ClutchFans Game Thread: Pacers @ Rockets 3/27/2013

That was my main takeaway. And it happens. In a sense, better to have it happen on a game against a team ahead of you on a night that they're clicking on all cylinders rather than blow a game against a non-playoff team.

The other main thing I noticed was that the Pacers came in well-prepared with a clear strategy. They wanted to get Asik out of the game fast, and focused on getting Hibbert to go hard at him. Guys like Hibbert may loaf on some nights, but they love proving themselves against other centers. Have to give him credit - he thoroughly embarrassed Asik with his scoring and rebounding.

No sense in harping on anyone in particular; Lin, Harden, Parsons, Motiejunas, Asik...they were all awful last night, ranging from "off game" to "worthless liability."

Robinson put in some nice work, but glory be did Smith beast.

On to the next game.

 

Agree

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyingBeagles
This is definitely a serious concern mostly on Parsons' and Harden's minutes.
Are the coaches playing them for too many minutes increasing the chance for future injuries?

Current Top 5 Minutes for the Rockets:
1 James Harden 2655
2 Chandler Parsons 2547
3 Jeremy Lin 2274
4 Omer Asik 2132
5 Carlos Delfino 1523

And this is an excellent TrueHoop article showing how "Heavy Minutes Hurt Title Chances"

In summary, Abbot made an interesting finding that none of the All-Stars (LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Pau Gasol, Blake Griffin, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Chris Bosh) playing >3000 heavy minutes during the regular season won the title in the past 7 years.

Interesting tidbits about insecure coaches and 93-94 Rockets:

"..
Insecure coaches?

Here's a guess as to why coaches play their best players such long minutes: Because they're scared. Scared of lots of things. Scared of losing, scared of looking dumb and -- in an industry where the average job lasts just a few years -- scared of getting fired. The reality is that almost every coach in the NBA is on the hot seat every year. (A notable exception: Popovich.)

Any coach who doesn't feel the heat is oblivious. It makes sense that so many of them essentially fire all of their guns until they are out of ammunition.

That's essentially what Rudy Tomjanovich did in 1993-94. He played Olajuwon a mighty 41 minutes a game, and somehow the center held up for all but two games. The Rockets won their first title, with the top three players playing an average of 35.6 minutes per 82 games -- one of the highest marks in recent history.

The following season, the team was a bit older and more beat up. But Tomjanovich was, by then, a more secure title-winning coach who had every reason to believe his players could turn it on when he wanted them to. No need to rush back from that injury quite so quickly, big fella! The next season the three top Rockets all sat out chunks of the season and averaged just 31.1 minutes per over the season, and nobody played more than 2,853 minutes. The Rockets won the title that season, too.
.."

Is this the case where insecure coaches played them for too many minutes to save their jobs but increasing the risk for future injuries in the process?

Great post

__________________
"We were undefeated till we played Houston. Then we were undefeated at home till we played Houston." knicks fan

 

Lin played well in the 3rd quarter, just one TO, he was benched again for the night. Oh, the game was almost over, coach let him play a few more minutes of garbage time, to show the fans he let Lin play the critical time. LOL

 

Bacon taste good.

 

Every time Harden gets player of the week, he will play like crap(comparing to his own standards) in the following games, and so does the whole rockets team, I knew this is coming. I expect rockets lose a couple of more games and bounce back later

 

Wow, some of you guys are over analyzing this loss. Indiana is a tough, fast, relatively young defensive team with a smart defensive coach. What do you think their game plan was against a Houston rockets team which only has only two real offensive game plans: 1. guard play or 2. Shoot the three?

Chances are, their goals were to simply stop our guards (Harden/Lin/Bev were all nuetralized) and close out on the three pointers (6/21 for the night) - that's the winning formula against the rockets.

If anything, I'm more annoyed that we have 0 post up presence and an abysmal mid range game. This run and gun offensive is fun to watch, but FFS, it's ok to slow it down once in awhile.

 

I don't think it's the coaching staff that much. When Beverly plays next to Harden, he's taking it to the hoop and looking for his shot.

I doubt McHale told Beverly he had the greenlight and that Lin didn't.

And honestly, if Lin went out 1 game and was aggressive and put up 20 shots, and the coaching staff complained and Lin went to Les Alexander there wouldn't be an issue anymore.

