Despite having the worst coaching staff in history of mankind, we are still 4-4

MorningZippo · Nov 15, 2012

torocan said: ↑

"Average" defense is outstanding for a team with 13 new players and an average age of 23, most of whom have never played together.

Try going down the list of "rebuilding" teams and see how their defense stacks up.

Toronto went through half a season before their defense was even halfway competent.
The Wizards are STILL a mess.
The Nets, packed with Stars and Vets is the definition of porous defense.

And the list goes on...

And given the scoring margins of the wins, Defense is keeping us in the games just as much as the offense is keeping us in the games.

Remember, the scoreboard is a two-sided function. You can win by adding points to your own totals, or DENYING points to the opponents totals.Every Shot that we score is JUST as valuable as every Shot we DENY.

And in games where the opponents are superior shooters to us, Denying a shot is MORE important than sinking a shot.

Let's consider the following...

Let's say we're playing a team like the Heat. They have 10 possessions, and we have 10 possessions. Let's say everyone takes 2 point shots.

If they're shooting 50%, and we're shooting 40%, then it will look like this

Heat - 5/10, 20 points
Rockets - 4/10, 16 points

So, let's say we DENY them a shot (block, steal, turnover, force them to shoot a bad shot, etc) -- To the Heat, that ONE possession is worth 1 point OFF their score, and it's worth 0.8 points on OUR score.

Now, let's flip the situation. IF the Heat DENY us a possession, that ONE possession is worth 0.8 points OFF our score, but 1.0 points on their score.

What does this all mean?

If the Heat is a better shooting team than we are, they do NOT need strong Defense to Win. All they have to do is match our possessions and they'll outscore us naturally. In this case, the ONLY way we can Win or even keep it close is through DEFENSE. Rebounds, steals, blocks, and good team D to direct their players to shoot more poorly.

Now, maybe you're reading this and saying, "Oh, but they're the Heat!'

Here's a few interesting tidbits

2012/13 Rockets

41.7 FG% - 25th
.306 3pt% - 24th
29.0 3pt attempts/game - 1st
17.1 TO/game - 6th

51.8 TS% - 16th

98.8 Offensive Efficiency - 20th
99.1 Defensive Efficiency - 15th
37.0 Opponent 3pt% - 25th
51.0 Opponent TS% - 10th
43.3 Opponent FG% - 12th

56.57 Opponent Asst% - 7th
19.30 Opponent Assist Rate - 10th
22.70 Opponent FT Rate - 5th

So, what are these stats telling us?

We're awful jump shooters, especially behind the 3 point line in SPITE of shooting more 3's than any other team in the league, BUT we're really good at drawing fouls once we get in the paint. This makes our scoring about average. We're turning over the ball at a very high rate. This makes our overall Offensive game BELOW average, but we're making up for it with our Defense.

We're having a hard time contesting 3 point shots, but are playing good interior defense -- good enough that we're not allowing many easy buckets off assists. We're doing a good job closing the passing lanes, AND we're giving up VERY few fouls while defending.

So, take any of our close games against Better teams (like Denver, Miami, Memphis, and Portland) and those games are close because of our Defense, since we're clearly not outscoring them on a per possession basis, and due to our high turnovers we're actually giving the other side a head start of 17 possessions (in a game where each team has maybe 95-100 possessions on average).

Since we're not a scoring juggernaut AND we're giving up possessions, our Defense is the one thing that is keeping us in games against superior shooting opponents.

Now, as a point of reference, of the 7 teams we've played which ones have been shooting better than us since the season started?

EVERY SINGLE ONE. Even Detroit has a higher FG% than us right now (42.5 vs our 41.7).

Just some things to think about...
Click to expand...

Great great post. Breathing life into the 2012 group by himself.

kinein · Nov 15, 2012

meh said: ↑

So when Denver, Memphis, and Miami squandered their big leads towards the end of the game against us, do they also have horrible coaches?
Click to expand...

