My take is that is too bad Dwight may have finally learned that he is a dunker and a defensive center who can be quite valuable if he does not insist on post touches that mainly lead to missed shots, turnovers and missed free throws. We should have used the hack a Dwight to slow their rally and take the ball out of the insanely hot Hardaway's hands.
Please, please, PLEASE tell me you aren't in any way referring to the play he blatantly fouled harden which should've resulted in two free throws. PLEASE
We gave up 58 points in the paint. That's 29 unsuccessful defensive possessions in the paint. ATL went 29/41 (71%) in the paint. They were extremely efficient in large volume against us inside. ATL gave up 38 points in the paint. That's 19 possessions. But they made us burn 38 possessions for those points in the paint. We missed 19 shots in the paint. Say what you want, believe what you want. Last time I checked ATL was top 5 in opponents points in the paint. While we are rattling around bottom 3 in opponents points given up in the paint. And that speaks to who Howard is and who Capela is. I've already told you this a dozen times. But I'll repeat it again. Capela does not process the game fast enough. He's too slow in his defensive responses on the interior. And that's simply not going to change. He's a great kid I'm sure. But he's never going to be a 5 that protects the rim and paint and is a menace to opponents even coming in the paint.....like Dwight and others are. Capela should have already been traded. He's losing trade value with every game.
I did not get why MDA didn't use that strategy. Surely, most coaches would have when he was with the Rockets.
Capela was great last night, Howard had a great game too. This is how we got ****ed in the paint, everytime Clint helped absolutely no attempt was made by any other Rocket to pick up his man or go for the rebound. It was happening clear as day over and over and over. Rockets perimeter defense was ****, our big man rebounding outside of Capela is ****, Rockets D too shitty to switch when Capela was justly helping off his man. Over and over Capela got blocks, contested shots, cut of drives, helping off his man just to see Howard get a easy assisted bucket or offensive rebound and put back. Howard couldn't fix the Rockets D by his self and its silly to expect Capela to. Need a PF who can rebound. Need better perimeter defense. Need a backup C who can rebound when Clint sits.
He is balling on the level of two HOF big men in Lamarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol, at 22 years old. Impressive.
