I agree with starting Gordon. What I don't agree with is replacing Ennis. What I think needs to happen is for Chris Paul to come off the bench. Start Gordon over Paul. Harden and CP3 together just isn't working for the Rockets this year. We also need to bring back Hartenstein and Clark into the rotation.
One thing's for sure -- the starting lineup NEEDS to change. Capela/Tucker/Ennis/Harden/Paul has a net rating of -9.1.
Are rockets realistically gonna have cp3 come off the bench? Hell no. Rockets don't want extra media attention of having your $40mil pg playing on the bench. Not to mention you're pretty much letting cp3 know his career is done. Oh wait you still have him for 3 more years, good luck keeping him on good terms with the team
Paul, Gordon, Harden, Tucker, Capela Should be the starting 5. Who cares what the bench is if we are up by 10 points when they check in. Let Knight, Green, and NeNe lead the second unit. Or we could go all defense and rebounding and play Williams, Ennis, Harris, Chriss, NeNe/Hart. Just focus on getting stops and transition.
ENNIS IS NOT A STARTER, his release is too slow. He needs time to get off his shot. That means he needs to be wide open with no one near him in order to have time to get his shot off. So teams are just leaving him and trying to close out fast enough to make him rush.
But didnt he start before and we were still losing so im not understanding what will be different this time
That lineup btw has a -5.6 net rating, 119.8 defensive rating, it's our 3rd highest used too. Not saying that's everything, just an FYI that ''we'll be up 10 points by the time the bench comes in' is a bit of a reach. 6 of our top 10 best defensive 5-man lineups have included Gary Clark.
But hey, Clark isn't worth playing I guess. Not surprising that D'Antoni would be the guy to not play someone that's part of our best defensive units.
But those do not have many minutes logged. Harden, Paul, Capela and Gordon seem to have it rolling. Tucker is in a small slump, but not really. Now that everyone is in shape and playing well this line up should be ready. It just needs to be used right. Harden is the cog of the offense. It's easier to get the match up he wants on switches when we are screening bigger SFs. They can't trap or double either with so much talent and shooting on the floor.
It's true that individually those lineups don't have many minutes but combined they do, still not a huge amount, but more than our third highest lineup. And the fact that Clark is so prevelant in them (and more, he's in 9 out of the top 15 going further) suggests something on top of the eye test. Paul, Harden, Gordon, Capela has a 2.8 net rating, which is good. But it's the worst defensive 4 man lineup we have. I suppose that doesn't mean much if the net is a positive, but I'd be wary of thinking that's the answer. And that's before we get to the rest of your post where 'Knight, Green and Nene can lead the 2nd unit'. Those are garbage time lineups. We'd have to be up by 30, not 2.8.
This is not a offense paul and Harden walk the ball up , pick and roll with Capela and that's it .. .. or pass it in the corner and shoot. ...this team is missing posting up on the low block, high post turn and face to distribute....mix it up run a freaking curl or cut ....this team has gotten so dependent on the 3pt line
maybe we can bring in corey sewer to be his trusty sergeant as well. scrub for scrub, no other team will be able to match our sheer incompetence. it might look somethin like chaos, but behind that facade of palpable nonsense... a deliberate & carefully choreographed allotment of ping pong balls shall be waitin wit our name up on em!
Yes he did indeed start before but not with BOTH Harden and CP3 together. Man, with the way we been playing I'm happy with any starting lineup change...
Harden looks like he can guard bigger 3s now that he is in great shape. The issue is one through four we are smaller than our opponent meaning we have to get back in transition. Having size in transition and defense means you’re going to get easy points. The main focus has to be getting up quality shots, taking care of the bar, and limiting transition opportunities for the opponents. No one wants to stop someone bigger than them running full speed at the basket.
