1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Why you don't take out Dwight during hack-a-Dwight

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by SooneRockStro, Apr 21, 2014.

Tags:
Page 1 of 6
  1. SooneRockStro

    SooneRockStro Member

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 1999
    Messages:
    6,589
    Likes Received:
    4,142
    Because the more free throws he gets, the more he gets in a groove, the more he is likely to average out at his 55% clip. Which at 1.1 points/possession is to our advantage. McHale was stupid to take him out. Did the man not hit his next 4 free throws when he came back in or am I misremembering?
     
    #1 SooneRockStro, Apr 21, 2014
  2. Morlock O

    Morlock O Member

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2012
    Messages:
    1,413
    Likes Received:
    32
    This one actually puzzles me... all season long he left Dwight in game to handle hack a dwight... then suddenly in first game of the playoffs he changed his strategy?
     
    #2 Morlock O, Apr 21, 2014
  3. AvgJoe

    AvgJoe Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2009
    Messages:
    3,637
    Likes Received:
    392
    He panicked. Inexperienced coach.

    It is fine to take out Dwight, but as a coach, McHale needs to tell his players to run clock down when they have chance, till Dwight is back in the game to limit the possessions. We were on top for like 7 pts!
     
    #3 AvgJoe, Apr 21, 2014
  4. gotsis

    gotsis Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2009
    Messages:
    1,337
    Likes Received:
    1,226
    +1

    He saw the game slipping away and totally panicked. We couldn't get a stop with no Howard nor Asik on the floor...
     
    #4 gotsis, Apr 21, 2014
  5. JayGoogle

    JayGoogle Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2007
    Messages:
    50,207
    Likes Received:
    40,917
    I didn't care about the FTs, he makes up for it in other ways...it was really a bad idea to rake out Howard because he was protecting the paint then...

    It was a worse idea to not replace him with Asik (who is a bad FT shooter any ways.) it screamed a panic move and it's too bad because I think we win this game without a sweat if you keep him in.
     
    #5 JayGoogle, Apr 21, 2014
  6. mfastx

    mfastx Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2009
    Messages:
    10,066
    Likes Received:
    3,623
    Totally agree. All season long hack-a-Dwight proved to not work. And suddenly McHale panics and makes a stupid decision that cost us the game.

    Stotts will try this again, you can bet on that. Hopefully McHale doesn't make a fool of himself the second time around.
     
    #6 mfastx, Apr 21, 2014
  7. jacoby

    jacoby Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2011
    Messages:
    3,952
    Likes Received:
    3,689
    Dwight missed like 7 in a row at one point. He probably wanted to take him out so we can run some clock until the 2 minute mark when we had a 5-6 point lead.
     
    #7 jacoby, Apr 21, 2014
  8. LosPollosHermanos

    LosPollosHermanos Houston only fan
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2009
    Messages:
    28,660
    Likes Received:
    12,591
    Not only did it do that, it shows Portland that they have us in the corner if we take him out. Bad bad decision. +, they went HAM in the paint after.
     
    #8 LosPollosHermanos, Apr 21, 2014
  9. SooneRockStro

    SooneRockStro Member

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 1999
    Messages:
    6,589
    Likes Received:
    4,142
    The more this game is dissected, the more apparent it is that McHale's strategic decisions in the last 6 minutes and OT cost us the game. Did the players lose the game? Sure. But McHale did not put us in the best position to win, which is all you really ask of your head coach. If we lose this series they should seriously consider going a different direction.
     
    #9 SooneRockStro, Apr 21, 2014
  10. khanhdum

    khanhdum Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    4,397
    Likes Received:
    2,411
    wasn't a bad move to take him out since we weren't stopping them on the defensive end, but unfortunately when howard was out, we still didn't stop them and we took bad quick shots
     
    #10 khanhdum, Apr 21, 2014
  11. Yao4REAL

    Yao4REAL Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2007
    Messages:
    3,856
    Likes Received:
    133
    Howard was missing 4 freaking free throws in a row...which is inexcusable!! That's why McHale took him out and at the time, i agreed with that move. Our lead was dwindle down to 6pts i think. Maybe it's better to leave him in there and try to get his groove going or try to get as many Blazers in foul trouble as possible. But that's after the fact...you can say all the "IFs" and "BUTs" but that's after the fact. I don't disagreed with him removing Howard at the time though. It wasn't Howard that contribute to the loss....it was some other stupid things we did.
     
    #11 Yao4REAL, Apr 21, 2014
  12. SooneRockStro

    SooneRockStro Member

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 1999
    Messages:
    6,589
    Likes Received:
    4,142
    While that makes sense on paper, it didn't work out. I would have rather let Dwight shoot more free throws, resulting in more foul trouble for Portland for one thing, and have our best defender on the court. Had they left Dwight in and doubled Aldridge I have no doubt we win that game.

    I'm not a McHale hater, but he didn't get a damn thing right last night.
     
    #12 SooneRockStro, Apr 21, 2014
  13. Patterned919

    Patterned919 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 19, 2013
    Messages:
    2,332
    Likes Received:
    163
    This, not really a big deal. There are reasons to do it and reasons not to. I don't feel strongly about one or the other honestly in terms of strategy.
     
    #13 Patterned919, Apr 21, 2014
  14. Jake Tower

    Jake Tower Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2012
    Messages:
    7,538
    Likes Received:
    7,937
    If the Rockets were getting stops after the misses, leave him in. If not, yank him.
     
    #14 Jake Tower, Apr 21, 2014
  15. SooneRockStro

    SooneRockStro Member

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 1999
    Messages:
    6,589
    Likes Received:
    4,142
    6 free throws is not a large enough sample size to let hack-a-dwight work in our favor. It is highly unlikely Dwight continues to miss every single free throw. More than likely he hits a few and shoots his average. The more free throws you shoot the less variance you end up with. Coaches that employ hack-a-player are better off taking their winnings, i.e., Dwight going for 2 for 6 and running. If Dwight shoots 15 free throws for example, it's highly likely he makes 8 or 9 of them. While the results of the first 6 free throws have no bearing on the next 9, I'd take my chances that he goes 6 or 7 for his next 9, which would have been highly advantageous to our team at that point.
     
    #15 SooneRockStro, Apr 21, 2014
  16. ish1973

    ish1973 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2014
    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    3
    Just hack Lopez in return. They can't make up the 10 pt. deficit.
     
    #16 ish1973, Apr 21, 2014
  17. mfastx

    mfastx Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2009
    Messages:
    10,066
    Likes Received:
    3,623
    He missed 4 in a row. All season his percentage improves once he is allowed to get in a rhythm, and that held true last night when he went 4-5 after hack-a-Dwight.

    Taking him out was basically handing the Blazers bucket after bucket.
     
    #17 mfastx, Apr 21, 2014
  18. SooneRockStro

    SooneRockStro Member

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 1999
    Messages:
    6,589
    Likes Received:
    4,142
    Lopez shoots 82%. Why would you ever hack Lopez on purpose?!
     
    #18 SooneRockStro, Apr 21, 2014
  19. Jt29

    Jt29 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2013
    Messages:
    251
    Likes Received:
    4
    .619 is better than .547
     
    #19 Jt29, Apr 21, 2014
  20. J Sizzle

    J Sizzle Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2012
    Messages:
    43,499
    Likes Received:
    29,548
    Rockets choked in so many ways last night. Sickening.
     
    #20 J Sizzle, Apr 21, 2014
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 1 of 6

Share This Page

Toggle Width
Style
ClutchFans Original

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Rockets Content

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now