Although I prefer the 2009 Rockets team, I firmly believe that the current 2018 Rockets team is stronger. The Rockets during the Yao-Mai era have never looked as strong as they do now, at least because of injuries I didn't have the chance to see.
The Rockets in 2009 must be deeply memorable for the old Huomi. I can still remember Yao Ming and McGrady at that time and Ci Shiping, who was still called "Artest" at the time. This He is head coach Adelman's favorite disciple in the Kings. This old man has single-handedly created his so-called Big Three.
I know all the other players, including Uncle Mu who doesn’t play much but likes to wag his fingers, Brooks, the little black bean, Hayes who focuses on defensive free throws and weird shots, Scola from Argentina with fantastic footsteps, and the Magic Bird Lan. Delhi, blind defender Battier, street ball king Alston... These people, along with the years, are nailed to the memory of 2009.
They were able to win 22 consecutive victories and compete with the Lakers in a seven-game series, but it was difficult for them to deal with injuries. Both Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady had reached the point where it seemed like they were suffering from constant injuries. Tracy McGrady began to slowly transform from a scorer to an organizer, and Yao Ming also thrived in the paint, but their core combination looked as brittle as paper. They lacked the core to compete with the Lakers until the seventh game. It actually looked like the Lakers wanted to sell one more ticket~
I admit that the Rockets' goal at the beginning of the game was to win the championship, but they lost every game. Later, as an old fan myself, I didn’t believe it.
After this year's Rockets brought in Chris Paul, I really feel that they have the ability to win the championship this year, even though they have to face the powerful and almost suffocating Warriors.
Harden and Paul are the best scorers and best court control players in the league. They are like two engines, handling the entire team's offense perfectly. Harden is in full swing and Paul is in good shape. The health of such a core lineup can basically be guaranteed. The talented general Ariza still has good defense and three-pointers. Tucker and Nene are simply players born for the playoffs. They dare to play and fight hard. Gordon is a great shooting threat and has the ability to break through, and the Mamba also has a good chemical reaction.
It can almost be said that a team like theirs perfectly fits the style of the small ball era, and they have the strength to give it a try.
Point guard
2009 Alston: averaged 11.5 points, 3 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, Brooks: averaged 11.2 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists per game
18 years Paul: Averaged 19.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game
Whether it is offense or defense, whether it is Alston or Brooks, Paul is better, so in this position, Paul wins completely, there is no doubt. .
Shooting guard
In 2009, McGrady: averaged 15.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5 assists per game, Artest: averaged 17.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game
18 Harden: Averaged 30.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 9 assists per game
McGrady in 2009 has begun to decline. Although Artest performed well after McGrady was injured, he is older after all, and Harden At his peak, he is playing the best season of his career, so at the shooting guard position, Harden wins.
Small forward
Battier in 2009: averaged 7.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game
Ariza in 2018: averaged 12.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game
Both Battier and Ariza are 3D players. From the data, we can see that the two are equally matched on the defensive end, but Ariza is better offensively, so Ariza has a small victory.
Power forward
Scola in 2009: averaged 12.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game
Anderson in 2018: averaged 10 points and 5.5 rebounds per game
< p> Anderson is not in good form this season, especially in three-pointers, and has never found his touch. Scola's performance in 2009 was very good. Although his jumping and explosive power are not good, he can use his experience, footsteps, and skills very well. It helps the team well, so Scola is even better.Center
Yao Ming in 2009: averaged 19.7 points and 9.9 rebounds per game
Capella in 2018: averaged 14.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game
Capela mainly eats cake this season, but Yao Ming was the absolute core of the team that year. He was the first starting point of the team's offense, so there is no doubt that Yao Ming is better.
Substitutes
Main substitutes in 2009: Weaver, Landry, Lowry, Hyde
Main substitutes in 2018: Gordon, Green, Nene , Mbah a Moute
In terms of substitutes, the Rockets are obviously stronger in 2018. The best sixth man Gordon, Mbah a Moute, and Nene are also veterans who have been playing for many years.
From a comprehensive evaluation of offense, defense, lineup depth, balance, diversity, and coaching ability, I would personally choose the Rockets in the 2008-2009 season.
