Why are we always playing small ball when the game's on the line?

He has a set rotation through 3 quarters. Players come in at set times. It's fine. Players like it because they're assured of when and for how long they'll play.
As for playing small ball late - it's been working for us. A couple of losses doesn't change that. DMo got murdered trying to play defense and your solution when we need a stop is to play DMo?

 

Last night was actually a coaching adjustment based on what Ilysova was doing to us.

However, he didn't adjust back at the end when rebounding was important.

 

Haven't figured it out either, except that teams tend to take out their worst free throw shooters in crunch time, which are usually centers, and other teams tend to match up with them, and everybody gets pretty used to playing that way.

 

I laughed at the Sampson comment; superstars yay, overachievers nay!

 

Two years running. Definition of insanity.

 

+1

Its ironic that this was finally the perfect game to play small and Mchale played D-Mo the most minutes he has played as a Rocket. Ilysova killed D-Mo and Trob. It was when Delfino finally came in that we held him in check. Maybe Mchale should have put in D-mo that last posession to get a rebound, but whatever; it's always something.

 

We do what we have to do until we get better defensively as a team and get better perimeter defenders. Those things take time. Every team that is good now has gone through this process. They begin as offensive teams that can score a lot of points, but they dont become real contenders and consistently good until they buy into playing defense and have the players to do it. If you dont have good perimeter defenders you better have good post defenders to clean up their mistakes (we only have Asik now). I'm pretty sure Morey will be out looking for good wing defenders this summer to fill out the roster. Beverly and Parsons seem to be developing into good defenders.

So until all of this happens, we will lose some close games just like last night. Regardless of who is in the game. It's a process....

 

small balls, big balls or stand and watch harden's balls..I don't care how we do it , but get us to the freaking playoffs.

a great coach doesn't change his democratic ball philosophy to hero ball upon the arrival of a superstar. When the alliance with the fuhrer was formed, He didn't come here and change his system just because he had glorious yao and tmac on the squad. Adelman made those guys believe in the system.

I thought after last season the coaching staff would learn from their errors, and they would take the next step too. they have not. =(

I'm probably one of the few that believe this team is underachieving. We should be 10 games over .500 by now. And yes, I do believe harden is a top 5 player.

 

This^

I watched this very closely as i was sure McHale wouldn't repeat the mistakes of the Wiz game. Exactly as Smr6 said: he didn't switch back when we had the opportunity in the final seconds of the game, and they got two second chance opportunities as a result of our inability to rebound.

I actually don't think small ball is what lost the game for us in reality. Our inconsistent defense, especially on the perimeter was the culprit. But as far as the potential OT, i strongly believe that smaller lineup at the end was a mistake, and might have made the difference.

 

So we need to put D-Mo in late to get a rebound and somehow we are entirely sure that they would've missed the same shot and not abused D-Mo defensively like they had all night? Hindsight sure is 20/20 isn't it?

 

Tweet this to Morey and he'll listen. Trust me.

 

Rockets are 3-4, according to ESPN, in games decided by 3 points or less. 0-3 in overtime games.

 

Hmm sounds typical of a young inexperienced team trying to find its way. What's all the crying about? Oh wait, this is actually a title contending team right? Been together for 5 years now. Everyone has atleast 5 years in the league right?

 

We didn't always do it when we had Patterson and Morris. You are just talking about since the trade, right?

So, the question now should be

"Why don't we play our rookie PFs when the game is on the line?"

I think the answer to that sheds more light on why Delfino is in the game, aside from the fact the Delfino lineup is and always has been one of our best lineups. Besides, Milw fielding Jennings, Ellis and Reddick on the court together quite a bit, last night.

 

That's what will happen with the least experienced team in the league.

 

Of course DMO should be in for the last possession instead of Delfino. There was on one that can grab the board beside Asik in that line up. Everyone know, once the ball is in possession, Harden will get control of the ball and go ISO. Delfino will not get the ball no matter what the outcome will be.

 

i don't mind the small lineup. i just mind it in crucial game situations where there's an obvious mismatch that the other team is exploiting to their advantage, ala the Wiz game with Delfino-Okafor, or when getting the rebound is absolutely critical, ala last night's game in the final seconds. In both cases McHale had time to make adjustments, but he didn't.