[#MediaConspiracy]SBNation: How the Raptors’ defense gave the Rockets fits and how Houston responded

Yeah Houston has faced these defensive schemes before. I agree, fatigue caused CP3 mid range to miss
it’s mark just enough. That shot is usually money. Almost like a layup for Chris. Van Vleet pressured CP3
like almost every guard pressures CP3 full court. Reason is to slow down Houstons pace....and sneak
an occasional steal here or there.

Article is just a fluff piece for the Raptor fans to feel good about themselves....seem as if they are special
or unique to the league.

Cleaverly disguised “Rockets need Ryan Anderson” hit piece. Very sneaky of them.

 

This is exactly why Morey got CP3. The ICE coverage may stop one of them, but it definitely won't stop both.

 

Well written, took some solace in that the Raptors were pressuring 94 feet from the basket during a regular season game. They just wanted this game more and they got it.

Felt really similar to our previous loss to the Pelicans. On the road, relying on talent to get us over the hump. Too little too late.

 

That's what you do when playing older vets who are coming off several away games against tough opponents - you try to gas them by stressing them 94 ft.

As for the rest of the article - there are some solid points there. In my eyes, the older Houston vets clearly didn't have their legs which may very well have made a difference in whether we got the win or loss.....and yes - Toronto was able to expose a weakness that Anderson would have specifically been a weapon against. Still, if the answer to stopping Houston is to have a big drop into the paint and force our shot creators to earn it at the rim against a bigger defender - well I still like our odds with Harden to finish at the rim, and Paul to hit the mid range shot that opens up in that scenario. My only worry is that Houston will be too slow to strategically respond like they were in Toronto. That's where a Pops type of coach really excels - I've seen Pops keep a game close and not respond to something their opponent is exploiting and then all of a sudden, he changes the defensive scheme in the last 6 minutes and pull away to beat teams because the opposing coaches are too slow to make adjustments. Phil Jackson did the same thing - it's kind of like when a prize fighter gives away a few good punches to lure his opponent into a place where they can deliver the knockout blow. Mike D and Bzdelick are going to have to really step up in this offseason and be prepared to make quick adjustments in game because Houston will have to go through likely two all time great coaches in the league to get a title this year.

 

The Rockets lost to the Raptors because the Rockets were worn mentally and physically thin after not losing a game in over a month. The Raptors just wanted it more and still almost blew it. I saw nothing that made me think it was anything other than a mentally and physically fried Rockets team.

 

the loss was more on the Rockets than the Raptors defense.
I mean they do play great defense but we have face that kind of pressure before. the rockets couldn't buy a bucket missed a bunch of easy layups and miss their threes. also looked like they were tired and not focus.
they still came back and still many things went wrong and it was still a very close game right at the end.

 

This loss might be for the best. Going into the end of the season chasing the Lakers all-time winning streak of 33 might've been counterproductive. Although, there is still little room for error to clinch home court through out. This loss was also a "schedule loss" in that it came on the back end of 3 games in 4 nights and on the road. Still, the Rockets nearly pulled off a great comeback. This loss isn't concerning at all.

 

They played good defense but.... Rockets missed a ton of open shots lol. Lowry was out of his mind.

 

I think Tariq Black's hustle would have made a difference. The Raptors liked to scrap in the post which Black specializes in. He also has the bulk to give the Raptor's problems to go along with his quickness at that size.

 

This strategy may be great for a single game.

Any team that has to exert so much energy on defense to guard the Rockets from the perimeter, will also suffer from fatigue on the offensive side. That's why we were able to come back from down 15 at the half.

There were stretches in the 4th quarter where the Raptors looked tired and flat, and just allowed Harden easy uncontested buckets.

This strategy will not work over 7 games if you drain all your energy on defense. Lowry will not be able to shoot 77.8% from 3PT to bail out the offense.

 

You come out of the first quarter down 16-32 . . . . but lose by 3
to the best team in the East . . .. . . and it requires some gifts from the refs for that team to win
(Sorry but that loose ball foul that gave Lowry the 2 free throws to put them up more . . .was a gift)

Not bad. . . . seen worse games by the Rockets

Rocket River

 

Facts.

Raptors are the 3rd best team in the league.

Closer to being on the rockets and warriors level then Boston And clevlands level.

With that said they absolutely blitzed a team that had one 17 straight. Coming into. 3 games in 4 nights all against playoff opponents all on the road.

We were due a loss that’s why win streaks are rare when the get over 15

But the facts remain, we won wvery quarter after the 1st. That’s crazy to do when your tired and having to play a different game than usual because of the way Toronto is defending you.

We had the game tied with 2min to go and had multiple opportunities to take the lead or tie it’s again.

Rockets are good really good. Imo they showed who the better team was even in loss.

If the roles were reversed and houston is up 16 after 1 do you think Toronto fights back to tie the game with under 2 to go? I don’t.

 

The Raptors did not stop the Rockets... the Rockets stopped the Rockets... then the Rockets adjusted.

 

A lot of the hugging of the guards around a pic and aggressive rim protection by their centers is stuff that only holds up in a home game. Valanciunas is a Dwight-like player where his fans are like Rox fans when we had Howard: sometimes it feels like he gets fouls called on him just for breathing in the paint. But truly he is that physical, and he does foul all the time. It’s just that the way in which he’s officiated changes drastically btw home and away games. He can’t get away with contesting shots that physically because a lot of it happens at the armpit level and below before he ever gets a hand near the ball while he’s jumping.

 

The key to that defense and any defense stopping the rockets is having all of the wide open corner 3s that result from packing the paint all clank off, it would also help if you shoot 60% from 3 in the first half.

That game goes to OT if we go 2-11 from 3 instead of 1-11 from 3 in the first half, but that was Toronto's plan, make the spot up shooters make shots and hope they miss.

 

A Warriors/Raptors series would go the distance. That team is sharp and has the second highest PT differential in the league behind the Rockets.

If Derozan can elevate his game to near Harden levels this off season they’ll be an even bigger force and will rule the east for the next 4-5 years. I really like that team.

 

Realistically, we beat the Craptors in the last 3 qtrs we played... unfortunately, we went in ill prepared and buried ourselves early - both offensively and defensively...