Based on these numbers..... 1. Our winning is most predicated on getting to the FT line and the transition game.... Unfortunately, the former we need James Harden getting the foul calls, which will likely decline somewhat when the defenses get tighter... And the latter will also be reduced if defenses get back. Or in other words, we need to start winning in games where we don’t necessarily get to the line a lot and the defense is focused on stopping the transition game. 2. The reason why turnovers haven't correlated to losing is that our offense performs worst when screens aren't set, the ball isn't moving (lower risk of turnovers) and we end up shooting contested shots. We only commit a lot of turnovers when players away from the ball are moving, the ball is moving, and we're getting much easier shots. 3. The more we strictly adhere to the "layups and threes" half-court strategy, the offense becomes less effective than when we deviate somewhat from the strategy. The Rockets performed beyond my expectations for the pre All Star Break portion of the season... But the half court offense needs to start running more reliably (screens, moving away from the ball, some midrange game) in order for the team to go deep into the post season.
I'd say with current Rocket setting and style, we are winning with James Harden, and losing with James Harden. Rockets game dictated by James Harden, he is our best scorer and our offense initiator. When he plays defense, our team looks unbeatable, when he doesn't play D, we pray for our luck. The team decided to best optimize James Harden's game, that's why we all say Beverley fits with him. Yes, when James is hot, Beverley help him on defensive end, and defer to James and let him play the most comfortable style in the offensive end, and that helps to win games. However, when James is cold, Beverley could not share James's work load, could not set James up to help him to find his rhythm, and James would tend to do more with his load, which in tern lock out other players, when your star player set the tone, the team tend to play more selfish style, with less ball movement, more iso play, which in turn, you could see role players such as Beverley, TJ, etc who relys on James playmaking has dropped FG% and 3FG%, as they are rushing shots, they don't have good looks with less ball movement. Then guys like Parsons and Jeremy, who could get their own and is less affected by this were have less chance of take over as James would actually trying to do more than when he is hot. I know James is good, and he is carrying our team, however, the team should also try to help James when he is struggling. The team should not live on top of him, the team should be able to find other ways to be help themselves when James is not hot, so that James could take a break, re-adjust and then start to lead again. We have Dwight, we have Parsons and Jeremy Lin, the team is capable, if it is set right. Beverley fit with James, but the ceiling of that dual is the max of James Harden's capability. There is no synergy effect of those two, and you could not reach beyond James' top. However, reaching James's top performance consistently is great, will for sure lead the team to playoff, and maybe go deep, but might not be sufficient to reach championship.
Interesting Stats and good discussion. No matter who (PB or Lin) starts at the point, they will play with JH for long stretches in games. JH has to trust his teammates more, move the ball better, and let others take over from time to time. Period. Based on the current make-ups of the Rockets, I actually like more Lin off bench as he is the only viable backup at 1 and 2. I especially like Lin and PB playing together as they compliment each other well (they have incredible chemistry together, even more than PB/JH or JH/Lin combination sometimes. This is why we also won comparably with JH sidelined). Plus they play great defense together :grin:
For example, points scored/allowed, assists, FGA selection. If we play at a different pace in wins versus losses, making a different comparison for those stats isn't quite right.
