It was an ugly game and I'm certainly glad we came out with the W, but there are glaring issues that need to be ironed out if we want to guarantee ourselves a second round appearance. 1. CP3 needs to be better. He may be losing a step, or maybe it's just one bad game. However, he's simply not using his high BBIQ at this time. Idk how much of that is on him, and how much is on MDA. He needs to stop letting Harden be the primary playmaker on EVERY single play. I think a good ratio would be 2:1 when they play together, and obviously he should be the main playmaker when Harden sits. Right now, CP3 is deferring way too much to Harden and it may be hurting his rhythm. Even compared to the beginning of the season, he's taking a backseat much more frequently now. When he is the primary ball handler, he seems lost after he gets the initial pick. He isn't the finisher at the rim that Harden is so he won't have the same effect on CC, but what he can do is demolish the Wolves with 15 foot jumpers. That mid-range shot will be there all night long, and it's truly a mystery why he isn't taking them. 2. Stop switching on every pick. That strategy has worked well for us this season, but in the playoffs, teams are much more methodical and the coaching staff will have all the time in the world to prepare and adjust. If they wanted to, they can exploit KAT or Gibson on our guards every single time down the court. We need to be far more versatile with our defensive schemes than this. We have to be able to hedge, double, ICE these plays and make the Wolves uncomfortable. They don't have the same shooters that we do so they won't be able to pick apart a hard hedge or early double team like we can. 3. Shooting percentages need to go up. I'm looking at you - EGO, Ariza, Tucker, GG. There's really not a whole lot they can do about this, but from a statistical perspective, I expect this to regress to the mean. 4. We need Ryno and Moute back ASAP. Really, there are only 3 players that should be setting high picks, and that's Ryno, Moute, and CC. With two of them out, we are left with Ariza and Tucker trying to set picks, but they are limited once they catch the ball on top of the key or on the roll. Tucker and Ariza are below average from 3 unless they shoot from the corners, and neither can take it to the hole like Moute can. Honestly, I'm fairly confident about #1 and 3, but #2 is probably out of reach, since you can't teach these guys a whole new defensive scheme at this point. #4 is just a matter of time.
Our spacing just hasn't been the same without Ryno. Yea he's overpaid but he makes this team so deadly. LMAM is what helped our transition defense. I'm going to say a prayer tonight for both
no the rockets do not need to stop switching on every pick. thats a huge reason why houstons defense is much improved. thats not even a thought of changing
You become far too predictable if you switch on every single pick. You also open yourself up to a ton of mismatches. I'm not saying you shouldn't switch - just not on every single play.
What we need to do to advance to the second round: 1. Show up. 2. Lace our shoes properly. 3. Make sure not everyone sucks on the same night.
Until they start feeding KAT in the post on the switch there is no need to change. Guys just need to hit open shots and we will be fine. Let Luc and Ryan get to 100% no need to rush them back
A) Missed threes because of nerves. B) Miscommunication because of players getting games off for two weeks C) some lucky bounces for Minny. We win game 2 by 16
Predictably means nothing. That's why hou's personnel is based on versatile defenders. Do you think they would be doing that if they didn't. Come on now Hou is a top defense team and you want them to change something that made them that. How does that make sense
One thing I like about Gordon is that he fights over the picks instead of lazily switching all the time. With Chris Paul the switch is never in his favor.
Because matchups matter, and that's what the playoffs are. I would totally agree with switching if we were playing the Warriors or OKC, since they don't have offensive bigs. But if Thibodeau wasn't an idiot, he would be running the offense through KAT every time he has a guard switched onto him.
Like I said, Thibodeau's game plan was idiotic tonight. If he never adjusts, then keep switching. It's the coach's fault if your team doesn't recognize obvious mismatches.
You haven't said anything. Kat gets the ball tonight. tried to do something with it but can't. It's pretty simple. Switching was perfectly fine. Yet for some reason it's something you're trying to change You're blaming it on the coach when Kat himself can't do anything when he gets the ball.
Yeah Chris was off mentally tonight. He needs to wake up. I don't know what the issue was, probably pressure from first playoff game with the rockets being title contenders?
He didn't get the ball... did you watch the game? Dude took 9 shots. When we switched CP3 on him, Teague tried to iso instead of dumping it down to him. Either way, we will see if adjustments are made next game.
