but he played and the lead widened for
(19:14):
Miami during that stretch. So, you know, five or fourteen overall,
four of eleven from three. I think you got to
keep playing him, even if he's coming off the bench.
You got to keep doing it. You know, Ben, and
you and I have talked about this like a men
and Red, like we want to see these guys develop,
especially you know, for this year for the playoffs, but
also for next year. So I'm hoping Reid will continue
to play good minutes even if he's coming off the bench.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Yeah, I think it's worth noting that even though he
started with the men today, it felt like a men
was still the closest thing to a point guard. They
were largely using Reed as an off ball guy, you know,
a relocation shooter, and in the first half it worked
very well. So I think we should keep that in
the back of our minds. I mean, I've heard that
the Rockets internally sort of view him as a two
(19:57):
as well. Now he can handle the ball, so it's
not as if there's no point guard skills there. But
at the same time, he's not a drop in Fred
van Vleet replacement either. Like it's like, yeah, and so, Dave,
I'm curious your thoughts. Well, let me start with this.
Did you watch the Amazon Prime or the Space City
broadcast today?
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Amazon Prime?
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Okay, I thought so based on our talks during the game.
So one thing that Craig Ackerman pointed out during the game,
and I thought the same. Reid was hesitant for most
of the second half, and I thought, you know, late
in the game he started firing away again and he
mostly missed them, but for especially the first eighteen minutes
or so. There were some looks he could have put
(20:37):
up and probably should have on a couple of instances,
but it felt like he was deferring given that it
was a close game in the second half to the
two big name All Stars Kevin Durant and all for
In Shangoon. And there's a couple of ways to look
at it. You can look at it the way Paolo
did and say, well, you know you've got these two
in theory high level creators. Now, I know Shinoon wasn't today,
but in theory, you know he's an All Star for
(20:58):
a reason. And your bench, especially if DFST is struggling
like he is right now, could use the stimulus. I mean,
the Rockets lost these games. They lost this game in
the minutes that Shingoon played with the bench when you
didn't have Katie. And so yeah, in theory, if you
were bringing in Reid with that unit, then you know
Reid isn't going to be quite the creator that KD is,
(21:19):
but he can mitigate that a little bit. So that's
an argument in favor of you know, as Polo laid out,
you know, making read your monogenobili if you will, the
flip side. Maybe in the long run, Reid needs to
get better at at figuring out when to you know,
put his fingerprints on a game, when to shoot, when
to pull back, because for a lot of this year
(21:40):
his role has been simplified as a six man and
that you know, he's got the permanent green light, and
I think for a young player you're two twenty one
years old, that's good in a lot of ways. But
in the grand scheme, if you want to get him to,
you know, potentially like that offensive engine level that I
think fans see him as and I believe the Rockets
internally see him as that as well, it's just going
to take a little bit of time. There's still a
lot of development still to go. Then maybe it benefits
(22:03):
you to sort of put him with the starters now.
So I'm just sort of curious your thoughts on that blend, Dave,
And it doesn't have to be like one extreme of
the other. It could be bringing him off the bench
but also letting him close so that you know he
has exposure in both of these configurations. But how do
you blend I guess needing to provide a stimulus for
those bench units without KD with also the idea that hey,
(22:24):
there's a big picture and eventually you want to get
Read more confident to where you know, he's more comfortable
operating with Kdie and Alpi and high leverage possessions.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
So that's a great question. I mean, not only that
you got Fred, you know, waiting in the wings next
year and balance there for that too. I mean, I
look at this, when Read starts, You've got a pretty
good strong five and the bench is so weak. I
would love for him to continue to come off the bench,
not put all this pressure on him, but increase his minutes.
That's just my personal view. I'm not saying this necessary
(23:00):
correct because I think you look at it and the
bench is missing kind of like you said, that's stimulus
that they need something to kind of run that. But
I do think I'd like to see his minutes at
least at about twenty eight what the right name. They've
been increasing for a while. I mean, my personal opinion
is I think the Rockets have been doing a pretty
darn good job of developing Read, and I think the
front office, I mean they said it as soon as
(23:20):
they drafted him. They were so ridiculously high on him
as a matter of fact, we got mocked at times
like they would have taken him number one, very clearly
from the way that they said if he was not
available at number three, they were going to trade down.
