What Our Offense is REALLY About!

Due to the ever increasing number of internet inhabitants that show symptoms of ADD or just never developed the virtue known as patience, I have written out a TL/DR version of my thoughts.

TL/DR Version:

Spoiler

1. We do not direct players to not shoot long midrange shots, we just encourage them to take the best available shot, which is almost never the long midrange jumper.
   
2. Issue is not with our "gimicky" offense, but rather the execution of it. When Harden is sitting, we have a bunch of overconfident or stupid players trying to make something happen.
   
3. Post play is poorly incorporated into our offensive philosophy, because prior to last season, we never had it. We have not had post play in Yao and we sucked at it back then too. We will continue to suck at it until we learn how to make better entry passes, starting with Beverley and Ariza.
   
4. Call out to D-Mo. I was wrong about you being a scrub and I am so happy that I was. You really stood up when you had to after Dwight went down. Now you just need to grow a pair and demand for the ball anytime Harden is sitting and stop letting people push you around so easily. You are a 7 footer, remember that!
   
5. I want to see less Beverley, Ariza, and Dorsey activity on offense. Specifically I want to see only shooting and cutting from Beverley and Ariza and honestly, only wide open dunk attempts from Dwight Lite whom I can't even trust to do that. I also want to see more set PnR plays ran between Smith and D-Mo from the high post.

Rockets Offensive Philosophy: Layups, Free Throws, and 3 Pointers

So our offensive philosophy is pretty simple; we like easy shots. Let’s face it, a jumper in the often crowded midrange area is a lot harder than a potentially wide open three point shot and has lower odds of success than driving in for an opportunity to finish some sort of layup/circus shot and or chance to shoot freebies. What all this filters down to is that layups, free throws, and three pointers are your easiest shots to make. The midrange does have an eternal place in NBA offense, but it is typically the realm of pure shooters and elite scorers or wide open shots. The key here is high percentage (aka easy) scoring opportunities. It is always best to take the easiest and therefore most efficient shot. This is undeniable. One of the biggest problems however, is when people and players fail to understand or blatantly ignore is that this is a team philosophy and while it also exists on the individual level, there exists an outlet on the individual level called the pass and when the pass leads to a score, the assist. The only way team offense can generate scoring opportunities is via defensive stops and offensive rebounding.

A common misconception is that this playing style does not work in the NBA, especially in the playoffs. This is completely untrue. In last season’s finals between Heat and Spurs where both teams shot in abundance from downtown and then clustered the majority of their remaining shots from the rim and free throw line. The Spurs due to having older stars (we will talk about this more later), shot slightly more midrange jumpers at 102-94 at a paltry 42 and 40% success rate and the younger and far less disciplined Heat scorers took the edge on close range shots 145-142 at a 65 to 57% success rate. This cements the validity of the offensive philosophies; 3 balls are more efficient than 2 balls and the easiest shots follow Free Throws, Close Range (layups for most), Long Range, and finally Midrange. The difference that decided the series was that Spurs were far more disciplined as a team and took better shots and made smarter passes. It all comes down to the team taking the best scoring opportunities on every play. The “how those scores happened” is usually how we define playing styles.

So for our playing style, our “how our scores happen” typically go like this in priority:

1. Transition 3 ball off steal or defensive shot. We got tons of players who are perfect for this role in Harden, Brewer, Beverley, Ariza, and Smith. Hell, even D-Mo has been getting in on the action of late. We make a defensive stop as a team and generate a scoring opportunity where we prefer a wide open three due to there usually being a defender that was able to run back and cover the bench. If a player is confident in his ability to finish (Harden and Smith), we will see a close range taken over a wide open three.
   
2. Harden hero-ball. Here is where basically we give the ball to Harden as everyone else gets out of the way or set picks while Harden’s offensive genius goes to work. Harden is our scorer and our ace. Come crunch time, the ball goes to him. We know that, everyone in the world knows that. This is why we looked so long for our very own superstar. This is when our offensive philosophy shrinks down to the individual level barring the more and more frequent jaw dropping pass.
   