The regular starting lineup is Dayao + Haiye + Shane Battier + Tracy McGrady + Alston, and the substitute is Uncle Mu + Landry + Artest + Brent Barry + Brooks, this set The lineup, whether it is the starting or substitute lineup, has achieved a balance of offense and defense, and there are many players who can enter the rotation. The starting player Dayao reached his peak before his serious injury, and he was the first C level at both ends of the offense and defense (Howard was also at his peak at the time, but his dominance was not as good as Dayao); this lineup, whether it is the starting or substitute lineup, is Achieving a balance of offense and defense, there are many players who can enter the rotation, and they can be fast or slow, light or heavy, and have better fault tolerance and injury tolerance; in the traditional half-court, Dayao can lead the starting lineup to fight with the opponent and defend. ; Playing Xiao Qingling, you can also arrange another lineup such as Uncle Mu, Scola, McGrady, etc. (In fact, during the 22-game winning streak, Dayao led the team in the early stage. After Dayao was injured, McGrady returned from injury. with typed ones).
——This lineup is ugly, but it is practical and durable. "Welcome to Texas, where you can take everything away except victory!"
The Rockets this season look great, but actually have unlimited risks. The record once reached the top spot in the Western Conference. Can the lineup? The inhumane rotation of 8 people was so terrible! Among these 8-man rotation, as long as one is injured in the regular season, it will have a huge impact on the record! Not to mention watching the bloody playoffs! Who is there? During Paul's injury period, the Rockets' tactics were to play Harden, and after Harden played, Harden still played - remember some time ago, Harden played to the point of exhaustion and scored consecutive 5 points in back-to-back games? Harden, Paul, Ariza, Capelin, Green, who dares to say that he will not suffer from serious illness for a long time? Injury to any player in the rotation may cause the Rockets to fall out of the first column.
In addition, the Rockets' lineup this season is seriously focused on offense but not on defense; the Rockets' defense in 2008-2009 was on the same level as the Celtics and Spurs, and this was the first time in the regular season that they were on the same level. Controlled LeBron's single-game scoring under 10 points during version 1.0.
Finally, in terms of coaching ability, neither Alderman nor D'Antoni has experience in the finals, and both have played in the Western Conference finals. But I personally think that Coach Alderman is better in terms of formation ability.
So, excluding offense, regardless of defense, lineup balance, multi-person rotation, variability or coach's coaching ability, I will choose the Rockets in 2008-2009. At that time, this Rockets team , fully capable of being included in the first group.
The 2008 Rockets were even better. The Rockets were strong on the outside in 2018, and the Rockets were strong on the inside in 2008. In 2008, the combination of Yao Ming and Scola on the inside completely surpassed this year's combination of Capela and Anderson on the inside of the Rockets. As for the outside, Tracy McGrady and Alston in the backcourt were not as good. Harden, Paul, and forwards Battier and Ariza are all excellent 3D players, and they are tied.
The Yao-Mai combination is the memory of Chinese fans. At that time, Yao Ming could be said to be among the top three best centers in the league, and Tracy McGrady was also among the top five guards. Unfortunately, due to injuries and other factors, the Rockets record Always unsatisfactory. If Yao Ming played against Capela today, he would have averaged 25+10 per game. Capela would have to be sent off in every game. Scola would have averaged 28 against Anderson. Anderson has no inside offense. Ability, therefore, the Rockets will dominate rebounding in 2008.
The 2018 lightbulb brings hope to Rockets fans. This pair of the strongest backcourt combination today is indeed better than the Rockets' Alston and McGrady in 2008. Harden may not be as good as Tracy McGrady in a one-on-one, but his team organization and leadership are much better than Tracy McGrady. Paul and Alston are probably on the floor, so the Rockets have the upper hand in the backcourt with 18. As 3D players on the forward line, Battier and Ariza are both dedicated and equal.
Let’s take a look at the substitutes. Artest, the sixth man of the 2008 Rockets, and Gordon, the sixth man of the 18 Rockets. Artest is slightly better than Gordon in offense or defense. The other main rotation lineups Basically the same, so the 08 Rockets have a slight advantage in terms of substitutes.
So who will win the final victory? Rhythm is everything. If it enters a run-and-gun rhythm, the 18 Rockets will win. If it enters a positional battle, the 08 Rockets will win. Therefore, one wants to speed up and the other wants to slow down. Personally, I think the 18 Rockets have a certain advantage. After all, the inside line is stable and the outside line is unstable. But if they are beaten by the 18 Rockets, they will also lose to the 18 Rockets. Therefore, the predicted score is 4:3, and the 08 Rockets will defeat the 18 Rockets with difficulty.
