Post-Game Analysis: Magic 97, Rockets 88

How do we expect to win when Adelman only plays Yao for 12 friggin minutes?!? Get the big man on the floor!!!

Spoiler

JK

 

No injuries = WIN

Look at the Heat.

 

I like combo Lee-Lowry : good defend

 

TRADE YAO FOR ELTON BRAND!

 

I'm glad no one got injured.

 

What they showed me:

Hayes: Showed a curious interest in attacking double teams.
Jeffries: Showed that he can shoot layups with 3-pointer accuracy.
Yao: Showed he can still make free throws.
Drexler: Showed he just learned the word "plethora."
Vipers GM: Showed he can pull together a sharp suit and tie.

All around, solid effort.

 

My heart almost stopped when Yao fell

Anyways I think we did pretty good for our first preseason:
-Scola didn't do amazing but as was stated before he said he was tired from all the work he did in the summer
-Courtney Lee did terrific
-Lowry and Brooks did really well
-Chase and Chuck have improved

Improvements needed:
-Defense
-Making better decisions
-Our offense lacked at points

Oh and 1st post on Clutchfans!

 

I liked the guys off the bench. The starters looked old and slow.

Too much one-on-one offense. Need to see more passing, cutting, and running.

 

I didn't like the approach they were taking with Yao on the offensive side.

Most every touch he got was in the high post, and I would expect that with him coming back from injury and the coaching staff not wanting to have him banging down low, but...

They were trying to get him low post position on the left block quite a bit too - by way of Yao starting out top with the pick, moving down to the right block for a quick peek, and then making their cuts with the wings while Yao's cutting across the paint to the left side, where they were hoping to find him in good position with a passing lane directly to him.


Besides the fact that it didn't work once, that's too damn much moving for Yao. Just isolate the side where you want to post him up and hammer it in. Problem is, that approach doesn't work well with the off-ball movement. It seems like Adelman is trying to run read-and-react with one of the reactions being Yao getting post position.

 

Actually the thing that sood out to me the most this game was Howard's jumper. Wow!

LOL but I'd take this game with a grain o' salt.

 

yeah the offense was really stagnant... everyone was just standing and watching. Need to get some of that Princeton offense in.

 

It is only 1 game, but I think they have too many players that deserve playing time, someone is going to be unhappy.

And then you have to add in the chemistry factor, I think Rick Adelman is going to have a very tough job dividing up the minutes.

DD

 

Really? I didn't like them together at all.

I think Lowry needs more catch and shoot guys to play with, Lee made some good shots off the bounce, but bricked some of the ones he was set up with....oh well...only one game.

DD

 

How about Lee starting? I think Martin can start at 3, Lee starts at 2, and AB starts at 1. I think Battier is declining too much, may unable to handle the starting job.

 

Its why i always preferred Ariza(especially when KM came) over Battier.

 

Lee is too small, if Battier would be sitting, Budinger would be starting.

DD

 

Did not get to see Jeffries playing. Did you mean he missed some layups??

 

when there isn't some sort of center/low post presence in there (or someone trying to play that style, Scola didn't even try to tonight) the rockets offense looks very confused.

 

TIME TO PANIC!

 

Ariza starting playing very well with Martin, but then we wouldn't have Lee.