Yes. In close games our entire offensive gameplan seems to be "get KD the ball". We don't execute offense - we play hero ball. With a 37 year old KD.
It’s simply turnovers and defensive lapses. We are getting cooked by the Saddiq Bey, Keegan Murray, Herb Jones, level of player and it’s inexcusable.
Ime has zero plan, and leans heavily on his favorites leaving us vulnerable when games get close, honestly if KD was benched we win those games, just because Ime is using him the wrong way. DD
This team can't handle any kind of defensive pressure at all. If it's this bad against bad teams in the regular season, I can't even imagine how bad it'll be against elite teams in the playoffs
Udoka is a good coach, even when we lose we rarely gets blown out. We put ourselves in position to win every game but Udoka clearly has no idea what he was doing in late game situations. He needs to improve.
I think the past 10 games have been up and down for Reed, but the total +/- last 10 games without Reed on the court... Amen -28 Sengun -11 Durant -33 JSJ -28 Okogie -41 Adams 1 Sengun is in a rough patch. It seems Durant is getting doubled a lot more. Amen and Okogie just aren't being guarded tightly away from the basket. He isn't being guarded at the three-point line much. Even with that, Amen and him are 32% over the last 10 on hardly any attempts despite not being guarded. KD being doubled, help defense collapsing on Sengun, one guy guarding JSJ is basically other teams saying Okogie and Amen can't make enough threes. Only 2 games in the last 10 that Okogie has made multiple 3s. Even when Reed is sucking, he's being guarded at the three-point line. Heck, a good portion of the time, Reed is several feet behind the line forcing defender to be at the three point line. Rockets need more playmaking, but just need shooting on the court as well. I think Clutch time is exposing the Rockets lack of shooting and spacing as it is so easy to double Durant without having to worry about giving up threes or uncontested looks at the basket.
The other 4 guys on the court can't even beat 3 guys when Reed isn't in the game and you want to remove KD?
I think you are wrong. Amen and Reed are struggling heavily against the defensive pressure of late game situations. Reed is playing very well most of the game, but man, come crunch time he keeps picking up that dribble. I don't know if it's nerves, lack of confidence, or it really is KDs presence that makes him cough of the ball, but he really needs to stop picking up his dribble. He has the ability to get himself or others open, but this iso garbage we are watching at the end of games hoping KD bails us out is atrocious. If we could just pick up an experienced guard. I'd be willing to give Davison a chance as well. We just need a different look, but unfortunately Ime is damn stubborn about being creative or taking a chance. Some coaches are willing to try something new and others just want to stick to the same formula even when it doesn't work. I love Ime, I think he makes us successful, and I get everyone is upset at how he manages the game at the end, I know I am as well, but overall he has been a very good coach for us. I'm definitely open to upgrading, but every coach has their faults. Mike Malone is out there though so it's hard not to want a coach with that resume (even he wore out his welcome though, its typical).
To me it's less about the close losses and more about the team lacking choices when it comes to close games. If teams like the Kings and the Pelicans can stop you down the stretch, what would happen in a playoff setting when top level teams can gameplan against you for an entire series? For this team to be a playoff contender one of Amen or Reed has to take a big step up. Cause there's not much else that they can really improve on.
If Reed can’t play aggressive and dumps to KD every play maybe because he’s scared, also lack of conditioning I’m ok with Ime benching him. But props to try to get him to play through it it’s not easy. again , I put a lot of losses on Udoka this season but he can’t keep telling Jabari to stop taking stupid ass shots or not be bitter fingers (unless he already told him)
Reed Sheppard turns into Cliff Paul when he’s doing that dribble up and dump the ball to KD routine. He adds very little to no value during those situation. And I say that liking his game overall
The play calling is bad. The execution is bad. The league has figured out how to stop our end game offense. It's an ISO every single time, so defenses send a strong double and blow it up every single time. KD has been terrible turning the ball over and missing shots when the gets doubled. Sengun seems to have a hero ball complex and turns into James Harden at the end of games, except he's not a good shooter outside the paint. Run a freaking play that doesn't require your 7 footers to play ISO ball at the three point line with under 10 on the shot clock. If you want KD to be the closer, he can't be the one to initiate the offense, he sucks at it. Sengun shouldn't be the initiator either. He has similar problems, he's a better passer, but a worse shooter. Just run your damn offense. Initiate with 15 seconds, kick it into the post to Sengun with 10 seconds and let him cook. If he gets double, KD will be one on one where he can get any shot he wants. The Rockets figured this out 30 years ago when Hakeem was their best player. 1 in 4 out, initiate early enough that the kick out still works.
Reed still is not a strong ballhandler for a PG, though better than most Rockets. He's had some up and down games. NOP and Sacramento were some stinkers for him, but the Rockets are struggling without him in crunch time as well.
That's because the play call is a KD ISO. Mario Ellie and Robert Horry were clutch shooters, but you don't want them initiating the offense. KD needs to get the ball on a kick out or swing pass. KD starting at the three point line with the ball sucks. A double comes and he either turns it over or takes a difficult shot.
I agree. When you have Amen in the game, you can't have another streaky shooter in there. We already have Sengun in there as well who has forgotten how to shoot a three and free throw. For as well as Okogie has played, he is not a reliable knock down shooter, despite what the percentages tell you, so he just can't be out there on crunch time. We really need DFS to ramp up, because he brings the shooting and defensive capability we sorely need at the end of games. KD is getting double teamed regardless of who is out there, so the only way to have a fighting chance is to have at least 2 other good shooters out there. When you are running Okogie/Amen/Sengun, those are three players the defense can easily sag off and then the defense packs the paint which makes any shot those guys take inside extremely difficult. We have obviously flaws in our team, it sucks that two of our best young players really suck at shooting. Unless they can develop a consistent shot, for the long term goals of the team, one of them is likely going to have to go. I like both of them, they both have an immense amount of potential, but in the current NBA, you will struggle not being able to run at least 3 shooters out there, 4 is preferable.
I don’t care how bad Reed is at the end of games. He should play and make his mistakes. It is better than losing without a guard, with no play running, with stupid turnovers. And I am pretty sure he feels pressured by Ime not to make mistakes on those situations. ıme is fixated on defense. He doesn’t have a defensive guard now that can run an offense like FVV. And he rejects the natural solution to the problem. as much as talent we have, our team is constructed poorly. KD and Jabari, poor mans KD, are not good with passing the ball or moving off or on ball. Jabari dribbling the ball is a horror movie. Amen, Sengun, Adams not good outside shooters. Jabari is a good shooter but cannot create anything for himself or others. Amen cannot create much for others. We have too many ‘special’ talents who lack some fundamental skills and the only guy who can glue them is Reed, who can’t play or sits at the corner. We do lack a good offensive coach for sure. İt is not to say a better coach is available but ime can’t solve the offensive problems.
