How about a little of both? If Yao gets the ball too far outside why not kick it back out and then re-post, catch and shoot immediately?
That is the key. I feel the poll is misleading. The 1 is a part of 2. The key in clutch is let your best shooter to score. Going to Yao is predictable, and it should be for both teams. But to shoot the ball or pass is unpredictable, depends on Yao and the game plans. Yao had 2 TOs, but then Yao had Chandler foul out, and gave Rox a point edge. His hook shot was almost there. But we did not double team their go-to guy. At the final seconds, Yao should be out. Well, it is just a game, too many factors. But any questioning on Yao's clutch play is just premature.
Why Yao needed to move to high post if the Hornets let Yao post in low post? The Hornets were basically dared Yao to beat them 1 on 5.
To me, it seems like our other players except for Yao have lost confidence to shoot in the 4th. quarter. I noticed quite a few times that Scola, Head hesitated to shoot the ball when they had the ball in good positions and just chose to pass it. So I believe that it's not like Adelman specifically ordered them to pass to Yao every single possession, but they are just used to let Yao take responsibilities during the crunch time. And to those who are wondering why Yao chose to shoot the last 3 pointer, this is exactly the same reason. Because nobody else had shot the ball in the last 6 mins, and Yao knew that if he passed the ball to others, they would miss it, not to mention the risk of turnover when passing. Just look at how Rafer missed the layup before Yao got the 3 pointer. It's obviously lack of confidence.
Efficiency is the result of many factors who? doing what? at where? Scorer is just one of them. I'm pretty sure an open layup or even an open jumper will be more efficient than Yao against a double team.
It isn't Yao's fault. He does best when the ball moves around and he shoots after receiving a pass in (or near) scoring position. It kills our chemistry when he gets the ball early in the clock and tries to back his man down 5-6 feet before he can shoot. The other players may as well take a smoke break. Predictability usually kills offenses unless it involves a pick-and-roll or some movement of some kind. Putting Yao in the best position to succeed means moving the ball around and hitting him at the right moment. linzhihao, I agree with what you said but that's where coaching comes in. Take out the players who are choking and put in guys that have some guts. When Luther gets jittery, he has no business being on the floor because his value is less than zero when he can't shoot. Give AB a chance in crunch time. And Rafer's missed layup was expected by the defense and well-defended, which meant the Rockets should have gone to plan B, a 3 pointer. Instead, Rafer tried to force a shot that was much tougher than a 3 pointer. Why Adelman didn't substitute for Yao on the final shot is a mystery. The Hornets did the smart thing by forcing the inbounds pass to him. Game over.
That 3 pt play by Butler didnt help. It's a dumb foul by Head. I mean either foul Butler hard or stay away. WTF is that little swipe behind Butler?
Give the Hornets credit, after a few sequences where the Rockets and Hornets traded, like, four turnover possession each, the Hornets scored when they absolutely had to, and the Rockets did not... Part of the problem on the Rockets' side was going to Yao against a team that defends him well straight-up. I have no problem going to Yao if the Rockets are up by, say, points, but in a really tight game, I'd say it's best to run the usual motion offense and see what happens. Head is usually clutch in the last minutes of games, so I would have like to have seen a play run for him where he got a kickout 3, in which case a poster besides Yao needs to be in there, like Bonzi. Scola look reluctant in the last few minutes and he's going to have to get over that. Yao could be used as a decoy as well, set up the play like it's going to Yao, then the PG should go hard to the basket.
Sometimes I can't figure out Rick's substitutions. Leaving Battier in for defensive purposes makes sense, although he is slow in man-on-man defense. However, Luther and Hayes have no business being there to close. Almost anyone can shoot over them and both are foul prone.
Like Scola said in the interview after game, they played Yao one-on-one, so I don't think Head was left open during the crunch time. Besides, Head seemed hesitent on shooting in last game.
In the 4th quarter, the refs do NOT want to be seen. Now, that being said, the offense knows this as well as the defense. So the question is do you want to put it on the ref to make the right call?? Penetrate to get a layup?? If you get fouled better hope they call it. By going to Yao's jumphook, which is a good shot, you are trying to keep the refs from having to make a call. Yao doesnt usually get fouled on the hook, so you expect to get a good quality shot, with little chance of refs impacting it. Unfortunately he is fouled on the setup to the hook, which Chandler reaching across Yao's body(dribbling across the lane with right hand to get his feet set and go up) and off arm to reach the ball and slap at it. Chandler did two things wrong that normally result in a foul call, especially if done to a guard on the perimeter. First, he slapped down(slap up is called less, if at all) and second he reached across the offensive player's body and off hand(which is kept in the way as a natural shield to the ball)
Heck, I'd play him one on one if you can just slap at the ball when he makes his move at the most important juncture in the game without worrying about fouling him.
Well said. Rick needs figure out how to play Yao in the Clutch. The last second play was real ugly, and it happened before. (I forgot the game.)
Exactly!!! I remembered that and recall no one pulled this out yesterday in the post game thread. It really kills me that Head made a stupid and needless foul on Butler as it was predictable that Butler was going to make that layup. 2pts behind is of a big difference from 3pts behind. Any one knows that except Head(less). His intension was good but his foul was stupid and that is why he was a third-class defender. . We would not be so disadvantaged in the end. BTW, I feel a good execution , appropriate decision and sufficient confidence is the key to the success in the last second.
True. So the game was essentially lost by the referees, and we are about the same angry as Magic fans were a few days ago.
I would love to see Yao and AB in the pick and roll. AB's pull up from 15ft in is much better than Rafer's plus he finishes better.
Ricky's fault, should have had brooks on paul at the time. Rafer looked like he was on roller skates and looking to get picked.
That 1 pt made a big difference. Final 2-3 minutes for close game, just like you said, it's execution time - no room for stupid mistakes. Let's say if the developing sequence were the same, the Rockets would basically have the ball in final 16 secs for a win or a tie for overtime.
