[The Atheltic/Amick] The Rockets and their ‘Horrible’ Defense

The point about accountability is on the mark. Switching makes the defense easier. And the ease of playing in that defense can lull defenders into complacency.

 

3 point shooting has been anomalous (on both offense and defense) thus far, and that plays an overlarge role in things, but the reality is that teams are not taking as many challenged 3s as they should.

That said, teams are shooting better against us even when shooting defended 3s than they are against any other team (https://stats.nba.com/teams/defense-dash-3pt/?sort=FG3_PCT&dir=1), and that should even out eventually. Hitting over 40 percent of contested 3s is just not going to last for our opponents.

The tough thing about defending anything the Rockets are doing defensively this year, however, is that they don't pass the eyeball test. Even if teams are shooting hot against us, we just look complacent and tired. I hate the Kawhi workload management plan, but I also think it is foolishness for us to not embrace it.

 

Maybe I’m way off base but isn’t the entire point of the switching scheme to force offenses into ISO situations? Then the game becomes their best ISO guy against maybe the best ISO guy...

So if the rockets are giving up drives, the scheme is already blown. Tucker has been nullified and Capela is out of position, they’re not ferocious rebounders to boot. It didn’t matter if Chris Paul was around to “talk” that wasn’t ever his role and neither was defense. He was the 2nd scoring punch that could get passable possessions up while Harden needed rest. Do people really not remember two years ago? Or all that bullshway spouted at espn all the time got people dizzy...remember? And then he got hurt, never returned to form and just complained his way through a season, a playoff series or two? He was too busy trying to tell Harden to play right that he couldn’t put up 20 points? He got thoroughly outplayed by Eric Gordon? **** Chris Paul and all his salty ass tears. **** people retelling the story like it isn’t recent history.

Ariza, Tucker, Moute. Nene. They had length and size and guys who gave it up on defense so Harden could make his impact on offense count. Can we have another Ariza/Moute thread? Please? We never replaced those guys. Hell, we barely even signed some sh!tty forwards. McLemore and Gerald green aren’t really forwards.

We need forwards.

 

ranked number 3 in defence

 

Didn’t we have one of the best defenses in league post all star break?