Sure, it's a choice coaches make. That's what the Blazers did and it worked for them this time. I will be very happy if Wafer gets the same production next game and Scola knocks down a couple of shots at the end. A few more made FTs won't hurt either.
Absolutely. If Von Wafer and Scola end up becoming Option A and B to win a championship, that will certainly be interesting! Color me a bit doubtful, though.
I'm pissed I have to fight these battles by myself. Good post, u need to get off those long hours and post more.
There are numerous controversial opinions on various aspects of this team and on every single Rockets player on this board. Some are disputable, some are dumb and some are plain r****ded. But your choice, your persistence and your passion to fight almost every single particular battle about Yao Ming is amazing...sometimes up to the point that it's even creepy.
And what is even more amazing is the stance that you take is always so predictable. I can almost tell which side you will take even before I read the thread.
The ultimate solution to this problem? Get another player who demands the double team. When that happens, you can be sure that Yao will get more good looks. Meanwhile, we work with what we've got, and what we've got are some really good players who're doing their best to take advantage of what the other team gives them. And that might mean that sometimes Yao will be bypassed at the offensive end. Having said that, however, I do tend to think that for this match only, the circumstances were such that we could've involved Yao more in the last quarter.
that's awesome! i'm gonna assume that everyone but the 7'6" guy regularly shooting at a collective 50% is probably unlikely, though. i'll also note that it wasn't enough to win the game.
I'll assume Portland regularly shooting 51 percent isn't likely either. Or Houston missing 10 free throws. It was plenty to win had the defense been up to par.
i think we beat Portland either way. for this team to be a serious championship contender, they need to be able to get the ball to Option 1.
First i would like to say our problem was defense mostly not offense. Your first point: Yao doesnt require a perfect pass. I know he doesnt have great hand-eye coordination but its not that bad for passes. The passes he misses usually are low or get knocked away by a fouling/reaching defender. I thing Yao should do more is bend at the waist more and reach out for those passes. A foul is more obvious that way if the defender does reach for it. Second: First i would like to say, your cant say the lob doesnt work if they dont try it. I remember they tried it once during last game against Portland in Houston. That play ended with and one. They have not tried it once since then. When a guy fronts his only job is to watch for the entry pass. There are times where help defender either doesnt come or is late. Those are the times the Rockets have to try the lob. If there is a defender behind him than the Rockets should have good enough spacing for them to pass to that guy. Scola had a couple of jumpers because of this. That is also why they used Yao as a decoy all night. While it did work I still think late in game should be Yao's time. He seems more focused this postseason and he should get the ball late in games. That also means the Rockets need a way to counter the fronting that gives Yao the ball. This actually relates to your third point. Third: Your defintely right about this. Very disappointed that a Adelman coached team doesnt know what ball movement is. The guy who gets it at top of key never looks for Yao. Fourth: your right about this. Yao's presence opens things up for other players. But as i said earlier, they need to go to Yao in the fourth. I am tired of seeing Brooks and Artest trying to win it for us. Yao still should be considered their go to guy. I think Brooks had 2 turnovers and Artest took a dumb shot yesterday.
Offense was not the problem!!!!!!!!!!! How can anyone look at the offense? It was great. the problem was no one could stop Roy and the refs were treating him like D-whistle!!!
I'm one of the few that didn't really have a problem with Yao getting 6 shots yesterdays game. I don't know if you saw the box score, but we shot 50% from the field. The offense wasn't the problem. They were determined to keep Yao from scoring, and it allowed everyone else to go 1 on 1 with virtually no help. They can't put two guys on Yao AND rotate over to cover Lowry when he drives to the basket. Their strategy was to let everyone else beat them. And everyone else beat them. The problem was on defense. You just can't allow Roy to get 42 points on that few shots.
Your right the other Rockets made them pay. Well they did until that horrible little stretch when they needed a basket. They need to find a way to go to Yao late in games. If we want to win Brooks, Artest, Wafer, should not be taking shots in clutch situations.
this whole post is the best post since game 2. very well said. i wasn't too worried and pissed until the final 5 minutes when ALL of their bigs had 5 fouls. that's the best time to go to yao, regardless of the defense.
We are not talk about force the ball to Yao, I'm think in order for our rockets pass the damn first round, we still need Yao has more shots, you prefer a low percentage 3 pt attemp or 5-8 foot hook or turn around... fronting could be defeated if we have a guard that will to drive the ball in, AB look for his own shot 2 much, he need to drive in then look for pass... Yao is useless in high pick & roll , we don't have TMAC as the dagger, and ROn is so slow...We could use Scolandry or Waffer... but they only showed up time to time... Use Yao as decoy would make sense, while their defense is centralized on Yao but near the end, their 3 PF/Centers in foul troubles, our coach should change his game plan to look for Yao more and set the play for him, in last game, we have no game plan for Yao, he's just an pure sticks with 4 fouls, that's not good for your franchise player and not good for rockets as a team I don't think Rockets would pass the round one with Yao average lower than 20 point, and we must find a way to feed the ball to Yao, forced or what, Yao need more that 6 shots for good AB or Ron or Waffer can fire as they want, but they should look for Yao first, then shot...or defeat his defender and go inside....
All I want to say is last night, I witnessed the major adjustment Adleman was preaching about after the blowout game 1 was to move everything as quickly as one can do without a single thought contrary away from Ming. If there was just a slight shadow hint the guy might be fronted swing it over to some else for the long ball or the contested drive. That is pure genius. Teams that try to take away your best player and you roll the red carpet for them without the least amount of resistance nor counter moves to deny that possibility. The much preached adjustments RA kept spamming about after game 1 I expected after 2 days rest was hardcore practices at lobbing to Ming or pick and rolls or set screens to free the guy, not complete abandonment of the guy shooting 100% consequently putting all the pressure on the role players for the win. Portland never worked hard all night in the front nor hard doubles except late in the 4th as most of the plays all night was away from Ming. Did Przybilla or Oden work their ass off last night in denying Yao? They barely broke a sweat in covering Ming. Sure at the end of the game they had 5 fouls each but that was mostly from guards running them. The strategy last night was to turn a dominant center into Chuck Hayes part deux. Only points he was ever gonna get is to look for scraps around the basket off 3 pt clonkers. After last night everytime I hear RA talking about adjustments I am gonna laugh my ass . Throwing in the towel on a guy is not adjustments.
After last night's game,people keep saying Yao was fronted all game long and also keep saying we have to find way to solve that problem by moving ball around very well.thats all I agreed. One question,only one question,was Yao the only one being fronted in NBA,I don't think so.but why that will be the biggest problem for the Rox?simply bcz thats not fornting,every team when they fronting yao,they grabbing,pushing,shaving him with one,may be two players and without foul called.When they did this in first time without foul called since he came in NBA,that already set the tone for his intire career.so,there will be two ways to solve theis problem:1.get fairly call ( seems not gonna happen) 2. use him as decoy,let his teamates run the show ( which AD did).doesn't matter how many shots he got,the matter is can we take the advantage of Yao being fronted,doubled etc. This is my 2 cents.
