Offensive issues - by design or individual incompetence?

We have very unique players lacking some crucial skills. Too many players who can’t put the ball. Against weaker teams this is not a problem because we over talent them. We struggle against better teams. And some games we will need a pg more than others. Yesterday was one of them imo.

Nevertheless there are structural problems:
1) The lack of movement is structural
2) zone d and defensive rebounds
3) no real, well defined offensive strategy

There is more than enough talent on this team to make it work even without fvv.

 

Sengun isn’t scoring efficiently and KD doesn’t have the energy or speed to create for himself off the dribble without turning it over.

We’re also consistently running double big lineups with Amen, which absolutely kills the spacing. If Okogie and Easons shooting returns to the mean, and they almost certainly will, that top offense will plummet like a rock.

 

Sengun and Amen arent shooters. Reed isnt a defender. KD cant defend anymore either (I swear to god if I hear someone say he's a great defender again Im gonna lose it).

Here's the rub. Sengun needs to shoot. Amen needs to shoot. And Reed needs to play. If we are going to stint their growth then none of this matters because we arent winning titles with or without Durant and FVV. Playoff teams will force Sengun and Amen to shoot and won't have to worry about a great shooter in Reed because he didnt get any development either.

This team is better when Durant gets his points as a byproduct of the offense and not when we're force feeding him.

 

Low IQ Ime Udoka on Offense, that is why Fred VanVleet is needed for Ime. Fred VanVleet tries to cover Ime huge flaws on offense, spamming Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun pick and roll over and over.

Ime Udoka throws players under the bus but he doesn't know how to run a Fast Break offense, a uptempo game. Iso half court is really boring.

Feels like Jeff Van Gundy all over again with Ime Udoka.

 

Amen Thompson Jump shooting form is the worst in the League.

 

There is a bit of everything. Udoka definitely has to do more to help Durant to get the ball. Amen has to learn that playing PG position is not just about getting past the halfcourt and go to the corner/baseline. He has to be aware of the team struggles to put the ball on the floor, he must get to the ball and call the plays, put the people on their spots and then try to get the ball to our go to guys. He has to recognize the offensive struggles and let his teammates know how to positionate/play. He's a rookie as a PG.

Also, playing with bigs it has its strenghts but also its weaknesses. Obviously Durant and Jabari are going to struggle against ball pressure, that's not even their fault, it is their nature, they are not guards, they are 7 feet bodies. Eason, Okogie... they are not the best passers neither. Even our guards, Amen and Reed, are newbies at the task of creating and sometimes they struggle under pressure. That's the nature of our team and the weaknesses we chose to have. It's OK, you cannot be great at everything, but team has to get better at positioning and moving without the ball. Udoka has to invest time on that, has to create some plays to facilitate the reception for his go-to-guys. We should be even practicing our passing technique... Our forwards are cursing on the fly a master on perimeter skills... Hopefully they will develop as the season goes.

Fortunately, it is November and we are still playing our particular preseason. Remember we just played 1 and a half preseason games with Kevin Durant... We have a very new starting 5 with very different roles compared to last season. I think the team will get better, for sure, but make no mistake, that's gonna be the Rockets achilles the whole seaosn, specially without Fred.

 

Star player trapped in halfcourt. No answers. Same as last year.

 

Sengun has to be competent and confident 3 point shooter. Beyond that I think people are just forgetting how spooky wembanyama can be. Amen is used to being able to go over just about anyone yet he was terrified in the paint and started throwing ill advised passes. It took sengun 3 quarters to figure out how to attack him again. Jabari... he just got muscled off his spots. Sengun gets to 37% and it fixes a LOT. KD is looking like nothing more than a play finisher at this point. Useful if everything sets up for him.