We talk about Rockets D after the Allstar break but the Bucks have done it for an entire season. Very balanced at that. Their double digit win column is far above any else, GSW and Toronto included.
Yea, PJ may get cold every now and then but I woudlnt expect him to have that type of night twice. Same with Harden.
At beginning of video, he calls it a "unique defense" on Harden, and calls it such in Vid Title. Well, yeah, it's unique to this year, and Bucks (I believe) are first to do it, but Harden has seen this multiple times since Bucks first did it in January. And Scottie Pippen called this defense, see vid. Coach Nick already did a video on it, and it was posted here in January called -- "How (not) to defend Harden." Harden scored 42 v Bucks, 57 v MEM, and 48 v LAL who all did this. To me, this is just ICE defense versus an ISO. So, I call it "ICE the ISO." ICE is a PnR defense, but the same principles are employed here to take half the court away. ICE is a good defense, but has well-defined counters. MEM also did this recently, and gave up, as Harden lit them up for 57, again. Maybe it works better for Bucks because of their length to prevent skip passes, cover Capela and also to pressure the floater, but that's the goal of all ICE defense. Bledsoe also was able to do what Pippen said, and follow Harden to hamper any pull-up shot from behind. Point is: we've already seen counters in the LA and MEM games.
Mental aspect was spot on for Tucker, he was passing up and/or airballing wide open shots because he was completely shook.
Coach Nick is a closet Harden hater, his attempt at being biased is so salty. Amazes me that there are no how to stop Steph, KD or Giannis vids.
You think? I don't find that to be the case. He's done very pro Harden videos, including last year. And in this case, I'm pretty sure he doesn't think that defense will work (but rather Bucks are just a good defense), and unlike other analysis (Coach Daniel), he's aware that other teams tried it. I chatted with Coach Nick on twitter, recently. He agrees that this is mainly ICE for ISO...with all the counters.
@BigMaloe I’m for all of the above option that you presented (from Did Well to Possibly Adding). Did Well 1) Make the Floaters (and mid range shot near free throw line). 2) Make the Open 3’s. To Add 3) Off Ball Screens 4) Crab Dribble 5) Small Ball (5-Out) [See Above] 1) Mostly by CP3/Harden/Nene/Faried/Eric Gordon 2) Teams are going to target Shumpert/Rivers/Tucker/Faried to make high quantity of 3’s. This group will get more open attempts in the playoffs than in the regular season. Rockets players need to make them. Draymond Green is shooting 28% from 3 for the year; but 42% from 3 in the last 9 games (on 2.9 attempts/gm). Dray is gearing up for the playoffs... Rockets need to rise to the occasion. 3) Many Screens and Often if open 3’s are not falling.....screens off of the most sets. From 3-Out-2-In and Longhorn in to elevator doors step back 3’s......off of “Picket Fence” in to screens/elevator doors. “Hammer 1 sets.” Etc. I’m not intending on screening/trapping the extra defender in the paint.....but the concentration of interference on the perimeter player (wing defender) guarding 2 shooters (usually weak side). Poorer shooter (*Tucker/Shumpert/Rivers/Faried) off ball screening for GG/Gordon/House/CP3. 4) Defender glued to Harden’s 9 O’Clock......Rockets set screen to same defenders 8-9 O’Clock often to present that free throw line mid-range shot.....multiple screen, dribble-back step-back 3. Smoke and mirrors, look at my right hand (Harden/Screen exchange) while the left hand (off ball screening sets up shooter: CP3/GG/Gordon/House) tricks you. 5) Harden/Gordon/House/Tucker/Faried will be the best Small-Ball lineup. That’s if: Rivers is unplayable due to “Hack-a-Rivers” strategy. Shumpert is failing at hitting 3’s. CP3 gets picked on by way of “Switchng” interior defense. Faried/Tucker may have to set screens in order for the “Small-Ball” lineup to be most effective. I like D’Antoni, but I’m not a believer in D’Antoni changing for the playoffs much. Ultimately I think our rotation will be: Harden/CP3/Capela/Tucker/EGordon/House/Faried/Nene/GGreen Shumpert and Rivers get pulled fast in a tough series if non-effective early in games. D’Antoni needs to go to Gary Clark often. He gives the team length and athleticism desperately needed for the playoffs. All IMHO. Thank you for one’s attention to this matter. Go Rockets!!
And Kobe Bryant likes to breakdown Rockets plays. I don’t see him breaking down Warriors plays....or much of others. I could be wrong though.
I mean I get that you've made this point many times before, my thing was that the Bucks seems to be the only who are successful. Despite Harden going for 42 he did go 13/30. I just didnt see anyone mention the counters that Coach Daniel did in his video(the counters were the main reason i posted the vid tbh). If youve mentioned stuff like this before, mind @ING me, I love looking at this stuff. Hmm...actually, I think one of the Rockets beat writers mentioned them doing something with the strong side spacing so I take that back lol.
Coach Nick is extremely knowledgeable and I enjoy his vids but he always seems to insert negativity when it comes to Harden. In this vid he's looking forward for an opposing team to achieve more success using this strategy on Harden. Perhaps I'm being sensitive but he was more overt when he was interviewing a former ref and trying to get him to say that Harden was travelling on his step backs/side steps or committing fouls when he initiates/even manipulates contact. Ref kept saying otherwise for each example but he kept pressing it.
They are successful because of their length. Not the ICE the ISO defense, in a vacuum. Please don't point out the out-dated criteria of FGs. He was 7-14 on 2s, and 6-16 on 3s (.375). For a defense designed to stop Harden from shooting 3s, I wasn't that impressed...and no one really even remembers it as impressive defensive strategy. But you might remember Lopez flustered Capela and Harden. Length not strategy. Consider that was the first time we saw the defense, and I thought Harden did fine, considering Paul and Gordon were out. Thanks for posting it. I'm in no way criticizing interest in the video. Didn't he just explain one counter, not plural? Putting Capela to strong-side box. There are several counters to ICE of a PnR. One is to put Capela in the box, so teams stop doing ICE. In January, Bucks/Bud came up with the brilliant realization that they can still do ICE, even without the pick. The first Bucks game, the Lakers game and both MEM games have other counters. I'm not sure if we did the ISO with 3 weak and Capela strong, but we run that isolation for sure, even without ICE. imo, Coach Daniel is looking too hard at that single game, and didn't realize that wasn't the first time...otherwise, he would have seen our other counters to both ICE of PnR, and this very defense of ICE the ISO. I mean, you can still pick that ICE defender, and get Harden to the left side of him. But you should still most definitely straight attack it, too, like we do and did. The reason I'm not doing a vid of counters is because, imo, this is more about Bucks successful Unique Length, and less about a successful Unique Strategy.
Alright then, thanks for explaining that for me. Damn, this is great stuff. Hmm...thinking there needs to be thread made with video and stuff to explain all this(im still fairly new with all this stuff but its awesome).
When Harden struggles, everything goes wrong. The only option is for Chris Paul to take over for stretches like he did against GS when Harden was injured. Once the pressure eases up on James, he can get going.
Agree. And Harden/Paul also need to involve our energy players when 3 ball is not falling. Pick up pace and let players like Clint, Faried, Rivers and Green eat.
Yes, certainly they all have to do their parts and of course Gordon too. He seems to be coming into form just at the right time.
That’s probably because Harden stands out as going on seemingly unstoppable scoring binges this season. The other three names you mentioned are not having ridiculous scoring seasons, comparatively.
Exactly. The question everyone is asking is how do you stop Harden. Nobody cares about how to stop anyone else because they aren’t putting up Wilt, Kobe, MJ stats.
