McHale and team defense I watched a replay of the 3rd quarter of the game against the Bobcats on League Pass to find out exactly how Lin initiated a way to stop Kemba Walker from scoring for eight plus minutes in the third quarter. Coming into the third quarter, Walker already scored 17 points. He got another three points on a layup and a free throw. At about 9:42 in the 3rd quarter, Lin was guarding Walker. He turned his head to yell to Asik. Then Asik came up to the left elbow to help guard Walker but an offensive foul was called on him at 9:45. Since then he has come up once more to help Lin, and during all the other time when Walker had the ball, he would move with Lin to close the lane to the rim. This allowed Lin to better guard Walker and he was not able to score again for the next eight and half minutes until Lin was substituted by Beverly, except for a fast break where he out-ran Lin from back court to the basket for a layup at 4:40 on Taylor's assist. So in conclusion, Lin has been successfully guarding Walker with Asik's help, even it was just around the paint without coming up but blocking the lane. But it was Lin who initiated it. It would be extremely difficult *for any one to guard a quick point guard like Kemba Walker, since he is constantly using screens and sometimes two teammates for consecutive screens at a time. And most of the time the screener like Biyombo was moving and cutting into Lin's lane without getting called. So it was like Lin had to fight two or three players of the opposing team plus the official at the same time to get his defensive job done. It would simply be too much to ask of any player in the league, no matter how good they are in one-on-one defense. This was the reason why I have been questioning McHale's capability as a head coach, because it should be the head coach's job to come up with a TEAM defense solution against PNRs. And he has yet to be able to do so since the beginning of this season. McHale said post game about the fourth quarter that "we tried to trap him (Walker) and make the ball go to Biyombo or some one else." This sounds to me that he was trying to steal the credit from Lin, because it was Lin who initiated this team defense in the third quarter that got carried into the fourth. If it had been *McHale's idea it should have already been implemented in previous games and we would not have the 7-game losing streak.
McHale should really be a manager rather than a coach. He seems to be only interested in the big picture like the offensive system he has been experimenting since last season which is still a work in progress. As Harden said the other day, we lost because of the small details we didn't do well. And McHale isn't quick enough to adjust the small details and worse he doesn't like to give players freedom to do it because he doesn't know how to use PGs.
hyped about the clippers-thunder game...think im gonna count how many screens both teams set and then cry on another note, i know its still VERY early but im starting to get a little worried about harden's development as a guy who grew up in philly worshiping AI i gotta say...most of AI's bad habits that later defined his career jacking too many bad shots, over-reliance on ref's bailing him out, lazy defense, predictability, too many minutes leading to nagging injuries, general selfish play these things were all developed early in his career under weak coaches...i honestly believe if he had had better guidance early in his career he would have had a much longer and productive career...by the end when his athleticism was gone and the injuries had caught up to him...he was a shell of himself im not saying thats gonna happen with harden...but i would really hope that it wouldnt...some of these games recently where harden has gone like 6-20 reminded me of old AI
McFail doesn't even understand his own playing system. If you're offensively minded then TO are going to happen and "showing" blame by benching JLin doesn't do any good for JLin confidence or get the respect he need as the team PG! Look at OKC now the top offensive team PG Westbrook. His TO is higher than JLin and JLin FG% is actually slightly higher. What Jlin really need to do is shoot more and work on his 3pt% to improve the EFF since its offensively bias.
Could we trade coaches w/ the Lakers? Have Mike D antoni come to Houston, Fire Mchale and Lakers could get their Phil Jackson. Problem solved! We win the championship this year!
Not going to happens. Lakers just going to trade Gasol away for some sharpshooter. Who want a coach with a system that no one understand? I still couldn't tell if his system is offensive or defensive. Both end failed miserably.
Mike D is better for Lin, though Nash is still w/ the Lakers, but you got 2 big men that is slow at the lakers so it's not a good fit for Mike D. Mike D coming to Houston is definetely an upgrade of Mchale. Just sayin though, it's not like I'm a GM or anything.
Mike D would be awesome here cause we have the personnel to run and he needs runners in his system. Plus we have a plethora of stretch 4s who he always needs in his system. Plus Harden and Lin's efficiency would both skyrocket.