I think one thing people have to keep in mind is how big the final 6 minutes are in any NBA game.

Nash, Kidd and other NBA players have made a note of it in various interviews over the years.

Many games are decided in the last 6 minutes. Up until that point - It is a chess match.

The end game begins in the 4th quarter for the most part. Where chances begin to dwindle and opportunity windows become more valuable.

Up until that point its a battle of wills, its probing and quick jabs and some body blows - in attempts to suck the energy and will ... out of the opposing team.

You are for the 1st 3 quarters - trying to take a commanding lead and maintain or create momentum. Set the tone - establish rhythm ~

Or your fighting from behind or trying to keep up ~

jscmedia · Nov 15, 2012

The horrible coaching!

No Wonder:
Marcus Morris will be the most improved Rocket in 2012
Harden is currently # 2 in scoring in the NBA
Asik is currently # 3 in rebounding
J Lin is #3 in steals per game average
The Rockets are 4-4 as compared to the World Champion (smell ya later) Lakers

If this crap continues next thing you know we'll reach the playoffs, a sure sign of failure at coaching.

Lihao · Nov 15, 2012

torocan said: ↑

"Average" defense is outstanding for a team with 13 new players and an average age of 23, most of whom have never played together.

Try going down the list of "rebuilding" teams and see how their defense stacks up.

Toronto went through half a season before their defense was even halfway competent.
The Wizards are STILL a mess.
The Nets, packed with Stars and Vets is the definition of porous defense.

And the list goes on...

And given the scoring margins of the wins, Defense is keeping us in the games just as much as the offense is keeping us in the games.

Remember, the scoreboard is a two-sided function. You can win by adding points to your own totals, or DENYING points to the opponents totals.Every Shot that we score is JUST as valuable as every Shot we DENY.

And in games where the opponents are superior shooters to us, Denying a shot is MORE important than sinking a shot.

Let's consider the following...

Let's say we're playing a team like the Heat. They have 10 possessions, and we have 10 possessions. Let's say everyone takes 2 point shots.

If they're shooting 50%, and we're shooting 40%, then it will look like this

Heat - 5/10, 20 points
Rockets - 4/10, 16 points

So, let's say we DENY them a shot (block, steal, turnover, force them to shoot a bad shot, etc) -- To the Heat, that ONE possession is worth 1 point OFF their score, and it's worth 0.8 points on OUR score.

Now, let's flip the situation. IF the Heat DENY us a possession, that ONE possession is worth 0.8 points OFF our score, but 1.0 points on their score.

What does this all mean?

If the Heat is a better shooting team than we are, they do NOT need strong Defense to Win. All they have to do is match our possessions and they'll outscore us naturally. In this case, the ONLY way we can Win or even keep it close is through DEFENSE. Rebounds, steals, blocks, and good team D to direct their players to shoot more poorly.

Now, maybe you're reading this and saying, "Oh, but they're the Heat!'

Here's a few interesting tidbits

2012/13 Rockets

41.7 FG% - 25th
.306 3pt% - 24th
29.0 3pt attempts/game - 1st
17.1 TO/game - 6th

51.8 TS% - 16th

98.8 Offensive Efficiency - 20th
99.1 Defensive Efficiency - 15th
37.0 Opponent 3pt% - 25th
51.0 Opponent TS% - 10th
43.3 Opponent FG% - 12th

56.57 Opponent Asst% - 7th
19.30 Opponent Assist Rate - 10th
22.70 Opponent FT Rate - 5th

So, what are these stats telling us?

We're awful jump shooters, especially behind the 3 point line in SPITE of shooting more 3's than any other team in the league, BUT we're really good at drawing fouls once we get in the paint. This makes our scoring about average. We're turning over the ball at a very high rate. This makes our overall Offensive game BELOW average, but we're making up for it with our Defense.

We're having a hard time contesting 3 point shots, but are playing good interior defense -- good enough that we're not allowing many easy buckets off assists. We're doing a good job closing the passing lanes, AND we're giving up VERY few fouls while defending.