3. 15 seconds of showcasing where Beverley and Ariza (sometimes even Smith, JET, or Brewer) attempt to inexplicably play beyond their established limitations as a player and make something Harden-esque happen. Even more inexplicably, this seems to take priority over post play, which even in Dwight’s bumbling hands is arguably more efficient. Anyways, more on this when we discuss EXECUTION to achieve the best scoring opportunity.

Execution; Where Things Often Go Wrong

The biggest misconception about the Rockets is that we will pass up all shots for the open three. While we value the 3 ball a lot and that does usually become the inevitable conclusion for teams making good shots, that completely disregards the thought process of what led to taking a three as opposed to a layup. We only take the 3 ball when that is the best available option. Don’t get me wrong though. This does happen and it pisses me off when it does. Unfortunately, it seems for a while every game our team goes through a collective mental collapse when Harden sits, where we just start hoisting three balls as opposed to figuring out the best available shot. Chucking up three balls early in the shot clock, especially when you are ahead is usually not a good idea unless you happen to be on a hot streak. Just because it is wide open, does not make it a good shot. Too often, our offense becomes complacent or simply has no clue and start subscribing to the “When in doubt, hoist a three” philosophy that they really should be set straight on if that’s how they interpret the offensive philosophy. It is important to understand that this is a deviation from our basic offensive philosophy and a detour into Stupidville. This is usually where our team needs a time out to discuss the priority of our offensive philosophy existing on the team level first; best team shot available. Basically, even if you are wide open for a three, is there someone else who has a path for a layup or who is also open for a three that is better at shooting it? In short, look for the extra pass!

A point that I keep making and returning to is the understanding that the best shot available for the team supersedes the best shot available for the player. When our team gets stuck in a mode where we just hoist up threes, that is just honestly a symptom of a bigger issue; players only looking for the best shot for them. Beverley wasting 10-15 seconds on the shot clock trying to do something at point for instance, is execution gone wrong. Beverley running down the court as fast as he can with the ball and passing it anyone not named Ariza or Dorsey would usually be the correct action choice. Replace Beverley’s name with Ariza and Dorsey’s name and the statement still applies. Point is, the Rockets make a lot of dumb decisions when Harden is not involved. Thing is, Smith, Brewer, and JET are good enough where I can tolerate an occasional bad shot or even airball, but when Bev/Ariza try to create or Dorsey attempts to post up, I lose it. I go ape ****. There has got to be more discipline. I’m looking at you McHale. Also, don’t be a Parsons, Beverley. It’s not worth it! Barring a miracle turnaround of coaching from McHale however, this is also why it becomes so painfully obvious that we need a secondary playmaker behind Harden, to make sure that our team does not develop tunnel vision of “best available shot” when Harden sits.

The final area of poor execution is post play implementation. Post play is something we have been desperately trying to establish since Dwight got here. Simply put, our offense does not know how to deal with it. Unfortunately, post play is an anomaly for us since prior to Dwight we had none and with Dwight we have a poor one. Dwight is an offensively unpolished big man with misguided delusions of grandeur in being skilled in an area of expertise he never had a youthful desire to learn. Fortunately, he is, even when injured, a superior physical specimen that you HAVE to foul or he WILL dunk the ball on you. Unfortunately, he is, for some reason or another, a notoriously bad free throw shooter in games due to mental issues in order to offset the fouling and make his play efficient. Thankfully, he was on a tear making them before he went down. Look guys, I have given up on Dwight coming to his senses and realize, “Hey, I missed out on the window to possibly become a post player having focused on dunking instead of pivoting, but I can still help my team by running the pick and roll over and over and shoving it down opposing teams’ throats until their stomach explodes.” He is not worth his contract when injured (hey what player is?), but when (as a Rockets fan I choose when not if) healthy again, will Donkey Kong stomp his way around both sides of the court.

