[Chron] Rockets in stall pattern without Brooks and Yao

Link to article

Lots of good stuff in this one, talking about what is missing etc.

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Well into the night, long enough for something between hope and delusion to set in, the Rockets put up numbers and take leads.

Those happy times don't last. When the fourth quarters — and particularly the closing minutes - hit, the Rockets have been floored, unable to keep pace with opponents or the version of themselves that had clicked until then.

A dozen games into the season, there have been many issues, but the most troubling and season-defining might be an inability to execute down the stretch.

"It's execution," forward Shane Battier said. "It comes down to execution in the NBA. You have to play to your strengths when you need a basket or need a stop."

In the final minutes, the Rockets (3-9) have come up short. They have been outscored by an average of 2.5 points this season but have not won the final minutes.

"We're in every game," guard Kyle Lowry said. "We're all NBA players. We're capable of doing the job. We just have to find a way to close it out."

Fifth in the NBA in scoring, the Rockets average just 24.3 points in the fourth quarter. In the first three quarters this season, they have averaged 26.8 points per quarter. Making 45.6 percent of their shots through three quarters, the Rockets have hit just 42.9 percent in the fourth quarter.

The Rockets also don't go to the free-throw line, a strength of their offense, nearly as often in the fourth quarter, averaging 7.8 attempts in the first three quarters of this season's games but just 5.1 attempted free throws in the fourth quarter.

Game changes late
With Aaron Brooks and Yao Ming out, they no longer seem built for the closing minutes, when teams typically reduce their offense to isolation plays, post-ups and pick-and-rolls. In past seasons, they put Yao on the low blocks and let him drive the offense or create opportunities from the double- and triple-teams he draws. Last season, they could isolate Brooks or give him the ball in pick-and-rolls, forcing teams to help and create chances.

This season, they have tried to run their equal-opportunity offense, often leaving them to take the shots opposing teams choose.

"Teams defend better in the fourth quarter," coach Rick Adelman said. "Luis (Scola), they're going to double-team. They put a quicker guy on Luis and front him every time. That's why an isolation guy is so effective. We just don't have that right now.

"It's like the Lakers. They run their stuff and everyone gets involved. In that fourth quarter, it's (Pau) Gasol and Kobe (Bryant) and pick-and-rolls. Kobe is going to make decisions. We're really struggling with that right now. Last year it was Aaron. This year, we don't have that. We're trying to find that."

Kevin Martin and Scola have scored in the fourth quarters. Martin has scored at roughly the same rate in the fourth quarter as in the rest of the game and is shooting a better percentage. Scola is scoring and shooting even better in the fourth quarter than he has overall.

But neither is by nature or skill set a one-on-one player.

Accuracy declines
Martin averages 4.4 points in an average of 6.3 fourth-quarter minutes, hitting 47.2 percent of his shots. Scola has averaged 5.8 points in an average of 6.9 minutes, making 64 percent of his attempts.

But the rest of the Rockets have made just 36 percent of their fourth-quarter shots and average just 14.1 fourth-quarter points.

"Normally, you want the upper-echelon player, the best player, to take shots in those situations," assistant coach Elston Turner said. "If you are running a lot of equal-opportunity sets in those situations, certain guys will always be open. Teams will take away some guys."

With the Rockets, teams front Scola, load up on Martin and go under screens set for Lowry, who is shooting 23 percent in the fourth quarter. That clogs the lane to defend Lowry's penetration.

Adelman said Lowry will hit those shots as his conditioning improves.

But the Rockets have little time to wait. Nearly four weeks into the season, their offense has been prolific. It just has been unable to finish what it has started.
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Interesting piece by Feigen.

DD

 

Honestly, I think Lowry's issue has been his hesitency to shoot lately, he has passed up good looks, even if he is struggling, he HAS to take those shots.

And the team wants him to take those shots.

Also, if his conditioning is still off, then why in Hades is Adelman playing him the entire 2nd half of games?

Rick has got to give him a break and live with the results.

Still, nice read, and pretty much spot on with what a good number of us have been saying.

DD