1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

What if we could add a high motor 6'6 rebounder who shoots 36% from deep?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by napalm06, Aug 9, 2020.

  1. psaman17

    psaman17 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2016
    Messages:
    1,180
    Likes Received:
    1,908
    I looked at all the game logs from the 17-18 playoffs. All the games that were decided by 10 points or less had only a 7-8 men rotation. Occasionally, some random would play like 7 mins. Thats not part of the regular rotation. Against GSW, we only played 7. I know Luc was injured and he wasn't 100%. Assuming he was, then we played 8.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=roc...F-8#sie=m;/g/11f5vfn7mh;3;/m/05jvx;tb2;fp;1;;

    https://www.google.com/search?q=roc...TF-8#sie=m;/g/11f5vfm2f7;3;/m/05jvx;dt;fp;1;;

    https://www.google.com/search?q=roc...F-8#sie=m;/g/11hdjh1fsp;3;/m/05jvx;tb2;fp;1;;

    Basically the bigger the games are, the shorter the leash becomes.
     
  2. psaman17

    psaman17 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2016
    Messages:
    1,180
    Likes Received:
    1,908
    The way i look at it.

    If fully healthy Eric Gordon is gonna play because we gave him a huge extension and he is our 3rd best scorer.
    Jeff Green is gonna play because he is our only backup Big.
    Mclemore is gonna play because he is our best shooter and we need shooter around Harden/Westbrook.

    In the playoffs, Harden and Westbrook will both play around 40mins. When Gordon return, they will gobble up all the Guard minutes. We dont need Rivers penetration if we have both Brodie and the Beard. So he's obviously the odd man out if we play 8.
     
  3. dmoneybangbang

    Joined:
    May 5, 2012
    Messages:
    20,941
    Likes Received:
    12,825
    I understand MDA's rotation "philosophy", I just question it in the context of the "small ball rockets".
     
  4. D-rock

    D-rock Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2006
    Messages:
    40,743
    Likes Received:
    64,228
    7 man rotation is false narrative. MDA was forced to do that last season (2018-2019) because bench was pure garbage.

    2017-2018 Playoffs (65 Win season) Rockets played a solid 9 man rotation vs. MIN and UTA.

    Rockets went to 7 man rotation only after CP3 went down but so did GSW. Warriors played 7 man rotation. Before that both teams were playing 8 man rotation.

    https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201805260GSW.html

    Most NBA teams shrink rotation in crunch time and play their best players more minutes.

    I wish CF could understand this is not unusual in the NBA and stop mischaracterizing this "flaw" as uniquely D'Antoni's.
     
    clutchdabear and fckbandwagons like this.
  5. D-rock

    D-rock Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2006
    Messages:
    40,743
    Likes Received:
    64,228
    The flaw in your argument is that Mike will only play 8.

    Mike has the deepest bench hes had since being in Houston.

    Only seeing going to 7-8 if foul trouble, match up issue or someone is just cold offensively.

    With 100% healthy roster, Mike will play 9 man rotation.
     
    fckbandwagons likes this.
  6. D-rock

    D-rock Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2006
    Messages:
    40,743
    Likes Received:
    64,228
    That is absolutely the norm in the NBA.

    Go back and look at Rockets opponents too.
     
  7. fckbandwagons

    fckbandwagons Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2011
    Messages:
    417
    Likes Received:
    612
    y
    You can say that about Nurse's rotations on last year's finals. It was an average 8-man rotation, not including garbage minutes.
     
    D-rock likes this.
  8. Mathloom

    Mathloom Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2008
    Messages:
    18,155
    Likes Received:
    17,963
    Which is the #1 reason all MDA's best teams ran out of steam and underachieved late in playoffs. For some reason, he has closed his eyes to the effects of fatigue on shooting. He broke Nash and Stoudemire, and he has been lucky that Harden is a stubborn ironman. Suns and Rockets both ran out of legs late in series. So obvious, and the man is otherwise a genius. Shame. Hope he has been through enough basketball trauma to change that.

    Doesn't take much. 1 more rotation player. We have 9 great guys.
     
  9. D-rock

    D-rock Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2006
    Messages:
    40,743
    Likes Received:
    64,228
    With PTSD Ryan Anderson, ancient Joe Johnson and seriously injured Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who would you have played heavy rotation minutes vs. GSW?

    Thats not counting no hammy Chris Paul and domesticly abused Clint Capela who was regularly being beaten like a drum vs. GSW too?