It’s not all on Dwight though and while his post play is atrocious from a skill perspective, much of the problem has to do with our player’s ability to make a good entry point. Let’s face it, outside of Harden and Papa and ironically, our bigs, we suck at it. We need to develop some serious practice time and offseason time teaching our players of how to pass inside. It can’t keep staying this bad, especially with Beverley. Like the older generation Rockets use to coach, throw it in fast and throw it where the big man can spin towards. We have to play the entry pass better as a team and I have no doubt in my mind that our post play can actually develop into a weapon when the D starts playing the three point line against us. I recall a practice during the Hakeem days where they threw the ball to a piece of tape or target on Hakeem’s hand over and over as soon as the ball was brought up. This is what we need to do when we switch to the half court post sets we are trying to make part of our offense.

Speaking of post play, let’s talk about D-Mo. I will readily admit, the past few years I have been overly harsh on D-Mo. He has stepped up big this season and I sincerely apologized for all the times I cursed you and called you a scrub when you bobbled a pass Asik style, dropped shots instead of going up strong young Yao style. You grew up well and I thank you immensely as a Rockets fan for that. Your post play has emerged to be quite efficient at the highest tier of individual matchups, though you continue to struggle a bit with more athletic defenders. You also rebound like a sissy. Grab that ball! Stop tipping and bobbling it. Stop letting yourself get pushed around so easily. You put on muscle and mass finally on that 7ft pole you initially came in as and get angry! Your teammates are idiots. They mean well, but they are energetic knuckleheads, except for JET, he’s just old. I digress… your coach obviously does not call plays during the game. He is too inept too so we won’t push the issue. You’re teammates don’t respect you. This is evident when they choose to chunk the ball cross court after dribbling around aimlessly and then chuck it cross court Short Bus Harden style rather than chuck it at you early, so get angry! Scream for that ball. Let them know that you are stepping up because none of them have been able to save Smith on occasion anytime Harden sits. You are a 7 footer so start acting like one.

What I Want to See!

No more noise from Beverley, Ariza, and Dorsey. You guys were brought on to play a certain role so go back into it. Dwight’s post up at least serves the purpose of generating fouls and putting teams in foul trouble. There is no meaning to anything you three stooges do on offense outside of shoot threes and make layups/dunks from the backcourt players and Dorsey, you can just focus on getting not blocked by the rim. Instead, when Harden and Howard are not on the floor (easier now with Howard recuperating) is the Smith, D-Mo mid range pick and rolls. Specifically I like the pick and roll play at the elbow where one whips an overhead or bounce pass to the roller for an easy close range bucket. Both Smith and D-Mo are good enough passers to make this easily one of our most deadly called plays.

Speaking of Smith, I love the way he has been developing as our defensive workhorse and enforcer inside. It is a good foil alongside D-Mo who in my opinion still gets shoved around at times too much for a guy his size and mass. He has learned not to hoist contested long shots and drive in for a close range finish or foul opportunity instead. It seems he has really taken his crash from stardom to heart and learned what simply did not work for him. He has been shooting open threes as a successful rate since coming to Houston, much like Brewer did. Everything points to Smith being a great weapon for our offense and great teammate and an immense bargain signing which will hopefully translate to a discount signing this offseason for the MLE.

 

Not true, both teams during last year's finals relied heavily on threes. The best team in the NBA is a 3 ball shooting team. The difference however, is personnel; they have better shooters and/or players that make better decisions.

Which makes the 3 point shot efficiency lower, meaning our players need to start figuring whats the new best available shot for the team.

Ignored

I would say its:
- Open transition 3
- Open transition layup
- Harden hero ball

And this is why we need a secondary playmaker over "chemistry".

Nice summation, at least a lot better than I am capable of.

 

I mentioned that for discipline; we have none. We have some sort of player decided hierarchy of who gets to try something when Harden is sitting, before bombing away from 3pt line when that inevitably fails.