Clutchfans Game Thread: Thunder @ Rockets 8/18/2020 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 1)

And guess what, second in offensive efficiency for YEARS. Great offensive teams FOR YEARS. ISO centric, yet we only run it 19.6% of the time and our points per possession are the highest in the league. . Our shot selection is probably one of the best in the league(if not the best). If dudes's cant hit open shots that's on them, not on the system. Every team relies on their best player's to make plays take a look at the usage rate of the top players in the league, it will surprise you. See all those "sets" you talk about are you going to be heavily mitigated because our switch system flattens out all those actions. Chris Paul is going to have to iso if he wants to be effective and he's not that guy anymore.

Our turnovers were down vs Dallas, the Bucks and the Blazers, after those games is pretty much when this team stopped caring. Passes per game or passes per possession don't necessarily mean you are going to have a good offense. Rhythm or not, if our guys can't hit an open shot, that's on them, not on how many passes it takes to get that shot. What matters is that we have proper spacing and if dude's can hit the open looks Harden provides for them. If you look at our expected FG% for our shot selection than our team is underperforming. I expect them to be focused and hitting shots in the playoffs.

 

There were at least 3 options on that play.

Beautifully drawn up and executed.

 

Those accomplishments you mentioned are good... very good but the pressure to win the championship just garners more than those things. It's unfortunate CP3 got hurt because I strongly feel the team would have won the championship that year because CP3 is such a great mind on the basketball court.

Your right in this it's not always the system ultimately it does result with players executing. To execute the players have to be flawless in their roles throughout sets as well as be able to make the right basketball decisions within those pressure moments in the playoffs to get the best shot within each possession which gives you to best chance to successfully execute. See CP3 gives you that because he's playing chess where with Russ it's moreso checkers.

So that's where Dantoni comes in as a coach and it's not easy but we gotta use not just Russ and Harden but every player on the floor as a threat consistently. Dantoni in my eyes needs to pressure these guys to take full advantage of the defenses they will see in the playoffs by making the defense pick it's poison. Instead in past playoffs I've seen defenses take us out of our rhythm, cause turnovers and Dantoni sit there NOT ADJUST and let guys take ill advised 3's until we eventually end up shooting ourselves out the game into a loss.

The ball has to move more than what it has been. Then in the pressure moments the trust will be there with every player and not just on the shoulders of James Harden to be choke or be clutch all the time.

 

I feel you. I was not on board with the trade tbh and still arent(but I've grown to like Russ a lot now). I think where we disagree is that if the shots arent falling we have to do something else. My thing is, idk if there are adjustments to change guys missing shots. But idk....if it doesnt work out, Dantoni is likely gone. We'll be able to see what those adjustments you are talking about are, and if that will lead to more playoff success.

 

The adjustments unfortunately require an entire off-season of opening up the playbook for more off ball motion. There are easy buckets besides open 3s such as back door cuts which this team gets like once every few games.

A team can't pick that up in a couple of practice sessions before the playoffs. We are just going to have to hold on to our butts and hope the chucking works, Westbrook comes back healthy and Harden continues to play the way he has since the bubble.

 

Yea I'm aware, and that's also going to come with Dantoni being fired, even if I'm against it. I feel that he can make these off ball adjustments. He's still leads the league in out of time plays in points per possession.

 

See, this great basketball dialog.

I understand your trepidation that the current Rockets system is not maximized without Russ and even with a healthy Russ, that the Thunder system quarterbacked by CP3 is too efficient and/or prolific for the Rockets to defeat in best of 7.

And that may well be the case but the Thunder have never played this 5 out switch everything version of the Rockets. Rockets play just as elite half court defense as the Thunder do and their switch everything defense will not allow Thunder to have the mismatches that OKC pick and roll desire to create. Even their 3 guard line up will be playing into what the Rockets want to do which play up tempo spread out basket ball with tons of perimeter movement.

If Rockets can play up tempo offense (currently 1st in pace) then it attacks the Thunders' weakness because they are 29th in transition defense. Thunder do not like to run which is good because transition defense is also a Rockets weakness.

Thunder are also not very good offensive rebounding team, bottom of the NBA.

And I agree that the team that adjusts the best, that includes coaches as well as players, will win this series.

The Thunder are not as efficient offensively as the Mavs or as good defensively and on the boards as the Bucks.

Both teams the Rockets recently defeated. But that was with what we think was a healthy Westbrook.

This will be a very competitive series but I believe in Harden over CP3, D'Antoni over Donovan and Rockets role players over Thunder role players.

SGA, Gallo and Schroeder are very good but I believe we only need one of EGo, Rivers or Green to step up each game. Both EGo and Rivers have proven that they can put up a 40 burger already this season.

 

Rockets have already incorporated a lot of perimeter movement since going to 5 out scheme.

My concern is that MDA may have added to much to playbook within the bubble that is causing our role players to think too much. The Rockets have been a little janky on offense, however the defenseive switches/ rotations have been crisp and especially the communication on that side of the ball has been outstanding in the first 3 games when Rockets were utilizing maximum effort.

 

To me harden has to focus on driving to the basket...i wanna see him attack the rim..they wont expect that. Get adams in foul trouble.

 

That is how Harden should attack Thunder when they go to their 3 guard line up.

Attack downhill and post up those guards.

 

LOL at China!!!!

 

Remember this Clutchfans!!

 

@Cstyle42 @HP3

This is what I was referencing on the issues CP3 may encounter vs. Rockets switch everything D.

 

Dwight, CP3, Russ

Take your pick.

 

Jeff Green was such an important pick up.

 

It's hard for me personally to believe in our shooters. They seem to be more volume type shooters than good percentage shooters. I believe we can shoot at a good clip percentage wise if we take better attempts. Outside of that I am impressed with our defense at times. We've shown we can be good defensively in the pressure moments. I think if we beat OKC the sky is the limit from there but this series will be a good test for our squad.

 

So with the Rockets winning their division and OKC not that must have trumped OKC winning the head to head in a tie breaker?

 

Yep, Rockets are a division winner so that trumps the head to head.

 

I had such expectations for Bruno!!

Thought he would be perfect rotation piece for new system.