just watched the full post game interview with mchale. amazing how the media in houston gives him a complete pass for the team's troubles and just eats up the same bs answers he spits out loss after loss after loss. if the team is not giving effort, not making simple common sense plays, not playing unselfishly, and doing this game after game -- it's ridiculous that not even one of these compliant "journalists" asks the obvious question: how have you disciplined your players if they 'allegedly' haven't been following your gameplan? or maybe they all already know the truth......there is no gameplan..
I want to see a team with Lawson as the primary ball handler. I bet that team would be much better than the garbage we have out there. I believe in Lawson. This is a guy who has got several double digit assists in his career to date and has a great Assist / TO ratio, something that can't be said of Harden. I want to see Lawson orchestrate things as the primary ball handler. Lawson Thornton Ariza TJ Howard Harden can take a few games off and go re-evaluate his season so far and have a deep hard look at himself.
I'd love to see that lineup too. But I don't think McHale will do it for 2 reasons. First, he'll alienate Harden which could really cause things to erupt in the locker room. Second, what happens if the team starts winning with that lineup? Then what do you do?
Bev needs to start and lawson run the second unit. Bev and Harden as the back court is the best fit for this team.
Doesn't make sense to me to bring Lawson off the bench. Yeah, he's playing terribly right now. But so is everyone else. I'd imagine that even if the team were winning right now, Lawson would still find himself struggling to find where he fits. He's just going to have to play through it and figure it out. Makes no sense to have him getting accustomed to coming off the bench, fully knowing that at some point he will again be the starter. This team has enough to out talent teams like Boston, Denver, New Jersey etc.. They're good enough to rack up wins against those types of teams while Lawson finds his way. But there's something else at play here that's causing this shiit show. Resolve that, and things will begin to fall into place. Nothing helps to build chemistry better than winning and seeing success while you're figuring things out. And for starters, help Harden help himself by RUNNING PLAYS and limiting his opportunities to stop the ball. Help Lawson help himself by RUNNING PLAYS so that he has a roadmap and direction on what he needs to do to best add to this team.
change the offense wiseguy. u run plays that they run at the ymca with a great player. run a motion offense where ty can get involved instead of being the bail out guy after harden dribbles the ball around for 20 seconds.
Nah you guys are all wrong, our problem is clearly defense, not offense, look up how many points we have given up to lottery teams in our home losses, we are 2 - 5 in home games, and have lost by 20 20 20 16 19, sth
We've put all our eggs into the Harden basket as this team is built around him. Win or lose, he has to be the one to do it. And like it or not, our season depends on how motivated he becomes.
Fix the defense, there's less pressure on playing offense. Team cohesion will start getting better. The options on the bench at PG have as much defense in them as Lawson. The Rockets need their 2015 David Wesley. Perhaps, Kirk Hinrich if he can stay healthy.
You guys may be on to something. Harden has said in the past he is willing to do whatever the team needs to win, which why he says he would have been fine staying in OKC as the 6th man if they would have paid him. Lets put Harden back in a position he is comfortable with as the 6th man. He can provide instant offense off the bench and help create good looks for Capela, Harrel and Bev. Let Lawson run the offense with the first team. He should be able to set the table nicely for Dwight, TJ and co.
On offense the Rockets have become predictable. Teams learned from last year that Rockets only shoot 3's and lay ups. Teams are now crowding the paint to stop the drive to the basket and playing Lawson and Harden for the pass to the 3pt shooter when they get into the paint which means they get in the passing lane. Harden and Lawson need to use their midrange game because it is a weapon teams can't stop, that way it will create more open 3s and they can lob to Howard or T Jones rolling to the basket. On defense McHale needs to take a page from Popovich, if a player is playing with little effort on the defensive end send him to the bench even if it is a star. Harden should not be playing 38-39 minutes a game on nights he is playing zero defense, this would send a message to him and the whole team that a lack of effort on the defensive end will not be tolerated. If McHale can't get his star to play defense then a coaching change is needed.
You are on to something here. The Rockets may have to take a page from NFL offenses and take whatever the defenses give them and exploit those weaknesses. Take the best shot available, whether it be a 3 or 2 point shot. Also, supreme emphasis on defense which will eventually lead to better offensive opportunities. The season is young and thus salvageable, but it must start NOW.
