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What we have learned going forward. By FAR the biggest reason we lost the series.

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by CXbby, May 3, 2013.

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  1. CXbby

    CXbby Member

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    First off, good game. Good series. Good season.

    Very proud of the team, and in general I think they maxed out their capabilities this series. Especially in light of injuries to Lin, our 3rd/4th best player throughout the course of the year, and Delfino, our 6th man and key to small ball. I thought the team could go 6 games before the series started, but that was only with all the guys playing at their best. We only ended up getting there because Westbrook got hurt. Given our own injuries, and a sick Harden, the effort was still commendable.

    So, with the hailstorm of PG debates to come all offseason, snuck in with perhaps a PF debate here and there, I'd like to point out the single biggest reason we lost the series. Outside of talent discrepancy.

    I hate to pinpoint blame on any single player, but I think anyone who has been paying attention, really all year, won't be surprised by these numbers.

    Game 1:

    29 point loss
    In 17 minutes, he was a team worst -34.

    Game 2:

    3 point loss
    In 14 minutes, he was a team worst -15.

    Game 3:

    3 point loss

    DNP

    Game 4:

    2 point win

    In 10 minutes, +0.

    Game 5:

    7 point win

    In 10 minutes, he was a team worst -5.

    Game 6:

    9 point loss
    In a mere 7 minutes, -16.



    No. It isn't Jeremy Lin.

    If you want to pinpoint the single biggest hole on the team right now, we desperately need a backup center that the team won't utterly collapse when he is on the floor.

    Time to get to work, Daryl.
     
    #1 CXbby, May 3, 2013
    Last edited: May 4, 2013
    1 person likes this.
  2. Patience

    Patience Contributing Member

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    Agreed. Asik needs some help on defense and on the glass. He is a one man show inside, and he played a hell of a series overall.
     
    #2 Patience, May 4, 2013
  3. crimmy88

    crimmy88 Member

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    Agreed that Greg Smith has been the weakest link in this series. He couldnt grab any boards and just couldnt get shots up against the athletic front line of OKC. Honestly, I wouldvt put Jones in there just to see if he can at least provide some energy off the bench because Greg was really not cutting it andgot manhandled by Collison alot.
     
    #3 crimmy88, May 4, 2013
  4. Winseb

    Winseb Member

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    I don't know what the numbers say, but it feels like when he's in at the 5 defensive efficiency plummets.
     
    #4 Winseb, May 4, 2013
  5. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    Greg Smith is 22, and yeah not finished, but those arguments based upon plus minus are just not relevent....because it depends upon who was on the floor with him and who was against him.

    In a team sport, it is the 5 on the floor that matter - blaming one guy is not really solid, IMO.

    DD
     
    #5 DaDakota, May 4, 2013
  6. Jenopogi

    Jenopogi Contributing Member

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    can't u make it a little less obvious? I would have loved to see TJones in there. But, can't blame the coaching staff, it is the friggin playoffs..
     
    #6 Jenopogi, May 4, 2013
  7. cjtaylorpt

    cjtaylorpt Member

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    Yeah, trade Lin...



    wait... Smith? :)
     
    #7 cjtaylorpt, May 4, 2013
  8. meh

    meh Contributing Member

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    Talent disparity >>>> Any other reason though.

    I feel like arguing anything else, backup center, PFs, coaching, depth, whatever are all pointless in face of not having that 2nd star.
     
    #8 meh, May 4, 2013
  9. subtomic

    subtomic Contributing Member
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    Totally agree. I said this in another thread, but I think bringing back Chuck Hayes would help this team immensely. He'd be able to spell Asik while also bringing on a player with a superb defensive IQ. So you'd see his influence on our defensive rotations and spacing (which are terrible) as well as cutting down on offensive boards we give up to other teams.

    Obviously that isn't enough to make us champions, but it would be a relatively inexpensive way to positively influence the players we have.
     
    #9 subtomic, May 4, 2013
  10. Karolik

    Karolik Member

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    Reasons for us losing this series.


    1. Greg Smith
    2. Jeremy Lin





    ..................


    Everyone else
     
    #10 Karolik, May 4, 2013
  11. Jenopogi

    Jenopogi Contributing Member

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    Hey DD, when I joined CF, you were not posting but you are always mentioned. I was surprised that ur postings are logical vs what the posters earlier has repped you.
     
    #11 Jenopogi, May 4, 2013
  12. UTAllTheWay

    UTAllTheWay Member

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    I couldn't possibly agree more.

    Every single time Greg Smith stepped on the court, my dad and I looked at each other and said "Damn, OKC is coming back."

    Not that he was the whole reason OKC came back every time, but he sucked out loud every time he stepped on the court.
     
    #12 UTAllTheWay, May 4, 2013
  13. kanariya

    kanariya Member

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    he had no choice but play him.

    mchale gave a chance to jones but he aint much better in game 1.

    asik cant play 48 minutes.
     
    #13 kanariya, May 4, 2013
  14. CXbby

    CXbby Member

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    While in generally I agree with this, and usually do not go by raw +/-, those numbers that I am pointing out are FAR too damning to be mere coincidence to who he is playing with/against.

    Those numbers are down right horrific. It also corroborates with my eyetest that the second Asik takes a seat, our team collapses.
     
    #14 CXbby, May 4, 2013
  15. jvu

    jvu Member

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    Agreed Greg smith keeps lolly gagging around in the middle. He doesn't want it and his body language shows it.
     
    #15 jvu, May 4, 2013
  16. kanariya

    kanariya Member

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    if you watched the game, you dont need to see the box score that he was not being effective out there.

    couldn't rebound. couldn't defend. couldn't make FT. couldn't catch passes. couldn't box out.
     
    #16 kanariya, May 4, 2013
  17. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    I got rebooted.

    :)

    Asik is amazing, I really hope we keep him but our 2nd unit was bad - really bad, and got worse once Lin was added, I think losing Delfino was the single biggest problem.

    DD
     
    #17 DaDakota, May 4, 2013
  18. CXbby

    CXbby Member

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    In the grand scheme of things, as in, our road to a championship, I completely agree. I was speaking more about this particular series. Which, without Westbrook, was fairly even as seen by the point differential after game 1. With zero margin of error to spare in a tight series, our hole at backup center was far and away the biggest reason why we lost.
     
    #18 CXbby, May 4, 2013
  19. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Contributing Member

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    This is why we need Dwight Howard. He'd be an upgrade at backup center.
     
    #19 Carl Herrera, May 4, 2013
    2 people like this.
  20. UTAllTheWay

    UTAllTheWay Member

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    He gave T-Jones another chance in Game 3, and he looked excellent.

    Then he never touched the floor again.

    And even though he was not good in Game 1, he was still a million times better in that game than Greg was in every game.
     
    #20 UTAllTheWay, May 4, 2013
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