An Interesting Stat from Last Night (3-pointers)

Because the ball went to Howard hand lots and they can not make a three when there was a chance. This is a particular case for a losing team when everyone thinks there are lots of opening for three in the playoff, but there are not.

 

It sure worked well last night.

 

It's simple.

Morey's strategy and McHale's implementation have a major loophole - No mid range game.

Portland's defensive gameplan was so simple.

1. Play the Rockets tight on the 3 point line knowing we are trigger happy.
2. Let them drive into the paint if need be but they have to deal with Lopez and LMA shot blocking ability.
3. Force them to take midrange J's. Harden tried a few times but his shot wasn't falling.

That's it folks. SImple game plan to negate such an explosive GIMMICK offense. May work during regular season but bound to come back to bite come playoff time

 

Phoenix Suns Lite can't win a series playing without a playbook or game plan or defensive strategy.

 

The Rockets average around 26 3pa per game. Much of it is due to our ability to get open 3's in transition by pushing the ball off misses or makes.

As far as "stat heads" go, drive and kick for an open 3 is the same end result as post up and kick for an open 3. The important part is the open 3, not HOW you get it.

Last year we did drive and kick because we had no real inside post presence.

Last night we used Dwight in the post up for the open 3 which in itself isn't a problem, but I suspect on of the issues we had last night is that you're asking the team to play 82 games in one particular style of play (drive, kick, push up the floor off misses/makes) to suddenly change their offensive identity (dump into the post, cut/screen and move off the ball).

Our players weren't moving well off the ball when Dwight was posting up. It was a simple one side clear out that left limited passing options for Dwight. Additionally, I didn't see much discipline in terms of the weak side help in terms of rebounding. I'm not sure how much of that is lack of ingrained habits, or lack of preparation by the staff in terms of how to play with an inside post player.

I suspect that the problem is both.

 

That's the Pacers gameplan too. Every game. It can be beat with ball movement which we definitely do preach. There's just no execution.

 

I think the more interesting stat is that the Rockets only made 3 threes. That's the first time in 192 games that they made fewer than 4.

It's hard for me to even wrap my head around how anomalous this series has been so far, and almost entirely in Portland's favor (Dwight's first half performance from last night being the one positive for us).

 

It's pretty simple. We stopped driving (especially Harden), and that means less free throws, less dump-offs to Dwight, and less collapses on Harden so no kick-outs to shooters on the perimeter.

 

Yea, it is so simple, yet the whole season, dominated teams.

I think it is more the fact that we haven't made open shots, foul trouble, Harden sucking, etc. It is not the system; the players are just not performing at the expected level.

It would also help if the Rockets actually made a stop on defence more consistently. Defence does lead to offense.

 

To be fair Harden was getting blocked left and right.

Parsons was having his way driving to the rim and next game McHale should feature that more.

 

Aldridge likes it just like you, too. Said after the game that the 2s never worried Portland. They were only worried about the Rockets taking 3s.

 

POR's offensive gameplan was more advanced? Dump the ball to LMA? lol

 

They scored from everywhere on the floor. The rockets defense has to respect their gameplan and it opens things up. They on the other hand, and rightfully so, don't have to respect ours.