Lineups, Matchups & the McHale Substitution Pattern

not playing a true center in the second half of these past 2 games particularly in the 4th quarter cost us..where is dalembert?? why is he averaging 7mpg??

 

Dally/Camby has to play in 4th quarter. Last 2 games. No center at the 4th quarter.

 

Actually the Game vs the Jazz we made a comeback when he when to a small line up.

Today they did the same once they got the small lineup they made the comeback.

Rockets outscore the Jazz and Suns in the 4th quarter all with the small line up.

This is more about making shoots and the tow centers wont provided that.

8-39 from 3 last 2 games that is your answer.

 

Fixed

 

It's not like McHale doesn't like big men.

 

well, Camby also didn't show up in the 3rd q this game (16 pt swing), but he played the whole quarter.

what's your point?

 

McHale looks depressed in the press conference, so please do not blame these games on him. Yes, I agree with the statement there should be a big out there 90% of the times but Dalembert was horrible and Camby ran out of gas + small line-up brought us back so I can see why they decided to stay small though I would've just thrown Camby out there for sure.

Also, I hope it's not Lowry coming back that is having an affect on Dragic but I'm afraid it is. Earlier in the year the two worked well together on the court but then the rotation was pretty much set and they had a role. Now, it's not sure whose team it is and perhaps behind closed doors Kyle is indicating now that he's back, it's his team.

I definitely do not like how minutes are distributed with Camby playing full quarters, that might have something to do with him not coming back in the 4th, he was tired and I think Dalembert is going down the wrong road fast. He didn't see the court besides that little 4-5 mins spurt. I don't know what's going on but it seems the guy is pouting over losing his starting job.

I did like how tonight he didn't hesitate to take Parsons out for Budinger although both were stinking the place up, Chandler was really terrible, not the player we know. Scola was working hard and even though not playing too well, McHale was right for letting him play. Patterson was terrible outside of the two shots in the 1st half.

Lee was forcing things tonight so that's why I understand Lowry & Dragic were put on the court together. This is again where not signing a back-up SG is hurting us. With the way our guards were playing, to me, it was stupid not to even give Boykins a shot. The guy is a veteran and knows how to play and which shots to take.

Our players fail more often than our coaching staff and they force McHale's hand to keep em on the bench.

 

three point shot isn't going in for anyone in the rotation, so there is the rotation problem. I did think the daly lama should have given camby a breather but it is what it is. We lost and moved up in the standings. Those shots will fall they just got weather the storm.

 

Agree with OP,but Morris cannot help at the 3 this season. He is a tweener,who's strength is posting up. He is weak in all other areas.

 

My only beef with the FO is at the ASB they did not go out to get players who could help us.

Spurs went out and got Patty Mills, Boris Diaw. While we got Fortson, Boykins, Thomas and Simpson. So we have no one to give us a lift. Is the FO so cheapskate? I actually posted that in another blog at that time.

I actually think JHill could help now (not as the 5) but as someone who could guard guys like Dirk etc. and TWill (or any serviceable SG) could provide scoring when everyone is cold.

 

I dont think you can look at the last two games as proof the small lineup worked. Those two teams had big leads and seemed to play not to lose then to go for the kill. Looked like the Suns slowed their offense down in the fourth when Nash came in for Telfair

 

We made the mistake of playing an aging PF who is soft at C.

 

But when you missing shots, having a 7 footer who can consistently get you some offensive rebounds can turn the game around. The only reason the Rockets were in the game at halftime was because Camby was doing just that.

While Dalembert has no doubt been inconsistent, you don't know if you have Jekyll or Hyde unless he actually plays.

Um, they went out and got Camby. Who without him they probably would not still be in the playoff hunt.

Also servicable players who CAN CHOOSE where they want to go, often pick contenders instead of teams fighting to get into the playoffs.

 

He makes a ton of mistakes, he left Camby in too long in first half, amd he had nothing in second half because of it, Dally cant get going withoutconsistent PT, and Scola should NEVER play the 5

DD

 

camby was making plays all over the court in the 1st quarter and looked absolutely gassed. mchale has got to see that and let the old man catch his breath.

 

A mini comeback doesn't matter if the can't get no defensive stops! When they are constantly making layups during 4 that's a problem...

 

When McHale played with the Celtics in the 80's, Bird always play ~38+ mpg. While Parrish, McHale, Ainge, Dennis Johnson all regularly played 31-38 mpg as well. That is what they did.

Even today, the superstars play 35+ minutes, and while they my coast for small parts of the game, they still play like superstars. That is what typically makes them so much better than the other players. They can still make the amazing plays and clutch shots when playing 35+ minutes and tired and hurt.

Don't believe me look at the first page: Deng, Love, Durant, Bryant, Howard, James, Gay, Gasol, Gasol, Lee, Rondo, Wall, Williams, Ellis, Paul, Aldridge, Griffin, Johnson, Wallace, Smith, etc.

Overwhelmingly, it is stars. Some PG on teams who have no one else. Maybe a big who is not truly a star but definitely borderline.

McHale even coached the T-wolves as such where Garnett played 38 mpg and then Al Jefferson/Randy Foye played 35 mpg+.

Now take a look this years Rockets: Lowry was at 35.4 while starting and Dragic has been at 37 as a starter. Martin 31, Scola 31, & Lee 29 are the highest without having to look deeper. Even last year under Adelman, no one played more than 35 minutes a game.

We all as fans keep saying that McHale is running our best players into the ground and tiring them out, when if you look at other teams and history, the best players played these number of minutes regularly.

If anything, the fact that the current Rockets best players cannot maintain their levels of performance with these levels of minutes is more of an indicator that they are just not at that level to be looked at as stars or depended on as such.

Does that mean McHale should adjust to his team? M

Maybe, but how do you teach an old dog new tricks.

Also if we truly trying to see if players like Lowry/Dragic, etc. can rise to be borderline or 2nd tier stars, maybe sticking them out there for these levels of minutes is way to gauge that.

 

The only thing I don't understand is why he keeps posting up Patterson late in the game. I love the kid but he has no post game. Can't McHale, being one of the best post players ever, tell?

Okay, if you want to let the kid learn, at least do it earlier in the game. Don't do mad scientist experiments when we need to buy a basket to save our life! Pat's game is the midrange jumper. Let him be the roller in PnR. He's pretty smart at picking the right spot.

 

While McHale might have a few set plays, it seems that he has more of an offensive philosophy of guidelines. Pick in roll in these situations, you go down and get position if blank has it pass it to him, etc. Sort of like organized chaos or organized pick-up basketball.

When your best player right now is player like Dragic who needs that freedom to create and make plays, you also end up with situations where Patterson gets good position or up with ball with a winding clock, and him needing or having to take a shot.