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It's Westbrook - this is 100% a how do we fit his game in scenario

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by DaDakota, Nov 6, 2019.

  1. ParaSolid

    ParaSolid Member

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    Unrelated but I liked the defensive effort I saw from the team from the 2nd quarter onwards. Russ still gambles too often and gets caught out of position on the rotations, and Harden falls asleep too often on defense. Both fixable and I expect the same to be fixed.
     
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  2. rocketman84

    rocketman84 Member

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    right, that would fall under accountability, which I also mentioned as a reason (that you ignored)

    you’re missing the point of my post, which is that it’s not Westbrook. You seem to agree
     
  3. javal_lon

    javal_lon Member

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    If his assignment is to stand in the corner for a 3, I'm glad he takes it upon himself to do the opposite.. Kudos to him!
     
  4. Os Trigonum

    Os Trigonum Contributing Member
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    or "Tearjerker" for posters who cry after wins :D
     
  5. Blurr#7

    Blurr#7 Contributing Member

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    Accountability is basically blame. If you’re implying guys are out there simply not caring about defense and having no repercussions that’s not what I’m seeing.
    I do agree it’s not one player, we have no communication on the defensive end. That’s one thing I will say CP3 always brought, he was constantly talking on defense.
    Guys are out there missing rotations and not closing out because they’re out of position.
     
  6. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    Or maybe a "Karnack sees it before most" thread.

    :)

    DD
     
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  7. J.R.

    J.R. Member

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    https://www.si.com/nba/2019/11/08/nba-season-early-trends-to-keep-an-eye-on

    Russell Westbrook’s Solo Minutes

    A lot of the numbers/trends in this piece are changing rapidly because of the small sample size, and perhaps no team in the first tenth of the season has been more volatile than the Rockets. But Houston has played only one contender (a loss to the Bucks when Giannis fouled out for the last few minutes) and otherwise hasn’t exactly impressed against a light schedule. Even if we want to wait and see on the James Harden-Russell Westbrook pairing (currently posting a meager but positive 5.4 net rating together), Russ’s solo minutes are absolutely worth keeping an eye on. Entering Friday, in 78 minutes with Westbrook playing and Harden on the bench, the Rockets have posted a pitiful minus-15.1 net rating, and that’s worrisome for a couple reasons.

    That number follows a trend for Westbrook from last season. The Thunder were basically an average team whenever Paul George sat on the bench, and as the only star, Westbrook couldn’t really elevate the roster by himself. Westbrook’s solo minutes also compare wildly unfavorably to Chris Paul. Last year’s Rockets performed really well when Paul led the show while Harden sat, a key to their second-half resurgence. Maybe this year’s Houston team can pull off a similar turnaround, but Harden and Russ still haven’t been tested by their best competition. While Westbrook has been a more willing cutter than ever before and has helped push the pace, his lack of shooting and unique style of play hasn’t been a seamless fit. It’s absolutely still early for the Rockets, but it’s concerning how much worse Russ has been than CP3 in his alone time.
     
  8. jordnnnn

    jordnnnn Member

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    Yeah I believe it was on Zach Lowe’s podcast earlier this week with one of the guys from 538 and I believe he said that Houston’s defense was top 5 in the league level in minutes that Westbrook is off the floor.
     
  9. RudyTBag

    RudyTBag Contributing Member
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    Boxscore plus/minus/VORP on the season.
    1. James Harden +6.3
    2. Russell Westbrook +3.7
    3. PJ Tucker +1.6
    4.
    5.
    6.
    7.
    8.
    9.
    10.
    11.
    12. Eric Gordon -9.6

    And yes, usually Russ shares the floor with EG when Harden goes to the bench. :D
     
  10. HP3

    HP3 Member

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    Jesus Eric :eek:
     
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  11. rocketman84

    rocketman84 Member

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    accountability is not blame for the sake of blame. It’s the responsibility of a coach to hold players accountable to the execution. Lack of communication should be met with accountability. Lack of trying should be met with accountability. Do you get the picture? Or are you too busy defending harden better than harden defends others
     
  12. don grahamleone

    don grahamleone Contributing Member

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    IDIOT. What would be a good name for this thread?

