4-5 Pick and Roll

Perhaps it's a bit premature to start thinking about on-court strategy, but when thinking about the new incoming rookies on the roster I was struck by how the Rockets might easily incorporate a nearly extinct play into their offense.

It is very rare that you see pick and roll action between two bigs anymore, primarily because of the abundance of great PGs in the league combined with the relative lack of big men who are comfortable handling the ball on the perimeter.

While it's obviously not ideal, I fully expect Scola and Motiejunas to be used heavily at the 5 spot next year. From everything I've seen, these two will be outstanding screeners, capable of popping out for a 17 footer, as well as possessing soft hands to catch and finish on a roll to the bucket. If you combine them with Mook, White and Jones, all guys who are comfortable handling the ball on the perimeter and possess decent to outstanding court vision, you have a play that very few teams in the NBA can guard effectively. It would be an excellent counter to oversized 4s like Z-Bo, Gasol and Dirk, or the OKC lineup of Perkins/Ibaka. Subsequently, if the other team chose to go small, like using LeBron or Durant or Granger at the 4, you could exploit the matchup by posting them up; Morris, Jones and White all showed decent competency at bullying smaller defenders in college.

Using the two big men in a P&R outside the key would also mesh quite nicely with the remainder of the roster. It would greatly lessen the burden put on Dragic to singlehandedly create offense, and allow Parsons, Lee and Lamb to spot up for 3 point kickouts. It would also have the added benefit that it would place the opposing frontcourt out of rebounding position. One of the things that the Rockets have favored in their recent player evaluations has been excellent rebounding from their guards and wings; I would anticipate quite a few tip slams coming from the tag team of Lee and Parsons.

Thoughts? I'm not at all suggesting that this is what the Rockets intended to do tonight; I think it's patently obvious that the entire organization from Les on down is incredibly disappointed at the lack of a trade. But right now, I'd love to talk about real basketball rather than assets, firings and team direction and philosophy.

 

Terrence Jones is a sneaky good shotblocker; I really do think there's a very good chance he pulls a Chandler Parsons on us and breaks into the rotation before Royce White or Morris, because he's going to be extremely effective without the ball in his hands, and if he plays motivated, he'll make a ton of little plays defensively. Also, this roster is also shaping up to be a very solid one defensively on the perimeter; Shaun Livingston is by all accounts above average, and subtracting Budinger and Martin can only help.

If anyone read Bill Simmons' draft diary this morning, he's of the opinion that the Finals showed the true evolution of the NBA; mobile big men who can hedge the pick and roll and trap are more important than the traditional paint-clogger. For better or worse, the Rockets are going to be FORCED to play this way next year...