ClutchFans Game Thread: Spurs @ Rockets 10/13/2017 (Preseason)

So you actually hate harden more than RA and KM? Telling...

 

Have not been able to follow much of the preseason but what is this CP3 injury horsesh*t? Don't tell me this injury crap is starting already.

 

He banged knees in the Grizzlies game. Very minor but was held out against the Spurs.

 

Never say injuries are horse dung because they are not in Houston. No matter how minor.

 

We just need athleticism.

Seriously, our most athletic player is Capela in our rotation. We lack athletes.

SIL

 

I say horse dung in the most irritating of ways.

 

Athleticism without length and energy just gives you Isaiah Taylor. Even Capela needs to play with more energy. For a young guy his stamina sucks and his added weight has slowed him on perimeter but more importantly he's less bouncy around the rim on D.

 

Couldn't agree more.

SIL

 

I'm ready for the Warriors game thread! I'm ready to talk strategy.

 

relax, it was just a preseason game. The real fun begins in the playoff.

 

After watching the game I made a Top 5 video for the Houston Rockets.

Do you think I got it right?

 

David Lee
Tiago splitter
Rodney Stuckey
Leandro Barbosa

Are are players that might be of use to our depth.

 

i've always thought the best way to start any game against GS is to just run moving screens nonstop for the first 5 minutes. either the refs start to ignore them for both teams or end up having to call them across the board. --> level playing field activated!

 

I think you have to play half court defense all game and occasionally pick them up full court press. The press doesn't need to be intense, just slowing down the offensive rhythm. So you never let them bring it to the 3 point line with ease. Never foul, make them find a shot within a artificially shortened play clock. Doesn't matter where it is as long as it's contested. Don't switch on defense and certainly make it rare if you do. I know we've practiced switching everything, but they'll exploit that.

Either way, I think fighting through the picks makes it easier to get the call. So, I think our ideas are simpatico.

We need to stop trying to beat the Warriors and start thinking about beating the triangle offense. It's the most dominant offense in all of sports and if we don't have an answer for the offense, then we'll have another failure year. Personnel shouldn't matter a ton, defensive style should. We have to get a defensive identity. Spurs run it, Warriors run it. We have to learn to stop it.

 

Went back and watched the San Antonio preseason game. Most of our issues would have been solved by playing a non-switching defense and staying in front of your man.

In other words, we can't do what Harden did here:



We need to close more like Harden does here:



NBA players are going to score, but if you do the right thing at a high frequency, you'll do enough to win. The triangle offense can be beat.

 

Nene certainly would have helped out this game. Nene and Paul and I think we win that game. Hopefully we'll take what we learned against the Spurs to the Warriors game. Gotta play with high energy at the start and finish if we want to beat this team. We can do it but we're gonna have to get out there and do work.

 

Maybe its me but I think both are bad defense.

1) Not being in the right defensive distance and then over-closing out giving the baseline

2) helping defense when it is not needed and losing sight of his man

Harden has the worst defensive awareness I have ever seen from a marquee guy.

I almost think that he should be guarding the opponents' primary ball handler. That way all he has to do is focus on the ball.

 

Agreed that both are bad defense, but the fault on the second one is Gordon's. Gordon lets his man beat him and Harden plays to help him(not in the gif). Luc does as well. Harden does the right thing eventually when they get settled back into man-to-man. My ultimate point was that the right defensive principals were used here. No switching, close out your shooters, don't let them shoot without a hand up. If Harden stayed with his man, it would have been a free play at the rim.

 

Anderson should kick Curry in the balls to show them we're really on their level

 

if you noticed, i feel like the toyota center is filling up alot more these days. This was a preseason game with the ALCS on at the same time and the rockets got a crowd bigger than regular season crowds with les as the owner. I expect the rockets to up alot in attendance with fertitta at the reign