How an Optimized Harden/CP3 Offense Could Look Like; Improved Defense

Offense: Elite Desperation Plays

In the limited time on the court together, minus fast breaks, I’ve noticed that Harden and Paul currently play a “your turn, my turn” style. The primary playmaker starts the play at the top of the key. This limits the capabilities other star IMO.

I think for them to maximize the potential of this offense, the plays should start at the wing area. Paul and Harden on each side. We’ve ran plays from there before, and it gives the playmaker ample room with options. Then, pick and roll with the big on that side. From there, it’s three options only: drive to the basket, pass to the roller, or kick it out. Last year, kick it out meant to a shooter. Once the basket, lob, and open shot were taken away, the shooter was relied upon to make a play (typically, Ariza or Ryno. Yikes). This year, kick it out means to a shooter OR another elite playmaker and run the play again.

Rockets have to get into the offense quickly to beat the shot clock. I wouldn’t be surprised if we start to see more presses this year to eat some shot clock and limit the number of chances we get to run our play.

CP3 gives us a whole new branch of plays if Harden is forced to kick it out off a drive. And vise versa. We should see less desperation plays like a Ryan Anderson quarter drive step-back pump fake, and more elite playmaking as a third option.

In a nutshell, several plays ended in a contested shot or an unwanted drive by non playmakers. San Antonio was very good at making us exhaust all our options and defer to Ariza or Ryno at the end of the shot clock. Now, we can just start the play over again and let CP3 do his thing.

The biggest adjustment for CP3 is learning to initiate the play much faster than he’s used to. He’s methodical. And he’s good at it. But if he’s the one catching the ball off a drive, that means our options were taken away. Now he only has half the shot clock to run a play or make a play.

The biggest adjustment for Harden is the same as CP3. He’s got to initiate the offense right away. He has a tendency to walk the ball up and sizeup dribble to eat clock. He does this because he relies on the dwindling shot clock to pressure his defender to react to every move he makes. It works a lot. It’s why his bullet pass to a shooter with 2 seconds left works. And it’s why his step back is so good. Defenders jump early on the step back, and he just raises up when his man is on the way down or flies by. This is his emergency play. I think it’s best left as the last option considering Chris Paul is capable of first-option playmaking on the other side.

Both Harden and CP3 like to start at the top of the key. If they’re on the court at the same time, starting there will severely restrict the ability of the other. They’re good spot up shooters, but let’s put them in a position to provide a relentless offensive attack WITH ball movement. Keep the defense off balance. When one of the future hall of famers are on the bench, then run plays from the top of the key to show defenses yet another look.

Defense: Securing the Perimiter

The defense is another factor. We picked up dynamic perimeter defenders that can guard multiple positions. They’ve got different styles, too. To go along with Ariza’s length and footwork, P.J. Tucker provides strength and a bullying mentality, and Luc Mbah Moute provides side-to-side skills with good hands. All are relentless when dialed in, especially Tucker. He’ll provide the spark that Bev gave us when he was here. This defensive collective’s skill sets bode well for the Rockets’ switch everything philosophy. Plus, Ariza and Luc are lengthy enough to help on the inevitable mismatches. Their length will block passing lanes to give the defense a little extra time to read and rotate properly.

Hopefully, the improved perimeter defensive options will allow Clint, Nene, or Black to stay home for the rebound more often. Last year, the big man help at the rim contributed a great deal to our lack of rebounding. Switching everything can draw out the power forward, which leaves only the center to man the rim. If the opposition breaks down the perimeter defense, the center has to block the shot. The shot either goes in anyway, or the unmanned opposing center gets easy clean up.