What about the Rockets? What's better for the team? Let's be honest, nobody in this thread gives a crap.
haha. unfortunately, MDA is not the answer. our defense is really bad as it is. if MDA came here, we'd end up having the worst defense in the entire league.
I don't understand why more people are not questioning McHale playing a PG who has only played in 4 NBA games and has not Iven practiced with the team over his starting PG. Is it because they are afraid of being called LOF's? Is it because we won? Is it because Lin was not playing well in their opinion? Whatever the reason it is a confidence killer for a player. McHale should have put Lin back in at least when he put Asik (who was in foul trouble) in with about 6 minutes left in the game. It should be apparent to the coaches and fans that Lin is at his best in the 4th Q. McHale keeps saying that "Jeremy will be fine" while at the same time his coaching style is preventing that from happening. Whether you are a LOF a LOH or just a fan who wants Houston to win you have to admit this is highly biased behavior on the part of the coach. I don't buy the argument that Lin was playing poorly so it was justified to bench him the last 15 minutes of the game. We have seen this earlier in the year when Lin was playing well but was benched in crunch time for TD anyhow. If you don't see this then I would say your dislike of Lin is greater than your loyalty to the Rockets.
Ah yes everything is about Lin. The Heat should fire Spolestra and bring in someone who could utilize Mario Chalmers
I don't quite buy your analogy, but that's just your opinion of course. It be pointless to reexplain why Lin is good for us. Clearly, the current system, the last 8 games, is not working. I don't even think Harden likes the current system. Why would anyone prefer to ISO on a double and triple team? Not only is your FG% going down, but you risk injuries from twisting your ankle, someone bumping you on the side which could blow out your knees, or someone hacking you in the forearm which could risk fractures. The fact of the matter is, when we were winning up to when we were 21-14, scoring 120 points per game, Lin was a big part of that, and that offense should be reincorporated. Apparently, all the players had their own little meeting in Minnesota, probably to discuss how to get rid of Mchale. You Lin haters always blame him for, "not being aggressive." It's like what is that mean? Similar to how Mark Cuban said, Lebron was under "excruciating pressure." Right, pressure is what's bothering him. Come on man. We need better offensive sets, Mchale is not providing it for us. Oh btw, those who use those old, trite, banal and unimaginative comments about Lin, you guys sound like Skip Bayless on the Miami Heat. Check it out again. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hv2jqFd2-qI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
It's pointless arguing with you. Anything that even resembles a slight criticism towards Lin and you overreact. "OMG Lin hater. Only racist Asian hating losers like you don't see the beauty that is Jeremy Lin. He is the next coming of Jordan, Magic, Bird, Chamberlain, Mike Tyson, Martin Luther King, JFK and Abe Lincoln COMBINED. The only reason he hasn't shown this ability is because Harden doesn't pass him the ball and McHale is a racist."
1. Where's the data to back up that the meeting was about getting rid of Mchale? Lin apologists always want data; so do I. 2. Nobody hates Lin. He's an easy guy to root for. I'm sure its disappointing and maybe even embarrassing that he's underperformed after the amount of #$^@ you and his Lin-first fans have talked. 3. Trite, banal and unimaginative mean the same thing.
Dude, I think you're way blowing this out of proportion. I'm a Lin fan, so I'll get that out of the way. Never said I hated Harden either. But seriously, you honestly think the offensive set we had for the last 8 games is what you want to continue? Seriously? ISO harden? 1-7? That 1 was to the Bobcats for crying out loud. Or do you want the team that was blowing away Chicago and Memphis? Those weren't an accident. We're going back to the offensive sets at the beginning of the season, do you want that?
1. You forgot that I used the word "probably," meaning not 100% sure. I'm guessing. 2. Me personally, never had those so called high expectations. I said he's best as a fast break guard, creating open shots for everybody. I never said he had the athletic jumping ability of Blake Griffin. Jeesh. 3. Pointless attack, but I guess you have to salvage something. For those of you who think the recent struggles of the Rockets is because of Lin "not being aggressive," or "passive," I think you guys got it wrong. But please, prove to me that being "aggressive" is going to help the team win. I saw the team win during our stretch, better ball movement, lots of fast break points. It looked like the San Antonio Spurs with less talent. Skip Bayless, gotta love the guy. LOL.
