Even though we are down at the half, and barely beat washington last night, I think that the set they are running is what gives us the best chance to win. It's essentially a basic Rudy T post-up/kick-out set, except with McGrady/Artest re-posting on the other side after Yao kicks out. They've basically scrapped all the cutesy motion offense crap and gone back to the basics, and everyone looks alot more comfortable as a result. Tracy and Ron look alot better spotting up and posting up rather than putting the ball on the floor. I think you can go to the motion offense when the stars are on the bench, but this is the most in sync I've seen the big 3 together.
EDIT: I would add though that I don't know how this will work against teams that front Yao (I have no idea why everyone doesn't do this), but that's another topic for another day.
Anything that involves a 7'6 guy running around pretty much will end in failure. Though props for Adelman for finally coming to his senses and dictating a inside-outside game that's made everyone look better. Or maybe the players have just decided to do it. Who knows with these Rockets.
Seems like deja vu from last season. Didn't Rick decide to go to a more basic offense mid-November a year ago? The second unit is running the motion offense pretty well, though. Maybe that's just how its going to be. Whatever works.
But couldn't we have used this offense with JVG as coach? If we will play basketball like this, then I don't understand why we had to hire Adelman in the first place. That-being-said, if it works, then let's use it!!!
Yea. Artest and McGrady usually look terrible on the court together. This is the first time they have somewhat looked like they can co-exist.
great thread and i fully agree with the op. i've said it before the season, rick's offense probably won't work out again this year. it's just that the personell, especially the big three, aren't made for the motion offense. but i also knew that rick is smart enough to figure it out at some point. now with the change to a more basic offense our big three look pretty comfortable. especially yao looks a lot better. he gets the ball in the spots he needs to and he's taking advantage of what the defense gives him. i'm also pretty amazed by how well t-mac is shooting spot-up threes.
We are playing like Boston right now. Just passing the ball around and finding open man. McGrady last season would be awful playing that way, because he couldn't buy any 3. This season you wanna have him taking those 3s when he is open because he is hitting them. The same thing about Ron, Aaron. Even Rafer can knock down 1 sometimes.
i actually saw quite a bit of motion offense....they seem to run that at the start and if they can't find anything, they post up yao, and switch back to jvg offense. motion offense has created a bunch of easy layups and open shots for us tonight.
rox plays best with yao bullying the defenders, but when they start fronting yao, there starts the problem. Hence the reason of the motion offense. To prevent fronting on yao.
They are running a little of the old and a little of the new, the key is they are running....and not fast break running but moving off the ball...and setting screens, everyone is moving....it gets everyone open. Nice. DD
i think we're not even running a lot of tracy's favorite plays b/c he's handicapped right now (screen curls, more low posts...). you add onto that with yao's post game and tracy's penetration, this team could really be scary. i'm really proud of yao's the past 2 games. i just want him to be aggressive. if a guy blocks your shot, let it go and re-focus. i love his aggression the past 2 games. and tracy's playing very well within the offense. i can't wait to see how great he'll be once he'll be relatively healthy. and ron ron is slowly shooting better. 2 straight good shooting games for him.
Now we're on to something. Ideally, Rick's offense is designed to take what the defense gives it. When the defense doesn't front Yao, then he's gotta get in the low post and gobble up the ball. When the defense starts fronting Yao, they should go to the motion screen game. I seem to think they are slowly figuring it out. And Adelman is going to have the benefit of having a dominant low post big man, which he never had in Sac and Portland. I don't think Adelman has a problem with Yao down low and throwing the ball around. After all, we saw Webber and Vlade down low. Just not as often as Yao should be because they could not dominate their defender in the low block the way that Yao can. However, Sac was very efficient on finding the mismatch. If the mismatch was Webber in the post against some poor defender, Sac took advantage of it. Our mix of plays is going to be different. Because Yao can be so dominant in the low block when he is not fronted, we should (and will eventually) go to him in the block primarily until we force the defense to do something different. The difference between Adelman and Van Gundy offensively is here. When teams take away Yao on the low block, Adelman will finally get these guys to make the adjustments to having Yao move out to the top to receive the pass and hit the cutters. Van Gundy never seemed to be able to make that adjustment. Our guards kept trying to pinpoint the pass to Yao and racking up a bunch of turnovers and bad shots. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Once these guys figure out what the defense is doing, and are able to recognize the mismatches faster, they are going to look better and better. .........................er......that is............provided................. their PG can hit some shots................. That's one thing about this team that is always going to be the big IF. We want you Stephen Curry.
Inside out game can save a lot energy for defence end. Our big 3 can take turns at post as nobody will run out gas. As age of JVG, Yao posted a lot but easily got tired.
no matter what we run, we're never gonna be the kings team under adelman. and i think he knows that, too. jvg had the right "basic strategy", but his biggest weakness was being stubborn and slow to adapt (which in the end did him in). adelman appears to be a bit more flexible.
No way it is Rudy T ball, the system that JVG got beaten by in the playoffs when he was a Knicks Assistant.
I have to agree with you. Someone posted that TMac and Yao are slow and slower. Atest is never known for best decision making or quick reaction. Basicly the big three's talent is individual bball skill or unmatchable strength. Asking them to run the motion offense which requires physical and mental quickness is pure ignorance of talent type. I am glad they get back to a playbook that makes sense.