    And this was MDA's deepest team prior to this season.
     
    HP3 likes this.
  10. Francis3422

    Francis3422 Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2000
    Messages:
    7,933
    Likes Received:
    5,586
    PLAY LUC AND CARROL. Just the last 2 games 20 min each. Prime them up and see if one of them has a post season run in them.
     
    D-rock likes this.
  11. Mathloom

    Mathloom Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2008
    Messages:
    18,155
    Likes Received:
    17,963
    Every team in the NBA can make a case that 1 less player is better. You have to concede some minutes and hide someone.

    It certainly didn't work, and it was clear to everyone Harden and the team were gassed. Ariza was physically empty, was barely standing up by the end of it - moreso than anyone else in all the playoffs.

    We don't have to be this extreme. No one is asking him to change dramatically. He is in the extreme though, and that pattern has consistently and demonstrably failed. Try something slightly different one time. Might cost 1 game in the first round but help us in the end of a game 7. Who knows.
     
    dmoneybangbang likes this.
  12. D-rock

    D-rock Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2006
    Messages:
    40,743
    Likes Received:
    64,228
    But which player would you have played?
     
  13. psaman17

    psaman17 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2016
    Messages:
    1,180
    Likes Received:
    1,908
    I didn't say it was outside of the norm. Most coaches shorten their rotation in the playoffs including and especially our current head coach. Thats one of the reason why i speculated that Mike Dan Tony would only play 8. I would be surprised if we consistently play 9.
     
  14. psaman17

    psaman17 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2016
    Messages:
    1,180
    Likes Received:
    1,908
    Mclemore has never been to the playoffs. If he misses a few 3pt shot in the beginning of the playoffs and shows nerves, can Mike still trust him?

    Jeff Green's career has been defined by one word. Inconsistency.

    Austin Rivers role is redundant with Harden and Westbrook logging 40+ minute every night in the postseason.

    Its very easy for coach to find a reason not to play any of these guys.
     
  15. D-rock

    D-rock Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2006
    Messages:
    40,743
    Likes Received:
    64,228
    LOL

    C'mon man.

    Green is PJ's back up at the 5. He is not going to pull him, Tucker already plays too many minutes and Green has been UNIVERSALLY lauded for his revelatory play as a 5, a position he has never in his career played before coming to Houston.

    McLemore is Rockets BEST 3ball sniper, he will stay in the rotation.

    Rivers is Rockets 3rd best ball handler and he has been in the rotation ALL season.

    And all 3 are at their best when paired with Harden.

    I think you are trying too hard to support your narrative but this is really looking more than ridiculous on your part.

    Only way it is not 9 man rotation is if there is an injury or in a very tight game and MDA is forced to play starters longer.

    Which is as you admitted, the NBA norm.
     
  16. DM'sVP

    DM'sVP Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2013
    Messages:
    1,305
    Likes Received:
    1,354
    I’ve been surprised that McLemore is still in the rotation. I think I just have PTSD from watching Ryno try to guard Curry and feel like any defensive weakness will undo the Rockets. Luckily the Warriors are not the best team ever created anymore and aren’t even in this years playoffs. I thought that Carroll would take the back up 3-4 minutes but it’s been McLemore. I think that MDA will use an 8-9 man rotation in the playoffs..

    Westbrook/Rivers
    Harden/McLemore
    House/Gordon
    RoCo
    PJ/Green

    I expect all of the starters to play 35-40 minutes per game except for House. House will probably play anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes per game bc Gordon will have to get his minutes from somewhere. There will be a time crunch between House and Gordon, but I feel like House deserves to stay in the starting line up given his play in Orlando. I’m not sure how the rotations will work exactly but I know that House will have to slide to the 4 more once Gordon is back. I also think Gordon will be in the game when Westbrook returns late in the first quarter. Maybe the first substitution will be Westbrook for either Rivers or McLemore around the 8 minute mark. Then the next substitution is Gordon for either PJ or House around the 4 minute mark. That way Gordon is in the game when Westbrook comes back for Harden around the 2 minute mark and plays with Westbrook into the 2nd quarter. Then they can bring Harden in for either Gordon or Rivers/McLemore around the 8 minute in the 2nd quarter.
     
  17. D-rock

    D-rock Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2006
    Messages:
    40,743
    Likes Received:
    64,228
    You really think Rockets are benching 2 of their most efficient players?

     
    pr0wler likes this.

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now