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[Conjecture] Is this a transitional phase into eventual improved version of JVG ball?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by meh, Nov 17, 2012.

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  1. meh

    meh Contributing Member

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    The more I watch the Rockets, the more I feel this can't be what the Rockets want as the end product. And I mean that in terms of playstyle, not how well we play. When first hired, McHale wanted a defensive style with (ideally) two bigs protecting the paint. And Morey's move has since been towards this goal. They tried to set up a Gasol/Nene frontcourt. Drafted Morris, a big 3 and the perfect half-court player with shot-creating abilities. DMo was a 7-foot post player. Parsons was the lengthy wing defender with shooting/passing skills. This offseason, Morey went after both Asik and Dwight Howard to protect the paint. They supposedly went after Zeller and Leonard but came up short.

    Even with the current roster, assuming they all reach their potential, it seems tailor made for that physical, uglyball reminiscent of JVG and Riley days. Especially with Asik, who becomes less and less important as the Rockets run up and down the court. When you have a rock in the paint, you keep things in the half court so his effectiveness is enhanced. But I think in an effort to let youngster learn, they're playing a more high-paced game. Give them more freedom and confidence. In the long term though, I feel they need to play JVG style, hopefully with more transition opportunities, to contend.

    If my guess is correct though, it would explain why they're playing Harden in a lot of iso situations. In a slow paced offense, you need shot creators like a T-Mac type. And FWIW, James Harden's best thru-3-years modern player comparison on basketball-reference? Allen Iverson, whose Sixers consistently contended with a defensive oriented scheme around AI and Mutumbo.
     
    #1 meh, Nov 17, 2012
  2. Shroopy2

    Shroopy2 Contributing Member

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    More apologist tone? :)


    I did think "JVG" with this team, in how they seem to be following more a Van Gundy defense-first approach than an Adelman approach. Something like Van Gundy's first year with Francis, Mobley and Yao.
     
    #2 Shroopy2, Nov 17, 2012
  3. JoeBarelyCares

    JoeBarelyCares Contributing Member

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    Maybe this is a transitional phase into SVG ball.
     
    #3 JoeBarelyCares, Nov 17, 2012
  4. pippendagimp

    pippendagimp Member

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    carefully disguised 'coach is grooming douglas to become starting PG a la rafer' thread :p
     
    #4 pippendagimp, Nov 17, 2012
  5. dragonz

    dragonz Member

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    Maybe this is the transitional phase to NYK ball, see how Melo sucks last year and how they win so many game this year?

    Anything is possible if God not hating on us, you'd never know.
     
    #5 dragonz, Nov 17, 2012
  6. jtr

    jtr Contributing Member

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    meh I mostly agree with you. I thought at the time that the Rockets brought in McHale to correct the defensive deficiencies under Adelman. However, I do not think that the Rockets actually want to revisit the JVG style offense. It was slow, painful to watch and scoring points was like pulling teeth. They are probably heading towards a JVG emphasis on defense coupled with grabbing as many transition points as possible. That would be the best of both worlds, but the offense to defense transition will never be as good as the JVG system.

    Compared to last year things actually are looking up. I look at this team and think they are a high powered PF, a backup PG, and a backup SG away from contending. Last year I had no idea what the team needed to be truly competitive. Who knows what would have happened if the Gasol trade had gone down, but they would have needed a center for the long term, a Martin replacement, and a youth infusion.
     
    #6 jtr, Nov 17, 2012
  7. shortfuse3

    shortfuse3 Member

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    Last season our offense was at its peak with Goran Dragic running the show. It was a free flowing offense with a lot of movement and very fun to watch.
     
    #7 shortfuse3, Nov 17, 2012
  8. Sen89

    Sen89 Member

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    We'd be lucky to ever reach that level with the current core (+ a FA)
     
    #8 Sen89, Nov 17, 2012
  9. HMMMHMM

    HMMMHMM Contributing Member

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    This.

    I think the most comparable style on offense to what the Rockets are currently would be the Nuggets. They push the pace, run lots of (random) pick&roll, jack up a lot of threes and avoid taking long 2's/mid-range jumpers too often.
    The Nuggets were 1st in OffEff in 2010, 3rd in 2011, so you can see why the Rockets coaches/FO may think this might be a good offensive "system".
    FWIW Nuggets AC Melvin Hunt was one of the very few coaches the Rockets interviewed when they were looking for guys to put next to McHale.

    Morey keeps saying he thinks the Rockets are getting good shots. I don't necessarily agree, because it feels like lots of the shots are contested or don't come within a flow, but if Morey is purely talking about the spots where the shots come from, then I'd certainly agree.
    Rockets are 2nd in shots taken at the rim, 1st in three pointers taken, 25th in shots taken from 3-9 feet, 27th in shots taken from 10-15 feet and dead last by a significant, perhaps even historical margin in shots taken from 16-23 feet.
    That's pretty much exactly what you want to do.
     
    #9 HMMMHMM, Nov 17, 2012
  10. Naija Texan

    Naija Texan Member

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    Jeff Van Gundy is unlikely to return to the Rockets as a Head Coach.


    His brother is a different story but who knows if that will work, it could just as easily be Mike Brown.
     
    #10 Naija Texan, Nov 17, 2012
  11. dachuda86

    dachuda86 Member

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    it's chris fench ball
     
    #11 dachuda86, Nov 17, 2012
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