Versatility is important. The fundamental flaw with MDA and Morey is that when they find a new cute strategy, they spam it to oblivion with zero leeway to try something different in the middle of a game where said cute strategy isn't working. There is zero versatility with this Rockets team.
YOU are a basketball player? Are you sure you are not talking about your co-worker? And when have the Lakers stopped small ball?
Hopefully its gone ASAP. It makes no point to play small ball if we ain't scoring and punishing the other team for playing a big.
Small ball kinda sorta beat Minnesota back in 2018. Capeala's 11,15,16, and 17 rebound game helped alittle bit too though.
Yeah i watched that series. you should know better than to say that the Center position was the most important one. it really wasn't. the back court of GSW, Dray, and stacks of versatile small forwards are the true strength of that roster.
Just like Capela wasn’t our most important player, but definitely a key cog in the process (such as when he had five 20+ rebound games in a row last year).
Yep. It's more than just a coach or a philosophy right now. It's how the roster is built. Just getting a new head coach doesn't change the roster. So, if they didn't want to play small ball...what other choice would they have? Tell some players to hurry up and grow taller?
Yep. Name one center in the league today who is likely headed to the HoF? Or who is likely to play in multiple all star games in the new format? The format alone indicates the dearth of centers...they took away 'center' as an all star spot. They wouldn't have done that if there were a bunch of all star caliber centers out there.
Versatility is important, I agree. But that starts with financial flexibility. We have none. The main cogs in todays team are very expensive vets. Once upon a time, we used to build via the draft. John Lucas (1976) Robert Reid (1977) Ralph Sampson (1983) Rodney McCray (1983) Hakeem Olajuwon (1984) Robert Horry (1992) Sam Cassell (1993) Yao Ming (2002) Now, our draft picks go to other teams.
Isiah Hartenstein could handle the job amicably . The one time MDA started him he had a double double and 17 rebounds. How many double doubles has Tucker had this year?
Keep in mind that I think Hartenstein is not a great player, just a stopgap solution to getting our arses kicked by subpar teams (like the last 4/5 games).
Rockets aren’t playing any non shooting 5 as long as Westbrook is on the team. There’s not modern NBA space in the offense to have 2 non shooters. They also aren’t spending 20+ million a year on a center anytime soon.
Defense wins series. I dont remember pathetic defensive teams like rockets winning a jack... throw midgetism with no rebounds and hero ball on top of that... not suprise its unwatchable
30 percent big ball and 70 percent small ball. Small ball is good for chasing point, if other teams know how to play, it is a loophole
Westbrook off the ball scoring has always led to three point 'and 1' opportunities either for himself or teammates. Westbrook had the 41 point Lakers game and 41 point Celtics games on 2/29. Westbrook was hitting on all cylinders before covid-19 for sure as was danuel house.
His off the ball scoring still only works if he has that lane to make someone out of position pay with a drive. If 2 defenders are zoning bc he also has a non shooting teammate it plummets in efficiency. Westbrook is such a freak of nature he basically is playing the role of the rim running big on offense for the Rockets.
The term 'filling the lane' used to be cliche yet Westbrook makes it look easy because Westbrook is very quick. Yeah Westbrook is what ? 6'4'' yet fills the lane with quickness and anticipation. Westbrook wasn't really forcing shots or even settling. Westbrook was key in that overtime game against Celtics especially after Tatum had recently hit the Lakers for 41 points in that primetime Sunday game against Lakers.