So you're like, okay, so they wouldn't have taken Castle
or cling In or Sarro or I guess reesa Schet looks,
you know, like this pretty wise decision right now. But
(23:40):
you know so I think that they've been a big
believers and Emay as well. It's just Emay is balancing
this win now with developing read as well. He he
loves read. I think he wants him to develop, but
there's a lot to learn, and I think he's made
quite a bit of strides this year. So but to
answer your question, I'd kind of like to see him
continue to come off the bench, but just see increase
(24:02):
minutes and then eventually take that role. And one last
note on that, if you remember last year, a men
was coming off the bench and there was a big,
huge push like this is ridiculous that a men's coming
off the bench, Why is this happening. He needs to
start Jabari needs to go to the bench. That was
a big, big, big push in the fan base. And
it's kind of funny that it's now flipped and for
some people they want him over.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
So I just would say, just be patient, it's coming.
We hope read Shepherd will eventually start. Just let it
happen naturally and just you know, increase his minutes as
he develops, is my personal opinion.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
And Paolo, let me bring you in on this. So
Dave and I have talked a little bit about e
May and recent shows. I don't think Paolo that we've
had a pod since it feels like a lot of
Rockets Twitter has turned on im Udoka. I'm just curious
your thoughts on some of the narratives of the past week,
because certainly it does feel like there's some meat being
left on the bone offensively, and you can netpick exactly
(24:56):
how and when they're using read Shepherd. I get that
the collapse against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden was
very frustrating, and if you make one or two plays different,
one or two substitutions different, the whole thing can change.
Yet at the end of the day, like the Rockets
have had all these injuries, and even with the loss
today they're thirty seven and twenty two third in the
Western Conference. They still have a game buffer in the
(25:16):
lost column, which is what matters on the Denver Nuggets rematch.
With the Nuggets coming up in a week and a
half in Denver, that will be a big game. And
even with the loss today, Look, they just wrapped up
a three and one week. I believe they're fourteen and
seven in their last twenty one games. So you know,
we sort of, you know, hit the panic button when
they went through a twenty one game stretch right before
(25:37):
that when they were ten and eleven. Well, now they're
fourteen and seven in the last twenty one. I don't
know that they look like a championship contender, but I
mean at some point you do have to look at
the overall results and you know, thirty seven and twenty two,
number three in the West, three and one week. I mean,
it's tough to be as I see it, too despondent,
especially when you know there's reasons to believe. For all
(25:59):
the criticism of e may Udoka over his young NBA
coaching career, like he's a guy who has shown an
ability to have his teams playing the best ball late
in the year. You know, two years ago they had
the eleven game winning streak. When Jalen Green broke out
in March last year, they had the nine game winning
streak and the double big too Cole his one year
in Boston, they started twenty five and twenty five in
(26:19):
late January, and then they were twenty six and six
over the final thirty two games of that regular season February,
March and April, and then they went on to the
NBA Finals. So as frustrating as it is, you know,
it feels like after that next game, a lot of
people just sort of said, well, you know, the narrative
for this season, it's already set. This team is what
it is. But historically it hasn't been the case with
emy Udoka. Historically, his teams have shown an ability to
(26:42):
sort of find that extra gear in the second half
of the season. They didn't show it. Today they have
shown more signs overall lately. I guess, Paulo, I'm just
curious your thoughts on, you know, balancing the meat that's
being left on the bone offensively, because I do think
there's some validities to the critiques there. You know, I
certainly wouldn't be opposed to bringing in an offense version
of Jeff Bestella to the you know, assistant coaching pool
(27:03):
this offseason. But at the same time balancing that against
the big picture and you know, when you consider who
the Rockets are missing, it's hard to complain about the
record and placement and the standings. Right.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Yeah, about about the Udoka thing, I do think that
there are things that are valid criticisms, and looking at
it from a you know, always to view, I think, yes,
I do think that might be considered more of a
floor razer than a ceiling razor, like he is someone
(27:35):
who was really valuable to bring this team from you know,
think that just wasn't good at all, change the standard,
establish a new culture, get them to where they are today.
I think it is valid to question whether he is
the guy to take that team to a champion team,
championship level team. Then again, with the Celtics, who were
you know, really really talented, right not the stud They
(27:56):
weren't blacking for talent when he was there. So that's
maybe because it's the credit as he gets for forgetting
them to the finals, but that's not my point. Overall,
I think there's some validity to saying, Okay, this may
be a team that's at a point where it might
make sense to bring in someone who's more of a
ceiling resident than you look.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Right.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
And at the same time, I do think that one
of the famous sports metaphors is that guys that come
in and change the culture, those four razers that in
those defensive oriented guys, eventually the efforts and play hard
voice eventually wears thin in the locker room. Right when
you first come in, your impact is a little bit bigger,
(28:36):
and as guys get used, you intimidate the team and you,
you know, rally these guys together as time goes on.