Of course, the Rockets were better in 2009. It can be said that the Rockets in 2009 beat the Rockets in 2018. Don’t look at the Rockets now ranking second in the Western Conference in the regular season. This Rockets has no stamina. Anthony’s team, the Houston Three-Point Team, , The success is also three points and the defeat is three points. When the shots are accurate, you have also seen that they are not accurate. There is no way. Paul Harden can't sit still when he is so far ahead on the court. Why? Because the bench is so bad, the essence has not changed. That is, the new boss still continues the stingy tactics of boss Alexander. No matter how big the score is, it can be reversed by the opponent's substitute every minute. This Rockets continues Anthony's bombardment tactics, but It is equivalent to the expansion of firepower from two-pointers to three-pointers, but in terms of strength, it is not a level worse than the Suns back then. In today's games, you will often see that the inside is not strong enough, can't hit, and has no singles. Ability depends entirely on Harden and Paul. Once the opponent cuts off the internal and external links, it is equivalent to completely losing the inside line. When three-pointers are made, there are more opportunities for the inside line. Just like now, when three-pointers are not hit very often, the inside line is basically useless. The last one The trick is to start making forced bets and bet on your life! There is no other way. Whenever a three-pointer hits 20 points in the fourth quarter, Anthony has to continue to put Paul or Harden on the court. He is worried about these substitutes. He knows how much these goods weigh. Well, this system is short of major generals, which must have created instability. To put it bluntly, the strength is still not good, too bad. Paul is playing intermittently, Harden has also started, Ariza has also started, and the team It is now a problem for all the starters to return to the team, let alone the playoffs. There are not many teams in the league that can win the championship with just one set of starters. Injuries will happen sooner or later and are expected. The Rockets start the game. There is too much time and too much physical exertion. Now the injuries have just begun. If this stingy boss continues to be so stingy, then the Rockets may have Harden, Paul Ariza, Gordon Capela and the entire starting lineup on the injured list. I sincerely recommend If Paul wants to stay in the league for a few more years, he might as well go to the Spurs.
I am Fat Boy talking about sports, and I am very happy to answer your questions!
In fact, the Rockets in 2018 are definitely slightly better than the Rockets in 2009. Relying on the outstanding performance of Harden and Paul, they finally topped the league with 12 consecutive victories. , but in the eyes of many old fans, the Rockets in 2009 were more powerful. Why do you say that? Because Yao Ming, Battier, and Tracy McGrady all left a deep impression on everyone that season. The original Rockets team was very strong inside and outside, offensively and defensively. Yao Ming and Uncle Mu were both very powerful inside players. However, the Rockets in 2018 exposed many problems. Its inner line is very weak and cannot withstand the impact of the opponent's generals.
In 2018, the Rockets were in a state of focusing on offense and light on defense. One of the reasons for this was because they did not have the right players, and the other was because of their coach’s enemy policy and tactical arrangements. In fact, in terms of defense, the 2009 Rockets are completely comparable to strong teams such as the Spurs. It may be stronger on the offensive end than the Rockets in 2018, but the Rockets in 2009 seem to be more perfect.
The Rockets in 2009 were still at the end of the Yao-Mai era. This was also Tracy McGrady's last year in the Rockets. Then the Rockets decided to dismantle the Yao-Mai combination in exchange for Kevin Martin and Ariza.
In 2009, Yao Ming was still at his peak, starting 77 games and averaging 19.7 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game; while McGrady only played 35 games due to injuries and attitude, averaging only 15 points and 5 points. Board 5 assists. Of course, the team's second-in-command back then was Ci Shiping, who was quite impressive and truly assumed the responsibility of being the second-in-command.
Others Ralston was not very good with only 5.4 assists, and the most criticized thing was the way he passed the ball to Yao Ming, but compared to future point guard Brooks, he still passed the ball Not bad. Scola is still good and very powerful. 13 points and 9 rebounds gave Yao Ming a lot of help in the paint.
Overall, the Rockets lineup in 2009 had a lot of flaws, with the point guard and small forward positions being relatively weak.
