How do you think the rockets can fix their fast breaks? The OUTLET PASS First think is I think we not have the BIGS to get some rebounds but can they make the Otis Thorpe outlet pass [I know it isn't necessary but man . . I loved those passes] I don;t think that other teams rotate back that much faster than our guys can move. . .i could be wrong Could some knowledgable basketball head let me know what is going on What am I missing [Is it our guards waiting to rebound?] Rocket River
like you said the "outlet" pass is the key....one of the first things they teach you in organized b-ball as a big man is when you rebound to keep the ball high and look down court for the outlet pass.......we don't truely have any great rebounders and this might be part of the problem.......your players also have to look to run....I do believe that we have enough pieces to at least run occasionally, but for some reason we enjoy walking the ball up court.....we could run the break with rafer, but his inability to hit a floater really screws things up...we could run it with Luther, but dude just isn't comfortable handling the rock......that leaves tracy, steve, and mike.....out of all of those 3 I'd probably say that steve could run it the best, because he can finish around the basket and he can pass the ball.......the main thing to running is putting the right lineup to run out there on the floor and the outlet pass............I noticed in one game this season when we had james, francis, tmac, bonzi, and scola on the floor at the same time and we looked really quick out there......I think this lineup could work, but for some reason we haven't seen it that much.......we must run when Yao is out of the game.
Yao Ming and Bonzi Wells do a good job of making outlet passes or getting the ball out quickly. The problem is the people they're passing to - they (usually Rafer or T-Mac) will slow it down. Also, the lack of athleticism is another reason that the Rockets cannot run a decent fast break. Steve Francis is probably the best Rockets' guard as far as fast breaking is concerned.
Issues.... * Rafer Alston does not force tempo much (if at all) beyond that of the average PG. * Rafer Alston is a decent transition ball handler but a very poor transition finisher. * Shane Battier is slow in transition and not a very good uptempo ball handler. * Shane Battier in transition runs to the short corner arc thus negating any in the paint attack advantage. * Chuck Hayes....is Chuck Hayes...'nuff said. * Tracy McGrady is a decent transition player but has his "governor" set to the speed of his teammates. * Bonzi Wells is perhaps the Rockets best perimeter transition player. * Steve Francis and Mike James are good transition guards but are seldom on the court with BOTH Bonzi Wells and McGrady. IOW, SF or MJ plus Wells and McGrady (and Scola) is your best tranition unit. They get very little PT together. Most top tier NBA teams have at least one player who is a one-man fastbreak. IMHO, the Rockets have none. Francis and James are close...but they are not in the category of Parker, Manu, Terry, Harris, D. Williams, Baron or Nash.
I don't think T-mac is a good fastbreak player, that's simply not his pace. He is taking his time most of the times.
Tracy is. When he puts on the jets, most of the time he draws a foul, or he makes the layup over his man. Problem is, he seldom puts on the jets. Bonzi is perhaps our best fastbreak player in terms of speed and finishing ability. Also, I think part of the problem stems from the fact that we don't have good outlet passers. I'm talking bout guys who can rebound the ball and throw it right to the point guard who's already streaking at midcourt. Hayes and Yao and Scola all get the rebound, and then secure it before making the safe pass. In fact, I think Tracy is our best outlet passer too. And that says alot right there.
lol Gater you have irrational Chuck hate. Chuck is one of the people who knows how to and will throw an outlet pass. Of course he isn't going to be the first guy down the court all the time. He's the farthest under the basket. Rafer is attempting to push the ball, but for some reason we aren't following that lead. I hope that they start to push the tempo a bit. You can only get good results from it.
In order to run, you need players to get down court quickly. Rafer pushes the ball plenty, but the rest of the team doesn't run with him. Shane Battier is not going to run down court and finish in transition, and T-Mac would rather walk up court than jog. We have the PG in Rafer to run...most defintely, but our team doesnt ru nwith him.
To run, you need players capable of running a fast break. We don't have many of those. Francis is more likely to get a turnover than an assist on a fast break. And the Rockets are lacking in athletes. McGrady prefers to walk up the court (in either direction). Mike will run in transition, but if he gets the ball there's a good chance he won't give it up. Shane is too slow. And Chuck isn't skilled or athletic enough to run, catch, and finish on a break consistently. He's a good rebounder and outlet passer though, and he is one of the team leaders in steals as well -- so he can contribute to a fast break as long as there are other guys willing to run. As noted before, Bonzi is our best transition player. Snyder could be good in transition. And Aaron Brooks, obviously. Scola is pretty good on the break for his position, from what little I've seen.
I would have to disagree with you here...... Rafer pushes the ball on many occassions but sadly no other players are with him and he ends up taking a peak into the paint and having to pull it out to set up the offense. Also, Yao is usually the first guy down the floor behind Rafer, not the wing players like T-Mac and and Shane. When that changes our fast break will improve....
You can disagree until Hell freezes over. Alston seldom to never runs away from the opponents' basket to receive an outlet pass. 90% of the time, he comes toward the rebounder to get the ball. That sir, is average. Take any above average transition WC PG...those capable of a one-man fast break...Nash, Parker, Deron Williams, Chris Paul...and watch the shot clock. Above average PG's have the ball in attack mode with 20 or more seconds on the shot clock. Don't arm-wrestle with me...Alston does not...just watch. Lastly, an effective transition PG has enough upper body strength to finish strong at the rim. I've seen enough "floaters" to know Alston does not have anything but average at best upper body strength.
Every PG in the league comes to the rebounder. That is basketball 101. Watch Nash. He doesn't run down court to receive an outlet pass. Instead, he comes to the rebounder, takes a dribble or two before passing down-court. The difference is he has players he can PASS to, and Rafer doesn't.
None of our starters, the guys who get the most minutes, are not really fast break type players. Rafer can probably initiate it, T-Mac could run with him but it's not going to be effective if only 2 guys can really run it well. Our best fast break lineup would be: PG- Skip SG - Francis SF - TMac PF - Bonzi C - Scola This is easily our most athletic lineup with enough finishers to be effective. Skip pushes the ball and hopefully SF3, T-mac, Bonzi and even Scola run with him. Still though, I think we are most effective as a half court offense team.
someone's mentioned it, but snyder iis pretty good on fast breaks. we definitely like to slow it down, maybe it's remnants of the past 4 years, where we focus on defense, getting the rebound..and setting up our sets/half court offense. but yeah, appears that we like to walk the ball up the court. rafer can get the ball down the court pretty quickly though.
When Nash runs a break . . how many men are back on defense It is RARE the rockets get down court where they have the numbers and if it is 2 on 2 . . we pull it out Honestly . . .I think the best way to say it is. . . Fast Breaks offer risk and The Rockets are a bunch of PLAY IT SAFE Type players we play it safe. . . which explains alot of hesitency Rocket River
The horror is seeing Mike James leading a 3 on 1 or 2 fast break...unless your name is McGrady..he's never gonna pass the damn ball to anyone no matter how wide open his teammates are. See every single example involving Scola and James in a fast break.
