[Stop Beating Themselves] Consistency: Turnovers, Rebounding and Defense

It's not that simple.

Motivation comes before action.

If last year, Corey Brewer ran back on transition ten times, let's say they were successful 8 out of those 10 times. That keeps him motivated. That's a really good return on his effort.

If this year one guy decides not to run back in transition, that effectiveness drops to 6 out of 10 times. After all, one player is at least 20% of a team, even more when the sum of parts was producing greater than the whole (as we did last year).

What happens to Corey Brewer? Yes, he knows there is some difference when he's running back. But he also knows that the same effort he gave last season will lead to less of a reward this season. He subsequently perceives his contribution as having less of an impact, which leads him to take plays off more often.

He looks around to validate his beliefs - lo and behold, the superstar of the team is doing nothing on defense, still getting 35-40 minutes, still taking as many selfish shots as ever. Corey believes it must be ok this year to give less effort than last year. After all, he'll make it up on offense where dumb shots are tacitly encouraged this season!

This is not mumbo jumbo. This is how the human mind works. This is a major part of what doctors of psychology and human resources learn all the time. This is what's applied by tyrannical powers around the world to control large masses of people. Sports teams. Bands. Religions.

It's very simple. Harden doesn't want to change, the rest of the guys don't feel like they are significant enough to the team to execute the orders excellently. JB doesn't want to lose his job, Morey doesn't want to lose Harden, Les doesn't want to lose money.

So yeah, they can start boxing out, taking care of the ball, stay focused on defense. But they have to want to do it first, and for them to want to do it, the leaders of the team have to SHOW it's important rather than just SAY it's important.

 

Give this man all your rep.

 

GREAT POST....

Now take your analogy and times that by 4...... Once we do that we get back to Rocket River initial post..

T_Man

 

I think this thread does hit the nail on the head to a large extent and certainly while that starts with the players, that's also part of the reason you have a coach. It's the coaches job to get the most out of their players, whether by scheme, or by just motivating them and solving chemistry issues.

The coaching has been below average on this team for years.

I would add, and maybe put as #1 on the list... PICKS

This team is HORRIBLE at picks. Setting picks on offense, and guarding picks on defense. On offense it leads to poor ball movement and turnovers. Turnovers in the pick process, turnovers on plays out of picks. Everything is harder because your pick was useless. On defense, they're just not good at fighting over picks, rotating under picks, rotating in general, etc.

Basketball is pretty easy scheme-wise, BY RULE and BY NATURE. It can truly come down to setting 1 solid pick every possession and defending picks every possession.

The Rockets were much better at this last year, and despite having very little in terms of plays OFF those picks, were very effectively offensively and defensively.

This year, they are horrible at it.

 

It isn't exactly just rebounding, it is simply being in the right place. Trez showed that last night. He doesn't exactly clean the glass, but he rotates quickly and confidently and BOXES OUT HIS OWN MAN... Bust out the Battier/Hayes/Scola tapes please. We need to respect the game and play the right way. BOX OUT...

 

TO are killing us softly

Last night in the Utah game we had a crazy amount of TO and Harden was the main culprit. I feel like the guy just doesn't get it when he's asked to not play selfishly. I did, however, see Harden talk to JB after a timeout with what looked and seemed like Harden was asking JB to put Terry in the game to handle the ball becasue his ISO game was just not working. Coincidently enough the Rockets scored twice in a row with Harden being on the receiving end of the passes or Terry just taking it himself. This looked like it was working but, of course, we went away from it the next possession were Harden dribbled the shot clock down to about 5 seconds before deciding to make a move and took a bad shot. Luckily for us, Harrell was able to come down with the offensive rebound to kick it out to James where again he decided to play Harden ball and took another bad contested shot. You know Hardens play is starting to get annoying when even Bill Worrell makes a sarcastic comment about it. Harden needs to get it together because it's looking like he's becoming more of the problem and not such Howard like we all thought in the beginning.

 

Lowe article discussing offensive rebounding and transition D...

