[ESPN] How Dwight Howard gives Houston two vastly different looks

It is tough reading this knowing how good Casspi has been as a stretch four.

Asik is being shopped as we speak.

 

The guy is just trying to sound smart. "Struggles offensively".... yet we're 4th in scoring.

 

Some of this data is obviously a result of small sample size, whether the indicators are positive or negative. Nevertheless, interesting to see some early trends and watch if they continue or not.

 

Meaning......

They're trying really hard to showcase Asik. End of story.

 

I'd like to see beverley start for five games or so before we start writing off the big lineup.

 

The team is clearly better with Casspi at the 4 instead of Dwight and Asik on the floor together.

BUT, does that mean the Rockets should trade Asik?

Do you guys think Greg Smith is ready to play backup to Dwight? I'm not sold on that.

 

Why would they need to showcase Asik? He played an entire season last year as the starter.

GM's now how good he is.

 

SOURCES SAY!!!!!!!!

 

It's been five games, so it is way too early to question our 'identity.' I mean he is just stating the obvious. We are testing out our lineup, to figure our identity and what works or not.

Even when DH gets the ball in the post - he can still dump it out to someone at the wings - but sometimes I see him hold the ball way too long and a) he gets foul b) he gets doubled and puts up a bad shot or c) he turns the ball over. He needs to kick the ball out faster to the person that is wide open. He needs to do more of this.

 

Missing Beverley

 

First of all, I think that they've got to give the TT more time before pulling a trigger on a trade.

Secondly, it would seem that if the Rockets do decide to trade Asik, the calculus has changed. Because Casspi has emerged as at least a decent stretch 4, it would seem that they shouldn't go after a somewhat better stretch 4 like Anderson. It's hard to imagine that the difference between Casspi and Anderson on offense would be worth the step backward on defense the Rockets would take when Dwight rests.

It would seem that the better choice would now be a 4 with at least some offensive skills away from the basket (needn't necessarily be lights out from beyond the arc) who could also do a decent job on defense as the backup center. Who, apart from LA and Bosh, fits into that category?

 

My take, you hope to get a cheap stretch four in a trade for (dmo, jones, or smith) who can fit in mchales offense system and surprise people how casspi came in and did. Mchale may not be the best coach but his strenght is getting players to FIT I will give him that. You get to keep asik for situational TT and as a back up center, foul trouble etc. Im sure he could have found this strech 4 like he found casspi this summer for the vet min contract, but he was going with plan (a) & (B). Which is understandable.

(A) hoping for jones & dmo to fill that role PF & keep asik to trade when the one he likes comes along
(B) using camby as a poor man ASIK and being able to get a stretch four for him (RYAN ANDERSON)

(C) we can only make assumptions on what morey is going to do, but morey is s a good GM he will figure it all out.

plan A & B went wrong because camby was hurt had to cut him & dmo or jones never developed to mchales/morey expectations

 

I think they're also trying to keep him happy and motivated. If they can't move Asik anytime soon(without giving him away), then you want him contributing to the ballclub. Eventually though, they'll have to take him out of the starting lineup. It's limiting them offensively too much.

Granted, last year's Rockets had plenty of games where they spotted teams early leads before roaring back and outrunning and outgunning them after the first quarter, but there's no reason to arbitrarily do that this season when you're a much better defensive squad.

 

Pau also fits into that category (though in his case it's a center who can also play credibly as a 4).

 

Kevin Love please. Too bad the wolves are playing so well.

 

I have no problem with the content of the article, but the title is clearly just ESPN trolling for views. When did having the versatility of running two completely different styles, while winning and being 1st place in the conference qualify as a "Problem" or even "Crisis"? GTFO.

 

And I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again (and risk sounding like a broken record): They don't need to start Asik to give him enough minutes. If they are a little flexible with their substitution patterns, they can play the twin towers against backup bigs when the matchups are more advantageous.

 

McHale said he was going to experiment with the twin towers, and if it doesn't work then we will scrap it. It's only been five games and we are 4-1. I think they want to give the twin towers more than a week or two to gel, and I see nothing wrong with that.

 

A couple factors that may contribute to the low defensive rating of the Howard-Casspi pair:

1. Pelton mentioned that this often happens in the 2nd half of quarters when teams are more often in the penalty. The Rockets, like any other team, are more likely to be in the penalty at this time, so this probably contributes both to HOU's higher offensive rating and that of the opponent.

2. The opponent often match Houston's "small ball" with their own "small ball" lineup (or it could be the other way). Portland, for example, had Aldridge at C and Dorell Wright at PF when Houston played with Casspi at PF.
This happened during the 3rd quarter last night after Portland got off to a miserable start with Howard/Asik shutting down the paint. It worked pretty well to open up space for Portland's offense (Howard covering Aldridge away from the rim gave Lillard space to drive), but ultimately it wasn't enough and Houston was also able to keep scoring on Portland's "small ball" lineup.

I recall that people looked at Orlando's most effective lineup from a couple years ago, with Dwight Howard at C and Ryan Anderson at PF. It was deadly offensively and still pretty good defensively, resulting in a huge point differential. Anyhow, what matters ultimately is the point differential. If you can consistently outscore the opponent, it doesn't matter a whole lot whether you do it more through offense or through defense.