Masterful play at the end. Harden fake fall to "collapse the defense" and Harden getting the ball to Troy Daniels for the 3. Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Perimeter getting torched. What do you think Portland will do to Daniels? Especially in the next game where he is scouted. No way you played with the team for less than a week and learn the defensive scheme. We got away with one, I rather not try it again.
It's not THAT much of a drop off defensively from Casspi or Garcia to Daniels when weighed against his lights out shooting and ability to stretch the floor. Don't forget, Daniels has spent a full season on the Vipers running the Rockets' defensive schemes. That's the whole point of having the Vipers as a single team affiliate, so that the players are learning the defensive schemes in a live environment. Sure, he's not great on the defensive end, but he wasn't absolutely terrible either. The Vipers run an extreme offense, but their defensive schemes are the Rockets' defensive schemes. So it's not like he's run nothing except for the last week. And the perimeter was being torched anyway. None of our wing players has the speed to keep up with Lillard or Mo if they get caught on a switch, especially when Lillard is close to untouchable on the court.
Stopped running the Harden/Howard PnR in the end of OT. Why why why? We dont have anything else apart from that play to get us points (We all know how Harden ISOs usually end). I still dont like his coaching and would prefer someone who can run a few plays for other players apart from Harden during crunch time.
McHale's preaching worked!!!! McHale's response to what attributed to the win. "We played hard." "We're not a fine tuned machine right now but we went out and played hard."
Also left Dwight in the game to hit FT, learning from his game 1 mistake. Adjustment made. I would like to see him make a late game adjustment to keep the layups down. Portland wants to shoot jumpers. We should let them. Just giving them a layup drill down the stretch is frustrating.
If you watch the last play video, they're trying to run it. Batum and Matthews usually both try to avoid the pick at all times... And when Howard moves into them, they call a foul on him. That's why they started running the interior pick and roll at times last night. Less space for the refs to continue to call that bs (but relies on better spacing from everybody else).
http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/4/2...s-houston-rockets-troy-daniels-damian-lillard Warning: this is article from Blazer's perspective, but it gives some interesting analysis of the game.
Troy should've been playing as well as dmo. Mchale doesn't know how to put his players in a position to succeed. He doesn't know how to mix his line ups so that the players on the floor compliment each other. He's not a good head coach. Luckily Daniels was ready to play, but he could've easily been off since he hadn't been getting much pt. Mchale will keep players in who are obviously struggling. I get harden and Dwight. Hard to sit those two for struggling. They are far superior options to their back ups. But parsons? Jones? Sit those fucjers on the bench. Dmo plays really well off of Dwight. Won't play him. Last night they start doubling Dwight and mchale's dumb ass takes out the guy who is probably the best three point shooter on the team in Daniels. He only returned to the line up when parsons fouled out. Thank goodness parsons fouled out and forced mchale to go in another direction.
Agreed 100% - the OT and Parson's demise turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it gave a chance for JLin to reveal the ice that is in Troy's veins. The more weapons we have, the more effective the entire team will be. Let's hope that McHale can adjust and take advantage of this in Game 4 and beyond.
remember, it was Sampson who called the shots and made adjustments during the games all season long. then it was Lucas who took over. you think all of sudden Mcfail "own up“ and become a genius over night? it wont happen. rather give credit to the assistant coach(s) behind the, receptionist Mcfail, who did the dirty job limit LMA and make the O flow to get this win.
very true. Aldridge's luck already ran out. but lillard was having a good night to cover up. that's what good players do - to step up. have to respect lillard.
"I don't know if I could do that. I know I couldn't " Glorious exiled leader of our Reds, Van Gundy, on kevin mchale being able to trust Daniels. I remember that 04-05 were jon barry told the story about jvg making rookie andre barret cry, =)
As long as he give Daniels a little bit of burn in game 4 I will ride with him, oh wait, I guess I have no choice in the matter anyway.
Well, i can only say that it takes us losing 2 games for Kevin McFail to wake up and he did a better job in game 3 as far as strategy.
