Next game who start for Houston. The most likely scenario is JBB will start Jet but he most likely gets lit up by Livingston in the post. Jet - Can spread the floor but defensibly he suck KJ - Brings energy and defense but can't handle the ball and will not spread the floor because GS won't respect his outside shoot. Brewer - Will be better defensibly than Terry but you know the rest. Go BIG with Beasley - Pros, can rebound, instant offense can shoot mid range & some 3 pointer and can get away with defending Livingston because he doesn't shoot anything outside 6 feet. Cons, will hurt ball movement because he is a bit of a black hole. Go BIG with Josh Smith. Pros, can handles, help protect the paint rebound and pass (Point forward) and can get away with defending Livingston because he doesn't shoot anything outside 6 feet. Cons he will be let open every time so if he can make the 3 great if not... Can Andrew Goudelock play in the post season? - No idea how will he do but he will also get lit by Livingston. Whats your preferred SL
Its not like this team can play D, having Aaron Brooks would have been a big help. Dude would have knocked down at least 3-4 threes today. Dork Elvis is always too busy trading cards though.
Can't believe I'm saying this but...I agree here. It's time to just let Harden be the point guard and try to get the five best players on the floor. Harden can handle and pass well enough and Livingston is actually a decent matchup for him defensively...Livingston wears out smaller point guards but Harden might actually challenge that.
This is not even an odd idea. This is how the Rockets need to build the roster around Harden. HE IS THE POINT GUARD. Get him a real true SG (and offensive minded front court and SF) that can finish all his brilliant playmaking
As Blaster_333 alludes to, the problem with Harden playing point guard full-time lies mostly on the defensive end. Unless he quickens his feet significantly defensively, point guards are going to get past him at will. That's a problem when wings do it, but it's a bigger problem when the opposing team's best play-maker does it. Against a wing, you can have Howard or whoever rotate and try to snuff it and hope that wing can't find the open man. Against a point guard, collapsing the defense is just asking to be carved up by passing for open threes.
In this case Livingston is not a typical quick small PG. you can got under every screen you can switch with bigs because they can just dare him to take the long jumper. You will get better results putting a Big on Livingston than a Big on Speights.
Yeah, that's what I said above...Livingston is a pretty decent matchup for Harden. Livingston's best weapon is posting up smaller point guards, but Harden has the size and strength to take that away.
But you can put Ariza on the better ones. Also Livingston is not a super quick PG, Livingston is actually bigger and slower than Harden and they have no problem starting him or bringing him as a backup point guard from a elite defensive team. Can Harden be worse that old Terry defensibly?
Start KJ alongside Harden and see if his length can bother Livingston. Bring Terry off the bench and have him guard Barbosa, or Clark, which should be an easier defensive assignment than Livingston. At least they don't have the size advantage to continue abusing him in the post.
Pretty much...sadly. KJ should get the start, even Goldie, but yeah, probably one between Terry and Brew is goin to start, apparently JB is the first one who wants out.
I mean, even an average coach should understand that you cannot play a 40 year old man who can't literally guard anyone in a series like this...i'm still shocked that Jet played so many minutes and key moments yesterday, same with Brewer.