I think that's something that the case more than someone
who's a taxician or a access and those genius because
that's just transf and as you are, unless you're one
of the guys that only has one system that eventually
I think that kind of ike Steve Curry is someone
(28:58):
that that will pass through time a little bit longer.
I do think that those two are volight criticisms. At
the same time, what is he working with this season?
He doesn't have Fred, he doesn't have Steven Adams. At
the beginning of the season, they were historically good and
they're third.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Or West, Yeah, or I don't if there are now
after losing to Night, but yeah, okay, okay.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
Yeah, they're still thirty in the West, right. You could
argue that they should be better than the Spurs, But
then again, the Spurts are pretty damn close to the
Thunder at this moment, and it just feels like hard
to judge based on how much different a typical season
is from what he got the season. Sorry missed time.
Smith missed a couple of games here and there, Shangun
(29:38):
has missed time, Kiby has missed surprisingly low amount of time,
but in Phinnis Smith has turned out to be completely unplayable. Joshakogi,
was a nice booster earlier in the season, has fallen off.
A Clive played seven minutes this game. I think it's
worth it's sort of debating whether he or DFS should play,
you know, whether those minutes should be swapped. But he's
kind of managing a lot of a lot of a
(30:01):
lot of adversity, and I think perhaps a coach that's
a higher kind of more of a ceiling raizer might
have this team currently with the worst record. I think
with all of the with all of the injurers, that
the Rockets are paddling through. I think it's pretty impressive
that we're still talking about this team with the expectation
that the season is a failure if you don't, you know,
have a really competitive at least like a non exit
(30:23):
right par I think for most teams, if you take
out two starters and a big rotation piece is just
completely useless and you have underperforming an underperforming star player
in Opera and ching Gun, well you should translate that
to the Nuggets. For example, Let's imagine Yokis is having
an underperforming season, Jamal Worry is about the same, but
(30:45):
Aaron Gordon's out for you know, extend the amount of time.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Does just mean that you're saying all for inchin Dune
is the Koala Yoki.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
That might get me some brownie points with the chat,
but not necessarily have Yokis and Curry on this thing.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
No.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
Yeah, So it's not a take the move on from
you those It's not a take that I necessarily hate.
I just think it's a bit early to do or
it's a bit early to have that treatment because we
don't have I don't think enough evidence at this point
to make a decision like that. And before I trod
back to you as I did one didn't want to
touch on one thing about Read. I think a significant
(31:27):
part of while we lost this came in that fourth
quarter was because well, if you reference pell Larson scoring
on chingun earlier on in the fourth quarter, there are
like three possessions where and this is this is this
goes against the Mildoka as well, where by the fault
Email was carding Pelle Larson and he got the ball
inside and tested whatever you wanted, like just massive size,
missmat massive strength. Missmat Red does need to get a
(31:50):
lot stronger, both defensively and u fumutably. Sometimes he dribbles
into a hole and has no ability whatsoever to get
out of it. You guys just kind of hug him
and there's no going going from there. But he did
have later It was not just not shooting well defensively.
There were four or three possessions where it was an
instant defensive breakdown because Reed was on audern game not
(32:11):
to bail here.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
Interesting, I saw that last game. I didn't notice it
as much this game, but you did. I saw the
Larsen read friction at the end. Did you guys see
that that looked like Reid was pissed and like maybe
Larson was giving him the business or something, but uh, yeah,
I didn't. I mean, I'm sure it happened. I just
didn't catch it because I usually try to focus on read.
