Our offense is built on quick fast breaks and three pointers - will we be able to force this pace in the playoffs, or is the playoffs all about slowing down and slogging through half-court offense? If that's the case, will we be able to adjust? Do you see our defense (good interior with Howard / Asik, questionable perimeter defense) being less or more effective in the post season? We have had some success against our potential playoff rivals in the WC so far - your thoughts on whether this will continue? Or does everything change in the playoffs?
I think I may be stuck in the past dreaming about Hakeem, but I see the Rockets slowing it down some and feeding the post more than they have in the regular season.
It might slog down but we can still push the pace and tempo. Need to create quick shots in the half court in that case. I am interested to see if either Covington, Canaan or Daniels (most likely IMO) enter the rotation to some degree soon. We need shooting.
weve played like this the whole season running and guning when it does slow down weve got to get howaed the ball but keep a fast uptempo game
It's a good question. I think it bears well that we have some of the best pick and roll perimeter guys, as well as a big who is superb at the PnR game despite apparently not preferring it. That means when things do slow down during the postseason we may still be able to go to a halfcourt offense despite not relying on it so much during the regular season. We could potentially be better built for the playoffs than the regular season.
In the playoffs we're gonna use twin towers more than we do now. It will absolutely shut down post-heavy fours like Aldridge and Blake Griffin. On offense we will depend on Dwight more than ever. He will have to take double teams and not pass out of them, just go straight to the hoop before the defense can set like Hakeem used to do. Otherwise, teams will just shade way off of Asik and have no trouble rotating on the outside threes we usually get when Dwight gets doubled.
During training camp, Dwight said the Rockets would have to rely more on their half court offense in the playoffs .
We'll be able to force the pace because of the makeup of the West this season. The defenses that can stop us are: -Attached to high turnover offensessqsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss - In the East (IND) -Out of the playoffs (MEM) -Too old
Well, we are a pretty good pick and roll team. The Jazz used to make a living with a slow, half court offense basically running a pick and roll every time. I still don`t believe in posting Howard up too many times, but I do think we are more than capable of playing a normal half court offense. We will still rely heavily on 3s, but there will be plenty of other ways to score for us. The key will simply be execution - and the question, if Harden still gets all the foul calls in the playoffs. Most of the calls he gets right now are warranted, but in the playoffs the refs are known to swallow their whistles.
For me, I'm still scarred with recent memories of how the Rockets have struggled in the playoffs. I'm a young guy so the earliest playoff series I followed was the 2005 series against Dallas and all the first round exits / injuries since then. We had some pretty good teams over those years and yet we somehow get eliminated early so even with how great our current squad is performing, I'm still weary of the playoffs. I think seeing the Rockets sweep or win a couple of series this year is enough to get those bad memories away.
They can push the tempo only if they're able to make defensive stops and then rebound. If they cant make stops or allow offensive rebounds, they'll struggle to push the ball. And when they push the ball, they cant turn the ball over. If the rockets can keep their TOs low and not turn the ball over 20+ times, they should be in good shape. Keys to the playoffs IMO: 1) Defense 2) Defensive Rebounds 3) Low TOs.
The pace always slows in the postseason. It won't be slow, just slower. Rockets will push because they're good at it. However, this team playing more half court doesn't scare me. With Dwight on offense and Asik-Dwight on defense we'll be okay. It will be about taking care of the ball and execution.
How do you see the refs calling Pat Bev's on-ball defense? I love how he tries to lock down his man, but more often than not he if forced to the bench with quick fouls...
