Another quick follow up on other teams slipping screens against (early) hedges. I actually don't know if this ("Y ROX RUN FAKE P&R???") is still a thing around here, but I know it once was and it got me riled up a bit. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OVCjmQJ-TqE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/myoeBTZEty0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> AggNRox, you see the Rockets guarding this P&R totally different than they did in the GS clip I posted? Again, defensive coverage are very much circumstantial. Anyway, I hope I made my point about teams slipping the screen against (early) hedges to create a 4-on-3 situation. Below, two more teams using the same SOB setting as the Rockets: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7MK-4TVRN7s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fwbepHE-yIQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
To start off the game in Oakland the Rockets gave GS a taste of their own medicine using "Elevator Doors" -- Patterson and Asik position themselves at the FT-line, standing far away from each other to let Harden go through and then immediately close the gap to pick off Harden's defender. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YQA6w7ZShy0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Decent look and it sure looked like Harden was fouled on the follow-through. I suppose you won't get that call too often to start the game out. Not on the road, anyway. The Warriors are one of the few teams that use Elevator Doors on a regular basis, here out of horns: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/U0iRYOJn-O8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> I'm a fan of elevator doors myself, however it rarely will work if you don't "close" the doors, if you will, like the Hawks failed to do here in a late game situation: <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9Gk7D70wS48" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Coincidentally elevator doors or "Sandwich" as Zach Lowe calls it made his "10 Things I Like and Don't Like" list a few days ago: [rQUOTEr]<iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3jAu8KhDnWo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> A really visually pleasing action, though it'd be more mathematically pleasing if it freed Dudley for 3s instead of long 2s. Other teams with sharpshooters, including the Warriors (Stephen Curry) and Hawks (Kyle Korver), run this action now and then, and they mix it up by targeting the top of the arc instead of the wing. http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8937394/are-george-karl-denver-nuggets-really-title-contenders[/rQUOTEr] I'll probably do some more extensive Rockets playbook related stuff in the next few days.
Thanks for the update. GSW run the play very well. Curry scored a ton and it was hard for Lin to defend.
on the first clip, clearly ppat committed too early. he was already at the position to cut off the ball handler to the right before the screener was set and parsons was still in front of the ball handler. it left parsons to guard two in the middle. the best scenario is that ppat should wait for parsons' move. if parsons had taken undercut, ppat should have prepared himself to cut off the ball handler to go right and left the screener to parsons. in this case, it was a fake p&r, ppat should still be with the screener and parsons had no difficulty to stay with his man. in my opinion, ppat made a mistake. the defense is always kinda react. the earlier you commit, the higher risk you take.
Today, "Loop", which is an action the Rockets use on a fairly regular basis. The Rockets version of Loop starts off with one wing -- usually Harden -- looping over the two bigs at the free-throw line, while the other wing clears to the opposite corner. (Click the spoiler to continue reading.) Spoiler What follows next depends on whether the 'looper' will curl off the second big towards the basket or pop out to the wing. This appears to be random or per-determined, as the Rockets don't seem to care whether or not the defender of the 'looper' is trailing him or going below the two bigs screening for him, whereas it's the determining read element with some teams. Either way, if the looper pops out the Rockets will run a high/angle screen&roll, where before running the actual pick&roll, the Rockets like to first fake or slip the screen&roll with one of the bigs, who then will fill the strong-side corner or in rare instances roll towards the basket if the guy is a non-shooter (i.e. Asik or Smith). <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/M50UeEScFvo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> As you may be able to see, doing so naturally will spread defenses out and thus open up the paint, making the defenses vulnerable to penetration of skip passes (clip #1), guys rolling hard (clip #2) or slipping the screen (clip #4). If the looper doesn't pop out, but rather curl toward the basket the Rockets first will look for a quick-hitter. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/31AaE6MrgvU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> If the quick-hitter gets taken away by the defense sagging off the second big, this big lots of times will find himself open for a 15-18 footer. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZCB_J8JQwRk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> If the quick-hitter gets taken away without the defense sagging off, the Rockets will either go to a simple two-man game... <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SCcZOrl8_dk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> ... or post-up or isolate the looper, which is something the Rockets will also go to when the defense does sag off, yet the open big is a non-shooter (i.e. Asik, Smith) or the look simply isn't all that great. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ik8oNmfkK-M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> When isolating Harden, the Rockets will always look to make the defenses trying to pack the paint pay by setting back- or flare-screens to free up shooters. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DEWpuKw4FW4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Finally, the Rockets will use Loop to clear out one side of the court, using the wing looping over the top as a decoy to post up the wing that normally clears opposite. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1dYBwmRjydI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> This one took way longer than it should have. Hope you guys enjoy reading/watching it.
Thanks HMMMHMM. Are you still able to edit the first post? If so, were you planning on adding links to your various videos there at some point?
Sadly, I am not and haven't been able to edit the OP since the second playbook post, which is why the OP hasn't been updated. I already asked somewhere in this thread if Clutch or one of the mods could help me out with this if at all possible. Not sure if this went unnoticed or if it simply would be too much trouble (I could send y'all an edited version of the OP, so you'd just have to copy&paste, if that would work). Either way, I figured I would just use my signature as a playbook index for now.
Awesome work HMMMHMM! I remember Sebastian Pruiti's blog called "NBA Playbook" or something and wishing it had more Rockets coverage. Now we have our very own Rockets only version. This is my favorite thread in the GARM by far.
HMMMHMMM how consistent do you think the rockets are at executing the plays? is it a case of familiarity, mistakes, or just making open shots?
just based on all clips, it seems to me rox most times the ball handler dumped the ball to one of bigs when the looper completed looping. from there, they acted per defense. the big read and reacted. bigs play a crucial role in the offense of this type.
Thanks again guys. I'll get to some of the comments/questions later, I just wanted to quickly follow-up on Loop, as I totally forgot to embed this compilation of Loop I made some time ago (some of you may already have seen this video): <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vMDlY8Kfwkc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> As you may be able to see teams will use Loop with all sorts of personal for very different purposes. Pick&rolls from different spots, duck-ins off movement, post-ups, quick-hitters/lobs, isolations, etc... Heat, Thunder, Mavs, Warriors, Celtics, Blazers and Bucks are among other teams using Loop this year. Spurs and Clippers like to loop their PGs around the baseline.
philly likes us using a big a lot as a transition from the ball handler to whoever getting open or mismatch. other teams basically just use bigs as screen to get looper free.
