Watching the Rockets play, more evident than anything is their lack of a game plan and any consistent semblance of an offense. After watching us for half of the season I think now we need to view our strengths and weaknesses and try to conceive a game plan that will help us make the playoff push. STRENGTHS: Yao Ming Passing Ability and Low Post Scoring FG% Steve Francis Scoring - Slashing/Mid Range Jump Shot/ 3 pt % Mo Taylor Mid Range Game Glen Rice - 3 pt game starting to return Cato - Rebounding/ putbacks Mobley - Slashing game - Outside Shooting Posey - Slashing to the basket for Yao Passes - Defense WEAKNESSES: Yao's lack of Recieving the ball on Pick 'n' roll or Pick 'n' pop as Yao likes to run as well Steve's inability to be a 'true' point and run an offense and matador defense forcing penetration 2 on 1 situations with Yao. Cuttino's inability to pass of the pick and roll, inability to involve others and matador defense forcing penetration 2 on 1 situations with Yao. Consistency from Griffin, Taylor and Rice (recently came back from injury so not as serious) Inability to spread the floor. ==================== My summations from our group in what would be the best offense is that similar to the Sacremento Kings. That means the ball going inside to Yao to be distributed on every posession. Similar to how it goes through Webber and Divac. This relieves Cuttino and Steve from having to be playmakers and capitalizes on their great mid-range game and slashing ability. If you watch the Kings, Bibby and Jackson don't do that much play making, but a good amount of spot up shooting and slashing, or penetrating and dishing. Having Glen Rice will have a Peja type effect because he has had a few games with GREAT three point shooting that will spread the floor out. Taylor lacks Webber's passing ability, but with Yao running Center-Point, Taylor's better than Webber mid range game and inside offense will open up Yao to not get double teamed. Posey gets some great Yao feeds and i'm starting to question the ability of his hands to finish on these plays. I think Morris has been a spark with his great shooting and ability to finish a pass. I don't know how many times i've seen Posey mess up a perfect pass from Yao. I think Yao should also extend his game out a little. If he is at the top of the key or at the free throw line he always sets the pick but never gets the 'pop'. I am so glad that he is always taking it from the inside and playing a true center post up game, but I think we should capitalize in his mid range game as well. I think this will also allow Steve and Cuttino to pentrate better having the opposing big man drawn outside. Finally, I think Yao needs some attitude. The year we won 45 games, Yao is playing better than Olajuwon was. Hakeem, as humble as he came across, was an arrogant jerk at times. We all remember the story of the rookie who got punched for not 'giving the dream his change'. I remember whenever I had good seats, I would hear the "gimme da ball, gimme da boll". Having Matt Bullard also spread the floor for the dream and Steve is a much better shooter it seems not than he was then and he is much more respected which will open things up more for Yao. Hakeem would DEMAND the rock and thats what reigned in Steve and Cat from dribbling all day. I think Yao needs to have some attitude and demand the ball and not be as much of a "team" player at times. I think a system like this would capitalize on the strengths and weaknesses of our team and not have to change our roster.
The King's offensive set would be great for the Rockets. I heard the Rockets have many offensive sets with many variations but I only remember a handful. They don't even run the ones they have with great success. I don't know if they can learn a new system. These are the plays I see most often, correct me or fill in if you notice other plays: 1) Post on left side. Yao screens for SF(Posey) in the post on left side and then posts up as low as he can. Posey goes out toward 3pt line near baseline. PG(Francis) feeds the post and cuts toward basket. If a good angle not there, PG passes to SF at baseline. SF feeds the post and cut. On weak side, 1 player stations near baseline (Mobley), 1 at 45% (Griffin). The play is the same for Taylor but I don't see screen or cutters. Most of the time we get a 1-1 move from post player and a score on their good day, a miss on their bad. Once in a while we feed a cutter for a layup. Sometimes post player passes to the weak side for an open shot that oftentimes missed. 2) Pick and roll. Someone sets screen for Francis (or Mobley, Moochie) at 45% near 3pt line and rolls toward basket or fades toward baseline. This plays mostly results in 15-18 ft jump shots near the FT line for the guard. Sometimes he goes all the way to the hoop. Rarely ever does he pass to the screener. 3) Double high post. Yao, Griffin set double hi screen for Francis, Francis dribbles past, Yao rolls to basket, Griffin fades back to top of the key. PG passes to the post or to top of the key. Sometimes we get a 3 pt shot for Griffin. Sometimes Francis or Griffin passes to Yao in good position for a hook shot or turnaround. Sometimes there are no passes available and PG takes a 18-20ft shot. 4) 3 pt shot. At the end of game, someone inbounds to Yao near 3pt line at 45% angle. Francis starts from baseline, curls around Yao to receive the ball, takes a dribble or 2 and launches a 3pt shot. Yao rolls to the basket but never receive the return pass because we need a 3. Yao could fade and take 3 pt but never happened. Francis can pass to Mobley at 45% on other side for a 3. 5) Screen for shooter. I only saw this play in the SA game, Rice starts from weakside baseline, curls around 2 screens and gets ball near top of key for a shot. 6) Helter-skelter I've seen a lot of Francis and Mobley dribbling and dribbling trying to find an opening, against double team, against zone ... On a good day they make a spectacular shot, on a bad day, turnovers or prayers.
Yes. Our offense should be a mixture of the Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings, and Portland Trailblazers. Maybe some of the Lakers stuff too. Then we will be great.
Nice post, thats to both of you. The Rockets need a change. I think we could do better if we modify the players minutes. Yao doesn't ned to sit out the entire 4th quater. More rest for Steve in the 3rd quater will help him play the 4th quater pretty much flawless to his ability. In the 3rd quater when we need defense, put in Hawkins/Posey/T. Morris/Mo Taylor/Cato. I think they are better defenders then our starting lineup and they can get out on the fast break faster than our starters do.
We should move the ball up the Court more quickly,stop all the dribbling, passing gets it up there quicker.
Yeah..........if it was only that easy. Problem is we have a 7-6 guy that cannot run with them. We have to wait for him.
You can pass the ball before Yao finds his position. When everyone is moving, Yao can spend less energy to fight for position. It also helps creating open shots for other players.
What really pisses me off is when the quarter is about the end and we are holding for the last shot. Steve will just stand near half court and hold the ball until about 5 seconds and ala a running back just run into the middle and try to make a shot. All while everyone else is just standing around. In the game against the Spurs when Mo was hot, he just got the ball at one end while everyone else was just standing around on the other end watching him. The brand of basketball while it may work sometimes is just so ugly. Rudy is just pissing me off.
LOL, when's the last time you saw a rockets offensive play being telestrated? They run ISO everything...be it Francis, Mobley, Yao, Taylor... they should have mobley dump the ball off with francis and rice cutting to the weakside. Too much standing around...
CANNOT AGREE WITH YOU ANY MORE! THIS SORT OF BASKETBALL IS INDEED THE WORST TO WATCH. IF IT NOT BE ROCKETS, I WOULD NEVER WATCH IT! COMPARE ROX GAMES WITH THOSE OF KINGS, DALLAS, SPURS AND LAKERS, YOU WILL KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEEN GOOD AND BAD BASKETBALL.