But so you saw some breakdowns, but especially in like
(32:34):
they were.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
The reason this is also a may of Doka and
comment is because they weren't PHILOI. Larson wasn't getting switched
on to read. He was with him by the fault
to start a lot of possessions. And they just told
Parson to post up and then gave him the ball,
and Red couldn't really do anything about it. So that's
both a red comment and they made it could comment
(32:57):
as well, because well, why is read by the fall
being metched up against belly loss and when quit's a
clear miss my steps, that's getting instantly putted.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Well, and Dave, let me pose the same ema Udoka
question to you, because you followed the Rockets longer than
either of us, what kind of grade? Sorry, Uh, you
know you're fine. You're going back thirty years with clutch fans.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
Yeah, I'm yeah, I'm old dude for sure. Now you've
gotten serious. I'm just laughing at it. It's the truth
of it. Yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
I'm curious what grade you would give him, because for
all the hystoria out there, when I look at the
big picture, you know, depending on the day, you know,
might go be might go be minus. If I'm particularly pessimistic,
maybe I go like C plus. But I just can't
look at this season and considering what they're missing and
consider it off the rails bad. Like. He hasn't been
(33:49):
a perfect coach, But I don't subscribe to the theories
that that there's some major problem here, or that there's
you know, friction, that he's not playing the players enough
that that the front office wants him to play like.
I just think the Rockets are you know, sort of
working with a hand or two tied behind their backs
and hasn't been pretty. It's been you know, ugly at times,
(34:11):
but all in all, the results are what they are,
and while it's not a perfect season, I just I
can't get to the depths that a lot of Rockets
fans I feel like, have been the last few weeks.
I'm curious your thoughts.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Yeah, so, I don't know if I'm biased or not.
I look at emao O Doka as kind of like
a coach for the long haul. That's just me. I
feel like they got somebody from a San Antonio tree,
Like I'm my original hope was they found their pop. Right,
nobody's going to last that long, but I'm saying it's
going to be.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Rare in the NBA.
Speaker 1 (34:38):
Let let's put it that way. But that they have
him for several years. He established the culture. Try to
remember what the culture was like before he got here.
And of course, uh, Dylan and Fred and you know,
Jeff Green and Landel and all those guys, the bets
that they brought in, it was really really bad and
I think he changed things around quite a bit. I
can't judge him for this year. I think the KD
(34:58):
trade has a accelerated things for people like meaning, oh gosh,
he's going to be thirty eight rant year, so what
was the trade about? And if he's not winning this year?
And look, I'm not saying that if you took you know,
Fred van Vliet and Steven Adams and made them the
core of a rando team that they're going to be
a great team. They are very very important complimentary players
to how to what the Rockets do. And it hurts
(35:21):
them significantly without those guys. That's why I feel like
developing Reid and the men is important. I think that
they're doing a pretty good job of that. I do
think in the nixt game, he screwed up. He played,
he went into prevent defense. Yeah, you know, I've said
this before, but I'll say it again. The criticism was
that he didn't close with Reid. Okay, maybe, but Reid
played that first six plus minutes in that first quarter.
(35:42):
The lead went from eighteen to six, and you know,
if Tari hit a couple of free throws to build
an eight, but he was already pulling him out.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
And do you have that ass on an island against Towns.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
Yes, and he went to a prevent defense and whatever,
they switched their defensive, you know, work on Brunson, and
that burned them. I mean, Jabari got you know, I
thought he did a solid job one on one, but
Brunson just hit fade away fifteen footers and that wingstop lineup.
The prevent defense got burned and so that decision backfired.
But I think what he was saying was, Okay, I
(36:11):
gave read that time. I'm not gonna defend the next game.
But let's just say that was bad. I just think
he's a good coach and I maybe it doesn't work out,
but I think you have to you can't judge that now.
That's at least an end of next season kind of thing,
you know, when you see how you have everybody that
you expect to have right now, I don't feel in
any way you may Udoka's job is threatened, and I
(36:33):
think when you look at what he's done without Fred
and without Adams now for half the season, I'm pretty impressed.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
Well, last topic, and we've already gone on a little long,
so I think we can wrap up after this and hollow.
I'll see you up. Because Dave and I have talked
about buyout targets the last few shows. I won't mention
Kevon Looney again because I think we've done that too
many times already. Sorry, So pallow aside from Kevon Looney,
is there anyone that jumps out to you as someone
someone in the chat was actually asking if you had
(37:01):
input on this. Is there anyone that jumps out as
someone available now or potentially available that that might be
a fit. And you know, I will say, with the
DFS struggles sort of accelerating in recent games. I still
think they're most likely to look at the big market.
I think they are likely to at least pursue a
buyout signing how tightly they've managed the remaining games. On JD.
(37:23):
Davison's two way, he's maxed out at fifty. I think
he's been you know, in the upper forties for a while.
