Bballbreakdown-Houston Rockets Defense: Both Lucky AND Good

Coach Nick doesn't like us either. If you follow him on Twitter you'd see it.

 

Not a fan of that guy.

 

I ended up unfollowing him... he's one of those who is quick to .gif or Vine any defensive lapse Harden has, then claim that Harden just so happens to make a mistake on defense every time he flips to our games. :-/ He got all huffy with me one night because I said I found it interesting that he always just so happens to tune in when Harden has the slightest lapse, but never when he's playing solid D.

ETA: This isn't to say the video isn't a fair/accurate assessment. I didn't watch it because petty.

 

The article says that Houston was lucky to keep it close in golden state despite some open threes. I must have been watching a different game because Houston was in control for most of that game until they ran out of gas in the last few minutes. That warriors team is pretty good, but fully healthy I'm sure the rockets would kill them.

 

he was a chandler parsons fan, so I had this subtle thought he liked the Rockets.

 

He really thinks the Bulls absolutely would have won 8 straight if Jordan wasn't gone....pfft. When he pointed at 72 and 10, I showed him videos of the Rockets spanking the Bulls; he had no response.

 

Also notice that same could be said about Rockets own wide open shots.

http://nyloncalculus.com/2014/11/28/unsustainable-starts-rockets-raptors-candidates-nba-regression/

I don't like these stats cause is not the same to concede a wide open 3 at garbage time than doint it at crunch time; ot against a bad 3 pt shooter than against a top shooter; at the 10th second of posession or at the buzzer, etc. Pressure is a factor, time of the game is a factor, shooting player is factor, type of defense, schedule........

 

The fact that they force teams to work so hard wears other teams out, and is another reason for a lower 3pt percentage when open.

DD

 

You people failed to notice that Coach Nick didn't even write this piece.

 

It does concern me that we're 7-0 in games decided by fewer than 5 points. That's usually a good indicator of luck that will not necessarily last. We need to avoid close games.

 

I'm honestly surprised that this hasn't been said before in the narrative of Houston opponent 3pt% being the lowest in the NBA. That stat seems to be taken so negatively and taken purely as luck. But I don't see it that way.

If a team is run dogged every possession, and is forced to put in extra effort for every shot taken because of the defense's tenacity, then I think the defensive team should get some credit for creating a situation in which the offensive team shoots a lower percentage even when they're wide open, likely due to fatigue or exhaustion.

It's not entirely luck. Much of it seems to be by design.

 

Don't talk about luck when we are missing our best defensive player in Dwight Howard and have zero interior shotblocking presence.

If Dwight was there, maybe our guys don't collapse as much leaving wide open threes

 

That's actually a strong indicator of good coaching. You shouldn't be concerned.

 

Coach Nick is a piece of trash who got fired from his high school coaching gig for alleged racism and bullying of players.

Google it.


Edit just saw the article wasn't by Coach Nick but I don't care. Bballbreakdown sucks.

 

Exactly what I was about to say.


...as for the article - it seems to pass the eye test for me. I definitely can remember quite a few "oh crap, this guy is going to hit that 3" shots that didn't fall for our opponents. We have also been lucky in close games. While part of that is having one the best closers in the game, every shot in the final few minutes of a tight game is crucial and Houston has more often than not ended up on the winning side of the makes/misses curve.

 

I got in a huge YouTube fight with a couple GSW fans on his last video. I say it's basically disrespectful that some think that Klay Thompson and Jimmy Butler are considered better than him and a travesty Harden hasn't gotten more MVP buzz. Coach Nick chimes in and says that Butler is having an overall better season and him and Klay are having more efficient seasons and are better defensively.

When Kobe was shooting a million shots to get 25 points no one cared how efficient he was. The disrespect, man. wow.

 

Hey. I'd rather be lucky AND good than simply being good. We'll ride our good fortune all the way to the playoffs.

What kind of garbage analysis is that? The Rockets were lucky that's why their defense is holding up. One quarter into the season, playing a variety of opponents, and consistently holding their FG below the league average, that's more than luck.

That writer has to be ashamed of himself.

 

lol

This is strong part if it but may I add that when a team is being defensed well that the defenders then control the game and can make the other team into playing a game they are ill suited too. Because of this the scoring becomes less efficient and that means that the defenders have more chances at scoring themselves and thus provides more opportunities for possibly 'getting lucky'.

To make it simple we are creating our own luck.