ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Blazers 3/30/2017

Obviously not fine.

 

it's still just one regular season loss. I just want to see the Rockets I saw at the beginning of the year even if that means adding new schemes to the offense and taking shots they normally don't take like mid range jumpers. if I know all I need to do to stop you is get a hand up on your three-pointer and slow you down on the way to the rim to force you into a contested lay up, then that's what I'm gonna do. That's why yesterday you saw the floater working well but in the playoffs you better be willing to just stop and or step back and shoot a jumper, because they will push to take that away as well.

 

If he makes that shot, do I suddenly win that argument? When you pointed to a miss and said "he just proved my point" you were looking at one play during a season and trying to define what he does by that one moment. That's flat out stupid. It reminds me of when Lisa Simpson picks up a rock and tells Homer that it's a bear prevention rock and that the proof was that there were no bears around at that moment. Just stupid, yet you used it to argue your 'point'. That's worthless over time, which is what the discussion was about. But okay, you did good.

 

I don't think they are instructed to take "contested" threes. I think they are told to take the shot if they are open.

We do have several players that are now taking shots from well beyond the three point line. They are open, but it's a long long shot. The Rockets don't have any players that are shooting 40% or better in threes. And many of our players are shooting less than 35%. Not very good.

 

Here's the thing. I wasn't pointing to one shot. I was pointing to several pull up threes at or near the end of the game. My point being, that he takes too many of them, and sometimes takes them at inopportune times. Does last night define James Harden's full season? of course not. Last night was a solid representation though, of the poor decision making he sometimes showcases.

Notice, you were the one that jumped to conclusions about what I meant by it. Relax, he's still a great player who has had a great season. I was never arguing otherwise. You assumed I was though.

I think you just wanted to throw out your Simpsons analogy, that's fine.

 

True, but even when they take wide open shots they have games they choke as well. I'd love to see Wiltjer get some time now, when the games don't make a difference, just to see how he does.

 

Well, you didn't really have to look up GSW, did you?

As for SAS, they aren't a better 3pt shooting team than us. Pops has them taking 26th fewest in the league. If we were way more selective, (like was ordered by Pops to never take those 27-28'ers that our sharpshooters Ryno and EGo take for spacing purposes), our average would be higher, but our overall shooting efficiency and ORtg would likely be lower. ... see Morey analytics.

Even Kawhi has falling down rapidly to near Harden's 3P% at 36.6%. The list of their starters probably looks impressive because LMA and Pau are their top % guys. They only have one true shooter over 39% this year, who gets any amount of minutes....and that's Mills. Ryno is at 40%. Green and Ginobody are under 39%, similar to Gordon numbers. Then we also have Bev in the .380s. It's the Ariza and Harden volume that is depressing our score, but those guys can shoot nonetheless.

anyhoot....imo, now that Kawhi has fallen to his worst shooting of his career, the difference between SAS and us is attributable to analytics and that Ryno/EGo are shooting a few feet back than what Pops would probably ever allow....but those two are better than any shooter on the Spurs.

Now, if you look up CLE, that's a different story. I don't know why we can't be shooting higher %, if they are at that volume.

 

i know what you mean but we are by far 3rd best team in the league 2nd only to gsw- greatest rs team ever- and spurs who are best franchise ever coached by goat coach pop

 

Good point, but they are averaging .391 as a team and we are at .360, so being more selective seems to be working for them. I just don't get why Wiltjer doesn't get more minutes right now to see what he can do behind the arc, especially when Dekker isn't shooting well at all.

 

If you still think that, then I don't think you got what I was trying to point out wrt MDA/Morey analytics. You can't say 39% is better than 36% when we are shooting 20 more threes per game. The number is better, sure, but it's impact isn't better.

Our eFG% is #2 in the league (which accounts for 3s). They are shooting 8th in the league. And our overall offensive efficiency (ORtg) is 2nd in the league to GSW, too.

So, analytically speaking, the 20 more 3s we shoot is actually working more for us....most likely because it is creating more space in the lane....because, we are actually the better 3pt shooting team ... our shooters are more feared.

 

I agree with all of that, but I'm just saying what we need to do to close the gap with the Warriors and the Spurs.

I believe in the Rockets brand of offense, and I believe the rest of the league will be following the leader. Many teams are already moving in that direction. If the Rockets want to remain a top team, then they need to improve.

 

Ultimately, I wasn't trying to use that analogy, it just made sense considering what you used as a point. I can see what you're saying, that you'd like him to pick better times to put up shots, but I do think that the his shot selection is not terrible. I think he can improve on figuring out the whole 'I'm on or I'm not on' scenarios, but to me, that's what the regular season is about. Harden is in a process and that process is figuring out how to be a champion and he doesn't mind that he has zero all-star teammates, he wins anyway.

I don't think either of us was 'wrong', but I do think shot selection is what will make us champions or not. So, I believe we're on the same page. Let's hope shot selection is golden tonight!