On pick-and-rolls, most defenses shift away from shooters on the weak side to clog up the paint. Smart cutters like Dwyane Wade slice backdoor for layups in that moment when their defender sneaks toward the ball. The same cut can put a little guy in prime offensive rebounding position; the Rockets, for instance, let Patrick Beverley skulk for these sorts of offensive rebounds. "I respect the counterargument about getting back on defense," says Daryl Morey, the Houston GM. "But when you have Patrick Beverley, it would be a mistake not to use his offensive rebounding."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14505051/transition-defense-left-offensive-rebounds-cutting-room-floor

 

Once the spurs were missing free throws left and right. And pop told the guys in the huddle. "Next one to miss a free throw buys me a car". No one missed a free throw the rest of the game. If JB did that dwight would have to buy him a car. If capella shot it first then omg. I think jb should use this strategy for the guys to play defense down the stretch. Whoever lays off their man has to buy him a car lmfao. We need creative ways to get these guys to put in effort for defense

 

It's an attitude. There is a narrative within this organization that results from the analytical approach. The narrative teaches the players that if they are on the court that they will win. Instead of putting an emphasis on heart and effort, the emphasis is on PER and Adjusted +/-.

I think Daryl Morey is a genius. Truly a genius. However, his place in this organization or in the NBA is not at the General Manager level. He ought to be in the FO, advising the GM using his approach. But when numbers define the FO, and subsequently the entire organization, this team suffers.

 

Just bench harden for ONE freakin game!

I'm not sayin everything is his fault - but he's the guy that SHOWS the least amount of consistent effort...

Put the big dog in check - and everybody else will fall in line. Allow him to continue to do whatever the hell he wants and everybody else loses respect and motivation...

Additionally, sit him for a game and I bet the guys on the court will work a lot harder to show they don't need him. To this point, as I understand it, a few players are fed up with the no defense/iso harden show - give them the opportunity to show that they are capable professionals and not just roleplayers...

This post isnt intended as a 'rag on Harden post' (I do plenty of that elsewhere on the site -lol). This is a what needs to happen to start getting the overall team attitude adjusted...

 

I feel like you don't understand the meaning of the word 'literally'.

 

Honestly at this point we should trade for another rebounding big. Who else besides Dwight has had 10+ rebounds this season? Dwight is the main one rebounding and when he can't get to it, we are ****ed 9 times out of 10.

Dwight also has a bad habit of getting caught in the air. If our perimeter defense wasnt so bad he wouldn't have to do that most of the time but even our solid defensive possessions, it breaks down once Dwight is caught in the air. As great as Dwight is, even he has his defensive flaws and Harrell does an excellent job covering it up as we saw last game.

Sooooo essentially, we can start by playing better perimeter defense and imo everything else will take care of itself. James, im looking at you.

 

Best post of the year. Brother u said it all

 

We should spend the next 4 days trying to trade for the best rebounding paint protector we can possibly trade for to back up Dwight and move Clint down in the rotation to 4th big behind Dwight/DMo/newly acquired big.

This unit cannot rebound well. You can't change them internally. Gotta change the players out themselves for a second dominant rebounder and paint defender.

 

Who do you move out in trade and who do you realistically think is available?

 

Got to value the ball - rebounds and possessions it is almost like they are just not trying or caring.

DD

 

I agree the coach isn't motivated either. Any serious coach would've sat Sewer long ago. I think his post was correct aside from the coaching part. Our coaching staff wasn't good with Mchale I don't know why they would've thought it would be without him unless they thought it was mainly him or they wanted to send a message but save money and hope for a miracle until the end of the season.

 

This is mumbojumbo that just ends in "Blame Harden" lol. Corey Sewer has been horrible and its his fault no one else's. He's a grown man who shouldn't need a superstar to motivate him he should be trying to become a star himself. That goes for everyone on this team. They are lazy and either we get a coach that can motivate them and set this thing straight and/or they have to go all of them. The only ones I would keep are Capela, Dmo and Harden because they are so young with so much potential. The rest an go. Dwight is a 30 year old superstar he should be a leader but he is nothing but an immature kid.

 

Bit contradictory there. You say that Brewer shouldn't need a superstar to motivate him yet you say thag we need a coach to motivate them.They all are grown men and shouldn't need motivating to improve their games.

People use that excuse for Harden and it is pathetic. If he were really self driven and mature, he shouldn't need Thibs or Coach K to push him as a player.

 

Well first coach and superstar are not the same things so it's not contradictory at all. Second when I say a coach that can motivate them I mean one who will hold them accountable. Harden and Howard dont control the teams playing time JB does. Corey Brewer should have been sat long ago. The only motivation he will understand at this point is the motivation not to lose his job and that comes from the coach not our "superstars". I bet if JB sat his ass when he came back he would be plenty motivated.