    1) Crying Circle Victory Jerk
    2) Tears of Joy That Come Across As Angry
    3) Dee Fence Bag O Posters
    4) Spilled Milk Alliance
    5) Hey Everybody Look At Me
    6) Defecation Celebration Station
    7) Rosie Perez Club
    8) Winning Ain't Everything, My Commentary Is
    9) I Don't Like The Way We Wonners
    10) Winning Is The New Losing

    (tagging @topfive )
     
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  13. Os Trigonum

    Os Trigonum Contributing Member
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    8) Winning Ain't Everything, My Commentary Is

    lol
     
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  14. don grahamleone

    don grahamleone Contributing Member

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    11) Jennifer's Party

     
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  15. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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  16. Blurr#7

    Blurr#7 Contributing Member

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    Where did I defend Harden? I mean if you’re fishing for that you’re in the wrong boat. I stated it’s multiple players making mistakes, you’re making it sound as if they don’t care to try which is a major assumption.
    Whats funny is you think D’Antoni is ok with the results when his job is on the line. You’re act like you’re on to some ground breaking take that no one is aware of lol, these dudes are professionals they know what the problems are.
     
  17. rocketman84

    rocketman84 Member

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    So you’re saying that these dudes know what the problem is and that the problem has persisted for multiple years. Yet everyone cares and everyone is trying their best?
     
  18. banzai

    banzai Contributing Member

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    We play zone then?
     
  19. banzai

    banzai Contributing Member

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    This team needs to cook down a little more. (I’m a cook). Let those flavors mature.... then adjust the seasoning at the trade deadline.
     
  20. J.R.

    J.R. Member

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    https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28067196/ten-nba-things-like-including-supercharged-celtics

    5. The strangeness of the Russell Westbrook-James Harden fit

    The partnership of starry Thunder expats is working ... well enough? That's about what we tepid optimists expected despite the glaring overlap in pairing the two most ball-dominant players in history. Houston is 8-3 with the league's fourth-best offense. Westbrook has reignited a dormant transition game, and bought Harden on-court rest. (Seriously: Track Harden when Westbrook handles the ball. You might have a hard time finding him; Harden might be loitering around half-court, off your screen.)

    Their defense has stabilized after a lazy, hazy first half-dozen games.

    Houston has outscored opponents by only four points per 100 possessions when Harden and Westbrook share the floor. That margin probably needs to be beefier for Houston to get through the West. Their offense in those minutes is scoring at a league-average rate. They have soared when Harden goes solo, and flopped in Westbrook-only minutes.

    Westbrook is attempting 2.3 catch-and-shoot 3s per game -- his usual average. That number should spike playing next to Harden; Westbrook has turned down a lot of looks like this:

    https://media.video-cdn.espn.com/gifs/mp4/2gif_HOU_NOP_1Q_Russ.mp4

    New Orleans on Monday strayed farther from Westbrook than any other opponent so far. The Pelicans had Westbrook's defender in Harden's lap. More teams will do that when the stakes are higher.

    No one is asking Westbrook to jack eight catch-and-shoot 3s per game. He's 3-of-23 on such looks. If his jumper is permanently broken, this is all moot. (Harden renders a lot of things moot when he goes supernova.) Westbrook is good at catching passes from Harden, and slashing through open space.

    But some of those drives lead nowhere:

    https://media.video-cdn.espn.com/gifs/mp4/2gif_HOU_NOP_1Q_Russ_2.mp4

    In good seasons, Westbrook nailed about 35% of his catch-and-shoot 3s. For Houston to hit its ceiling, he is going to have to take and make a threshold amount of those shots.

    One wrinkle to watch: Super-small lineups with PJ Tucker at center and Westbrook on the floor -- and Harden on the bench -- have floundered; Houston is minus-22 in 38 such minutes. It's early, but I'm not sure Westbrook is as effective as Harden in five-out groupings. Harden is a much more polished isolation player. He can work without a pick. Westbrook can roast guys one-on-one, but that's hard even for him if his defender is waiting in the paint.

    Houston might do better tethering Westbrook to a rim-running screen-setter. That would require fiddling with Capela's minutes, praying Tyson Chandler has something left, or scrounging someone similar from the scrap heap.
     
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