by Axel The Great on Sun May 23, 2010 12:03 pm
10-game summary
The Rockets went a good 8-2 in the 2nd 10 games of the season. Remaining undefeated at home, they look to be going in the right direction for a championship after waiting 15 years. Here is a review of each player on the team-
The Starters
Yao Ming- He has been a monster all season. Leading the league in RPG, and third in PPG on the Rockets, and second behind K-Mart in FT's on the Rockets, Yao's desire for a ring is starting to show. Though only having one year on his contract, if he can get the Rockets franchise far in the playoffs, an extension could be given to him.
axelgomez13 rating- 10
Luis Scola- He hasn't had a huge impact on the team, mainly due to Yao using more possessions, when he gets it going, he can get deadly. He has also improved his defense this season, averaging a block a game. Though for this 10 game stretch he was cold, the Rockets hope that he will continue to improve and hopefully be more productive on offense as well as defense.
axelgomez13 rating- 7.5
Trevor Ariza- He, like Scola, has gone cold the last few games. Though he has gotten to the line, his outside shooting needs improvement. He has shown untouchable 3pt range, but if you ask him to take mid-range shots, he'll hesitate and miss. Maybe since this is just his 1st of 5 years on his contract, he doesn't feel like he has to produce.
axelgomez13 rating- 7
Kevin Martin- He is like the engine of the Rockets (along with Yao Ming). If the Rockets aren't having a good shooting night, he'll step into the paint to shoot some FT's, shooting at over 90% for the season. He has also made the most 3 pointers on the team. If he keeps up his performances, he could really be on his way to winning a ring.
axelgomez13 rating- 10
Aaron Brooks- He has had no consistency this season in scoring, but still averages 15 ppg. His role on the team isn't to score though, it is to distribute the ball, and that's where he has consistency, averaging 8 apg. As long as he can score and distribute the ball, he is well on his way to more years on the Rockets roster.
axelgomez13 rating- 8
The Bench
Shane Battier- At times, he can explode on the offensive end. But his main role on the team isn't to score, it is to provide defense off the bench. He does his job well, blocking the lights out of players like Kobe and LeBron. Though maybe the Rockets would have been better off keeping Rudy Gay than trading him for Battier, he still plays a huge role on the team.
axelgomez13 rating- 8.5
Chase Budinger- Topping his career high 3 times this season, you can say he is well on his way to the rookie challenge. Though he has calmed down a bit, he did take a chunk of K-Mart's minutes for a few games. If he can give some more 15+ plus point games, he is well on his way of earning a big role on the Rockets.
axelgomez13 rating- 8.5
Jared Jeffries- You want to see defense, Jared will slam it in your face. He has no regards for human life on the defensive end, and can also score if you give him the ball. He has impressed more than he did than his days with the Knicks, and if he keeps this up, he can be given a promotion to the starters.
axelgomez13 rating- 9
Jordan Hill- With more defense than offense, this guy has the right tools to succeed in the NBA. At 6'10', and a Jared Jeffries like defense style, he is a force to be reckoned with in the paint. He has also proved to play well with Bud, as they were both teammates in Arizona back in the NCAA.
axelgomez13 rating- 8
Kyle Lowry- Having the highest 3pt% on the team (shooting at over 50%), he isn't averaging over 10ppg. However, he really doesn't like to take shots, he just likes to be the one who gets credited with the pass. The coaching staff will have to convince him to score, if not, the Rockets will need to find a better point guard to replace him.
axelgomez13 rating- 7
Chuck Hayes- Being an undersized C, that doesn't stop him from rubbing his defense all over your face. He loves scoring on the low post and that seems to be his tendency, though he does take some mid-range shots. With Yao Ming starting over him, he doesn't see many minutes, but it leaves other teams wishing that Yao would just be left in the game instead.
axelgomez13 rating- 7.5
Donte Greene- It's too early to give a rating, but he scored 11 points against the Blazers, and has a tendency to pull up for three often. He has a future in this Rockets franchise, and is 20 times happier on the Rockets.
axelgomez13 rating(against the Blazers)- 9.5
As I got older, I got a lot better at making that long pass off the inbound. Anyway, nice wins.
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