That tells me that you know, they want to make
a buy out signing. For reasons we let off this
show discussing. I think they need reinforcements up front. I
think that was evident today, but with DFS struggling, I mean,
there is a world where maybe it makes sense to
bring in another you know, forward or wing type. I've
(37:44):
seen some people express interest in Chris Middleton if he
becomes available. Uh, Paolo, I'm just curious. You know one
or two names that jump out to you other than
Kevon Looney as potential fits here.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
Yeah, so I'll first sell you a name that I've
seen it at least on the rite it A lot
of people talk about that. I really don't like. Dias
Jones is not as good as people think.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
He is.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Complete viability on defense. Please don't mention again.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
And let me cut you off right there. I think
it's pretty clear that if they decide they want to guard,
they're just gonna stick with Jady Davison. They like the guy.
There's a reason they trusted him in that Oklahoma City
game earlier this month. I think, you know, if you
give him a contract now, you're more likely to be
able to keep him the next few years and a
very team friendly deal. And they just had so many
(38:30):
opportunities to add guard depth and they haven't passed on it.
So I really do believe they want to get even
if fans don't like it. Majority of the point guard
reps to a mend and read, and so I just
think that it's probably a center, maybe a wing slash forward,
But I would just be surprised if guard is the target.
Sorry if for interrupting, go on.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
Yeah, So well, if it is a center, I think
the answer is just Kevana Wini. I don't think there's
anybody else ilse at the Tide Bannershoe from saying that,
But I will say I'll give you a little bit
of a hot take. If there's the guy that the
rockets should convert, that's the two weights. Actually, I see
a Crawford. It's not shady bits. And as far as
(39:07):
other byout guys, the guys I had ready were just
you look at the balls since the trade deadline. They're
playing a bunch of guards. They're giving, but they're like
giving him such small tiny bits of minutes like Collin
Sexton's playing eighteen minutes and for Simon's and this Sea
is in a game where Anthony Simons was out, which
is the last game that they play. So I don't
(39:29):
think they finished the season with all of those guys
still on the roster. I think some of them get
poor out. And I do think if it is called
Sexon more so than if it is Afriney Simons, those
are guys that might be worth taking a shot at,
especially if because not only do you need help for
who is playing right now, you also need help for
if another cart throws down to injuries because they have
(39:49):
to Holliday. You know this game was not good. So
I think those guys, and I'm not sure if there's
been news on this, but I still think that there's
gotta be a shout that Mark Rosen gets far.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
Up and I and I'm is he expiring this year?
Speaker 2 (40:05):
Nobody has a very small partial guarantee next year. It's
like eight million something like that, so it'd have to
eat a little bit of money, but it's pretty small and.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
They may be even they may even be able to
get him to give back that amount and a buyout
since he's gonna hit frequency or earlier, who knows, and
he's gonna likely goes to a contender if he's a
good fit or not, who knows. Not necessarily the best
defensive guy, not necessarily, the guy that loves the personnel
on this team the most seems to always get into.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
Conflict and the chief shot last week, yeah.
Speaker 3 (40:39):
Yeah, and last year every time we played the mart
of the rolls took it personally. But going back to
the other bit vers I think is the more interesting take,
and I've had it since the beginning of the season.
I think Kenny Crawford's a real play When the very
little chances that he gets, he seemed like a real player.
He has the measurables if you look at his stats
in the GI he is a good shooter. More, I
(41:00):
think that he's more projectable as a long sort of
vast than JD. Davison is because of the size. So
if they're looking for a wing. I don't think the
market's great out that I would seriously consider. They might
not need to give them a stand up than me
deal because he's probably got a lot more NBA days
than than JD. Davison has, although I'm not sure if
(41:22):
that's counted as games played or days with the main
dmth plays with the main team, right, that might be
a little bit different, but it doesn't played less. And
I do think that there's that's a real world where
he's a better player than that JACKA. Cogan and Finish
Smith are right.
Speaker 1 (41:35):
Now, just to add that real quick, a band, I
know we are. We're going to close up here, you know.
I just I don't have a name. I just think
that they're going to if they add somebody the buyout,
it's going to be somebody on the bigger like a
big maybe a four, but somebody who compliments these other players.
And I say, if we go back and look at
that trade deadline, Kobe White day right like everybody's go
(41:56):
with going with reed mania right now, this doesn't happen
if you had bought somebody in who plays another point guard.
And that's why we were saying all along They're not
going to bring somebody in who's going to play ahead
of a man or ahead of a Reed. I'm going
to say read mainly right, nobody's playing ahead of a
men as far as they're concerned. But I'm saying Reid.
