In addition to aforementioned predictability of plays in the last 1 or two minutes in a tight game. The Rockets give up a lot of points in the 4 quarter to opponents. The Rockets might be ranked last or next to last in opponent points in the 4th. Closing out games and getting other shots the other teams are not expecting or finding the open player is something the Rockets have practice as regular and playoff games against good teams will be tight games in the final 1 to 2 minutes.
??? If you go all out on defense from the first minute of the game, you're going to get burned out by quarter's end. Plus, if you're ultra-aggressive, guarantee the refs will call ticky-tack fouls. You don't always need to put the clamps down on the opposing team on the first possession versus, let's say, the last possession. There's just no positives of playing crunchtime defense for all 48.
Crunch time defense concerns Crunch time coaching concerns Crunch time execution concerns Crunch time adjustments concerns Crunch time time-outs concerns ETC.......
Lol other than keeping the other team from scoring? Maybe that can be the next great asymmetry that is exploited. Like a great baseball closer being used earlier rather than later, the Rockets can employ the alternative magic crunch time defense schema at unexpected times! It's a real zag zig maneuver.
it'd be nice if we actually practiced these situations but since we are the oldest team in the league, D'antoni has chosen to let this team coach itself instead of running practice. It's well known around the Rockets org that Dantoni doesn't organise practices.
So just abandon the system altogether? Replacing it with what? Just draw up a few midrange plays on the sideline?
Maybe... but I mean call some damn plays once in a while. I like that Russ screen for James at the end of the first OT that gave him a good look at the basket (the runner of the bank).
My football team is the Steelers another notorious mistake after mistake late game choke squad rockets crunch time failures are the worst though.
If a solid and big wing player guards harden and can stop harden then I'm afraid rockets might suck in crunch time!
All these meaningless advanced stats are meaningless. This year, they're 24th in 4th quarter margins. Something is going wrong. Then they must be that defensively terrible in 4th quarters if they are good in the clutch offensively (which I don't believe).
I only know Westbrook brings rhythm, it does not mean we have good offense. It is still poor shooring accuracy. We should move the lose points level same as Dallas and bucks level. Find a good defensive coach right now
I’ve been saying this for years. When you only have a few shots left in the game, those need to be high percentage shots. You don’t have time for the 3>2 stat to work itself out. That stat is based on what is best over the course of many shots, not just a few. It also doesn’t account for the end of game situations when players are tired, the defense is locked in, and the pressure is high.
It’s all crunch time coaching concerns in the end. He dictates who is in the game and what the plan is.
