[2018-2019] The Media Narratives Thread

I can see Utah improving.

I also see James Ennis being about as good as Trevor Ariza last year, if not as good as Ariza at his best. Ennis can play.

 

I told myself I’d stay away from these and yet here I am.

Wondering how the hell losing Trevor freakin Ariza and an injured LMM who wasn’t even THERE in the WCF has made us a not elite team.

I need a bath.

 

You know he said it correctly, right?

 

It just sounds arrogant coming from him. And he always wants to sound smart, I know, with his screeching voice.

 

Fact. There is nothing Ariza was able to do on O or D that Ennis won't be able to.

With the addition of Melo and hopefully Kent Bazemore, this team will be much better than the team Rockets had in the WCF.... and they still have big part of MLE.... and everybody's forgetting that MCW can also play...

 

Agreed on the arrogant wanting to sound smart thing. However, there is no however.

 

Its fine that we are treated as underdogs as usual
In the end we make them eat crows

 

Funny how most opinions here are heavily influenced by the media, despite claims to the contrary.

Melo was part of a big 3 last year, everyone bought in to the narrative that they were great. Now Melo cannot play basketball anymore according to some media heads so people have to make outrageous claims how great Melo is.

Most media heads go a bit overboard, but anyone who cannot see that Melo has some red flags is probably their ego taking over who wants to prove the media wrong. I think there’s enough intelligence here to see Melo could be good for us, but could easily fail as well.

It is a big difference when you replace a defensive minded Ariza with a severely limited and lazy / our of shape defender who is simply a scorer. Speaking of Ariza, I could not believe the disrespect of him on this board, until I saw what was going on. Just like with Melo, statements are made to counter the media who say he’s a big loss.

I think most people do not actually believe what they post or deep down know the value of Ariza, but just cannot take the criticism by the media that replacing him with Melo is a step back / worse. And somehow because Luc was not playing in the WCF he’s this replaceable guy who cannot make layups.

I’m glad at least most recognise with Luc there is a legit concern over his shoulder, but people seem to forget how much we missed him, how great he was for us and at times looked like the best 3&D guy with his ability to actually get into the lane and make a layup. Ariza somehow looked much better in that area too.

Anyway, my point is that we can acknowledge that losing Ariza and Luc is going to hurt us. Don’t thrash them just because you hate the media for underrating us, the Melo addition and getting Ennis. People might fail to recognise that the media has praised Ariza and Luc to a certain degree too most of last year. So they are not just starting now. And with Melo, his downyear is a legit point of doubting his ability to contribute.

It’s not just about looking at Ariza, Luc, Melo and even Ennis as far as talent goes. It’s also about role and more importantly: chemistry and team building. Ariza was part of our core, friends with CP3. You don’t just replace him one-on-one with Melo. It’s going to be a new guy coming in who granted knows how to play, can get us buckets that Ariza and Luc couldn’t from multiple positions in different ways, but he also comes in with an ego and attitude. The exact opposite of Ariza who did everything for the team.

Melo is just not that guy and it’s not arguable, it’s coming from his own mouth. If at one point we notice a huge dip in defense and MDA wants Ennis to start, to the benefit of the team, with all that Melo has said this offseason and has shown in previous years, you think that he will accept that? That is a serious issue and warrants a little dig at us, “Houston we have a problem.”

Seriously stop caring, the media was dead wrong last year and it made our glorious season all the more sweet. Don’t let it cloud your thoughts, get you into this anti-media narrative and consequently see Luc and Ariza as easily replaceable and Melo as a guy who will easily fit in. Even if all goes well, Ariza and Luc should be praised and they will be missed.

 

I don't think anyone's disrespecting or underrating him, we're just arguing those who are severely overrating him.

Rockets were 14-1 without Ariza last season and that sole loss came in the last regular season game, so techicaly they didn't lose at all without him, and those wins came agains 7 Play-Off teams including Golden State Warriors.

Ennis is a versatile defender more than capable of replacing Ariza's defensive production.

Ariza was important of course, but I don't know how anyone can say Ariza & Luc for $19.3M are better than Ennis & Melo & MCW for 4.95M......aaand you still have Ryan Anderson for a possible trade (Bazemore?) along with remaining part of Mid Level Exception.

This team will be better than last year - I guarantee you that.

 

Points taken. I don’t think anyone will argue about that, but regardless of the money and how everything went, we still should acknowledge that losing Ariza in particular might hurt us. I agree that Ennis could give you the same as Ariza did, but possibly not. You never know. The claims that are clearly coming from a place of anti-media narrative is that you can easily replace Ariza with Ennis. That’s disrespectful to Trevor, no matter how you slice it.

 

Just found a HoopsHype.com article from February that named the best foreign-born player for each NBA franchise, and which included this gem:

WTAF? Is there one single person not living in Germany or Dallas who would consider Nowitzki a better overall player than Dream?

I almost didn't post this out of fear that @tinman would have a stroke or a heart attack (or both).

The same author picked Porzingis over Ewing and Tony Parker over Duncan.

 

That list so dumb. Anybody that think boston wont be the best team in the east..hell maybe in the nba is a fool

 

The Rockets won 65 games last year with the following players missing games:

• Clint Capela - 8 games
  
• James Harden - 10 games (1st season to get hurt as a Rocket)
• Eric Gordon - 13 games
• Trevor Ariza - 15 games
• Ryan Anderson - 16 games
• Luc Mbah a Moute - 21 games
• Chris Paul - 24 games

Also Gerald Green only played in 41 games, and BrandAn Wright played in one game then got hurt for the rest of the season.


Rockets are DEFINITELY winning 60+ games

 

10+ game reduction on a team with the same core with the benefit of continuity and striving toward their goal for the top seed seems crazy.

Harden/CP3/Capela together for 65 games wins you that many alone.

 

Morey's trolling the entire league with his confident-yet-subtle trash talking.

 

Moray's so sexay