So, take any of our close games against Better teams (like Denver, Miami, Memphis, and Portland) and those games are close because of our Defense, since we're clearly not outscoring them on a per possession basis, and due to our high turnovers we're actually giving the other side a head start of 17 possessions (in a game where each team has maybe 95-100 possessions on average).

Since we're not a scoring juggernaut AND we're giving up possessions, our Defense is the one thing that is keeping us in games against superior shooting opponents.

Now, as a point of reference, of the 7 teams we've played which ones have been shooting better than us since the season started?

EVERY SINGLE ONE. Even Detroit has a higher FG% than us right now (42.5 vs our 41.7).

Just some things to think about...
Click to expand...

you are ridiculous........... ridiculously good at basketball knowledge :grin:

ch0c0b0fr34k · Nov 15, 2012

We're actually pretty much in the middle quartile in terms of 3p%, FG%, TOs, FT%, Rebounds, everything...

ch0c0b0fr34k · Nov 15, 2012

Unless I'm using the wrong stats, for example Yahoo sports has our FG% at 43.3% good for 19th.

ch0c0b0fr34k · Nov 15, 2012

Ok nvm. I was look at opponent's stats, lol. I wish I could edit posts -.-

torocan · Nov 15, 2012

ch0c0b0fr34k said: ↑

Ok nvm. I was look at opponent's stats, lol. I wish I could edit posts -.-
Click to expand...

No worry, happens to the best of us.

Sometimes I think I'll end up needing glasses from all the tiny fine print on stat sheets.

nono · Nov 17, 2012

Case in point.

munco · Nov 17, 2012

the thing is our guys play with a lot of effort and energy and we have talent. we're able to win despite the terrible coaching

iconoclastic · Nov 17, 2012

We should have 3 more wins if Lin would have been the ball handler and Harden the finisher.

JayGoogle · Nov 17, 2012

Sampson is really proving that he may not be much better than McHale.

McHale may have been better in this regard tonight. He's loyal to his starting 5, Lin would have finished this game and Asik would have finished the Heat game...on the flipside I don't think we'd see as much of Morris as we have.

Not really sure why he did the Douglas thing.

The coaches have to understand that Lin helps out Harden. He's another play maker on the floor.

redlawn · Nov 17, 2012

I never thought I'd say this, but.....

I MISS COACH MCHALE!

scaramanga · Nov 17, 2012

JayGoogle said: ↑

Sampson is really proving that he may not be much better than McHale.

McHale may have been better in this regard tonight. He's loyal to his starting 5, Lin would have finished this game and Asik would have finished the Heat game...on the flipside I don't think we'd see as much of Morris as we have.

Not really sure why he did the Douglas thing.

The coaches have to understand that Lin helps out Harden. He's another play maker on the floor.
Click to expand...

Maybe Sampson is a gambling man during crunch time... Lin failed against Lillard last time, so he tried Douglas this time... maybe he just tossed a coin..

Bassfly · Nov 17, 2012

Sampson is an awful coach. He never accomplished anything in his coaching career. When he was first hired, I initially remembered that he had to resign from his old job due to violations and sanctions.

Such a disgrace - is this what the Rockets stand for? I really hated this hire, but figured as an assistant coach his influence would be minimal or maybe he could prove to me otherwise...

I think he only still has a coaching job because Poppovich associates with him. I always thought Popp was classier than that though.

meh · Nov 17, 2012

Doesn't this game just furthers my point? We lost by 2 points. In fact it was a tie-game at end of regulation. This team is basically the definition of average. Not bad, not putrid, but average. And if the team is average with below average talent(Vegas had us at ~33 wins), wouldn't that imply above average coaching staff? Or at least average coaching staff?

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Despite having the worst coaching staff in history of mankind, we are still 4-4

MorningZippo Member

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jscmedia Contributing Member

Lihao Member

ch0c0b0fr34k Member

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ch0c0b0fr34k Member

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