Go to Dwight early in the game, early in the quarter, early in the shot clock

Sorry but I don't agree. Dwight had ONE GOOD GAME and now everybody's like see! Dwight traditionally has shot terrible hook shots and turned the ball over the majority of the time when he faces up.

The reason he doesn't get the ball is because harden doesn't trust he'll score. That became obvious when I saw how much we get d mo the ball in the post when he was in last year. I agree when he gets that great position he needs the ball. But one game doesn't make up for his mostly garbage post play throughout the last couple years. It's not a we don't want to give Dwight the ball thing.... It's a we don't trust he's gonna score thing

I agree on the facilitator aspect.. Because for some reason teams still choose to double him and sink in when he gets the ball.

 

Maybe not Dwight. But DMO. An inside game has to be established. Start dmo a few games. Let's see what happens

 

I agree in that we need to make the inside out game a part of our Arsenal again, just like it was with Dwight in the playoffs last year. It may not be as efficient as three pointers, but technically runs aren't as efficient as passes in football either, and you don't see any good team entirely abandoning it.

Just like in football, you need to be able to give the opponent multiple looks, and just like Shaq said, you want a happy big man you gotta FEED him. No wonder Dwight was looking like a slouch on defense and with rebounds. He was starving!

 

Dwight isn't great when he tries to post up slow and methodically like an old school big man.

He's good when he can get the ball and make a quick move and shot. Last night, he'd quickly get position, quickly get the ball, and quickly go up for an easy bucket. It was very effective.

 

Fair points, this and the OP. I'd say let's try Dwight out a bit in earliest parts of the games, that does change his attitude and his game for the rest of the evening.

It's honestly 50/50 if even if he shoots, less of even making it to be honest. It's usually a turnover, or he's stuck and has to pass out, or he throws it at the basket. I'd say it goes in, quite rarely.

But just his attitude changed entirely, he was crazy active. If that's what it takes, it's worth it. I do think D-Mo should get it a lot down low, it opens up the game for everybody else.

I'd say still let's try to get our two bigs going early just to make defenses get in foul trouble AND get Dwight going.

As much as I disagree with force feeding Dwight, I also disagree with 8-9 fga. That's pathetic. Let's get him up to 14-15fga, yes his FG % will drop to the lower 50s, but it's okay. It'll make him more active rebounding/defensive wise.

 

This^. I didn't realize we had so many die hard Dwight fans on Clutchfans that it sort of makes them delusional to the truth. They try to get Dwight to pick and roll more because he's horrible at post ups. The problem with that is Dwight mopes that he's not getting a post up and he doesn't set solid picks. This is why Harden has more chemistry with Jsmoove, Dmo, and, Capella. They actually set solid picks and Dmo was good at posting up. Dwight needs to be aggressive every game and take his time with his post ups like he did last night because lately it's been stupid play after stupid play.

 

Take his time in post ups?

When he takes his time, it's always a turnover. He needs to know to get the ball and make his move quick, he's extremely athletic(still) for a guy of his size. Once he catches it, and makes his move. Defenses either have to a) foul him or b) get out of his way or c) foul him while he's already on his way up and finishing.

The problem happens when he catches it and it's; dribble, dribble, turnover.

 

this hsould be a standard gameplan when you have a go to pf/c and wing. first get the center going, then get your best wing scoer going. there's more to it but it should be basketball 101 when you have that combo. maybe im a basketball genius? lol no, rockets are stupid as hell. and it snot all theri fualt, dwight has missed tons of gimmes this season. its like tj's soul took over his body

 

I hate Dwight. Arguably the best pick and roll center in the league; hates to pick and roll. Arguably the worst post up center in the league; thinks he's Hakeem Olajuwon.

If we can get him the ball without posting him up, I'm all for it. But a Dwight Howard post up should basically never happen.

 

The truth is, he's not fast enough any more. He is incapable of setting a hard screen + be quick enough to keep up with the guard rolling to the rim. I imagine this is why he's not setting hard screens.

But if they do post him up, it should come off other action and be a quick 1-2 step move like how the Spurs get TD post up attempts these days. Not dump it in and let Dwight create, because that's never good.

 

One of the few times I have to totally agree you. Howard is the rockets best playoff player and they need to establish an offense for him down low and get him into the flow of the game IMO. Good post

 

Great post bballholic.

 

Good thread, for all intents and purposes.

 

I agree. You've got to get the big man involved. Mentally, it's a huge boost of energy to be involved. It makes the game fun. If he's turning it over off doubles then absolutely abandon the post-up and bring him out for some PnR, but get him some looks early. He's 3rd in the league in FG%.

 

Trade Dwight for cousins. Git'er done morey

 

Play tough defense and get into transition off of rebounds for quick strikes to Howard and DMo before the opp defense sets.

Brilliant! Just like we did last year

But we first have to sustain that defense we displayed in the 1st Q against LAC for 48 minutes.

btw: even in set offense, we are known to try to establish Dwight early in the first Q in his whole tenure here...less we forget our Portland playoff strategy. In fact, that was a BBS given in prior years. Harden wouldn't shoot much in the early 1st. He was the 4th Q man to bring us home with his cooking. It just seems establish a set offense going to Dwight is diminishing in returns this year, unless as early offense off of pushing the ball vs set offense after a basket.

Defense, Ball Movement, getting Harden moving off ball and less TOs are still the key. That's a lot of keys for us to handle without dropping them. so sad.

 

He needs the ball when he's in position more and he does need to get it to stay active. But he's not gonna play every game like he played last night. Also please STOP TALKING ABOUT THE PLAYOFFS. Good lord dwight could go 0-100 and y'all will be like, "but in the playoffs". I know he's been our best player in the playoffs, we have to make sure we get their first...

 

It all comes down to the entry pass. Timing is everything.

 

What we really need is constant ball movement, regardless where that ball ends up. DMO and Dwight need to get the ball in the post more, sure. They need to pass out of the post, too. We just need more ball movement in general, not just a blanket *Dwight needs the ball more* statement.

Look at the Spurs and Warriors. They play as a TEAM, through their best players. Their best players are the the end option of their respective offenses.