ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Clippers 11/4/2013

That and he was trying to make sure people got their # of touches. At no point in the game did you feel like he wanted to take control. Even though people were struggling you normally expect him to try to light up the offense, usually you see him barking at his teammates screaming, "let's go".

 

Look, I was not happy about those either

 

You have the same observation I have about CP3. Just watch it. Every time CP3 brought the ball up, instead of pinning at the PF spot waiting for the ball, Griffin intentionally stalled back to wait for CP3 and then picked for him against Lin. Then CP3 turned the corner faster than lightning to start the attack or assist his open men. The game plan is that simple and McHale did not make any coaching adjustment to help out. Compared to CP3, Lin had no help at all from our bigs who were too lazy to come out to help set picks. Howard was not effective in post up but he did not come out to set picks like Griffin. He could have many great pnr scores with Lin but he seemed reluctant to come out or to stall behind to set pick. But worse so, the coach didn't seem to mind about this and the team offense just stalled, leaving only hero iso balls which were not effective. Not enough to withstand the Clippers anyway. When the 2nd unit came out, Casspi and Smith were more willing to set picks and so the offense flowed much better. If Houston is sticking with hero iso ball or D12 post up, we will lose many games against good teams. It is a good coach's job to make adjustments during the game. If not at least correct this for next game. Otherwise, what is the use of our coach?

 

Go back and watch the game, Lin was the only Rockets starter who had a decent game, offensively, especially in the first half. Pushed the pace, got his teammates good looks they couldn't hit. Should've gone for his own scoring too when the team's shots stopped falling. The real eye sore was the team's defense. It was just really, really bad.

 

I'd say he realizes it, given that he's openly admitted his defense is subpar. It's never been anywhere near above average, but tonight was a new low. I'm still wanting someone to confirm that he and Chandler were out partying last night... is that true, or was someone just making that up? I'm not making excuses for him by any means, but he looked to me like a person who was hungover and out of it. I recall him being out late at clubs before lots of games last season. Not saying you have to be in bed with a glass of milk by 8, but I can't imagine being out drinking the night before does you any favors, esp. during a stretch like this.

 

ALways good read from torocan.

 

Not really. Lin didn't play well in first half. He played better in 2nd half,but when the game was out of hand,he picked up some garbage stats. Overrall,the team didn't play well,just not him. Harden was terrible defensively, parsons took a 1 on 3 3pt like he was steph curry.

 

Beverley actually does not get around all screens well, particularly when it's curl screen and drive. Lin actually does a lot better here than Beverley does. That's a huge weakness in Beverley's defense and we have already seen it exploited quite a bit last season and this preseason. Once teams have more scouting on him this is going to be a big problem for him. Where Beverley gets around the screen better than Lin is in screen and stop/pop, but not really by that much as some seem to believe.

As far as screens go, I have no idea why McHale hates screens so much. Maybe he's just indulging Harden's preference (and/or maybe Howard's). I mean, half the teams we run into would screen their ballhandler 2-3 times just to begin a possession to get the defense moving and tire out the defenders. The Rockets seems reluctant to set even 1. I think Lin probably has by far the highest screen-against-to-screen-for ratio in the league, easily topping 4.5. Beverley will likely be the only player in the league this year to have a realistic chance to challenge Lin's screen-against-to-screen-for ratio crown.

Maybe it's some kind of funky Morey advanced analytics thing. Defending screens uses up a lot of the screened player's energy, but setting screens use up a lot of the screening big's energy (they had a paper on this at the Sloan conference). Maybe Morey prefers both teams to be fresh so he can push the pace? Or maybe he prefers his bigs be fresh over the opposing guards be tired? In any case, it seems to be a small gain for a big loss, especially when HOU is running with a twin towers lineup.

