Why JVG is insisting in giving the ball to SF at the end of each quarter

Because Francis is the best player on the Rockets at being able to get his shot of whenever he wants. Unfortunately, he can't hit the side of the barn right now. I think JVG might have let Mobley start taking the last shot at the end of quarters now, even though it would be a huge slap in the face to Francis.

 

right now its better if francis just doesnt take any shots

 

Right now, this thread might as well be called, "Why JVG is insiting in letting SF touch the ball at the beggining, middle, or end of each quarter."

 

Good question. Especially considering how bad SF has been shooting lately. Hell, now he's even missing layups!

 

How is he ever going to get his shooting touch back unless he shoots?

 

Why not just give it to the guy who has the hot hand that night?

 

It was OK in the past but I think these missed shots add up and start to affect Steve.

I don't mind Steve taking the last shot but he needs to mix it up or run a real play.

All he does these days is ISO at the top of the key. He got 1 man on him and the other 4 defenders play a box around the painted area. Steve has no choice but to shoot a J with man in his face or if he drives, he has the other 4 to content with.

 

I absolutely hate this design. You have to mix up a little bit, otherwise opponents know exactly what you want to do and they will block the lane and force SF to take a J which he is missing automatically. Moreover, SF is doing terrible on the timing of his last shot, he always takes it with 4-5 sec to go and give opponents a chance to take the last shot. You should wait till 2-3 sec to take that shot, still allowing yourself a chance to tip in, but giving no chance to the opponents.

 

And the Rockets got burned for this in the Indiana game when Miller hit that last second three(which luckily was called a two by the refs) at the end of the first half. Steve unfortunately having the double-digit IQ that he does, told that ESPN chick before heading into the locker room that if had that play to do over again, he'd still take the shot with a few seconds left.

And naturally, Steve stuck to his word and did it again last night against the Kings. And what happens? Bobby Jackson gets the rebound and banks in a three from half-court. Luckily the shot came right at the buzzer and was disallowed. Still, you'd think even a stubborn moron like Steve would eventually take a hint. Especially after it's happened to the guy twice in 5 days.

I get what he's trying to do by jacking up a shot with a few seconds to spare. It allows the Rockets a chance to get an offensive rebound and putback. But he still needs to take at least a couple more seconds off the clock. Shoot it with 3 or 4 seconds to play, not 6. That way even if the opposing team comes up with the rebound, they have to heave it 80 feet. And if that goes in, then props to them.

 

Heres my take:

I think the play is designed well as an ISO...and there are plenty of options off of it...BUT for some reason..Steve seems to think he absolutely HAS to take that shot. Ive watched every rockets game this year and dont remember him pass out of that play even if he is double or triple teamed he will throw up some junk before he passes.

 

After this play has failed so many times, the conclusion is so obvious--- It is NOT working. I rather see play set up for cat or Yao.

 

1 thing is sure they should have gave the ball to JJ last night moved out of the way instead of Steve jacking **** up

 

I think the play does work, even when he misses. The point of the last shot of the quarter is that you get a field goal attempt without allowing your opponent to make an attempt of its own. So, there are a couple of things that you want to really avoid doing:

(1) leave too much time on the clock (as canoner pointed out) allowing the opponent to get a decent shot off,
(2) turn the ball over, giving the opponent a very good transition attempt.

I don't know why you'd run anything but an iso. Even if the percentage of scoring is lower, you run little risk of turning the ball over with a bad pass, and you have good control of the clock. So, you may not score, but your opponent is very unlikely to score.

 

Why is the chance of scoring is low with 20 sec left? Current design of letting SF to play iso in that 20 secs serves two purpose:
1) not scoring
2) allow opponents to get the ball back and take a shot

this is NOT working for us.

 

If your only goal is not to turn the ball over and not to let your opponent score, you don't even need to design the play, just hold the ball until the time expires. duh...

 

The Mavericks do this with Finley a lot. He usually takes a fadeaway with 2 men in his face and bricks the shot.

 

Well the play's design and its execution are different things. I think you're right that Francis left a little too much time on the clock before his half-time shot, but just by a second or 2 at most. With a second or 2 less, Miller would have been chucking a prayer from behind half-court. As for design though, it's fine: it's a free shot, essentially.

 

except by design, we are wasting this free shot 9 out of 10 times, and other teams do much better than us.

 

I'm not sure that's true. The Mavs, apparently, have Finley throwing up bricks too. I think most teams do pretty much the same thing we do at the end of a quarter. We might be less successful recently (if we even are) because the guy holding the ball is in a bad shooting slump. He's probably hitting the end-of-a-quarter shots at the same clip he hits everything else. If Francis is going to get out of his slump, he'll have to shoot his way out. I don't think you break a slump by taking the ball out of his hands. How good do you think Francis was at this last year when he was shooting a more reasonable percentage?