Rockets have achieved offensive mediocrity for the season

Our offensive efficiency is largely predicated on two things; Dwight Howard's willingness to run the PnR and whether or not Ariza joins up with Smith to form the Brick Bro's tandem. The first can be circumvented if Dwight happens to be hitting t;he FT's. If not, wooh it's going to be a rough game unless Harden just goes absolutely bonkers. If Ariza is helping Smith build new housing projects around downtown, then it will also be a rough night due to how much minutes he plays.

 

In other related news, after shooting sub-40% to start the season, James Harden's FG% has now reached 45%. Yayyy.

 

lol who cares, we are winning games with defence

defensive teams win titles

 

On a positive note.....we are ranked fifth if you just take the last 3 games. Uptick is always welcomed

 

One team in the recent history has won a chip with worse than top 10 offense, the Detroit Pistons.

 

In a lot of games our team really lives or dies by the 3. We are efficient when we hit and not when we don't.

 

The past 8 games or so, we have been ranked like 3rd on offense. Not sure what the defensive rankings are in that span but the offense is slowly coming back to what it was the first couple weeks in the season.

We are finally getting healthy and our pieces are coming together coherently now. Before the injuries, we were top 10 in both offense and defense, maybe even top 5 in both.

Feel really good about this year. This is the deepest team we have had for a long, long time. If Morey can find that secondary playmaker/replacement for Bev in the starting lineup, I truly believe we will make a deep run.

 

I'd much rather have Goran Dragic coming off our bench at the cost of Terrence Jones and a first rounder.

We need a Ginobli!

 

We probably have to look at this in context of the whole season. We start off with the injury bug then we add 3 new players, we really haven't had a lot time to get this team to gel the way we envision it.

My eye test suggests we have been playing better offensively and it is not just because were hitting 3's. We've been scoring a lot in the paint.

 

The Suns, after trading for Brandan Wright, to me it appears they are trying to make the playoffs this season and not worrying about the PG logjam until the offseason.

Maybe that's wrong, but that is what it appears.

But even if that fails and they decide to trade Dragic at the deadline, why would they want Jones? Jones would be very repetitive with Marcus and Markieff Morris as a tweener PF. I would bet they would ask for D-Mo or no deal....and honestly, if that was the case, I wouldn't make that deal.

 

Rockets are not trading T Jones. TJones > JSmith

 

Certainly the team is showing signs of an offensive improvement as of lately. Less ISO game, more post play, more set plays, even some of them for Harden shots off the ball....

Next step I would like to see is a better 3 pt shooting selection, more passing, and better (less turnovers).

 

Check the stats for the past 8 games. That trend is changing. I do agree we need a real point guard though.

 

We definitely need a 2nd ball handler cause I think KD even said after the OKC game that Harden initiates everything for us. Come playoff time I hope Canaan is ready or we make an acquisition to address this.

 

Ideally imo we are going to have another adjustment period after we pick up a good playmaker

 

I used to agree with those who beg for more PnR with Howard. Now I've realized that Dwight's willingness, or lack of, to run the PnR is only half of the problem. We simply don't have anyone perimeter players not named Harden who have the skills to run it.

To run an effective PnR, the ball handler needs to be good at 3 things.
1. Drive and finish
2. Pull up and hit the jumper
3. Pass to the roll man

That's the triple threat that makes defending the PnR so difficult.

Most of our perimeter guys are spot up shooters. Bev, Ariza, and Brewer are decent spot up shooters, mediocre drivers, and below average passers. None can shoot pull ups consistently. Papa is a good passer but poor pull up shooter. The only good pull up shooter is Terry and he is a decent passer on the run.

If you can't hit a pull up jump shot, the defender will just go under the screen to cut you off the drive. The big man defender can just stay with the roller. There is really no need for the opposing big man to hedge so the roll man rarely receives the ball.

So it is not surprising that Dwight is not motivated to set the screen. DMo is the only big guy who is diligent in setting picks. In some rare occasion when he gets the ball rolling (usually from Harden) he scores a high percentage. I am sure Dwight would have been an even better finisher had he got that, same with Smith.

 

So how did we do on defense lately I wonder, not much being played..