Kevin Martin on what changed in the 4th quarter lately...

obvious shot at shane for being too much of a force on offense.

 

You simply can't close games by going flat and the PG going 1 on 2 from the top. That doesn't work anymore. If you noticed, for example in last night's games, we now have Kyle at the top and he is actually moving around, probing the defense, bouncing off multiple screens to get us good open shots down the stretch. Everything opened up for Scola last night down the stretch and Scola nailed a couple Js. That was created by Lowry, probing, and moving from sideline to sideline coming off the screens. It was generated by player movement and ball movement. That is Adelman's offense, not isoing at the top. Brooks, unfortunately, was not and never will be Kobe Bryant or Lebron James. He doesn't have the height and length to look over the D and he doesn't have the size to force a mismatch.

IMO, we would probably be staring at a 55 win team if Lowry had been healthy from the beginning of the season and IF Adelman had realized that Hayes had to have major burn for us to have a chance at winning. For some reason, it took Adelman too long to figure out the importance of Hayes on the floor. That combined with running Brooks, Hill, and Miller out there way too many minutes contributed to the early demise of this team.

However, in spite of the fact that it took way too long for Adelman to get down to this rotation, Adelman is still the best available coach for this team. If these exact same guys come back next season and remain healthy, they will win 50 easily. If Yao joins them and contributes, they may win a few more. And if we actually get just ONE legit center than can play and some sort of upgrade to Chase at the 3 (Kirilenko), we will be a 60 win team. This is a good team, mostly veterans in the middle of their careers (Martin, Hayes), or slightly on the backside (Scola), or coming into their prime (Lowry, Patterson). We can add to this team and build a true championship contender. Even if we don't get a superstar, we can add a couple pieces and be pushing 60 wins with gamers like Hayes and Lowry and Adelman's system, which Lowry, Hayes, Martin and Scola all know how to play very effectively at this point.

 

I agree. This team as it has shaked out is a perfect Adelman team. Only one thing we could use and that's some big guy to stand in the middle at times. When teams play us small, we have the advantage. When they have towers in the middle, we have a disadvantage.

 

Of course playing Brooks 20 mins a night and seeing him go 1-8 on a consistent basis definitely pumped up his trade value.


Adelman messed up on the rotation before the trade, simple as that. Looking at it objectively, the biggest reason we're about to miss the playoffs is because Brooks cost us a dozen or so games.

 

Sounds like Martin is saying that Adelman actually playing those who deserve to play is the cause for the improvement. It sounds like more of a shot at Adelman's previously poor rotations than at any specific former player.

 

Before the trade Kmart would be on the bench in the fourth. It would be battier, Scola, Lee, Hayes, Lowry, or Scola-Brooks-Lowry-Hayes-Battier. He was the odd man out. Now that the trade been made he's always in the closing end of the game if it isnt a blowout. Wasnt the case before. KMart jsut happy to be getting minutes

 

Of course, it's on the coach. As he stressed before, he gives out the PT.

We just have to see whether this late-season brilliance (sadly, too late) gets RA a reprieve from Les and Daryl.

It doesn't help that RA does not take any responsibility but keeps blaming DM and the players for the losses. Remember that "When I came, I had Yao and TMac; now I have Chuck Hayes and Luis Scola." (I wonder what Chuck and Luis felt about that quip.)

It doesn't help RA's cause also that he recruited Brad Miller as our lone center acquisition last summer. Too pricey, too slow, too old.

If RA stays, I want a defensive coordinator and DM to pay close attention to how RA is managing the minutes. If RA goes, I can totally understand why as well.

 

I've tracked Martin pre and post trade and he's been terrible all year in the 4th especially the last 6 mins. He was terrible against the spurs in the 4th, but lowry saved the day and to his credit, he played well in overtime.

All points and possessions arent created equal. The intensity goes up qt by qt so shots are different and shot selection changes.

 

There are times when Martin strikes me as a douchebag. I love his game, but his fairy like demeanor would annoy the hell out of me If he wasn't on the Rockets. He also wears backwards hats. Doesn't that make him a douchebag? :grin:

 

Check out his +-... One of the only guys on the list with a negative? Damn...

Don't take this the wrong way, I am a fan of his skill and I hope he is here for the next decade.

 

CH, when i get back, I will try to post this chart. Martin is great at inflating that 4th qt number in a non competitive situation. I applaud him for being a great free throw shooter. When the rockets have put opposing teams in must foul scenerios, martin is great. Go and watch all rocket games especially close games, 6 minutes to go and martin has been a non factor.Against the spurs, i dont think he scored or created a play for someone else. To his credit, he carried them in overtime. Against the heat, it was the same until that gartbage layup near the end.

Point being, thats a known weakness of martin that can be hidden with a talent influx. Matin as the 3rd guy on a team with D-Will and howard is great. Martin as the primary guy not so much.Martin even with a healthy yao is still no better than the 06 rockets team. One guy who cant get the ball and one guy who dont want the ball late.

 

Who ever said Martin should be the #1 guy?

 

He has the same percentages in clutch time that Kobe has.

 

Yeah if you extrapolate our record with Lowry and Hayes as starters, which is an amazing 37-21, we'd be on pace for 52-53 wins.

That's how good this core is.

 

5th or 6th seed

 

I think some people just don't like Martin. I don't know why. He is a SG. His job is too score and play in the flow of the offense, which he does in a very efficient manner. He scores 2 less points in five less minutes than some "superstars".

I'm sorry that Kmart doesn't wear his sunglasses at night like Corey Hart or that cool Carmela anthony chic.

 

Unintelligent basketball fans want their stars to take contested jumpers after dribbling for 20 seconds, showboat dunk and scream really load when they run in the paint AKA Kobe.

 

Thank god they started DNPing Brad Miller.