Despite having the worst coaching staff in history of mankind, we are still 4-4

Compared to previous years, this year is probably tougher in that there's really only 6 relatively easy (show up, play hard) win teams. Orlando, Cleveland, Detroit, Washington, Charlotte and Sacramento. And only 1 in the west.

Toronto could be a play-off bubble team with a healthy Lowry, at least in the East, while Phoenix, Minnesota, Golden State, Portland, New Orleans, Utah are no pushovers this year.

The Rockets should be somewhere in that mix as well. Probably playoff bubble team at best, but most probably every game will be tough this year.

 

You watch the games - so what?




http://wagesofwins.com/2012/03/22/you-watch-the-games-so-what/

 

In the history of mankind?

Losers of the Mayan ball game, a cross between basketball and soccer, were beheaded by their coaching staff when they lost.

But the Rockets' coaches are worse than those guys?

And we're not being impatient, reactionary and hyperbolic about this at all, especially in the wake of a win, not a loss?

Alrighty.

 

True. I was thinking about us having 2 more home games, and also that outside the two Detroit wins we are 2-4.

 

agree - really terrible coaching so far and hope we can get a big name coach soon. 4-4 is not bad, and our young players will keep getting better

 

Our next three games will all be on the road against decent or good teams. Still a good chance we end up 4-7.

 

"Average" defense is outstanding for a team with 13 new players and an average age of 23, most of whom have never played together.

Try going down the list of "rebuilding" teams and see how their defense stacks up.

Toronto went through half a season before their defense was even halfway competent.
The Wizards are STILL a mess.
The Nets, packed with Stars and Vets is the definition of porous defense.

And the list goes on...

And given the scoring margins of the wins, Defense is keeping us in the games just as much as the offense is keeping us in the games.

Remember, the scoreboard is a two-sided function. You can win by adding points to your own totals, or DENYING points to the opponents totals.Every Shot that we score is JUST as valuable as every Shot we DENY.

And in games where the opponents are superior shooters to us, Denying a shot is MORE important than sinking a shot.

Let's consider the following...

Let's say we're playing a team like the Heat. They have 10 possessions, and we have 10 possessions. Let's say everyone takes 2 point shots.

If they're shooting 50%, and we're shooting 40%, then it will look like this

Heat - 5/10, 20 points
Rockets - 4/10, 16 points

So, let's say we DENY them a shot (block, steal, turnover, force them to shoot a bad shot, etc) -- To the Heat, that ONE possession is worth 1 point OFF their score, and it's worth 0.8 points on OUR score.

Now, let's flip the situation. IF the Heat DENY us a possession, that ONE possession is worth 0.8 points OFF our score, but 1.0 points on their score.

What does this all mean?

If the Heat is a better shooting team than we are, they do NOT need strong Defense to Win. All they have to do is match our possessions and they'll outscore us naturally. In this case, the ONLY way we can Win or even keep it close is through DEFENSE. Rebounds, steals, blocks, and good team D to direct their players to shoot more poorly.

Now, maybe you're reading this and saying, "Oh, but they're the Heat!'

Here's a few interesting tidbits

2012/13 Rockets

41.7 FG% - 25th
.306 3pt% - 24th
29.0 3pt attempts/game - 1st
17.1 TO/game - 6th

51.8 TS% - 16th

98.8 Offensive Efficiency - 20th
99.1 Defensive Efficiency - 15th
37.0 Opponent 3pt% - 25th
51.0 Opponent TS% - 10th
43.3 Opponent FG% - 12th

56.57 Opponent Asst% - 7th
19.30 Opponent Assist Rate - 10th
22.70 Opponent FT Rate - 5th

So, what are these stats telling us?

We're awful jump shooters, especially behind the 3 point line in SPITE of shooting more 3's than any other team in the league, BUT we're really good at drawing fouls once we get in the paint. This makes our scoring about average. We're turning over the ball at a very high rate. This makes our overall Offensive game BELOW average, but we're making up for it with our Defense.

