Big takeaway from yesterday, if it isn’t already obvious

Plus, it was non-stop loud there. That really is the worst environment for a road team.

 

I don't mind them keep shooting the 3. That's their offense. There will be times of hot shooting and times of cold shooting.

What I saw last night in the 4th was rushed shots. They were just jacking up shots, sometimes from way beyond the arc without setting their feet. Only Steph Curry and Gerald Green (and maybe Lou Williams) has a right to shoot those. The Rockets were not really running their offense that would give them good looks.

 

nah, this is Moreyball and it will never change as long as Morey is the GM of this team.

Moreyball is jacking up 3s non-stop when we're ice cold.

Moreyball has no plan B and plan C is to shoot more 3s, hoping one will go in.

 

Year after year, we dogmatically go w the three when it doesn’t work. As others have said, when it’s the 4Q and time is running down, relying on reversion to the mean when the variance isn’t going in your favor —you need time for statistics to play out. It doesn’t work.

We have to have a fallback that doesn’t rely on a Harden/Paul ISO primary and a rushed pass/three secondary from role players. It’s too entirely predictable in the playoffs over a 7 game series.

Instead of jacking up 14 shots in a row that results in fast breaks for the other team, we need guys to drive to the basket and create contact, fouls to slow down the game. That’s the methodical way to get back in the game.

After 3 years of D’Antoni, I worry that we don’t have a counter - esp in late game situation - when Golden State inevitably clamps down on our shooters.

The Rockets will beat Utah, but we have to be much better to beat the Warriors. Better = flexible.

This team is like Jekyl/Hyde. When the formula works it’s beautiful. When we meet resistance it’s just ... apathy in the court.

Go Rockets.

 

The biggest takeaway is you can't win them all.
Series is still effectively over.

Nothing more, nothing less.

 

This doesn’t change the fact of what the OP stated. Indeed, us hitting some midrange shots,IMO, would open up the court and open driving lanes for harden/Paul to operate. Not taking these shots are allowing the defense to clog the paint and hard close out the three.

 

Why do people say that our offense doesn't work? It clearly works. We are one of the best offensive teams in the league. That doesn't mean we don't have cold stretches. And we usually lose games when that happens. No team can win all games. No team can stay hot all the times no matter what kind of offense they run. Every team goes through cold stretches and they usually lose when it happens.

That said, I do hope that we have a mid-range game once in a while just to keep the defense honest. I've said it before. It's like in football, a great passing team needs a running game to keep the defense honest. You can't pass on every down even though passing is clearly more efficient than running.

 

Boom lock this thread

 

Our offense does work... over time because mathematically ISO w Harden and CP3 + 3s work. It’s when you reduce the sample size - time of play - that we need flexibility when the equation doesn’t work.

 

My big take away from yesterday is *play with force and a sense of urgency.* And that leads to winning the rebound battle. Shooting will come and go. But EFFORT and battling can help you withstand cold stretches.

Win with attrition.

 

Those possesions after a timeout (when we do take one) are memorably nasty.

I can't even remember a made play after one...

 

Rebounding would have helped.... hitting 3's would have helped.... getting to the line.... playing harder the last quarter.

There is an obsession with middle range shots on these boards. I am not necessarily against them with specific players taking them, but it isn't a cure all either.

Teams are going to miss shots....... if it defense, turnovers, steals and drawing contact are things can always do.... rebound and box out.

 

EXACTLY !

We can take 50 three pointers for all I care , but they have to be in rythtm and within the flow of the offense .

Based off my shitty memory , I would say maybe half the 3's we took in the 4th were of that nature .

I think far too many of our shots were hurried and shot out of worry of falling too far behind

 

Uhm we went up 3-0 using the same strategy. If we lose game 5 then it might be time to make adjustments. For now up 3-1 is nothing to complain about.

 

You gotta take what the defense gives you. Taking mid range for the sake of mixing it up doesn’t make much sense either. We get our twos at the rim and in doing so, forces the defense to collapse which leads to open 3s and lob dunks. Our offense is fine.

 

Harden has to move towards the basket as soon as the defender gets behind him.
I don’t understand the hesitation. They’re giving you your right and standing behind you. He’s good enough to make them pay most of the time.

It’s odd. He was tremendous at it in Game 1

 

We didn’t play up to our capabilities

 

The issue is Capela can't finish it off as effectively as he did in G1 due to sickness. That means Harden's down to 1 threat from being a triple threat.

 

I really don’t think that’s it. Capela was definitely sick and the alley oop was ineffective. But from the beginning of the game Harden was playing the right casual.

 

All this talk about midrange and not once has someone realized that with the defense they are playing on James , a mid-range shot from him would be very uncomfortable .

The defense's whole idea is to limit his stepback 3 ... the shot he gets incredible separation on .

Edit. I think harden on the post could work really well tho