They want to develop read, they believe in read. I
(42:17):
don't know where this they don't believe and read stuff
comes from. You look at all I mean, look at
Jokich's minutes. You know how he came up the league.
Look at Jalen Johnson, he was in the G League
his first year. This is what development looks like. It's
you're not going to play thirty five minutes a night
unless you're in a tanking team like Jalen and Jabari.
Right off the bat, they're going to just hand them
all the minutes because there's nothing in front of them,
(42:37):
and so this is a win now team reads developing,
they would want to find somebody who sets good screens
for Reid, who basically can compliment and highlight Read or
other players Shangoon, Katie, somebody like that. That it will
be an underwhelming signing. I will say that right now,
and I'm not going to say the name of who
I think.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
It is so anyway, go ahead, Yeah, let me just
say one more thing before clothes that I actually forgot
and read as well. I think it's a bit criminal
that we This is why I haven't checked the stats.
It's purely from watching that we see a lot more
read KD lineups than read che gun lineups. Like reading
shing gun should be really deadly combo on our offense, right.
(43:17):
I know, maybe the defense is the answer there, but
there should that they should be getting more reps on
offense because we'll read someone who can score at all
three levels, who has the base of a lead ball
hand handler in the pick and roll, and if shinghun
puts some extra, some extra whom, let's call it that
on those screens like that should be a deadly offensive combination,
(43:38):
more so than having both read MTV both in the
in the backyard spots, you know, around the perimeter, passing
the ball to each other hoping that the defense over
commits to one of them by miracle or in eventually
leading into a TV you know, trying to get through
two guys get a shot. They should be trying to
at least lean on that to see if there's something there,
because well, first there surely is we might need more reps,
(44:02):
but that's got to be explored, especially because, oh, I'm
not elite on defense anyway, so you might as well
try to be elite on offense.
Speaker 2 (44:10):
And to address the comment that Dave briefly put on
the screen the update on Jabari, they think it's a
minor ankle sprain, but I think they view that game
Monday as one that they should be able to win
even without him. And so if you sack today's game
off with Monday's game off, that'll give him a full
week between games. And I think if there's one thing
that you should learn from watching Tarry East in the
(44:33):
last few games, I think it's pretty clear that he
came back a little too early from his ankle sprain
in January, and he's had consistent issues. Ankles. Frains are
so easy to linger. So even if it's minor, I
think the way the Rockets view it, his sprain happened
late Thursday in Orlando, and so you give him this
game off. Monday's a game in Washington against a bad
Wizards team they should be able to win regardless, and
(44:54):
then you don't play again until Thursday at home. Against
the Warriors. That will give Jabari a full week off
and hopefully that's enough that he can put it behind him.
And it doesn't linger like what's happened with Tori the
last few games, so I think that's what's happening there.
It's nothing alarming. It's just I think they see this
as a spot in the schedule that hey, we can
sneak him a few days and then hopefully he comes
back against the Warriors and it's good the rest of
(45:14):
the way.
Speaker 1 (45:16):
Absolutely, Ben Powell appreciate all you guys are were you
guys comments and everything about this game. Rockets fall one
fifteen one O five. Will be back Monday when they
take on Washington. As Ben said, should be a win
and salvage this road trip. Go to him one. On
the bright side, Rockets are thirty seven and twenty two.
They are exactly what they were last year, thirty seven
and twenty two. I think the team last year lost
the next couple of games. Maybe they catch up here.
(45:38):
I have him two games behind the pace. I thought
they'd be thirty nine and twenty at this point, but
still very very good. All things, you know, the injuries
and stuff considered, so really good outlook so far despite
the game.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
Today.
Speaker 1 (45:50):
Will be back Monday for sure, Ben pel or anything
you guys want to say before we close, No, I'll.
Speaker 2 (45:54):
Just tease to Monday's show, we've got Michael Shapiro of
crime dot COM's winning us, so he'll have some perspective
essentially on buyout names, because by Monday, which is March second,
we'll know who is and isn't out there, and so
we can you know, if the game goes the way
I think we hope it will, which is that you know,
the Rockets be the Bad Wizard's team by a comfortable margin,
then maybe we can talk a little bit more about
the buyout market on Monday, or maybe the Rockets have
(46:16):
even signed someone that point and we can react to that.
But yeah, we'll have Michael Shapirocrime dot Com with us
for that one awesome.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
Appreciate you guys, and thank everybody for listening and watching today.
Appreciate all the support, and we will see you guys Monday.
Have a great rest of your weekend.
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