Exhaustion...[Small Ball Rox]

how taxing what they’re doing is has been my main concern from the jump

this will have to last through 4 rounds of the playoffs

the Rockets before 24/7 small ball damn sure weren’t winning the title this year, so it is what it is...our chances increased after the Capela trade

it does say a lot that they can get outrebounded by an embarrassing amount, yet still be right in the game even when shooting at mediocre or garbage levels

we’ll see how far this thing goes, and then reevaluate in the offseason

Christian Wood and Ibaka are at the top of my list followed by Jerami Grant

 

This is the going to be the big issue and it isn't been talked about enough. Brett Gunning in an interview during lockdown said the players were exhausted before the season suspended. They had only payed 11 games of smallball, and they had just come out of the all star break. Now, I know a week off doesn't suddenly make everyone 100% again, but in a normal season the Rockets should have been at least feeling a little bit rejuvenated and ramping up for the playoffs, not out on their feet.

They've just had 3/4 months off, which should mean they are completely starting from scratch with fresh legs. But can they really play 20+ playoff games like this if they were so exhausted previously? I highly doubt it. Guys like PJ Tucker and Covington are going to need rest, and the answer is expanding the rotation. Carroll needs minutes. Or at the very least, keep the current crop and add Gordon when he comes back to make it a 9 man rotation,

 

again where did this idea of fatigue being only mutually exclusive towards small ball. it's isn't. people apparently already forgot how much they were talking about being scared of exhaustion prior to this unconventional style of play

it's part of the game. it always has been and will always be. deal with it. every single team does no matter how they play

 

The answer to that question - most of the team stands around on offense anyway and wait to shoot. Then increase intensity on defense. These guys have to get their stamina up after 4 months off. They’ll peak by playoffs.

 

This team has nothing but streak shooters outside of BMac. We are lucky that House has been hitting at a high clip because he is bound to go back to the average soon enough.

Live and die by the three. The last two games teams have packed the paint and dares us to beat them from the outside. We did it against the Bucks, just couldn't get quite over the hump against the Blazers.

I think our players need to do a better job of putting their bodies into opponent and force them to go over our backs. We have not been disciplined enough to do this. It's about putting yourself at an advantage against the opponent. Ultimately we will lose the rebounding battle but it shouldn't be by that much. Rockets have been careless in the first half about this.

I'm not concerned about fatigue.

 

This is why MDA needs to expand the rotation. ESPECIALLY in the last 5 games once seeding starts to be locked in. Between 3 and 6 there's not a tremendous amount of difference nor amount of control you can have in terms of having the foresight to avoid LAC in favor of LAL in a potential round 2 matchup. Can't think that far ahead. Priority #1 right now needs to be health.

Carroll and LMM are on the roster for a reason. Give them some run.

 

Ok so if the defense is the same, do you want more points or rebounds?

 

Whoever isn't concerned about fatigue in the small ball system hasn't played competitive ball and/or hasn't played in the post. Battling, positioning, and having to constantly exert more effort against stronger/taller opponents on a consistent basis down low will definitely impact you on the other end. There is a difference between using cardiovascular endurance vs. muscular endurance.

 

It's not always the same. When your players constantly have to muscle 7'0 guys in the paint for "easy" rebounds it wears you out way faster.

Sometimes we have 4 guys trying to out jump one of their centers and still lose multiple offensive rebounds. That definitely fatigues us more than the other team.

 

nobody is feeling sorry for anyone in this league. if you want teams to play actual defense, that takes effort regardless if its a 7 fter or a 6'0 pg. again everyone has to deal with it regardless.

you can literally search for the same im scared of so and so being tired when the rockets were playing with dwight and CC. it didn't all of a sudden become an issue with small ball and shouldn't be portrayed that way. yall know who else also gets tired, other teams as a result of the way the rockets play.

 

If we get playoff Eric Gordon like we usually do then we have a good shot at winning the whole thing

 

Maybe a team of 25 year olds would have more stamina but yeah, it's been too much.

 

PJ's Tucker's 3pt shooting gets worse as the game goes on because he has no legs....same for Covington, and anyone else playing the F or C position.....

DD

 

Its a valid concern. Fatigue isn't exclusive to teams playing small ball. Thats just silly. But we work harder and hav to move more than any other team in the nba to cover our weakness. Our players are constantly scrambling and grinding on defense.

 

you should probably realize teams who play great defense do those things. Are you under some false impression that great defensive teams are stationary and it isn't a constant grind

 

Not necessarily true. Great defensive teams usually have outstanding perimeter defenders or/and a dominant shot blocking big. With those tools, it makes double teaming more of a blitz and not part of the core of the defensive scheme.

This Rockets team more alot more, fall alot more, grind alot harder than the 17-18 team with Paul, Ariza, healthy Luc, PJ and Capela.

Length makes playing defense easy.

 

so great perimeter defenders are apparently stationary? that doesn't make sense

dominant shot blocking big like who? gobert? how's that working out for them over there.

that 17-18 team is easily still the best rockets team since the ship days and will continue to be. this just doesn't compare

 

You're the only one using the word stationary.

We double team everybody in the post. Even Skinny melo in the portland game. Great defensive teams dont do that. Only teams with no length.

 

so what. doubling is part of defense. that's bad defense to you?

great teams don't double? oh please.