[Kenny & Charles debate] Should the Rockets run on the Jazz?

I voted no, but the more accurate answer is Houston should not try to force the tempo faster. Of course the Rox should run when they have numbers, but they should not try do do Phoenix style stuff like running off of made baskets.

 

Grinding it out suits JVG teams.

 

I don't think they should really go for pure fastbreaks, since that will tire Yao out. Instead, we should push the ball quickly so that TMac can get the ball in better position and potentially have a mismatch. Utah has a pretty good defense on the pick and roll with Tmac/Yao in the regular halfcourt set. When they show with Okur, TMac has not been able to take advantage very well. But when they are able to isolate Tmac 1v1 vs Kirilenko, it seems to work better. That's easier with a faster tempo. Otherwise Utah makes us waste too much time getting TMac the ball.

 

Vote split exacty 50/50 (43-43) right now.

 

On another note, Inside the NBA is really boring tonight. Shows how much they miss Ernie. The chemistry is horrible without him.

 

i say we try to run a little bit as slow tempo tends to lend favorable to both teams, which is why home court advantage is so important. Both teams plays the same slow pace game with different half court style. we do inside out, they do pick and rolls.

It is depends on which team can run a bit better to get the win of this series.
I say JVg should try resting Yao more and put back the team when Yao was injured and do some fast pace runs.

 

I think we have to run. The Jazz are neutralizing our half-court game - running would disrupt their defense. As a mattar of fact, we should shift styles enough to keep them off their feet. Push the ball up at times to force them to get back and stay away from the offensive boards, and take our time and let Yao come up to grind it into him.

Plus, not playing a slow-half court game might give Yao a chance to rest and T-mac and co to be creative.

We beat the Suns by running. Even though Yao will be the laggard - running ironically may help him get more rest.

 

I think i'd be nice if we COULD run, but we can't. Who is going to run? We don't have anybody besides McGrady that can reliably run with the ball. Everyone else is a turnover waiting to happen. The Rockets strategy has been to keep an extra man down to grab the defensive board rather than leak out (I'm not saying it always works, but it's what they do), hence our good reboounding and lack of fast break buckets.

 

Actually, we do have the personnel to run. Rafer is one of the better, if not one of the best, fast-break point guards in the league. I'd argue that he makes better decisions on the fly in a break, than in a controlled half-court setting. Mac isn't a fantastic breaker, despite his size and athleticism, but he can finish. Luther should NEVER run the middle, but he isn't too shabby finishing at the wings. And here's the man everyone forgot: Kirk Snyder. Put Snyder in an uptempo team, he'll definitely wreak havoc.

But that said, even though I voted yes, I don't think we should flat-out push the tempo. Both of them are right on. We DON'T execute better than the Jazz in the half-court, and we don't have players who can consistently create when they take away our offensive game. But Barkley is right too, Utah is just superior when it comes to guys who can run.

IMO, what we should do is take a page out of Riley's playbook. Push the ball up and look for early Yao Ming post-ups, like what Miami does with Shaq. They'd run him and the PG, and if the break isn't there, Shaq'll post his man, and they'll get him the ball early in the shot clock, when most of the defense isn't even back yet, to go 1-on-1. That could work.

 

Hmmm... lets see, one of our stars happens to be one of the slowest players in the NBA, and you all want us to increase the tempo?

Forget basketball knowledge, y'all lack common sense.

 

I voted Run, but not in the context of a Suns or even Warriors run. In those 2 runs, Yao wouldn't be a factor; because he wouldn't be able to get down quick enough to be involved. A faster paced offense wouldn't let Utah get set up on defense and disrupt their rhythm. I think they should try it in Utah, because nothing else has worked there so far.