Lately it is like a layup line in there, we have almost zero rim protection. Last night the first half, we just let them in and they scored at will - a continuation of a trend these last few weeks. Our bigs don't contest until later in the game - they coast, what has happened? Why don't our bigs play rim protection anymore? Adams, Alpi, KD - all lack defensive intensity at long stretches of the game. If this team wants to be a contender we have to get guys moving their feet at the rim and protecting it. Just last night in the 3rd quarter, Adams finally started challenging shots and we took off, why are we not doing that from the jump? Mind boggling. DD
Steven IS our rim protection - but he's only getting limited minutes... Capela is decent - but getting even fewer minutes.... but thats how you wanted it, right? The double big looks clunky.... gotta get yer boy Reed into the starting lineup.... right? When Reed gets blown by, it breaks down our d... the center steps in front of Reed's guy who then kicks the ball to their open man who the center was defending on the base line... Stuff doesnt happen in a vacuum....
Those weren’t in Reed in the first half… again I think we’re scapegoating him and ignoring a deeper issue
I don't feel like doing that, but I expect if someone did they would find out that the Rockets probably give up a better efficiency near the rim than most teams, but more importantly allow so few shots at the rim that they will enable a lot fewer made shots at the rim than most teams. Rockets' weakness is that they collapse so often, denying rim opportunities, which results in them giving up a lot of 3PAs.
Oh, no, that is not what is happening at all, they aren't even stepping up to stop the ball, we aren't building a wall around our basket....as an example Reed wasn't even starting last night so let's at least put up an honest take. DD
You know, you raise an interesting point. Our overall defense has been really solid - we are currently second in defensive rating. However, when looking at DFG% at shots less than six feet from the rim, the Rockets are bottom 10. https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/defense-dash-lt6?dir=A&sort=LT_06_PCT
Just for starters. Exactly, we don't defend the paint well at all From AI: Opponent Points in the Paint: The Rockets tend to allow a high volume of opponent points in the paint per game, ranking 28th in the league in one recent measure. DD
Right now we have a lack of depth. Adams will get hurt again if he keeps playing so much. Sengun, Amen, and Reed have all shown signs of fatigue. Amen plays defense all over the floor every game and hits the boards like crazy. He needs Tari or eventually DFS’ energy to give some modicum of a break. Right now the perimeter defense is totally reliant on him and Okogie and both are expending enormous amounts of energy both on that and offensive rebounding. Amen had no lift on a couple of dunks last night. He is either nursing an injury or getting tired. It would help if Durant made more effort in fewer minutes, Okogie got more minutes, and Jabari’s got more consistent with his effort, but mostly we need Tari and/or DFS.
Did u only want to reference last night? Bc u said "a continuation of a trend these last few weeks." The bottom line is, that without Steven on the floor (with the limited exception of CC) we are often soft... We constantly go for steals... when it works - great... otherwise the whole D breaks down on the blow-by... i aint ragging on Sengun or Reed... it is what it is... they are who they are... but that's why we need Steven on the court to offset their limitations... but when "people" wanna say things like "It's ok that someone is a defensive liability bc we need the scoring..." thats part of the equation... OK, then we need Steven out there... "No, I dont like the double big... our offense isnt flowing..." lol!
Kind of to be expected. A lot of East teams give up a ton of penetration, but go for blocks, which leads to fouls or missed shots via blocks (both tend to help defensive rim efficiency). When Rockets have a blown assignment, it can lead to a very easy layup, but the Rockets, besides Reed, don't typically give up penetration as easily as a lot of teams, especially the East.
So, we would be undefeated if we defended at the rim better? Rather than this middling 14-5? After watching us score at will inside on the Kings, I'm not sure I'm worried about the Rockets.
The double bigs is not the answer. We play more zone when the double bigs are on the floor and get pummeled with offensive boards and 3 pointers. We simply have to get better at perimeter defense. Reed and Holiday are not there yet on the defensive end. It is one of the reasons we are 12-1 when Okogie starts, although that is not the whole problem. Reed did get blown by too many times last game, but he has stopped gambling as much and his defense is slowly progressing. The stock numbers are good, but it does negatively affects our team defense when he gambles so much. He needs the minutes to address this weakness, but it is a conundrum for Ime, because he will have to sacrifice defense and maybe wins for development. Sheppard is still getting near 30 minutes a game, so Ime is staying with the program for now. Like people say we are still top 10 in defense so there is no reason to panic. Tari and/or DFS’ returning will give our starters a much needed interjection of energy and rest.
For a team with the 2nd rated offense and 4th rated defense we sure do seem to suck at a whole lot of things in the eyes of clutchfans. Udoka is a trash coach, guards can't stay in front of their man, can't defend at the rim either, Durant is a cancerous ballhog, Amen is just a dunker who should never handle the ball, Sengun is soft, Jabari is a mediocre role player.
Always things to improve on no doubt. But as an overall group there doing very good! Enjoy watching this team, lets hope for when they go into a slump, somebody or someone on the team can shine to pull them out of whatever funk they land into, because you know it will happen, even the best teams go thru it. Maybe this team can keep afloat, and be top 3 team with okc and denver thru the whole season without any huge movement's in the standings!
It won’t be long before an opposing coach takes that info and decides to take every shot at the rim against us. Then the scouting report will exist.
i agree with some of what ur saying... but I disagree that the double bigs is not the answer... bc sometimes it is. Quite frankly, sometimes I do not feel that Sengun provides adequate rim protection on his own... when a team has multiple guys that can take it to the rim with authority - he is overwhelmed... Against smaller line-ups - he's fine... It's all situational... depending on who we are up against... i dont understand what u mean by "pummeled with offensive boards" regarding the double big... thats where the double big excels...
