Something many will probably agree with as Bullard, Drexler & Worrell have pointed it out this season as well as over the last few years: - We need to get more fast break points. It is just something that needs to be automatic, when you get a steal: RUN, when you get a block: RUN, when you get a rebound: RUN, RUN, RUN !!! No, but seriously, with all these great defensive players we have and the great stops we need to turn into something good. What good does it do when you steal the ball, if you just walk it up the court ? What good does it do to get a block if you go and walk it up ? You might as well not block nor steal, let's just them run out the 24 second clock. Of course, I'm exaggerating but you catch my drift. There were a handful of games last year where we had a quarter with a lot of fast break points and it paid off big time; most of the time between 30-40 ppq. There's no reason why a team like Houston should be low every year in Fast break points when we have one the best defensive teams every year. The Rockets of the early 90s used to do it all the time and it only has positives. The crowd gets excited, because of the dunks and speed of the game, thus more fun to watch, your percentages go up, your lead will increase more rapid / your deficit will decrease more rapid etc. A lot of this cannot be blamed on the players but on the style JVG implemented, along with Tracy & Yao. Tracy has carried a huge load each game since he's been here and with him running the point, he tried to save energy and almost never ran it up the court. Another thing is having Yao, who cannot really run the break that much and is better used in half court offense but that's no problem, just let him walk up the court while the rest is running. My point is that every time you play great D you have to get the maximum out of that rebound, steal, deflection or block. The Rockets should do more with the opportunities they create and something I think really needs to be stressed by the coaching staff.
Rafer and Tracy aren't good enough in transition. Even Artest isn't really a speedster. Scola probably runs the floor better than anyone in that starting group, which just goes to show that they aren't really built for fast breaking.
Actually I would think Rafer could do just fine. Scola and he have matched up on some fast break up opportunities... more so last year than what we have seen this year.
I slightly disagree, I think Rafer, Scola, Brooks, Head, and even Yao are the fast breakers on our squad. Problem is when Rafer and Brooks take off, they are alone. Yao is just too slow so he's more of a trailer which sometimes works out. Head...well, he's very mistake prone on fast breaks. As for the others, mainly McGrady, I believe it was Feigen that said he will almost never run unless he's alone in front. He seems to like to drop behind the runners and look at what's there. For what it's worth, it seems we are fast breaking more than before...although that's not really saying much.
I think this point has been addressd with the second unit. As pointed out above, Tracy, Yao, and Rafer aren't really the running type. I think the offense is built for halfcourt with the first unit. The second unit is built to get out and run, and if you've been paying attention, Barry/Brooks push the living hell out of the ball at every chance they get....with Chuck/Ron, or Landry/Ron running right along with them. I think this is by design. It is a change up...similar to why pitchers have offspeed pitches. I think it throws the defense off a bit for the opposition. They gear up to stop the halfcourt game, since the Rox have been running it for the last decade, and when suddenly the pace changes, you see allot of wide open shots on the perimeter as Brooks penetrates and then dishes out or what not. I think it's working pretty decently right now. I just don't think you'll ever see the Rox run a fast paced offense, its not their game. I think the age of run run run has all but disappeared. Ofcourse I hate to see them lose easy points as much as the next person, but again, I think that second unit runs pretty well, and will only get better as the season progresses.
We can do it, any professional basketball player should be able to run. It's nonsense to say a team cannot do it, although I agree guys like Scola & Hayes aren't exactly fast break material. The rest should be able to run anytime they want to. The Rockets have shown they can do it, Tracy, Rafer even Yao at times. They just need to do it and Artest should definetly be able to run the break. Just look at when he gets the steal, he can do it. P.S. Thanks for the paragraphing
Maybe Rafer is just missing a good wingman. I don't know ... I think he's pretty overrated in transition. He has average speed dribbling the ball, his passing is overrated in my opinion, and he's a very poor finisher (lacks the necessary strength and body control).
Landry and dorsey can run with the best of them though All run Team PG Brooks SG Head SF Landy PF Scola C Dorsey
my thoughts exactly. People assume that because you are a point guard and have some handles....that you are automatically a great transition player. Not so much.
He can run the brake, and it doesn't necessarily have to be Rafer handling the ball. They can also just get the guy who gets the rebound, block, steal to throw it downcourt (like the whole championship team used to do).
I'm not buying that. It's basketball. Yao would be the only exception, everyone else could get up for a fast break. Just because we don't have a bunch of Jamario Moons and Josh Smiths doesn't mean we're not suited for the break. Rafer grew up playing fast break ball in half court sets, no excuses there. Maybe he can't finish well but he can certainly push the ball. T-Mac will break when the numbers are in our favor. It's ok to push it if it's 1 vs 2. Artest and Scola both run the floor. As mentioned already, the 2nd unit is up and running.
I guess people will continue to beat this subject into the ground for years to come. Every season for the past 7-8 years this is an item. Just accept it. They aren't ever going to be the 06' Suns, or the 05' Mavs. They don't have the athletes. The point I think you guys are missing here is when you are constantly pushing the ball, you also give up some on the other end as your defense isn't set. I think this team, specifically the guys that played under the JVG tenure, have just been trained to slow the game up. Its hard to teach an old dog new tricks, as the saying goes....or in this case, teach an old dog old tricks...ha ha. Obviously all of these guys can run a break. You don't get into this league if you can't. I just think there's a certain mentality involved. Maybe it will change over time, and I really do think that as more youth is infused into this team, it will....but don't hold your breath for Tracy and Yao to start fast breaking any time soon.
Fastbreak isn't about athleticism. It's about mentality. Scola isn't athletic. But he runs. McGrady is athletic. But he doesn't. In the past, Francis was one of the more athletic PGs in the league. But he was a very poor fastbreak PG. For fastbreak, you need big men who are good at outlet passing. You need a PG who is good at pushing up the middle and making good and fast decisions EVERY TIME. You need wingmen who are willing to run and are good finishers. We were lacking in almost every aspect in our starting lineup in the past. Hopefully, with the addition of Brooks, Artest, and Barry, in the rotation, we can improve.
Right on the money I do however want to stress the fact that this team doesn't have to be the 06 Suns or anything. They just need to take advantage of the opportunities they create by having one the best defences in the league. There's no point in playing great D night in, night out without taking advantage of what great D creates for you. The old championship Rockets were also a primiraly half-court team with Hakeem as the go to guy like Yao and three point bombers waiting to fire away. They did however get plenty of points on the fast break, especially on a quick inbound by Thorpe, after a block by Dream or a steal by Maxwell. They sometimes forced it but most of the time played it smart which is something this team can do too.
Agreed. You take easy/opportunity buckets when you can get 'em. For the most part, I think if the opportunity to run is there, this team is running.
you dont necesarrily need a big man as an outlet passer. amare didnt outlet pass to steve nash. nash received the ball just under the goal and he passed it 90 ft down the court where shawn marion slammed it down. we're only missing one thing here: a wing thats able to sprint down court
Thanks for agreeing with me but i don't see them taking full advantage. Against Oklahoma it was like 6 to 20 fast break points advantage for the Thunder but I will pay special attention to it tonight. This is a game where you really need all the points you can get because Boston remains the toughest team for the Rockets to beat i think.
I agree with that, but we also need to defend in transition. Hopefully this team will run this year but so far we've had problems stoping opponents' fast breaks.
