Watching last night's game, when our guards (AB/Lowry/Wafer) played off each other in the 4th (a few times), so many more options are created!!! Adleman should be working on set plays for them to close out games. Options are: 1) AB/Wafer pick and roll for AB qick out to consistant Landry/Scola elbow jumper 2) AB/Landry pick and roll for AB drive to basket a la Lakers game vs. Shaq 3) AB/Landry pick and roll for AB drive and qick out to Wafer for mid range jumper or 3 ball 4) Lowry can substitute for AB in above scenarios depending upon matchups We must have the ball at end of games in your best ball handler's/most athletic hands who can seperate from defenders and create shots for others or themselves if open. Yes, these three are young, but they are our most athletic and sure handed. While Ron or Yao are more experienced, they are one shot wonders (create 1 shot for themselves) and don't create the multiple shot opportunities for success.
I agree. Force feeding the ball to Yao in the 4th quarter when defenses are swarming around him clearly does not work. The Lakers, Blazers, Nuggets, Jazz and even the Bulls proved that.
Agreed completely, everyone blames the passes to Yao when it is Yao's fault for not knowing how to seal off his man. Force feeding Yao is the worse thing to watch and is way to predictable. I thought RA was going to change this when he came here.
^ Also we force feed Yao down the stretch just about every game making it easier to defend him. It would be beneficial to Yao as well if we ran plans through our guards and look for him in the right situations.
so if everyone agrees here that this is our best logical option, then why are we not doing this??? Maybe we're saving this for the playoffs so teams are not prepared to defend against us?
missed that article?? Makes it even worse that Chron sees what we see and is clearly obvious??? Why doen't Adleman make this adjustment?!!
We are doing this, just not consistently. We did this in the Mavs game, and Brooks hit a pair of clutch 3s. We did it in the Boston game and Wafer hit the shot. The difference is that this team is still building chemistry or an identity. They are not completely there yet so they have to learn by stumbling. Aaron Brooks may have some problems but late in games he has been VERY clutch. Give him the ball and get out of the way and live with the results. DD
Understood, but forget about doing this consistently, I don't believe that Adleman is coaching to this strength of our team appropriately enough. I don't know if he SEE'S this as obviously as we do. When these plays for the guards do happen: a) they seem to happen sometimes by accident or off of some break (not a called play) b) they always seem to be a third/fourth option to Yao/Artest post ups or inside out three point shots I understand Adleman's free style offense and taking what the defense gives you, but he also has CALLED PLAYS and does not seem to consider CALLING SET PLAYS FOR GUARDS as a first/second option!! Especially at the end of games when handles and playmayking are key!!!
You can also throw in Artest down on the post. Mix all of that in with dumping it down to Yao and you got yerself something. You cant completely ignore Yao on offense as he is better than that, but you cant make him the focal point, or even the 50% focal point. Keep the defense guessing, and having Yao post up a bit even if he isnt the target of the play makes for a great decoy. I really expect to see more of this as Rick gets comfortable with Brooks/Lowry running the show more. He is so used to T-Mac being a creator down the stretch that he is still finding out what these other guys can do.
Right. As everyone knows, the Rockets don't have that one dominant go-to guy right now, but they've got a few options that are pretty good. Instead of trying to establish Yao or Artest all the time, keep mixing things up.
Yes, if we can learn from last night game. It is good for play-off. yao can learn from this and our coach can figure out the way to avoid this. AB can shoot and drive. Lowry is pretty good to.
My question to you is: Have you EVER seen AB kick the ball out after he's decided to drive it in? I sure as hell haven't. What I have seen too many times is AB driving into 3 defenders only to get swatted.
how about taking Yao out of the game completely in the 4th since defenses tighten up and expose him badly.
I'd really like to see an AB/Scola pick and pop at the elbow with either Scola or AB finishing with a 15-18 ft jumper. Easy. In my opinion, AB could really elevate his game if he took more midrange jumpers. He seems to only take 3's or drive it to the basket where he has trouble finishing due to his lack of size.
I've been saying it time and time again. Aaron Brooks needs to be our guy. Ron Artest is good, but watching him dribble the ball into the ground and then take up a horrible shot is sad. With the ball in his hands, he really struggles to create things for himself. Yao can't be the man... I think we all know it. Aaron HAS to be the guy. People say it time and time again, "He's a scorer." Well, a scorer is exactly what we need at the end of the game. Time to give it to the young fella.
Rockets are doomed if Brooks becomes the guy right now. A closer need to able to create and make shots for him self, drive to the basket, and the most important: ability to get FTs at the end of the game. Brooks is too weak to do that.
