Dwight has been really effective guarding Griffin late in games. I think this is primarily due to a few things. 1. Dwight has the strength advantage negating Griffin's biggest advantage on Jones/Smith. 2. Griffin is worn out in the 4th due to usage and play style. 3. Griffin loses the mental edge and becomes passive. He knows he can't dominate Dwight and avoids the challenge. However, utilizing this strategy has its disadvantages which I think has prevented McHale from going to this. 1. Howard foul trouble. Howard has been know to get ticky tack fouls on bad gambles. Additionally Griffin is an elite offensive player that could get Howard a few times. 2. Jordan would kill us on the boards. Even with Howard boxing him out he has gotten his fair share of boards. Put Smith/Jones on him and its a massacre. Personally, I'd like to see stretches of Howard on Griffin in the first half when Griffin is killing us IF Howard is not in foul trouble and Smith is in the game. I don't think Tjones has any chance against Jordan.
No. This disadvantages you list are HUGE. The refs are not going to let Dwight be physical with Griffin for an entire game. Griffin is a pro at the flop and he would have Dwight in major foul trouble.
No, McHale played it right, let Griffin play establish a rythmn and then bust him up in the 4th or 3rd to disrupt their flow. DD
Agree. And if disadvantage #1 happens (Howard foul trouble) it would make disadvantage #2 (Jordan offensive rebounding) even worse for the whole game! The defensive rotations during our run of the 4th quarter were beautiful. The Clippers run a lot of pick and rolls and the Rockets switch on most of them. It is perfect for Howard to switch onto Griffin during these pick and rolls and maybe play on him for certain stretches of the game but not too much time and not all game.
Completely agree! Gotta switch it up with the defense. Also start doubling Griffin by sending in Brewer or Terry. Still can't just guard him 1-on-1. He'll eat you alive.
The poll asks if he should spend more time, not all, so that makes the answer trickier. I would say yes, but the only "additional" time should be at the end of the half (assuming both guys are in the game) and the 4th Quarter. I'd also like for us to mix it up some - have Ariza front Griffin for a few more possessions as well with whomever is guarding Barnes cheating over a bit for a quick double if Griffin gets the ball. Whoever is guarding Griffin, I think the key is to prevent him from getting to close to the basket early in the shot clock. There should be no more possessions where he leaks out right after we score or miss and plants himself 3 ft from the basket.
I think you guys have changed my mind. Let Griffin get his and shut him down when it matters. Too much risk to put Dwight on him earlier.
you don't play dwight on blake when jones is in the game...josh is a better rebounder so he can compete with Dj a little better than jones
Right I'm really talking a few minutes to give a new look and break the rhythm. But the more I think about it, if Dwight gets in foul trouble we are done. Not sure we can risk that unless Dwight has zero fouls in the 2nd quarter.
Guys, sometimes letting Griffin getting his can be a GOOD THING. It stymies ball movement. It wears him out. Let him go crazy for 3 quarters, then stop putting the pressure on him in the 4th. All of this is predicated on the fact that 1). we're keeping the scores close and that 2). we minimize the contributions for the rest of the Clippers not named Paul or Griffin.
The much revered POP in his series with the Clippers said Blake and Paul are going to get theirs...the key is stopping the others. Howard absolutely provides rim protection against all those others....without him we are nothing. McHale has played this perfectly....and needs to continue into game 7.
Let's not go crazy though and say that last night showed the formula. Getting down 19 going into the 4th isn't a good idea. We aren't going to have a 40 point blowout quarter again most likely, so they need to play better defense.
Isn't there a sportvu stat on this? It seems like Smith and Jones tire Griffin out by letting him go into beast mode in the first half and then rope-a-dope him in the fourth after he's tired from celebrating all his posterizing dunks.
Just like hack-a, put DWH on Griffin when he's on a roll or in clutch moments. Overuse this strategy would likely take away its effectiveness.
It's a trend with Griffin. Pop did it as well. He has issues in the 4th. They said on the radio today that his knees are clearly bothering him by the 4th quarter of most games with him getting treatment and ice packs.
No, I like D12 as the last line of defense and keep Jordan off the boards. What people don't realize is that Blake using a tremendous amount of energy banging in the post. I also, like the fact JET is doubling him from his blindside and Blake isn't that good of a passer out of the post.
As posted earlier, it would have to be "in spurts", primarily in the 2nd Half, as long as Dwight isn't in foul trouble; if he is in foul trouble, then all bets are off and you can't take that risk.
I'd like to see more of those two big man pick & rolls forcing Griffin to switch onto Howard and keeping DJ out away from the basket. It gives the Rockets a significant advantage on the boards when DJ essentially becomes a guard for rebounding purposes as he's around the FT area instead of in the paint. Not to mention the fact that Josh Smith can get by him with regularity off the dribble. It also adds to the chances both Griffin & DJ accumulate fouls.
Concur. Doc might adjust... but the change here in the 4th was the single biggest reason the comeback happened. Rockets could have scored 40 and easily still lost that game the way their defense has been against the Clippers. Dwight SHUT DOWN Griffin, but the whole team rotated well. So during the 4th, or during a 3rd quarter run -PLEASE DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN! - absolutely. It's win or go home.
