Start TJ and play hard. Man up and don't experiment with all those tactical tricks... we are 3-4 against OKC in last two years no matter how the media say they'd sweep us. Just play the game.
Out-rebound them and we can prevail. More rebounds, more offensive chances. If we shoot over 30 three pointers and is not leading in rebounds, it isn't going to be pretty. Limit the Thunder with perimeter shots, stuff everyone in the middle. We ain't going to outgun, or outrun them, but we can out-rebound them.
It all starts with defense. We get in trouble when OKC scores and are able to set up their halfcourt defense. That is where they have there biggest advantage against us. In the halfcourt they are able to suffocate our wing players and take away our 3 point game. The only way I can see us fixing this is by playing better defense. Better defense will lead to a lower fg% for OKC which will give us more oppertunities at making it a fullcourt game instead of a halfcourt game because we are nowhere near ready to win a halfcourt game against OKC.
Start Lin, Harden, Parsons, Terrance Jones, and Asik. Continue to rotate through our PF lineup with T Jones, Smith, DMo, and TRob. Wear Ibaka out with hard fouls and physical play. Keep a hand up in his face because you know he loves shooting the midrange. Can't take Parsons off of Durant because he's KD... It would be stupid to move him over to Ibaka and let KD go crazy by having someone like Harden or Delfino guard him. As far as Westbrook, force him to make the jump shot. We know he has the ability to make them but better he shoot those with a hand in his face then allow all these easy layups. That means making a point to pick him up early in transition to slow him down a little. Offensively, like most people said, earlier Pick n Rolls with more than 6 seconds left on the shot clock. We did well in the first half of game one by getting to the free throw line even though we couldn't make a field goal to save our lives. Hopefully we shoot a little better tonight but continue to be aggressive at the right moments. It's the playoffs so refs will probably be reluctant to blow the whistle but if you know Ibaka and Perk are gonna want those blocks, use your pump fakes!! Let's get it Rockets!!!
Parsons did a decent job guarding Durant. Best way to guard Westbrook-Durant is to set a zone defense with Lin-Beverley on Westbrook. Have bodies against their bigs. I think the whole team was shellshocked the 1st game because of OKC's transition speed. They'll be more prepared for it tonight so we'll see. I think it'll be way more competitive, but we'll still l lose.
I say the opposite. Slow the game down, keep it close, hope we get hot in the 4th. Let's steal one and shut everyone up. This takes away Westbrook's speed, takes advantage of Parsons' length on Durant, and hopefully keeps OKC from scoring in bunches.
I'd be surprised to see DMo with 1 non-garbage minute this series. He was taken out of the regular rotation even before the playoffs just like TROB. I just wish they had played DMo and TJones alot earlier in the season so they could at least develop more during their rookie seasons which I think were mostly needlessly wasted away in D-League. DMo was pretty bad down the stretch but his defense was improving and whenever he played the post, he did OK. He just doesn't fit into the Rockets offensive strategy even though his real value is at the post, something you'd think the coaching staff would want from their PF/C?
Mostly agree with everything you said. I don't think Parsons is that good on defense but he did alot better defending Durant than people gave him credit for. I would add that whenever Lin is on the bench while Harden is still on, I'd more the positions down 1 notch and plug in TJones at the 4 with Beverley-Harden-Parsons-TJones-Asik. TJones didn't get anywhere near enough time in the regular season while hibernating in D-League because whoever was scouting him in the front office is an idiot. That kid has been impressive.
I think Lin should just do the same troll job on Westbrook that Jordan did on Muggsy Bogues years ago - just back off Goatbrook and say: "Shoot it, you capri pants/handbag-wearing clown!" For the record, MJ earned his place in the pantheon of NBA jerks by pwning poor Muggsy mentally and destroying his career with one sentence (as reported by Bulls assistant coach Johnny Bach): "Series was tied at 2 and Hornets had a chance to win game 5 in Chicago. On the biggest possession of the game, Mugsy had the ball with the Hornets down 1. Jordan backed off of him and told him: “shoot it you f—ing midget.” Mugsy shot it, didn’t come close. A year later Mugsy actually told Johnny Bach that he believes that single play ruined his career. His shot never recovered."
That's what Morey said they'd do before game 1 and it was an embarrassing blowout. The only variance I saw was coming from OKC with their mismatches on transition defense. We looked like disorganized street ballers.
Who will guard Westbrook then...Beverley? Lin did well defensively, even against Westbrook who went 3 for 8. The rest were against Beverley with 4 for 7 with alot of those being of the highlight reel penetration variety. Nobody can defend Westbrook well consistently 1-on-1. We need a zone defense against somebody like him with some fast players who we have in Lin-Beverley.
Start: Asik, TJones, Parsons, Harden and Lin Bench: Smith, Delfino, and Beverly (if needed DMo or Garcia) Have a solid 8 man rotation. First and foremost, force JLin to run the offense and make Harden move without the ball, or work out of the post on halfcourt sets.. but Jeremy has to start the tempo...you have to keep him emotionally involved in the game, bc when his confidence is gone..he is a terrible player... at the 4 min mark of the first quarter, send Harden to the bench...let him catch his breath and bring Beverly off the bench...Let Beverly now set up Lin(make Lin play as a 2)...Bring in Smith and Delfino for TJones/Parsons as well...at the same time...Have Smith, Asik, Delfino, Lin and Beverly finish off the 1st quarter. Start of the 2nd quarter, Pair Harden with Beverly(playing as 2 guard and letting Harden run the point)..Bring back TJones, and pair him with Smith and Delfino...At about the 8 min mark bring back Asik for Smith and Parsons for Delfino... At about the 6 min mark bring back Lin and make him play as the PG... Start of the 3rd, starters start... This time, send Lin to the bench early...and bring Beverly at the 6 min mark...Beverly has to play the PG well during this period setting up shooters, and let Harden operate out of the post...Asik/TJones gets a break at 5 min as well(Smith/Delfino replacing him) Current line up: Smith, Delfino, Parsons, Harden and Beverly and run with this lineup till the end of the 3rd quarter... Starting the fourth, let Lin run the point with Delfino and Beverly playing as the 3/2 respectively...Lineup: Smith, TJones, Delfino, Lin and Beverly...bring back Asik at the 9Min mark with Parsons and Harden, sending Beverly, Lin and TJones to the bench (Asik, Smith, Parsons, Delfino, and Harden)...and bring back Lin/TJones for Delfino and Smith at the 6 min mark... Minutes: Asik 12 8 7 9 = 36 min Parsons 8 8 12 9 = 37 min TJones 8 12 7 9 = 36 min Harden 8 12 12 9 = 41 min Lin 12 6 6 9 = 33 min Beverly 4 6 6 3 = 18 min Delfino 4 4 5 6 = 19 min Smith 4 4 5 6 = 19 min
I think we have to play smaller, I'm all for starting Greg Smith most games but against the Thunder two bigs in the starting lineup will get us crushed. I'd be all for the lineup that other posters suggested in Beverly, Lin, Harden, Parsons and Asik except for how bad Durant would run over Harden on defense. I think our best bet would be: Lin Harden Anderson Parsons Asik