In comparison, the 2018 Rockets lineup has many fewer weaknesses. The only weakness in the current lineup is the power forward position. Anderson's salary is worthy of starting, but his strength is not worthy of starting. Moreover, Paul Harden's dual-core role is quite significant. Either one of them can lead the team alone or in combination. Back then, Yao Ming lacked such a point guard to pass the ball for him.
And another advantage of the 2018 Rockets is that the bench lineup is better than the 2009 lineup, and the lineup configuration is reasonable, and the playing style is in line with the trend and player characteristics. Personally, I think the Rockets are even better in 2018.
As a veteran who has supported the Rockets since Yao Ming entered the league, I believe that the 18-year-old Rockets are even stronger now! I believe that basketball is improving and the concept of basketball is improving. I believe that each generation is getting better than the next.
In 2009, due to Morey's magical operation, the Rockets formed a combination of Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, and Artest, known as the three strongest giants in history. But in addition to the Big Three, this Rockets also has Scola, Lowry, Brooks and other players, which can be said to be very deep. But this Rockets has a huge problem, that is, Yao and Mai's injuries have made it almost impossible for the Big Three to play together in a healthy manner. I remember that the few times they played together were very effective, because the three people's styles did not overlap. , can play a big role.
But injuries are the biggest enemy of professional sports. People with injuries will never become super giants. The same is true for a combination. If few members are healthy, it means nothing. And in 2009, Tracy McGrady was in a state of decline, which meant that his ability to attack tough situations was no longer as strong as it was at his peak.
And I have always believed that the current Harden is the star who has given me the most hope and excitement in all the years I have watched the Rockets. During the Yao and Mai era, I always believed that the Rockets were a first-tier team, and that the Rockets were only a mid-range team in the top eight in the Western Conference. I rarely felt like a fan of the league's top team. Because at that time, many strong teams in the league were blocking or suppressing the Rockets, such as the Spurs, Mavericks, Lakers, Magic, Cavaliers, Jazz, Celtics, etc. The Rockets are just a tiny contender. Yao Mai is just one of many stars. The current Rockets, under the leadership of Harden, have played in the Western Conference Finals, have the hope of reaching the championship, have the hope of becoming the regular season MVP, and have the hope of becoming the first in the league. Maybe you will say that the intensity of the competition is getting lower and lower now, the standards are getting looser, the pace is getting faster, and everyone is no longer defensive. But no matter what, the record and results are there. It is difficult for us to compare Guan Gong and Qin Qiong, because it is meaningless and unrealistic. But we can at least compare horizontally and compare the Rockets' influence and status in the league. I think the 2018 Rockets surpassed the 2009 Rockets.
Returning to Harden again, I think Harden in 2018 is far better than Tracy McGrady in 2009, both in terms of team leadership ability and personal ability. At least that's true in side-by-side comparison. Harden's statistics are at a historical level, and McGrady cannot compare with him. If McGrady is a general, then Harden is a handsome man. Harden's aura and creativity are at least beyond the reach of Tracy McGrady in 2009. What's more, the Rockets still have Paul. And Harden's style of play determines that Harden is healthier than McGrady.
I am a veteran fire enthusiast, and I have witnessed the changes of the Rockets over a long period of time. There has never been a period of Rockets that can match the expectations that this Rockets have given me today.
The Rockets in 2009 carried the youth of the post-80s generation. Although there was Yao Mai at that time, you have to admit that the Rockets in 2018 were stronger. In 2009, Yao Mai suffered rotation injuries, which greatly affected their strength. Even so, they are still strong, but the Rockets in 2018 are unmatched by them. It is a pity that Paul relied on his old age and disrespected Harden, which caused the championship to be handed over to others. He later suffered injuries and missed the best opportunity to win the championship. , it can only be said that time is also destiny!
I am more optimistic about this Rockets. The backcourt in the Yao and Mai era was not good. There was no small ball tactics at that time. Why are traditional centers gradually withdrawing from the stage of history now? Modern basketball has developed to the point where it requires quick rotations and extremely fast transitions between offense and defense. Big centers are no longer suitable. Even the Spurs have begun to build smaller lineups to adapt to the court environment. So depending on the results, I think the upper limit of the light bulb combination will be higher, okay. The backcourt determines the height of a team,!