I think the reason the Rockets have these problems in the forth quarter that they can't explain isn't a question of talent or skill....but a lack of faith in themselves. When crunch time comes, they are so use to defering to T-mac and Yao, that they hesitate to carry the burden or take a chance. They lack that cockiness and swagger you see in guys like Mobley, Cassell, Horry, and even T-mac. For all you can say about t-mac, he's got ice water in his veins...and he's right in saying his teammates need to stay aggressive. Yao made a mistake. And Yao makes very few mistakes. He's got everything right but one thing....and that's he's putting way too much pressure on himself and his teammates - while noble, it's only going to make people hesitate more....especially in crunch time. Hesitation leads to mistakes and poor execution - which leads to 4th qtr collapses. Yao, have some faith in yourself and your teammates - it can only do good.
It's simple and the same problems the 90-95 rockets had: - Settle down after a big lead, egocentric play at times, nervousness and also lack of confidence in each other to close down games. Maybe some players just can't handle the pressure which can early blow it for the rest of the team. On top of that, the championship teams had the same problems even though a lot could close out games. We don't have the quality of those championship teams but these players definetly have the ability to close out games: Rafer can do it, Yao, McGrady, maybe Head and i think Brooks can definetly do it. Hopefully they will practice game situations, like playing 5 on 5 with 12 mins left and one has a 16 point lead and the mission for one side is to keep it and the other side to come back from a deficit. And not just one pracitice, but many times because it's a serious problem. Do any other teams around the league have this problem ? Just wondering.
I'm tired hearing about a lack of heart, effort, faith, confidence, etc. Thats not the problem. They have to simply play good basketball the way Adelmen wants them to play. The whole team needs some sort of foundation, so that when crunch time comes everyone is on the same page and will know what to expect when running their plays. I have seen Adelmen's system work very well; that needs to be the team's foundation so that they don't crash in the final minutes. It's all about playing good basketball and getting the job done. Nothing else.
Doesn't Adleman call a timeout to discuss strategy during 4th qtr collapses? I mean c'mon all ya gotta do is cross the center court line. Dribble the ball around and get fouled. Make your free throws and go home. They could even spread the court and have wide open lanes to get to the basket. 24 seconds is a long time.
They are playing not to lose instead of playing to win. You can almost guarantee some if not all of the guys are looking at the scoreboard and the clock and playing to hold onto the lead instead of trying to increase it.
What have Rafer Alston or Luther Head done consistently in critical junctures during a game to instill confidence? Alston played above his head for two weeks and the Alston of the last few years came back in the last two games. It's the guards. Rafer Alston said in the paper this issue is nothing new for the last three years. He's right but ironically he is the problem. He is weak minded. All our guards in the rotation are (except Brooks). And that has nothing to do with coaching or with any of our bigs. The only thing I fault Adelman is not playing Brooks more in the last minutes of a couple of our losses. But the weak guards on this team is on the GM to fix it.
Damn. Right on the button. These guys establish a lead and just try to coast. Hell no! BEAT THE SHT OUT OF THESE GUYS! Lazy passes happen, bad TOs, people get comfortable, then its like "oh sht, we're losing our 16 point lead to the sixers" Everyone's said it here, management, even players. Rockets play a great 40 minute game, but an atrocious final 8. Mavpricks, celtics , sixers and new orleans...what a bunch of bitter losses. AND there are a few more where we blew leads coming into the final 3 minutes. Confidence to win is so much greater than "trying to stay alive". Thats why you really need tmac + the ball movement we've been executing as of late to get some hard earned W's. When's the last time we won when we were DOWN in the final 3 minutes? Charlotte? Damn that feels so long ago...
I voted coaching, not because RA is a bad coach but because this keeps on happining and he will not switch the lineup When Luther Head can't make a shot he needs to go to the bench
I voted coaching too. If you have a big lead going into the 4th, then as the coach you ought to be able to protect your lead either by platooning players on offense or defense, running out the clock, spreading the floor, and making your foul shots. In crunch time, you take out your worst free throw shooters when you go on offense because the defense is sure to foul them 'Chuck Hayes".
We need a premier wing player to close out games. Unfortunately, the only one we have is out indefinitely. I think its ready to hang up our boots for the season and look forward to the draft and get ourselves a quality player.
I am sure what it is but the problem is not only the 4th qtr...pay close attention to most games and the rockets have at least 2 qtrs where they let teams go on long runs to end the qtr. It's usually b/c of unforced/brain dead turnovers. I blame it on the players lack of focus.
Yep, that's just the best way to describe it, period. They are scared of losing the game when their opponent starts making a run at them. They would build a lead, and just try to protect it. The only way they will win games in those 4th quarters is if they would play them with resolve rather than play not to lose. They need to learn to forget all about seeing their opponent just rolling over and playing dead when they get a good lead on them because their opponent is in the game to win too.
Probably lost of focus. These guys have been playing basketball all their life. Losing confidence in crunchtime is usually for newbie or inexperienced players particularly but then we were leading in double digits. One would argued that if you are losing by a few pts or losing big, you would lose confidence like TMac did when we were trailing 76ers (in the first game) by 30 pts. This time we were leading 10pts (16pts in the 3rd), so there is no reason to lose confidence.
We have no go to guy and always forcing the ball (many bad passes) to yao like we've seen the last couple of games
Coaching. Last year, JVG's team won the most games when they led into the 4th. But they rarely won games when trails. I assume JVG plays better defense than offense. We collapse in the 4th Q this season because of the defense. Miller or Paul scored so easyyyy. Where is our defense? I blame all on RA's defense.
Sure. How could there be a lack of talent and skill when you have Wafer Rafer, WTF Chuck and Plain Shane making up 60% of your starting lineup. All of those guys would easily be starting on all of the contending teams. Can't you picture Rafer and Chuck starting in SA or Dallas? Back to reality: Yes, my friend, there is a REAL skill deficit on this team.
I just wanted to add this link to my initial post in this thread, which is something I feel is just another part of the team's problems in 4th quarters. Here's the link: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=138181
Confidence possibly...and lack of talented scorers. I had a big long writeup at first but its simplified to: Any player not named Yao and McGrady, players 3 through 10 should keep SHOOTING the DAMN BALL. Not just the first 42 minutes, the ENTIRE game. The Hornets and Sixers had several players late in the game making shots on the Rockets. Andre Miller, Willie Green, Dalembert...Rasual Butler only made ONE basket for the Hornets but it was dunk in the last minute of the game that sealed it for them. The shot was there, he confidently took it and converted I noticed in the Sixers game when the Rockets went exclusively to Yao, it stifled the offense. Not because its a bad offensive strategy, because players stopped involving themselves. Which led to them tightening up, turnovers and lack of concentration getting back on defense. Then when they were behind and need to scramble for shots they started firing away and making them again. Go to the big money guys that get all the All Star votes late in the game, sure. But dont go EXCLUSIVELY to them. (yeah that goes against a thread I made before that Battier and Hayes should NEVER touch the ball)