 

You are spot on.
Casspi was the only one with a grit tonight(Garcia was there too).
Casspi is played a rough defense against Griffin,
While kept us alive(when it means!!) offensively.
he is a very talented rebounder as well(against any).
If you ask me, the team have to make more plays for Casspi,
Potencially he can make 30 points per game(from outside/inside the perimeter)
Followed with decent percentages, happen McHale
would decide that Casspi should be the 1-2 option.

We should improve our defense to go far,
Therefore we need players with a poison
on the floor. Harden got it. Casspi got that grit too.
Parsons got it. Garcia got it too. Howard got it huge time,
Just if he would cease being a Wonder Woman and
Start being a serious man. We have the potential, as a team
(Despite the fact the clippers owned time - this time) !!

 

Some of these teams main players did not play defense...sometimes they would only do so in the 4th quarter too.

Comparing anyone to Jordan and expecting that is a no-no any ways. We have enough defense orieted players to play great defense to make up for Harden's at best average defense. Lin, PArsons, Beverly, Garcia, Asik, oh and Dwight...the TEAM has to play better defense. Clippers shooting like that is NOT on one player. Period.

 

It is called professionalism. Saying is one thing and doing it is sth else. So no excuse for him. I'm glad that he was benched in the 4th quarter. Hope he gets the message. Also, playing defense is about 10% skills and 90% efforts. The coach should also be blamed without a defense strategy. JH should have had to chase Redick through all those screens.

 

Watched the game again (with a more open mind and less frustration at the refs) and here are my thoughts....

We came out very slow and the clippers came out passing the ball well and there shots were falling in...

this caused us to panic a little on our defense and offense early which in turn caused a lot of the fouls early (and those ref's did not hesitate in blowing there whistles even for the 50/50 calls).

These fouls then caused more pressure on our defense with Dwight and Harden in early foul troubles. We sort of got a little bit more organised in defense but clippers kept getting there shots in and Harden was really struggling in keeping up with Reddick (looked really sluggish).

Our offense started to click, and went toe to toe with them in scoring at a high level but we just couldnt beg them back.

In short, our defense was really lacking (Beverley would have been good in this situation, not sure how much difference he would had made tho since it was more our team defense that was really disorganised).

The clippers sharing of the ball and shooting from outside was excellent!! This shows a massive weakness in our defense for this type of play. I can see Warriors or Spurs causing us the same problems especially if there shots go in. The team have to adjust to this quickly.

On a positive note, our offense still looks pretty good (even tho Harden was off) and to be honest not every team can shoot at a high % like the clippers did tonight. I guess that's why its impossible to win it all in a season since a team can just shoot the lights out on a given night.

 

There is one thing though about the Clippers... (and Doc's Celtics.) they execute A LOT of moving screens. Morey and Les should pull a Cuban (Tell the refs to look out for it) should these teams meet in the playoffs. Let them do this crap in the regular season, but they should get a lot more whistles for it than they did tonight.

One way of defending it could be to run into these screens and act like your shot. I don't think it's a cheap tactic, Clippers flop all over the place so they deserve a little bit of their own medicine.

 

Tough loss, but as we all know great defense is team defense. You can't just through in a bunch of new players (even elite ones) and expect a tight defense from just a few games together. More time playing together will equate to more on court chemistry leading to better team defense....hopefully.:grin:

 

Wouldn't work at Staple Center. The refs would whistle you for running into the pick.

 

I saw gazillions of moving screens but refs totally ignored them smh

 

Absolutely agree. I saw those two non-calls and I posted here right away that the refs were giving the game away to the Clippers. Well, the Clippers had a great game, no doubt. But these were obvious non-calls that stood out like an eye sore.

 

I agree. I really hope so. All five players must play good defense to have a great team defense though. This is why I am so critical of JH's defense in this game.

 

Look Houston takes a W tomorrow against Portland, Clippers lose on Wednesday to Orlando, and we all call this game a fluke and move on to the next meeting to seek revenge.

 

I thought he got like 7 assists in the first half? That's not garbage stats.