Mistakes that we see over and over that can be corrected

3. Coaching -- Set up some picks to free Harden near the 3pt line, so when he get the ball, he can either shoot, or drive straight to the hoop. So far, too many times, James either brought the ball up, or receive the ball near half court. Considering the minute he has been playing, and the load he is expected to carry, the team ought to get him some easier baskets.

 

Harden playing superman going up against 3+ defenders to the basket.

 

4. When Omer Asik gets the ball near the basket he very frequently goes up and under the basket to protect the ball from being blocked. He shouldn't assume that the rest of the league can block shots like he can. He needs to go strong to the front side of the rim.

 

Someone said that in the very first post. Nice attempt to be one of the group though. Maybe you should just start a thread.

 

point guards too much help inside, leaving shooter wide open. if they're going to drop 40 on ppat or asik so be it.

PF not boxing out.

 

Yeah I don't understand why Lin/TD always help double on just about every play. Most likely refs are going to call reach in fouls or their man will get a wide open look. Asik seems capable of defending the paint.

 

Giving Toney Douglas minutes

 

#5 - Shooting the 3. When your team average is under 30% from 30 feet out, pick and roll offense or simple drive and cuts can work wonders.

 

Must be what the coach wants them to do.

 

The problem is that we don't have any spot up shooters. The paint is always clogged but we're still attacking the rim.

 

Is the reason he is averaging about 9 free throws a game. I'd rather he take it to the hoop than jack up a 3

 

If only one of them doing it, you can say it is their style. If both of them do it, you bet that is what the coach wants them to do.

 

Help defense is a necessary element to prevent the other team from scoring too easily. There are a handful of players in the association whom you just can't guard one-on-one. Even defensive specialist like Battier needs help sometimes.

I'll take my chance with a 30-foot j over a 3-foot hookshot anyday of the week.

Our biggest problem on defense is the second chance points. Our bigs get killed on the board. How I wish we still had Chuck Hayes.

 

When Lin played with the Knicks, he tried about 15 alley-oop passes. I don't recall him botching one. Not one. When he botched a couple with the Rockets, those were the first times I've seen him mess up with these passes.

Alley oop plays in half court require a screen for the finisher. The Rockets don't set screens, so the play is never there. I think Lin hasn't realized that the screens weren't being set away from the ball. And because his success rate last season was off the charts, he thought the play would still be there, in spite of this fundamental deficiency.

Once again, the lack of screens is the root problem. The only difference is the screens being on the player defending the ball.

I'm certain the Rockets are dead last in the NBA in screens set. Asik sets poor ones, the other starters hardly ever set screens. This is the biggest problem on the entire team, in my humble opinion. (Most of Harden's pick and rolls have taken place with bench players.)

 

I don't know about McHale, but I think Sampson doesn't even realize the importance of screens in regard to the overall effectiveness of the offense. (Even Kobe Bryant explicitly states this. "Screens and spacing.") I think for this reason alone, he should be dumped, and dumped right now.

 

To Asik: Throw it down big man!

 

You don't help on practically every play and on just about every player like the Rockets are doing. Most decent NBA player should be able to hit a wide open mid range jumper. The post player has to prove that he can score inside before you consider doubling him often.

 

I think they do this so Asik doesn't foul out of the game.

 

As a Knicks fan, you do realize that Knicks have much better finishers around the rim than the current crop of Houston players.

Asik is not that mobile and can't make up for Lin's mistakes like Tyson Chandler could. Houston also doesn't have a shooter of Novak's caliber who can force the defense to open up the paint area.

As a result, Lin doesn't have that many opportunities to try these alley-oops. It's not dictated by the coach if that's where you are going with your argument.