Asik and Howard to start next game (Updated w/ Blog Post)

From what I saw of the game, it seemed more of an issue with the players knowing their assignments in this new lineup. Both defensive and offensive rotations need to become second nature and I don't think it was last night. Trouble is, it requires some investment before that can, but if it doesn't provide results soon, the players and coaching will be reluctant to invest.

We still got two more preseason games and my guess is that Mchale will use them to continue the experiment as much as he can to get a clear idea before the regular season. I think Asik struggled individually today more than anything, especially offensively so I wouldn't blame the twin towers theory in itself.

 

Since this is the official thread, I just wanted to say that we can use this lineup against certain teams that lack good rebounding bigs and/or depend a lot on post scoring. It may be sloppy but it would give us a lot of extra possessions and negate their post play. Nothing wrong with tailoring our lineup to specific teams for the W.

 

Too early to tell. Asik is rusty and the Mavericks are one of the worst possible matchups for a twin towers lineup. I never thought it would work but I'm starting to see the light. The Howard/Asik combo has the potential to become an important situational lineup. I'm looking forward to seeing more of it. Lin/Harden/Parsons will all have to attack and create relentlessly when those two are on the court.

 

Look here is the problem, who guards the PF?

Asik is not a good enough perimeter guy to guard the PF, so that leaves Dwight - now that moves him away from the paint and his strength as a weakside shot blocker.

It is just not going to work.

DD

 

I hope that Asik finishes better.. Line up has potential.

 

What low numbers? Asik had 9 boards in less than 30min and Dwight had 17 in less than 30 min? In bed we call this premature ejaculation.

 

Calderon had a hot start, but disappeared afterwards. This is side effect of twin towers - big man unable/unwilling to switch in&out defending PNR so PG has to fight over screen every single time. We made adjustments in second quarter and everything is fine.

However, for whatever reason Calderon almost always showed up in 1st quarter in games I watched. Him and scola are very good in 1st and 3rd quarters.

 

Of course not. I'm the village idiot!

P.S. How many shots per game has the 4 position been getting in the preseason?

 

I know you think you're the smartest person here, but you're probably wrong... it's very likely they continue to try the Asik/DH combo, particularly for certain matchups.

 

I'm excited for fluid double screening action, personally. As long as these guys stay in constant motion, it could probably work.

 

It really allowed us to get Asik and Lin under contract. I would take Asik over Scola any day of the week.

 

points to consider:

1) preseason game and 1st one for asik coming off injury. Obviously he's coming back off injury so might be a little off. This qualifies in the 'duh' dept.
2) 1st preseason game EVER with Howard and Asik together. I emphasize EVER.
3) Asik is not a scorer. So now hes going to score all the sudden when playing with Howard?btw asik had 4 pts and his average is 10. Sounds about right to me in limited preseason minutes.
4) Howard had 17 rebounds not even playing 4th quarter. Some of those rebounds were a direct result of twin towers
5)Asik had 9 rebounds. Remember thats what we want him to do as TT right?
6) Took olajuwon/drexler 20 games after trade to begin to gel.
7) calderon and nowitzki were hitting mid range and if anything thats their game in general. Calderon is not a terrible player and dalembert was having a decent try that he gives you about 8-10 games a year. That said , I didnt see much inside. Mostly if not all mid range.It was not a torching by any stretch and considering how good mavs were playing it still didnt add up to a big margin and the game never really felt in doubt from minute 1. The mavs are classic stretch (supposedly TT biggest achilles heel) and all things considered asik/howard fared pretty well. I know its one play but I also remember mavs settling for a 3 at one point because no one on mavs wanted to dare go inside. Howard got the rebound. Classic look at what TT will be. Couple of times nowitzski had to dial up a 3 because he wasnt going to go inside. Dirk is good so he made them. If anything in the long term with TT we want guys chucking 3s. Mavs are a high scoring team and that is their hope this year to outscore people. If anything we had a strong test against a pretty decent scoring team and made it out okay.
8) asik was -8 in the game. Harden was -7. Maybe we should trade harden right now too

 

So you try something once and give up just like that? come on DD you are better than that,

 

I don't think it was a disaster by any means, and I think it might be something to grow on.

Asik is just getting back on the court, so I don't think we can dismiss this experiment after one try.

I am very concerned with the spacing on offense, but I think the defensive issues may have been an anomaly against the Mavs.

The lineup won't work all the time, and we should not stick with it irrationally like Scott Brooks does with Perkins (hey OKC, please don't fire Scottie Brooks, he may actually help the Rockets win another title in his current position). But still, Asik and Howard are both great players, and, despite the issues, it could end up being a great option.

Not saying it WILL, I just want to see more experimentation with it as a viable option.

 

I just watched the first quarter... and the twin towers experiment went fine.

It was the guards who were stinking it up on defense. Not Howard and Asik.

Overall, pick and roll D wasn't great.

And on offense, the Rockets missed a lot of easy shots. Parsons missed a wide open alley-oop layup off a fast break. Lin missed 2 layups driving to the basket with nobody in front. Dwight got hacked in the paint after an offensive rebound that the refs didn't call. (And I played it in slow-mo to see if he got blocked or was hacked... and he was hacked really bad. Terrible no call). And that's just off the top of my head.

Mavs went ahead and went on an 8-0 run with the line-up of Asik, Casspi, Garcia, Lin, Beverley at the end of the quarter.

Twin towers did fine when they were on the floor together.

 

Jeremy started the game very sluggishly, he did not look aggressive at all fighting those picks for Jose. Which is understandable: he had the flu, and hasn't played since Taipei.

Asik was also very rusty, missed some easy layups. Also understandable, his first game action.

I think you have to be quite Impressed by the 10 offensive rebounds from the towers, in limited action. Offensive rebounds win playoff games.

All this talk about stretch four: in the playoffs teams will close out on them. Plus, it's not easy to make jumpshots in a pressure situation.

I remember game 7 of 2010 Finals, when no other than Kobe Bryant had trouble scoring, going 6 for 24. Not Ryan Anderson, Kobe freaking Bryant! So what won the game for the lakers? The offensive boards by Pau and Andrew!

 

It wont work, we need a stretch 4 to open up the lane

 

thanks. Did you happen to notice if mavs got anything on offense inside? I dont have means to re watch game but based on what I saw last night I dont remember seein gmavs didnt get anything inside.

Howard had 17 rebounds and Asik had 9. IN THEIR FIRST PRESEASON GAME
Not sure what peoples expectations are here but asik is not a scorer. Rebounds are not sexy but its what we need. I will take 26 rebounds in limited minutes as a win for TT on that stat alone.

 

I really didn't take anything away from this preseason game when it comes to whether Howard and Asik can share productive minutes on the court for the Rockets. Asik is coming off an injury and is clearly not close to being in the kind of shape one might expect by this point in preseason. His conditioning simply isn't there yet. Also, Omer has had almost no practice time with the team, much less with Dwight specifically. Way too early to know how effective they will be together, and how many minutes they might reasonably share on the court. This experiment has always been a dicey proposition and remains just that. Regardless, Asik is very valuable to this team, and if he is moved, it will be for an important addition to the roster.

 

I actually think it might be suited for the beginning of the fourth quarter when we have a lead. That way if they foul our centers, it will quickly push the team into the bonus. Then, if the lead holds, we can surround one center with shooters.