Look, point is he's not being aggressive. Anyone watching could see this. He took it to the hole and finished strong once on an And1. The rest of the time he just passes off once he's at the hoop like Rondo does because Rondo doesn't want to get fouled and sent to the line in the 4th. Except Lin's not dishing to Kevin Garnett down low or Bass in the high post for a jumper. He's dishing to Asik who could fumble it half the time under pressure or Greg Smith who either gets a great dunk or completely blows the play.

Lin brings up the ball. He could ask for a pick or take it to the hole - Beverly does it. If Harden had an issue, he could point to his 6 for 24 shooting and go "No, I'm taking it." But he doesn't, it's almost as if he doesn't want anymore Linsanity comparisons. It's sad, instead of playing like he can and we've seen him play during his great games this season (like a Tim Hardaway), he's playing like Luke Ridnour.

Lin/Harden/Parsons could be a young version of Run TMC - and that would be scary come playoff time. Not unless Lin starts taking charge of his own offense more though.

They didn't want George to heatup. Like Mashburn, he scores in a variety of ways not just shooting, but they did a great job of keeping out of the lane.

There's not much you can do with Hibbert, Asik's one of the best 1 on 1 matchups against him in the NBA. In those situations where you have a capable 1 on 1 defender, I completely disagree with double-teams down low due to giving up the 3.

Indiana's looking really great. Like the Memphis of the East, except George fits in way better than Gay did. Like I said, if they can get Granger back in any capacity coming off the bench come playoff time they'll be deadly.

If they had an elite coach like Phil Jackson where he could out-couch the other team's coach in a 7 game series (in major adjustment games like games 3 and 5), I'd say they'd be favourites to beat the Heat.

They're bringing back David West and Danny Granger this week. If I were them, I'd start limiting my starter's minutes now. Give Granger and West some minutes but bring them along casually avoiding injuries at all cost. They're both really injury prone. But this team was built for a 7 game series.

 

Bev may played better, but team is worst off with him in the game. Ball movement stops when Lin is benched and Harden has to take over both SG and PG role. When Lin is in, Harden can just plays SG and not to worry about PG.

Against, this is not the way to develop player.

I hope we get a real coach next season. This starting lineup can be championship contender if use correctly. In other words, allow he players to play their strength

 

No, it can't.

 

only thing inept yesterday was harden's shooting and this team's defense. Just keeping it real. Harden's great but he's not a top tier superstar that can change a team's fortune on his own. Trade him for Kyrie Irving today and the Cavs are in the same exact spot, he's gotta trust and rely on his teammates more and not put up a million shots if it's not going down.

 

Well to his defense, that's some of the most aggressive D I've seen on Harden all year and some of the most swallowed whistles I've seen in a rockets game against one player. Asik, Smith, and Robinson were getting some calls. All of our drivers couldn't get to the line.

 

I'll assume you didn't watch the game. It was brick after brick while challenged with open shooters around him and this while being the primary ball handler. This went on all night... Saying he played decent in this game is really stretching it. This was probably Harden's worst game of the year. It was flat out embarrassing.

 

The guy's argument is invalid because we didn't gain the lead?? There are a number of games where a team has its first lead at the very end of the game.

If one team trails by 30 and never got closer than 20 after the 1st I'd understand but the Rockets were in striking distance. If the Rockets made it a one-point game and Parsons or whoever missed a shot at the buzzer to win it.....your argument is "well we never took the lead...so this game was lost in the 1st, not the the last second miss" which is just crazy.

 

true but then it's his job to stop shooting and try to make plays for others. Look at the Celtics last night, Paul Pierce was shooting alright, not great, and Jeff Green got the last shot and made the game winning lay up.

I remember earlier in the month against the very same Pacers, Pierce was having another off-game, Green got the game winning layup after Pierce set a back screen for him.

Switch coaches, it would've been Pierce iso all day everyday. it still happens, but it shouldnt be your one and only option.

 

Try to make plays for others? Lin is a scrub and can't do jack. Yeah give the ball to him to turn the ball over some more. Parsons was a bum too but better than Lin. Who else is left, oh, no one but Harden.

 

Stop the propoganda against the coach and Harden. Look at your hero Lin first. No matter how bad the coach and Harden are, they're still better than Lin. That just shows how bad Lin really is.

 

Rapebe gets killed on this board for much less. 22 points on 20 shots and getting lit up by freaking Lance Stephenson is apparently "decent".

 

Not this season, you mean. It could develop into a championship contender in future years depending on how things go.

 

hmmm. i don't remember all these open shooters that you guys are talking about, as far as i remember the Rockets were defended very well most of the time. it's not like Harden was getting double teamed.