[Graphics] Fatigue and weak bench cost us this 1st lost, case closed.

Can you explain to me what I'm looking at?

 

Case reopen: Add bad coaching!

 

So Portland wasn't fatigued either after also playing a back to back against OKC no less?

 

We have guys on the bench we could try out. It's a little early in the season to be running a short rotation.

It's also true that if we hadn't waived Livingston, we wouldn't have any problems whatsoever at the pg spot. Unlike Machado, he is a vet so McHale wouldn't have an inherent excuse not to play him.

 

They have a larger rotation, so no not as much.

 

JCDenton?

 

well, mcfail is mcfail

 

I agree with the fatigue part... at one point in the 3rd, Harden looked like he was about to fall over, and I was yelling at the screen for McHale to sub him till the 4th.

 

Harden, if he's going to be a elite player will have to play 35+ mpg.

No doubt. All of the best players do.

I think it's just a conditioning thing, he used to be a bench player and going from that to a starter AND the extra minutes is a lot.

Still a b2b is tough, McHale like how other coaches do...should have saved Harden for the 4th quarter instead of riding him so hard.

 

there is a big difference from 35 + to 40 + especially in back to backs. could be that Mc thought well we have four days, they'll recover.

 

You have to realize that the Blazers have much better defenders at the SG and SF positions than the Pistons and Hawks. So they were able to contain Harden and pull out the win.

Really, McHale's poor game adjustments cost us the win.

 

Oh certainly.

I just hear some people say "Can't play Harden all these minutes." and well the fact is the elite tier 1 superstar players DO play all these minutes. Hopefully Harden can handle all the minutes and hopefully McHale will realize that having your superstar fresh to close off games is vitally important.

 

That's what I immediately thought when I saw that graph.

 

they just need practice time to figure out rotations and plays and rest woouldnt hurt either they will get it together wed we'll see better results (i hope)

 

The lack of practices due to the late trade, the offense is very predictable with the limited plays that we run (pnr and iso). These three days will be crucial to help the coaches prepare a better gameplan. However, the bench play needs to improve for us to win games either by playing rookies or the players getting better.

 

Some of you guys want to make excuses. Fact of the matter is that Portland was on the back end of a back to back also.

The main reason we lost this game comes down to this number. 3


3 as in the number of people you cant have to count on in the Rockets starting rotation to not get sagged off of to double the only 2 offensive threats on the team to score the ball.

Omer Asik has done a terrific job rebounding the ball, and playing protect the rim basbetball (for the most part, though I have been seeing some bad rotations, and he does like to fall for the ball fake.) he flubbed enough layups to get most players benched for a long time.

On the offensive side of the ball it goes like this.

1. Ball Hardens hand, high pick and roll with ZERO shot of the roller (usually Asik) being any threat to receive the ball and finish, so a drive or 3 from Harden or.

2. Ball in Lin's hand drive with a kick out for a 3 attempt.

Thats it. Sums up the whole of the Rockets offensive strategy.

Yes M Morris had a good game against the Hawks, but this is the NBA and beating a depleted Hawks team and Detroit isn't saying much. Teams will figure out (sorry they already have) that Asik, Parsons, and P Pat/Morris deserve no respect on the offensive side. So you rotate all your help D to Lin and Harden and let them get theirs.

At very least Asik is hitting the boards, and playing decent D for his position. So his liability is somewhat offset. Except when you figure out just how many blown layups cost the team.

But Parsons, and P Pat/Morris combined with Asiks offensive liability is just too much to try and overcome.

 

Quoted for truth. Teams will really pack the paint with Harden and Lin now. The lack of a good three point scorer or a person who can score in the post will mean this team is going to struggle on most nights. I still hope Morey will make a trade before the deadline and add a player who can score in the post.