From having one of the worst transition defenses to having the 2nd best transition defense. That is definition of a coaching adjustment.
Not with DEFENSE! And certainly not with this level of defense. Rockets playing CHAMPIONSHIP caliber defense right now.
Our transition D was very good yesterday. There was one play where Schroder got out on the break and two Rockets met him at the basket..
He trusted Bzdelik and didn’t know he would flake out last year. MDA knee he would have to be more involved after the Rockets failed to land a top defensive coach. However the degree of his involvement really was increased after the Rockets had difficulties adapting to Turner’s changes. MDA has been criticized for not being detail oriented in the past and he used to have a massive ego and was thin skinned. He right now is as good a coach as he has ever been. He is certain good enough to have won multiple titles right now. He has learned how to handle people and control his own insecurities. As a Rockets coach I can only think of one time where his old ego and lack of accountability came out. It was right when he became the Rockets head coach and the team wasn’t playing as well as it should have. He was asked about DMO not being on the team and he snapped at the reporter and blamed the GM. By the next day he had changed his tune... and I believe the fact the players and GM have never blamed the coach is why he is less defensive than in the past.
we are swarming and switching to close off the paint quickly. As JVG said, limiting their guards' penetration to the rim is critical. We are doing a pretty good job. Essentially we force them to fight us on the perimeter - on our terms. The inability of Steve Adams on their defensive end and ineffectiveness on their offensive end makes him a liability for them - again our terms won. I kept thinking if they had another forward that can knife through us paint defense, would that cause us trouble? Your thoughts?
Historically to me is what has happened in the bubble. This team is radically different from the pre-bubble teams. We are only 19 games into Small Ball. But the 1st 4 games in the bubble are the most telling because they represent our final form. Or at least final form for this season, knowing Morey and MDA there will be even more tinkering next season. Makes me giddy to think about it.
