If you were given the chance to be the Rockets' head coach for one practice and one game, what changes would you make and why?
I'd give Terrence Jones more of Pat Pat's minutes. Tjones can hit the jumpshot like PP but adds a toughness and physicality aspect to the game that Patterson does not.
Have them all dress up as Clutch the mascot, so that no one on the opposing team could tell who's who.
I would call off practice and give all our starters rest and sit them for the game. In other words, WWPD. What Would Popovich Do? After all, what could I possibly do to help as a one-day coach. The players would love me for it, and I'd go out to the clubs with them after the game. I'd hire Illegal Machine as an "assistant coach" for a day, and have him bring all his photography equipment to get ton of pictures to post here. Note: I'm serious about this: I would rest the starters for a game.
I'd call off the practice for the starters, but let them know that I need a W in return. Not the individual stats, but a team W.
I would actually try to run some plays instead of having guys out there play the weave and eventually take their man 1-on-1.
1)Try to do something unconventional and something McHale might actually like: PLAY BIG! So a line-up of Harden, Parsons, Morris, Smith & Asik for a good 4-5 minutes at the end of the first half. See if it works. If it does, do it again in the third / fourth. 2) Play Morris at the 2 with Lin in the 2nd quarter and again if it works. Give Smith more minutes 5 and the 4 spot. 3) Instill a rule of more than 2-3 passes per offense before taking a shot unless it's a drive to the basket. Work Harden off the ball and set back-screens for him, he can initiate some offense but not more than Lin. 4) Let Harden work in the post and try to work an inside-out game with Lin / Douglas & Parsons cutting to the basket when he gets double teamed. 5 Play a fast line up of Douglas, Lin, Harden, Morris & Jones the last 2 minutes of the 1st. If it works, do it again before half-time and maybe at the end of the 3rd or beginning of the 4th.
I'd let Lin be the primary ball handler/creator and have Harden spot up. I'd run more off the ball screens for Harden ala Reggie Miller or Rip Hamilton. Essentially, i'd let Lin be Lin and design more plays to provide easier looks for Harden. I would still run Harden pick and rolls and iso's but prefer him spotting up more than Jeremy.
Give parsons some run at the 2 spot with Morris at the 3 so we can play harden less than 5000 minutes per game
Definitely agree. Team still needs to learn plays the coaches are trying to teach them. Anything else would be counter productive no matter how good a coach is.
Lin/Douglas Harden/Delfino/Cook Parsons/Patterson Jones/Dmo Asik/Smith thats what my line up would look like
Work on transition defense. Recall Machado (since he's a great passer) from D-League and pit the bench against the starters in emulated fast breaks after fast breaks after fast breaks.
