Why do we let teams back into the game?

My experience watching Harden teams is that it is a mentality. I don't think I blame it on Harden; the bench squad should be keyed up to hold a lead when they get in the game too. That's what I don't get.

Against scrub teams and with big leads we expect the game to win itself. Little things like boxouts and methodical passing go a long way to holding a game together. When you let them slide, poof the pace picks up and the other team gets a magic 10 point run.

 

what's interesting is the players are aware of it. guys from Tuck to Harden to capela all have made note of this being an issue. what exactly they're doing to correct something that happens over and over is anyone's guess

 

Keeps potential boring wins interesting.
Got to keep the viewers glued to the tube.

 

No such thing as a boring win!

 

I think that we try and put the minimum amount of effort in to get the W. Most times it works, some times it doesn't. Against good teams, we try really hard, against poor teams, we coast. Rockets version of load management.

 

Agreed. I would add that we stop getting back in transition, stop closing out on shooters, and get ultra cocky on offense, which leads to turnovers and ill advised shots. You can almost count on it.

PJ addressed the teams lack of a killer instinct vs lesser teams. MDA addresses it constantly. The players just aren't responding for whatever reason. It's just who we are now. I've just decided to live with it as a fan. We still win most of the time in spite of this aggravating flaw. I just don't want to see it again during the playoffs.

 

Last night was on Harden. He kept shooting threes rather than getting his team involved.

Soon as he gave the ball up, we got a backdoor cut and basket from Tucker.

 

That's kind of the way the game plays out now. It's not just the Rockets.

 

Games will have huge swings when you put up 45+ 3's a game. Team also gives less effort on defense when up.

 

Generally speaking, this team continues to shoot 3's early in the clock regardless of the situation.

Harden took 2 bad 3's late in the 4th last night, that kept Atlanta in the game. When you play that way, you're always leaving the door open for the opponent to make a comeback. If Ego doesn't make a lucky 3 of a really bad (near turnover) pass from Harden late, the game might have gone to OT.

Shoot nothing but 3's... door will be open when it shouldn't be.

Stop protecting rebounds... door will be open.

I'm not saying you should stop shooting tons of 3's. But when you have the lead.... you've earned the luxury of simply maintaining the buffer. Go ahead and probe for other shots like Chris Paul used to do so well when we won 67 games. Especially later in the game.

Because when you do inevitably go cold, you leave the door open and allow the opponent to potentially gain momentum.

I get it... EVERY TEAM shoots tons of 3's. But the ones winning titles lately seem to also understand how to use the midrange game to their benefit situationally.

 

Yup!
Specifically for the Hawks game, there is not much of a bench squad in that particular game if only 7 Rockets played more than 5 minutes. With Westbrook sitting the game out, when Harden was off the floor, the Rockets had two Shooting guards on the offensive end to run the offense and things were not flowing well. As you mentioned above they lost focus on defense, especially in transition and closing out shooters. Both EG and Rivers can get buckets off of isolation plays. Perhaps if this occurs again have them take turns on offense, ala Harden and Westbrook, with House also being a facilitator. It can work. Yesterday was probably more of guys not used to playing without either Harden and Westbrook on the court plus 4 days off.

 

Harden wants team to come back so he could blow them up for more points...thought this was obvious?

 

Because CF complains about boring wins. I for one enjoy the excitement of close games.

 

Changed it to reflect my observations. I have never seen any of the big three Houston teams that doesn't routinely fail to take teams seriously. Whether it's for part of a game or a whole game. Rockets, Astros, Texans, doesn't matter. In multiple generations of each team. Fatigue is sometimes a factor, but, in general, it seems to be much more of a mental thing, and it's a psychological mystery I still don't understand.

 

/thread

 

that's right. players read the complaints on Clutchfans, right after they put their kids to bed. Players don't want to disappoint the 99ers and the pure fans

 

Its funny every post keeps blaming certain things about the team but not the coach himself, the actual guy/reason thats supposed to correct said things.

 

* When the Rockets play with energy and are locked in, they do well.
* Every NBA team makes runs. The key is having a good enough defense to be able to disrupt the runs. (2017/18 season).
* The Rockets do not have a DEEP ENOUGH BENCH to SUSTAIN ENERGY to play locked in for 48 minutes. Thus, the runs.

So, deeper bench with defensive players would better augment the team against runs. Thus the 2017/18 season.

#Tilman has to authorize spending for said deep bench and allow Morey to GM and not tie one arm around his back.

Everything rolls up.