[Friedman] Training Camp 2.0

mirus · Oct 19, 2012

From Friedman
http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/news-and-notes-training-camp-20

Defensively, a significant portion of Friday’s practice session was devoted toward addressing the club’s shortcomings in transition where the Rockets have been burned far too often – perhaps the primary reason the Rockets have conceded more points on a per game basis than any other team in the league thus far. It goes without saying that energy and effort are essential when it comes to thwarting opponents’ opportunities for easy scores on breakouts, but so, too, are communication and an understanding of one’s responsibilities the second a shot goes up on the offensive end. Confusion has occasionally reigned in that regard, so Houston’s coaching staff is going to great lengths to make sure those mistakes are minimized.

“That’s our biggest bugaboo and we’ve got to make sure we get back,” said Rockets Head Coach Kevin McHale, while discussing the team’s need to improve upon its transition defense. “We’re going to play with some pace; teams are going to run it back at us so we’ve got to make sure we get back and protect that paint.

“We just have to get everybody tied together so that we get to the point where are mistakes are jump shot mistakes, not layup and dunk mistakes. The mistakes have got to be reduced from the basket on out; if you make a mistake, make it on the perimeter where you give up a jump shot – you can’t make mistakes in the interior.”

On the offensive end, meanwhile, the Rockets of course have plenty of room for improvement, but also just as much reason for optimism early on. Houston ranks second in the league in points per game through the preseason (only Philadelphia ranks higher), having scored 104.4 points per game and No. 2 overall in assists per contest (again behind the Sixers).

Obviously no one is ready to declare the Rockets the second coming of the “Seven Seconds or Less” Phoenix Suns following five preseason games, but at the very least those numbers reveal that they are scoring and sharing the ball effectively early on; something that should only improve as the players familiarize themselves with and explore the multilayered depths of McHale’s offense.

“Every play we have, it’s not just one option,” says Chandler Parsons. “There’s many counters off of that play and we sometimes stick to just the first option and if it doesn’t work we just go to a pick-and-roll.”
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mirus · Oct 19, 2012

Articles of similar vein:

Feigen
http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2012/10/rockets-work-to-correct-problems-on-fast-break-defense/

A fine, crisp fall day Friday made for something less for the Rockets as they began what amounts to a four-day, homebound training camp at Toyota Center
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“Today we reviewed, went over some things, put in a new defense,” McHale said. “We’ll put in at least one new thing every single day. Every time you put something new in, everybody starts thinking rather than reacting. We’ve got a long way to go.”

Friday’s practice lasted about 2 ½ hours and featured a lot of five-on-five work that second-year forward Chandler Parsons said was stronger on effort than on precision.

“We weren’t narrowed in as much as we should have been, but it was good as far as competing goes,” Parsons said. “Our transition defense is getting better, especially the first five. The help side is doing a good job.
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“We’ve been giving up way too many easy buckets and not focusing on who is going to the defense focusing on defense,” Parsons said. “We’re really focused on who is going to the offensive glass (and) who’s not at each particular time. On the offense, it’s taking care of the ball, running our plays, not turning over the ball, just little things.”
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Guard Jeremy Lin said the task at hand is converting a group that includes a few good individual defenders into a team concept. McHale said another goal on defense is learning where to take risks and risk mistakes.
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mirus · Oct 19, 2012

Marcus is aiming to return to action next week as per Friedman .

coachbadlee · Oct 19, 2012

I really hope White and Machado are hustling on D while in camp.

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[Friedman] Training Camp 2.0

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