Note to coaching staff: RUN A PLAY

Speaking of coaching, Thunder did a pretty good job limiting Lin & Harden. Gotta give props to their D. We ain't gonna beat this Thunder in a 7 game series period. We may if Asik nets us a stretch 4 and Mchale gets the sack.

 

I expect our offensive coaches will add new wrinkles to our offense from now on. We will actually have some practice days next week. So expect some new play calls.

Recently we were concentrating on integrating Howard's postgame and getting the ball to him at the right time. Our guys just can't figure defenses on the fly; they need to be coached up. We'll do better next time, hopefully with Bev and Asik (or his replacements) playing.

 

The Rockets split the season 2-2 against OKC in McHale's debut year.

 

McHale is such a wuss on his star players, especially Harden. Hows he meant to develop if he's never held accountable. One or the other has to go. Only then can we develop a system and a playbook.

 

See, I don't think that's fair. Sometimes the bad Harden does that. But he does create and playmake and sometimes does it very well. I wish the Rockets can find a balance of set plays and utilizing more of the team. They don't whip the ball around the perimeter enough. They don't move the ball around the perimeter enough and they need to screen more for the PGs or offensive player with the ball.

 

Note to OP. Don't listen to jtr. The Rockets don't run R&R.

 

Agreed, we need to upgrade the HC/ coaching staff.

 

I dont understand what is wrong with the Rockets lack of traditional playbook. They currently have the 4th highest scoring percentage, and their late game offensive production rarely slips to anything close to league average or below average.

So whats the problem the OP has?... That it doesn't always look pretty? That its turnover prone? That when the guards are able to attack and the 3's don't fall that it fails and makes it look like they have no idea what they are doing?

These are legitimate questions mind you. Not trying to be a sarcastic. NBA Basketball is entertainment and if your team isn't fun to watch, its something the owner and GM should care about (unless it impacts winning). Also if teams learn how to scout this system better, and better, will they be able to take away the 3 and the guard attack more and more as the games move closer to the playoffs?

However, IMO, I think the Rockets have the ultimate wildcard here in Dwight Howard. If he has a preferable match-up and has the touch going down-low the Rockets offense is pretty much unstoppable both in the free flowing fast paced game, and the slow it down half court post game. The numbers say that its more efficient right now to go with the higher paced guard play, but you might see that shift when we get closer to the playoffs.

So I personally do not have a problem with the current system and lack of a traditional playbook when they are really trying to push the tempo and spread the floor. However I feel the pain of every fans out there when games like the Thunder game happen where no shots are falling, the guards aren't able to attack, and Dwight isn't able to dominate the post. It looks like they have no idea what they are doing out there, and everything just halts.

If you understand how their game-play works, maybe it helps you understand as a fan as to why it looks so damn ugly at times, and at the same token how it can look so unstoppable and beautiful other times when "brown thing goes into the round thing." The OKC game just sounds like the perfect storm to add to a grueling 4 games in 5 nights tired stinker game against a top level contender. Should we really have been that surprised?

 

Thing is, some people here dont realize how good this team could be if properly coached.

 

This!! I don't think they really understand how scary this team would be if they had a coach that played up to their strengths instead of forcing them to play his way. One on One, contested shots, it's the coaches job to make sure that it is easier for them to get shots.

 

AMEN!!

 

Maybe give credit to OKC. You know, we go on about how Bev shut Lilliard and Conley down or Lin shut down Parker, maybe OKC shut down Howard, Jones, Harden and Lin. Maybe they just couldn't get a rhythm going because of what OKC did. Or was it fatigue with those 4 players. OKC also sort of contained Parsons. So Brooks had a great game, OKC doesn't care about that. They countered with Lam.

I find the offense too one-on-one dependent, too Harden-centric at times, too dependent on 3s falling, not enough screens, not enough off-ball movement, not enough quick passing, and the team not as fun to watch as last year. They don't get as many fast-break points and the bench is weak. So, something needs to be improved in the offense, it needs fluidity.

 

How is it Morey or McHale's fault that they are contested shots? The whole point of McHale constantly preaching ball movement and pushing the pace is for their shots to NOT BE contested and either be easy finishes around the rim or OPEN threes.

If you have a problem with the offensive philosophy that is currently engrained from top to bottom, and something that some very smart people believe in implementing that is a fair criticism, but please expand more as to why you are criticizing the system please.

The shots aren't supposed to be contested... that's the point. If you think that the system does not work, and everyone in the Rockets organization, The Spurs organization, The Heat organization, and now the 76er's organization are wrong than please elaborate as to why this new NBA style of play does not work and tell me how exactly the Rockets would be better with traditional plays.

 

We actually run the McHalian offense, but it's so complicated that mere mortals such as ourselves can't understand it.

 

This pretty much sums up everything, okc had a well coached game plan coming into the game last night, they took away all 3 of our strengths 1. Perkins on howards post play with ibaka weak side help. 2. Guarded our 3s which was easy because we're in a slump & we weren't moving much without the ball anyway. 3. took away harden & Lin drives into the paint with good man D and ibaka rotating once they entered the paint to protect the rim, Perkins staying on Howard to take away the pass

Then you had them playing at their highest level because they hate us because of the bev/rw thing & never want to take L against us especially on their home court, durant hit a 3 on harden and told mchale & staff HE CANT HOLD ME - cc. (fiegen)

 

Which is fair to a certain extent. Its a big reason why Lebron is Lebron, and Harden is not quite on that level yet (although Harden is far from Kobe in Hero mode). Both teams rely heavily on their star player to create shots by attacking the paint, but Harden isn't quite on Lebron's level as someone who insists on moving the ball early and often. Its a fair criticism, but something McHale often cites publicly. How many times this year alone has he said the word "Sticky"?

The dependency on shots falling isn't something I'm as worried about. All current NBA teams rely on it. Its just the good ones that are getting those shots more open than the other teams get them.

The more movement & penetration at the rim you get the better chances you have of getting open shots rather than contested ones. Right now scrapping their system they have had good success with the majority of the time for another system of traditional play calling could do more damage than good at this point in time. I think the best solution is just for them to go watch tape, rest up, and figure out why OKC was able to contest all of their shots both at the rim, in the post, and at the 3, and then see what they need to do to get those shots opened up whether it be by making an extra pass, maybe running another screen up top, being in better position, or simply running the court harder to get the offense going earlier in the shot clock when the defense isn't set.