Do you guys think that the assist numbers Kyle is putting up is partly due to the new system as opposed to the Adelman offense where everybody basically shared the assist load ? I think so because even though he would have some occasional 10+ assist game, under Adelman the center at the high post offense was run quite a lot which is why Hayes and others got there share of assists as well. Adelman's system also allowed Lowry to be more of shooting guard than under McHale where is a point-guard, period. The read and react allows you to have more of a free role so in that sense Lowry is better served where he has to be the assist man. I think you will see a lot more 10+ assist night this year so his assist average will go up dramatically and scoring will probably go down, though net necessarily. Some of you might attribute his early numbers due to a new boost of confidence because he is now the starter since the beginning of the season but I don't see that. He started 71 out of 75 games last year so imo it's the system. I might be wrong, it might just be Lowry improving yet again and really making that step toward an all-star PG. Imo Lowry always had this in him, it was just the system that didn't really need a PG to have many assists on a nightly basis. Please discuss.
Lowry played 40 minutes..I think rockets try to push the ball more under Mchaleoften to get easy fastbreak buckets. It has caused 6 turnovers from the fastbreak passes from Lowry but I think it's a good addition to keep the defense of their toes.
A little bit of both. New offense, new Lowry. I just wonder If Lowry can sustain this effort. He is playing harder than any player I have seen since Moses Malone. I am not joking about that. It is ridiculous...
Usage rate in comparison is 21% vs. 18% last year. While assist% has leaped to 52% vs 27%. It's pretty clear that Lowry is being used more as a facilitator under McHale and he's flourishing as a result.
IMHO it also helps his body, when Lowry was being used as a scorer he had no choice but to shoot mid/long range jumpshots or drive and throw his body around. Now, Lowry can use his passing skills and conserve both his health and stamina.
Most defenders would prefer if Lowry passed, because no defender wants Lowry bulldozing into them when he drives. He hits like a truck
Our offense was better served under Adelman. Who cares what Lowry's individual stats are if we're struggling to score more?
Lowry, be careful! it's a cook book! seriously, this is still like the preseason, everyone is getting used to Mchale's philosophy. They're only going to get better.
I liked Adelman's offense because it didn't require a point guard to dominate the ball. At any given moment, anyone could dish for the assist as long as the players were moving and cutting to the basket. I think it was one of the main reasons why the offense was able to sustain so many injuries in the past. McHale's offense puts the ball in the point guards hands and allow the PG to create for everyone else. My only concern is if an injury happens, the offense won't be the same.
As I said, Kyle's numbers will go way up, but not sure the team will be any better because of it. And that is not a knock on Kyle, but rather the system. I liked Adelman's system it got everyone involved from the jump. This is more of a traditional NBA system, where a PG is in charge, we are lucky we have Kyle to run it. However, one injury and we are screwed because our backups are incapable of playing the same style. I expect Kyle's shooting to suffer a bit, and his assists to go way up, we are now completely a jump shooting team, and we will be dependent upon how Kmart, Luis, Kyle and CBud shoot their jumpers...even Hill and Dally at the elbow.... Essentially we are the same offense as Steve Francis.....only with more of a distributor at the point. Will be interesting to follow. DD
If the team is winning at the same rate as last year, and the new coaching isn't as good, can't we conclude that the players have legitimately gotten better and its not just an empty numbers thing?
Any team that loses their best player is screwed. Lowry is owning so far this year and a big part of that is his presence on defense and ability to create turnovers which I have been most impressed with.
Isn't your logic reversed? With Adelman's offense any key cog being out could be detrimental for the entire team. Because it required 5 players to play off of each other. With McHale's offense, everything runs through Lowry so other players can just be plugged in. So with McHale you only need Lowry to not get injured. With Adelman you have to worry about many players. And the Rockets did have problems winning with injuries. When their high post guy Hayes went out, the Rockets sucked.
