1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

[Dime] Mike D’Antoni Thinks Chris Paul Has Become Houston’s Secret Weapon

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Shaq2Yao, Dec 15, 2017.

  1. Shaq2Yao

    Shaq2Yao Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2006
    Messages:
    8,476
    Likes Received:
    16,848
    The Houston Rockets, once a question mark because of the arrival of Chris Paul, are now one of the early darlings of the NBA. They have the best record in the league and managed to not only to adjust to Paul’s style of play, but utilize it as a weapon against the rest of the league.

    Wednesday night’s throttling of the Charlotte Hornets was a brief peek into what’s made the Rockets so successful for a national television audience. James Harden and Paul working together has been a treat, but using them essentially in shifts has transformed Houston into a relentless offensive attack, something Mike D’Antoni is certainly proud of.

    Houston’s coach spoke to ESPN about essentially turning Paul into the league’s best counterpunch and said the current iteration of the Rockets is what he imagined the team could be when the idea of acquiring Paul was initially floated. In fact, D’Antoni says Paul’s presence amounts to the team’s secret weapon that other teams lack.

    “You think about it, that’s the weapon we should have over teams,” D’Antoni told ESPN. “That should be almost a constant thing.”

    The key has been using Paul sparingly with Harden on the floor, then having him push the tempo while giving the All-Star a rest during the game’s slower moments.

    D’Antoni devised his rotation around the plan to have a superstar point guard running the show for every meaningful second the Rockets play. That required some sacrifice from Paul, who starts but checks out about five minutes into each half, a major adjustment for a veteran accustomed to playing the entire first and third quarters. He returns four or five minutes later when Harden gets a breather.

    And then the Rockets really getting running, with Paul playing the Steve Nash role from D’Antoni’s days with the “Seven Seconds or Less” Phoenix Suns.

    “We’re rollin’. We be rollin’!” Paul told ESPN, a big smile on his face, after his 31-point, 11-assist performance in the win over the Hornets. “We gone. We gone. … Defensively, we switch a lot of stuff with that group, and then we get the ball, and we out.”

    When Paul and Harden are both on the floor, ESPN notes, the Rockets outscore their opponents by 9.5 points per 100 possessions. That makes any lineup Houston puts out formidable.

    Granted, it’s only been a dozen or so games since Paul has slid back into the lineup after an opening-night injury, but the early returns are certainly good for Houston with the point guard at full health. If Houston can keep this up through the middle movements of the season, perhaps we might be looking at a significantly different postseason path than once thought of in the West.

    http://uproxx.com/dimemag/chris-paul-rockets-secret-weapon/
     
    saleem, Rocket Freak, cbs1507 and 2 others like this.
  2. splendidchen

    splendidchen Member

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2010
    Messages:
    140
    Likes Received:
    54
    I don't understand how the best point guard of a generation is a "secret" weapon, but I love it.
     
    saleem, heypartner, cbs1507 and 2 others like this.
  3. hakeem94

    hakeem94 Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2016
    Messages:
    30,803
    Likes Received:
    41,420
    media helped people forget about it
     
    saleem likes this.
  4. clos4life

    clos4life Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2007
    Messages:
    10,777
    Likes Received:
    11,671
    #mediaconspiracy
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now