Kelvin Sampson discusses the Rockets' growth on offense, the Jeremy Lin-James Harden

Yeah and Wade is on Lin and Bosh is on Parsons.

No one else was open. Harden held onto the ball about a second longer looking around and the situation did not change. The only thing that changed was that Delfino was also at the 3 point line as well but also being guarded.

The Heat...being a championship team and all understood that the only thing that would beat them was a 3 and guarded that way. No one else was open.

Oh and when Kawhi Leonard is on you in a playoff game and you need to shoot the shot what do you do...perhaps this?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BrLjnIF6laA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I'm tired of this he was selfish crap, because if he passed to anyone else they would have had to take a contested shot but with even less seconds. At least he created just a bit of space to get off a three. The play should have been better, it always comes down to it in games like this. The play needs to be executed and actually be a good play.

 

It definitely does sound like this coaching staff wants Harden to be the primary ball handler. This is really baffling to me, I don't know, maybe they have a grand plan, and when it eventually materialized (if it materialized), they will look like geniuses. But imo, this strategy will prove to be futile, and ultimately will end in their firing.

By the way, Parsons was covered during that last shot. Regardless, Harden not trusting his teammates there.

 

This guy got it

 

Because it took that long for the play to develop.....

It would have been better if Lin had the ball in hand. He then would have three targets to pass to in Harden, Parson and Delfino.

What was Sampson thinking camping Lin out there? Even if Harden passed him the ball, Lin would just have another airball added to his list of embarrassment for the evening.

 

damn right i typed it on my phone. still at work
lol

 

Does anyone else think that having Bud/Lee on the court would've helped tremendously? An athletic slasher/accurate long ball shooter that almost never called upon to handle the ball?

We do have Delfino, but he's not nearly the athlete that either of those 2 were. And he did have trouble separating from his man/getting off the screen. I this is the one component that the Rox are missing. Parsons could become a better version of that if he continues to improve his shooting.

 

Lets just look at this pic for a second...look at the shooters at the perimeter...and look at Delfino...Delfino hands down is our best shooter and Parsons was lighting it up from beyond the arc...a play should have had both of them at the perimeter with Lin or Harden inbounding the ball...

We had about 7 seconds after the Bosh FTs:
1. The ball should have gone to Lin...then Harden and Delfino/or Parsons should have worked off screens to get a 3 point shot off...hence why having Omer(our best pick setter) in the ball game makes sense...
2. If you know that Harden is gonna take the last shot(and so does the other team...hence why Lebron is guarding him)...Why dont you trying getting the shooter space and help him get free...There is no way that Harden blows by Lebron, and there is no way that Harden gets off a clean shot with Lebron guarding him at the 3pt line....Have to find ways to free up your best shooter.
3. After Wade missed two critical FTs, why wasnt our best rebounder, Asik- in the box...that is ridiculous(we left it up for Parsons and Patterson to secure the loose ball...what a terrible decision)

 

You LOF's are ridiculous. There were years Rajon Rondo had a lower USG rate to Paul Pierce, similar to the situation we have now and he still put up a ridiculous number of assists. Good players can still make plays even if they don't always have the ball in their hands, and honestly most of the time I see Lin touch the ball at least once every possession. Its up to him to be more aggressive once he has the ball instead of just passing it to the side.

That said Harden does need to handle the ball, a little less and Lin a little more. Harden is #1 among SG's in usage rate right now which is a little high, but top 10 would be okay.

 

In my opinion, Sampson is the most impressive guy on the Rockets. Every time I hear him, I think, wow, this guy is smart, he is knowledgeable, and he has a way with words. If I were in charge of the Rockets, he would be the head coach.

 

1. I agree. I think Delfino was also supposed to be at the perimeter but unfortunately Ray gets away with pretty much bear hugging him and it took him a while to break free. It sucks because Marcus was called for such a tick tack call and they just swallowed the whistle for Harden's drive and that

2. I think they would have been fine with Harden blowing past Lebron. That's why being down three with that much time left really sucks because the other team knows what you are going to do. HArden blows past Lebron and gets a two, doesn't matter.

3. This goes back to two, had we got the rebound it changes every thing. It was really bad to not put in Asik just for the rebound there. They called a timeout would have taken him out to put in another shooter but yeah that was horrible.

 

This is called false equivalence. It's not that Lin has the ball less than Harden. It's than Lin has the ball less than 46/50 PGs in the league. It's that Lin has the ball less than TONY freaking DOUGLAS.

Not if the coaches are telling him to pass to harden and go stand in the corner. Or did you miss him getting chewed out by Sampson 2-3 games back after he got 3 assists in the opening minutes of the game after which he went back to passing to Harden and going to the corner?

 

Hate not being able to edit my posts...

I want to add that I think the USG rate between Harden and Lin should be 60:40 in Harden's favor. But right now it's closer to 80-20 or 85-15. (at least in the Miami game).

In the Piston's game it was more even and you saw what a great job Lin did playmaking despite his limited minutes.

 

give them time - the starters need more practice.

 

I find it hard to believe that it will continue to be that lay. I expect it to hit at least 20+ once they figure out their offense.

 

*low not lay

 

Good point.

 

I agree with you. And as I've said before I don't think it's all on coaching. Lin had looked tentative and at times scared. Now I don't know if this is the product of playing in an offense that is not suited his playing style but he is not without blame.

 

This is what needed to happen...Yao and TMAC demonstrates an excellent high screen Pick...infact this was one of their best plays...

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/j41c2edMits" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

When you make a claim at least double check the stats to make sure that they actually add up.

Here's Rondo's stats in 2007-2008 season.
10.1pts/5.1ast/2TO
look familiar?

Rondo Lin
29.9mins per game 34.6mins per game
29.5AST 30.6 AST
11.1TO% 12.1TO%
18.8USG 18.1USG
15.47PER 15.13PER

Their numbers are almost identical depsite the fact that Rondo was playing on a much better team and Lin played more minutes on a mediocre team.

At the same time Rondo was the main ball handler with rather limited minutes as a sophomore --- player with the highest usage rate on that Boston team? Garnett at 23.7.

The only year you can actually make a case was 2008-2009 season, Rondo averaged 12/8(21) with a slightly lower usage rate than Paul Pierce(23.4).

Harden? 27.7 USG leading all SGs.

Lin? 18.1

Your example is ridiculous.

 

To get something you have to give something up. Usually something that doesn't fit