Yep it's the ignorance and stubborn mindset of our coaches to continue to think they could beat the best small ball team of all time ... If the Rockets matched up and went small with much less talented role players.... Just complete ignorance and stubborn arrogance that got this team defeated before they even stepped on the court. I honestly think that's one reason why the Rockets had some success last year. They just didn't know any better and literally thought they were great at everything they really aren't even good at and the stars aligned and the Clippers allowed them to comeback in a series they shouldn't have been winning. But the Warriors aren't a team that's going to let themselves get beat. Trying to turn the game into a street ball pickup game feeds right into their hands and anyone whose watched 3 seconds of Warriors bball should know better. Honestly I'm a DMo fan but the best lineup we've had all season imo and a lineup they should have used is the Capela/Dwight front line. I like DMo as the offensive big in small lineups. He's a 5 whose not physically there yet to start as a 5 in the NBA. Right now he'd be great utilized as the 5 in small lineups imo.
I am in total agreement about the coaching part. The roster has flaws, but better coaching could have made some difference in the outcome to this season.
You know what else, Draymond Green fouls every single time on that low post - he has 2 hands in the back of DMo - that is a foul. If the Rockets aren't making a video and sending it into the league - they are idiots. DD
I am not of the opinion that either the coaches or Morey REALLY think we can beat the Dubs. They say it on Twitter to feed us, the consumers, social media propaganda and pay lip service. And homers here really believed before the game that we can stage an upset. We are lucky if we can win 1 game or 2 games. GSW is really that good of a team. They can only destroy themselves like the Clippers last year but in a more monumental fashion. And they are not going to go all out against our inconsistent shooting and defending team. I hope Dmo does well though.
To be fair I thought that McHale was a crappy coach who did a surprisingly good job last year. The year before he could have been fired just for not having his team execute the Lillard dagger game winner. I was okay keeping McHale even as a bad coach if he had the ear of the players and the system worked. Here's the thing though... Now the system doesn't work because the NBA has caught up to the scheme. It's easy to defend a predictable team and it doesn't take a genius to know that teams that play this style for whatever reason have always had issues with transition defense. As Hinkie noted in his manifesto a week ago, knowing when to zig when other teams zag can be the difference in this league. Morey, and his coaches have lost their edge. So to me the coaching is one thing... It's been bad for sometime but the system made up for it(a system where good coaches might not have agreed to run). Now the system is broken. I'm a Morey fan but if he's too stubborn to realize his system is broken and won't make changes to again zig when other teams zag... I would say he's gotta go. I have to believe that Morey has enough humility to understand and adjust (and hopefully put the basketball in the hands of a competent coach and try to get out of the way).
Morey's system isn't all threes - it just limits low % midrange. I'm too lazy to look it up, but I wonder if we get as many points in the paint. Say what you will about Lin & Chandler, but they did take it to the rim more & more effectively than Beverley & especially Ariza. Dwight was more involved in the offense back then as well. I was really disappointed Lawson did not work out. I feel like he sh#t the Rockets bed so bad.
Yep, and some of us knew that losing Parsons was going to bite us in the butt. This team is flawed, Morey went for a cheaper option and we the fans are paying for his decisions. DD
You know what DD, welcome to the playoffs brother. This basketball team has been broken since the first half of the season, what were seeing now should have been completely expected. You would think GS is going to want to end this series in a clean sweep to get Curry some rest for his ankle ect.
Good points and counter. However is there anyone here that when watching the games doesn't know exactly what they are going to do every play, and the ball movement that has one purpose ... To get a 3 point shot. As you mentioned, having Lin and Parsons made a huge difference but I think instead of mixing up their offense with different sets (can I get some horns please), they doubled down on their three point focused offense. You make some good points about personnel though and the Lawson disappointment.
That's true but it has more to do with the poor implementation of the "take good shots" philosophy called "Moreyball" than it does anything else. If the Rockets had even halfway competent coaching things would likely look different.
Yes, what bothers me the most is when the Rockets do nothing to create an OPEN three. There is supposed to be a drive and then a dish. A post up and then a dish. The championship Rockets teams relied on the three a lot - but they were OPEN - they dumped it to Hakeem to get the double team first. 1) I hate when they just pass it around the perimeter some & then jack up a contested three. 2) I hate when they drive, dish, and have an open three - but that shooter is mutha f*kin' Corey Brewer!!!! haha
I think you are being unfair. No top coach was going to take over the team in the middle of the season. It's not like JBB was anointed the head coach moving forward. Thinking back, McHale was selected to work with Sampson on a rebuilding team. That coaching hire was fine. McHale's teams were productive. I do think that the loss of Kelvin Sampson took a lot away from the team. Anyway, I don't think there is any question that Bickerstaff is gone after the season. Would anybody want Sampson back as a head coach should Thibs go to another team?
Well, I am with you and everybody else. Brewer is worthless now. I actually was against trading for him last year. But then he played so well for us that I was OK with re-signing him. Now, I wish we had tried for Aaron Afflalo at the same price, even though he has regressed on defense quite a bit. Unlike a lot of people, I do not think we need a bunch of knockdown 3 point shooters. It is very difficult to afford a few lineups of 3&D guys these days. But you are supposed to be good at one or the other- offense or defense. We are supposed to have a bunch of long, disruptive, strong defenders who are average at shooting the three. Problem is we totally suck at defense. Either the coaching sucks terribly or these guys' strengths are not legit strengths.
Too bad he's an easy target to get picked on. He got flagrant 2 a couple times. There's an elbow to the back of Dmo's head and smirk on Bogut's face, never mind the Greene throw down.
People forget that Mad Max was not a good three point shooter. When he was leading the league in three point attempts, he was only shooting the three at 30%. The idea is even if you are shooting just 34-35% from three as a team, you're more efficient than you would be if you were shooting a lot from long midrange - just look at the %'s from that range. We all know this already. We need good defenders who are average at three. Not three point specialists who will get torched on D. Now, unfortunately, we have bad defense with below average 3 point shooting. So it's a work in progress. hehe
