Despite the big win, this team seems off. Whether it's Reed or Okogie starting, we can't have a starter giving us 4 points a game. Amen seems out of place on offense and his defense has taken a major step back. I know I seem like Debbie Downer, but if we're playing a top 4 seeded team from either conference tonight, we probably lose.
Yeah I said this same thing earlier. Something seems off. Right now I don't think they would beat OKC, Denver or LA. San Antonio honestly would be a toss up.
you're 100% correct Teammates aren't trying to get Reed involved, and its very strange. Towards the end even Aaron holiday was freezing him out But Reed is also playing very timid, I wonder if its because he sees this too In the post season we are going to need a deadly shooting threat like he has been. If we don't have that we are going to be fodder
The team exploits weaknesses in the opposing defense. It's never a formula. Scoring will always move around.
There’s no secret, we don’t have Tari who is our bench energizer and Reed is off right now which is huge hit because he was averaging 16ppg and past couple games and Okogi too. Just by two struggling we’re loosing like 20ppg on top of missing Tari’s defense
It's tough to pinpoint the exact problem for me. Seems like too many players have something to prove, and they need the ball to do it. Jabari and Amen think they have to break out. Reed is going get punched in the face if he doesn't shoot, despite never getting any drive and kicks or off ball screens. Holiday and Durant are gonna chuck, gotta hope they are hitting. Everybody is trying to be the man, when "the man" should be whoever the defense chooses. Rockets feel like they are playing to be a top team, but not THE top team. The biggest problem is Durant though. Half of his problem is that he is so talented, he still hasn't mastered reading a defense. He just shoots over as many people as he needs to. This works fine when he is 8 years younger and has 2 historic shooters next to him (Splash Bros), but with the Rockets, it freezes other players out. Aside from Sengun, everybody looks more confident with Durant sitting. The other half of the problem with KD isn't his fault, but he is the cause. I'm referring to everybody on the perimeter deferring to him. Last year the Rockets were very hard to scout because a different player would step up every night. Now, teams know what we are going to do.....give it to Durant. My post is getting way longer than I anticipated but we need to talk about losing our edge. How many scuffles did the Rockets get in last year? For a while, it felt like every game. I liked it, it was our identity. I can' think of a single scuffle this season. We flat out got bullied in Utah a few nights ago. This is where we miss Brooks. Nobody fears the guy that can't bench the bar. Lastly on my rant and I know you're with me on this....Ime needs to be better. Reed dominated Curry and I still haven't seen a single off-ball play ran for him since. If the Rockets were coached by Kerr, Reed would be prioritized, and players would prioritize finding him. I completely agree that our ceiling this season depends on Reed's role, not Durant's. You see it, I see it, Ime doesn't.[/QUOTE]
There were long stretches in the first half of this game where, if you told me this team was trying to throw the game I would have believed you. The on-court vibes are not great. My theory: the personality of this team has shifted from being strongly Dillon/FVV influenced to KD influenced. KD is an all-time great and supposedly such a great workout guy, but ironically a terrible example to learn from stylistically — he’s score-first, middies > threes, limits his effort defensively, looks off role players, wants to play your turn/my turn offense, no dog in him, avoids contact. He makes unblockable shots, so it’s ok for him. Everyone else taking on his stylistic influence is not good! It’s not a total coincidence that Phoenix has gone from tissue soft to becoming the hardest playing team in the league this year.
I took a little 20 min powernap while that was happening, obviously eta: now I will watch what I missed!
when 3 starters have 20+ pts, we absolutely can. JO is there for defense and outlet spot up shooting. The rockets had plenty of chances to break open the game early they just missed the easy shots. Amen/sengun/KD missed so many bunnies it was ridiculous. Rocket had so many steals and rebounds in the first qtr, if the shots fell, and they didnt fumble the ball away, it would have been a blow out. JO had 6 rebs and 2 steals +23 12-1 with JO as a starter
He has 51 min the last 4 games combined. Those will have been played in 12 days by the time the next game is played. That is too much ?
