errr didnt the thunders spread their defense in the 2nd half? if so shouldnt mchale take out those 3 pointer shooters and put in more drivers (harden/parson/lin/brook) and give howard the ball more?
Why isn't the High PnR run more with this team. We would dominate with that as the bread and butter play.
I disagree completely with your point about A Jones being a bench player. This youngster has been balling out of control all season.
I thought about this too - but you know what, I don't read the game analysis thread - I don't have time to go through all those silly posts to find good game analysis. I would have never seen this if it was put in the game analysis thread. So what's the solution? If he had done that, I would have missed it, and I am really glad I did not. The garm needs more of these kinds of intelligent thoughts. I wish there was a way to get them.
Why ? So we can filter through 900 knee jerk posts to find an actual game analysis? The game thread has attracted too many trolls to even be readable.
I've noticed during the last play against Celtic the other night, Lin was very vocal during the time out. After that they had a great possession. Yea.... trust is not there sometimes
Lol number one we don't need a thread for it when there are ones specifically for topics like this. Two i get that people don't want to read through the entire thread but the points he is making are generic and obvious. Lin fans are loving it cuz he says something positive about him.
I observed a team who has no toughness. Other teams routinely inflict their will on them, usually pushing them around and there is nobody on this team that will bite back. I hate to think that the Rockets may be viewed as a soft bunch. Kevin McHale should be on thin ice. Loosey goosey play is okay when leading or early in games, but the inability to settle the team down agains adversity and inconsistent play calling in the crunch bothers me. There has to be some kind of order to the chaos. I wonder what Phil Jackson is doing these days?
The most common explanation is Howard doesn't want to play the PnR, he wants to play from the post. There's no real proof of that however, it's just rumor that carried on from his days at the Lakers. The game thread has very little substance and when someone does post a post with some analysis, it's quickly overwhelmed with "Lin sucks", "Fire McHale", "Garcia is on fire!" garbage posts. There's few opportunities to have a discussion without it getting lost in the noise. The OP post is not generic. Generic is the crap in the game thread like "This team has no heart." "We don't have a leader. Get Rondo". The OP post specifically points out that Ibaka was roaming the paint to double up on Howard and fend of Lin/Harden on the drive. Dmo is still not being played properly, despite having a good night. Everyone wanted to drive a play, instead of starting from the PG, leading to confusion at the perimeter. I saw "double screen" mistakes as well as 3 screening 4 then screening 2, which led to the ball being run around the perimeter with no real purpose. I don't think this is alienating Lin, but just young players trying to make something happen knowing they are down. From all of that, you only get "Lin fans are rallying". Why does everything have to be about Lin? There's a 3 topics from the OP, but you just fixate on Lin. Not only that, you want us to join the game thread, where it's just a circle jerk between Lin fans and Lin haters.
Good observations op. I also noticed that OKC was trapping the ball handler very aggressively on the high PNR. This forced the ball out of Harden's and Lin's hands who passed off to the screener, which was normally Terrence. If they went small, Parsons would have been more effective being the release valve for Harden and Lin. One more observation, the basic sets the Rockets do run always seem to end up with the secondary option rarely having a clean look. We're dependent on a Parson pump fake, Lin drive or Harden ISO to create when the first option is taken away, which happens quite often. The offense just bogs down after that. Sometimes they pass it around the perimeter but that doesn't create good looks that often either.
Because it's a 100+ page thread that has become a confusing mess of arguments. I for one appreciate his post and a good observation.
Let the mods mod. It's not whether TJones brings up the ball or not, it's when and what he is capable of doing. There were plenty of times when he had Lin beside him and should have passed it off. To the poster who says that Lin walks the ball up, I don't know what you're watching -- Lin pushes it on every opportunity. And I don't mind Harden doing his ISO. For the most part it's the reason the Rockets are successful, but against OKC when he was basically double-teamed at the three and he shot a three with Lin WIDE open. It's not like that was Omer Asik up there that can't do anything with the ball on the perimeter. I found that to be a completely shameful and corrosive decision by Harden. It was just one shot, but it spoke volumes.
Another thing about TJones: I think he's playing really well as of late, but also trying to do more than what's made him successful this season. On one hand, I want him to develop as a player, but at the same time, developing in a way that contributes the most to the Rockets.
All im saying is that observation of what other teams are doing are things that would go into coaching. Mcfail thread or ingame thread. Kudos to him making great talk. But there is no way around it
If Lin would just stop doing those damn jump passes and dribbling around the basket, Nash style, he would warrant some trust in clutch situations
I think the problem with the team is they keep saying they need an emerging third star...and the players wanting to become that 3rd star outside of Harden and Dwight. That goes against team basketball philosophy. What happened to just playing good old fundamental basketball where everyone plays hard and passes the ball. The spotlight should be shared. These guys are young - so of course they will wanna be that third guy. They need to just forget I and play as a Us instead. It's about getting that W, not getting the stats or hitting the clutch shot etc.
That's why I've been protesting to get a knucklehead like Rondo on our team! I will gladly give up Lin/Asik for Rondo and another player, such as Bass