We're having a hard time contesting 3 point shots, but are playing good interior defense -- good enough that we're not allowing many easy buckets off assists. We're doing a good job closing the passing lanes, AND we're giving up VERY few fouls while defending.

So, take any of our close games against Better teams (like Denver, Miami, Memphis, and Portland) and those games are close because of our Defense, since we're clearly not outscoring them on a per possession basis, and due to our high turnovers we're actually giving the other side a head start of 17 possessions (in a game where each team has maybe 95-100 possessions on average).

Since we're not a scoring juggernaut AND we're giving up possessions, our Defense is the one thing that is keeping us in games against superior shooting opponents.

Now, as a point of reference, of the 7 teams we've played which ones have been shooting better than us since the season started?

EVERY SINGLE ONE. Even Detroit has a higher FG% than us right now (42.5 vs our 41.7).

Just some things to think about...

 

How many years has the spurs core been together? I am sure our coaches knows the same plays. In time, that will happen but it is seems unfair to compare our team with theirs.

 

Yeah, this offensive scheme is not a PG friendly scheme. No PG wants to be relegated to being a Bruce Bowen type player - play D and shoot corner 3s.; not to mention your SF is running the fast break.

And I'm not sure how they are going to score when teams lock down on Harden going left.

 

Fair enough. I am not even comparing the Spurs to us in terms of talent or chemistry. Just in terms of how they execute end of game sets. But then agan you are right the Spurs are a well oiled machine & we are not. So not a far comparison at all.

 

i'm not ready to say the entire coaching staff is crap, but i am getting so tired of the stale offense, and relegating our players to spot-up shooters when that's just not the best use of their talents. Chandler Parsons is not a spot-up shooter. Jeremy Lin is not a spot-up shooter. Those two do a lot of things well, but reducing the offense to the point where they are camped out by the 3-pt line jacking up shots is not receipe for success. We are the worst 3-pt shooting team in the league for a reason. you'd think we'd change the offense a little to reduce the over-reliance on 3-pt shooting. Very frustrating to watch. And it's got to start with the coaches.

 

You're not watching *****ty coaching, you're watching sh#tty execution from a young team. McHale and Sampson are doing a above average job with this group. And did you really come on here to trash Marcus Morris after last nights game?

 

As of now, we are 4-4 and right back home and the 14th team in the lottery.

 

Yeah I agree. But it is hard for me to blame the coaching staff because this is such a young team. But still the offense is really ugly & doesn't play upon the strengths of the personell.

 

Not only that, but the offense expects everyone to be Michael Jordan out there. How many times have I seen Delfino drive to the rim? Morris had some nice shots out there, but do we really want him crossing his man over and shooting fadeaway shots?

Every player is expected to either shoot the three or beat their man 1-on-1. If they can't, then they pass the ball to the next guy and he tries the same thing.

 

No idea! Maybe they are down wind trapped in a battle of epic proportions.

 

I just noticed something odd. Harden is the primary playmaker on this team & Lin doesn't really playmake at all. And yet Hardens passing stats are pretty much identical to Lin's. But the odd part is that Harden has twice the USG. That is not a good look. The ball needs to be put in Lin's hands a lot more so that he can make plays. Harden is being asked to do way to much, score, pass, defend (which he doesn't do) & we are starting to see diminishing returns.

 

Besides an all-star, a good rebounding and defensive center, a passable small forward and a good PF/SF off the bench what does this team have? A bevy of PF's that would not rate starter minutes on 26 of the teams in the league and a PG playing as bad as he ever will in his career. The coaching staff can do many things but working miracles with out serious preparation and practice is certainly not one of them. Have patience, it will do us all well.

 

Oh no. Lin played a lot worse in GSW in the few minutes he actually got playing time. Funny thing is that the Rockets are now using him the same way GSW used him. But the difference now is that Lin didn't have the skills in GSW but he has them now in Houston yet they still aren't being used. Kind of funny.

But yes you are absolutely right patience is needed right now.