[ClutchFans] Recap: With offensive trends continuing, Rockets blown out in Game 1

THIS. It irks me to no end when he does that. It's great if he actually gets it, but he needs to learn to realize when he has no chance and run back on defense.

And yeah Bev was getting blown by by Westbrook as well. Lin, as much as he choked offensively last night, did a better job on Westbrook, but of course everyone ignores that.

 

Good calm analysis

Good read. I checked a few pages of the game thread during the game, and I was thinking that checking the thread didn't feel like watching the games with other fans. Many hateful comments - I didn't need that and I wouldn't be back to another game thread again.

I have been a Lin fan, but I had expected the Bad Lin to show up in Game 1. I believe the Good Lin will show up in Game 3. Lin is like the smart student who only likes to the homework and the final exams, and doesn't get up for quizzes. Last night it was like he was playing Harden's brand of defense, waiting for the opponents to score so that they could rush the ball back up court. Westbrook blowing by him - didn't even try to foul him harder the second time around. And the second half, sag off Fisher who swished a 3. On the next possession still pretended to play defense by staying in the paint and sag off Fisher again, who promptly swished another 3. The supposed Harvard smarts not in evidence at all.

 

Great article Clutch! I think it is spot on in so many areas.

This game, really helps underscore how much this team desperately needs a "post presence" to help balance things out in the half court offense. The Rockets just don't have anything but perimeter scoring that isn't shooting well.

The Rockets best half court play is hoping to get to the FT line.

 

My thoughts:

1)Smith can't do anything against Ibaka down low, so it's tempting to start TJones.

TJ has a better shot defending Ibaka with his speed/length, and he's a better shot blocker to discourage WB from attacking.

On offense TJ doesn't clog the paint,and he can still impact offensive rebounds with his speed and vertical rushing from outside.

2)Other than shooting, Lin's not that bad even with his 4 turnovers which were negated by his 2 steals(sounds better with 4 assists, 2 turnovers and 0 steals?). He did draw quite some fouls(mostly non-shooting unfortunately).

Lin excels in heavy PNR system with ball in his hand. For whatever reason we don't often set screen let alone multiple screens which is his bread and butter in NY. He has high IQ for advanced offense system, but we don't call plays.

3) Harden is clearly not himself lately. For this reason I'd prefer us go 0-4 but healthy, rather than 2-4 and get serious injury. For god's sake, Last year Utah got completely dominated by Spurs in first round(0-4 with every game a blowout) without any chance. Anyone thought Utah was a bad team?

 

Well if Morey did not now how badly we need a stretch 4 he does now. I would like to know what he is thinking about what he needs to do next.

On the coaching it would be impossible for any coach to do better then this with just a short time since the trade deadline to mesh these players together to do better, considering the pieces we need. You can't turn crap into gold.

I am not defending a coach he needs to make better lineups and substitution. Butt even Riley, Alderman, JVG, & Phill Jackson would be up shi!! creek with out a paddle, With out a good 4 and a second scorer coming off the bench.

I cringe now every time Harden shoots a 3 pointer and Delfinio not hitting very good either. It is nice to see P Beverly put out so much effort.

I am watching the game again on Crapcast and it is still sucking.

 

Agree 100% .. DMo does have above average postup game , need to run some plays for him in the post while using him as a stretch 4

 

I am not offended by it. Like I feel like they make the same rookie mistakes & the lack of defensive awareness Lin shows Beverly does the same. Like Lin gambling for the steal that wasn't there, Beverly likes to crash offensive boards instead of running back in transition. Beverly is foul very foul prone but Lin struggles to stay with quicker smaller guards. Lin likes to help one pass away, Beverly likes to pressure to far out but gets burned creating a 4 on 5 situation. Beverly is good at forcing turnovers (one on one situation) but Lin does that as well (in help defense situations). Beverly is a lot better at really pressure his man, but struggles at funnelling the player into help defense whereas Lin is the opposite, can't pressure but is good at funnelling towards help defense etc. They both do productive things on the defensive end but in different ways but both are prone to extremely foolish decisions on that end.

 

Have a question for you clutch.

DMo does seem to have an above average Post up game . Why do you think during regular season Mchale never ran any Post up plays for DMo to see what he can bring to the table. This could have added a much needed arsenal to Rockets offense.

I know his defense is bad...but that could improve with more playing time .

 

His numbers fell off the table when he got hurt against GS. That's not proof that he's playing poorly because of injury, but it's certainly a possibility.

 

This is why I come to ClutchFans instead of the Chronicle or other sources; the analysis here is so much better.

 

"Why are we going back to the same tired narrative of Lin and Harden not being able to co-exist on the floor?"

Oh, they can co-exist, sure. But seldom do they both thrive. Harden negates much of Jeremy's strengths, or, at least, seems to get Jeremy second-guessing and hesitant.

I'm not going to lay this loss all on Lin, but hopefully he learns from this, takes a deep breath, and doesn't show up again looking like a deer in the headlights.

(Man, looking at the box score again: we had 17 assists to their 28? Ugh-ness.)

 

Feeling the "clock has started with star X" is what got Danny Ferry and Otis Smith fired.

But there's some truth to it. It's not like we can wait around hoping for Howard or Love to sign with us. At some point Harden will demand help and a financial commitment must be made to someone.

 

I think this is a fair statement. But once again Lin has been highly inconsistent all season. If harden wasn't here and it was just him & Kevin martin do you think Lin would have been more consistent? That is a fair question. Also it takes a while to really build up that consistency.

Things to remember that are key

1) no training camp together
2) no off season to work on skills pertaining to playing with a ball dominant SG & vice versa for Harden
3) It took Lebron & Wade a season before they figured out how to thrive together. No I am not saying that Lin & Harden are LBJ & Wade. My point is that if it took 2 superstars who had a summer & training camp to figure out how to play together that long to figure it out why would it take Lin & harden who had neither of those things shorter? Just some perspective.

Also no I am not guaranteeing that they will figure it out down the future. But I honestly think that we need to give them at least a summer off season to train, a training camp & finally another season & playoff before we jump off the bandwagon. They both took tremendous strides together in regards to this throughout the year.

 

Highlights from TNT is better, ESPN always bashed Rockets esp. Lin.

 

What are your thoughts on Pau Gasol? I believe he is on the last year of his deal. I feel he is exactly what this team needs. A veteran PF that commands defensive attention on the roll & in the post. A guy who can pass, score & rebound. He isn't the greatest defender but partner him up with Omer & you are solid. Also He will be playing for another max contract so you know he will be balling. Also think about all the awesome things he could teach D-mo as a one year rental & soon to be expiring.

 

Defenses figured him out. He goes to the rim with those unorthodox steps and draws the foul. Defenses now just stay in front of him and dare him to shoot. Harden is no longer much of a weapon, just a role player. Time to go after a star player.

 

Yes, that is probably what it is.

 

So we should start dmo! Dmo dmo dmo

 

i think his available space changed. having Smith in the middle in addition to Asik mucks up the works. he was much more effective in the spread, which we don't really run anymore, or at least not as well, with any of the PF options we have.

to be truly effective, there shouldn't be another offensive player (and his defender) in the paint when the 1st big sets his screen up top.

the combination of the trade and the inserting smith into te lineup has made Harden less effective in the current system. it's only temporary however, they'll find a way to make it work next season, either with additional players, a change in system, or both.