The touch fouls are stupid. This is post play we are talking about; if they are going to make the calls, they better do it for Dwight as well. However, at the end of the day, LMA is a big man who has low shooting percentages: http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/aldrila01.html It is surprising to see him hit so many shots, and it is even more surprising to see him hit all the greatly contested ones. Honestly, the Rockets should just focus on shutting down the rest of the team, as they have a better chance to assume LMA regresses to the mean, than giving Lillard/Matthews/Batum open looks from doubling, because we all know Harden, Parsons, Jones, and Lin kinda suck at it. Lets not get the rest of Portland on fire as well.
I think there was a moment when Asik was actually playing good D on him. In the end, Aldridge is just playing ridiculous right now. I guess this is was the Jazz and Spurs felt like when Dream was dancing all over them. Double teams and throw Asik, Dwight, and Parsons on him. Asik is doing the best job on getting a hand in his face and nagging him. I really have to believe that he can't keep shooting 65% for the rest of the games. Also, Aldridge can get his as long as Dwight keeps playing hard and HARDEN WAKES THE f*:%234-89UASODF@#$%#$%@#$ UP!!!!!!!!!!!!
For one, he obviously likes to shoot with a hand in his face Its hard to double team a post player away from the post. LA gets the ball near the three point line. It makes it harder for a double team to make it in time. They have to flat out deny him the ball. But who are we kidding? McHale has been getting pummeled by LA all year, it won't stop unless LA has a bad game. Best thing to do might be to just let LA go crazy and D up the rest of the team
To slow down Aldridge, they will need Asik, Howard and D-Mo to play him. If Howard plays him, it will at least keep him out of the paint. The goal of the Rockets should be to keep Aldridge under 30 points. If you rotate enough guys and start to push him out of the paint, it can happen. As I said prior to game 2, the Rockets would be better off with Lillard taking 20+ shots rather than Aldridge.
Honestly, that's really the type of player we need. Chuck would be the perfect PF for us right now. Sets devastating picks, shuts down opposing guys one on one.
No... but the best defensive is offense. We aren't making them work on that end of the floor so they aren't tired at all. We need to make passes, set screens, etc. Make some plays. We aren't tiring them out enough and they are taking advantage with a high octane offense. They have controlled the game's pace each night.
Front him or do the double team from leaving their big Lopez exposed. I'd rather that clumsy guy try and make buckets
Don't give him a landing spot when he takes a jumper. Dirty I know but it will affect him psychologically.
We need to put some hard fouls on him and agitate him. He is way too comfortable, and as they pointed out last night, at 110% confidence right now. We need to get in his head. I'm not advocating undercutting him or any Bruce Bowen tactics. Just physical basketball. Get him thinking about something besides jump shots.
Zone defense. Take away that left block area he loves by putting another defender in the same vicinity to double team.
That team would shred a zone and get even more offensive rebounds because defenders wouldn't be in rebounding position.
My gosh... Chuck would solve so many issues for this team! Unfortunately, they dont have any players with as much "sand in their pants" as Chuck did. Wonder if Morey and crew will think about bringing him back in the offseason.
Double team him once he puts the ball on the floor. I think the biggest problem is that even when LMA misses, his touch is so soft that the offensive boards are there for the blazers to tip. If you have other players (aside from Lillard) taking the shots from beyond the arc more often then not there misses will bounce out hard and start our fast breaks. LMA and Lillard are ready to take big shots. I can't think the rest of the team is. Right?
Have someone fly in Brian Cook and let him play LMA 1on1 in practice. He'll destroy Aldidge and the guy will be so humuliated he'll straight up retire.
I don't know that a zone would work that well against a guy that makes a living shooting 17 foot jumpers. Plus it'd be an offensive rebound party for Lopez. We need to stop hedging so hard on Lillard, by the time Howard recovers (and he's gotta be one of the best in the league at that), Aldridge has a step. Put anyone else on him and it's not even a contest. I would rather Lillard take long 2s with Beverley hounding him than Lamarcus Aldridge going through the game like it's shooting practice. Start double teaming Aldridge too and let Sideshow Lopez beat you. You don't have to double every time, but making Aldridge hesitate cause he thinks it's coming can at least get the ball out of his hands. The Rockets need to stop playing like pansies. Don't play dirty, but knock these dudes down and get them in foul trouble on the other end. Even though Aldridge fouled out in Game 1, I can't remember Stotts subbing him out because he was in foul trouble. He fouled out because he played the entire game. But really, it doesn't seem like anyone reads the defensive scouting reports on Aldridge on this team. He's been playing the same way since 2009. Yes, he's arguably the best power forward (at least top 3) in the game, but why track all these stats and have all this information if no one is going to use it. The "hope he misses" defense should have gone out the window after the first half of game 1.
His weakness is that his entire game is based around a bad shot. You just have to do a better job of contesting it. I actually think Asik has been guarding him pretty well, but IMO the problem is that Jones and Dwight are doing a terrible job contesting those midrange jumpers which allows LMA to get into a rhythm. A smarter coach would have started Asik last game to keep LMA from getting in the zone. And probably used DMo as a sub if needed when LMA is in the game.
