Defensive points per 100 poss during run: 104.9 Defensive points per 100 poss for season: 109.8 Offensive points per 100 poss during run: 117.3 Offensive points per 100 poss for season: 111.3 I think the main thing is bench play, not sure where I can find reliable stats on splits like that.
I do agree that the sample size is small and that Indiana is hardly a playoff team, but there is still reason for optimism about our defense. Playing the Suns at home tonight is going to be a big test for our defense.
I agree that it probably has less to do with brooks and battier and more to do with our schedule and just a sense of urgency.
That IS strange that we seem to be playing better D w/o Battier...maybe it's b/c whoever he usually guards actually has to play defense himself now.
Pre trade, the starters were at 117 and 107. The bench was definitely dragging the team down most nights.
One thing might be that, (again, with a small sample size), Bud is much better starter than he is a bench player. I do think AB was hurting that second unit, not by pouting or being uninspired, but by pushing so hard to try to earn his starter's role back. He was pressing and not playing well, and the 2nd unit was pretty awkward.
But now we are beating those crap teams by 20+. Before the trades we would be in close games with those 'crap teams'. Removing brooks from the rotation is the key I think. He wasn't giving us anything positive when he was in the game. He was our closer also, that was big mistake.
Chalk up another vote for playing against crappy teams. As for hanging this on Brooks, you could as easily hang it on the uncertainty the whole team endured about what would happen at the trade deadline.
Battier wasn't really as good defensively this year as before. This year, the rox were actually giving up a much points when he's on or off the court http://www.82games.com/1011/10HOU9.HTM
Yeah I remember December where we beat every bad team and lost to every othe team. That isn't happening. What's your point? You're beyond ignorant if you can't see the team has actually changed.
You were looking at wrong place. On/Off court stats says Rockets gave away 111.1 points when Battier was on the court, 111.5 points when Battier was off the court. Yes he's declined defensively, but still better than CBud in that department. I hope CBud can keep up the current scoring touch and develop more, not going back to where he was earlier in the season.
that's what I said: this year, Rox was giving up almost the same amount of points when Battiers on OR off the court. Unless you think 0.4 is a very significant difference. but he's not better than C Lee and C Bud makes up for it with his O.
To the people saying that we're playing crap teams - do you consider routing Portland on their home floor crap? Do you consider a 4th quarter comeback against the Hornets on their home floor crap? I don't remember either of these scenarios happening earlier in the season. We're doing something right, and it's called defense.
New Orleans is sinking like a stone right now. It was gritty to mount a big comeback, but that is not a good team we were playing against. But it was gritty. Same with playing Portland -- that was inspired ball, even if Portland was in a funk at the time. But, there's a difference between playing with urgency (which is what they've been doing recently) and being good at defense. Right now, the team has upped their intensity and getting wins, hoping against hope to get a playoff spot. But, I don't think that fundamentally changes anything about how good they are at playing defense. Eventually, this intensity will fade and the schedule will get harder and it will be the same old matador defense once again. Hopefully, they can keep the intensity for what's left of the season. I don't delude myself that they've somehow become better defenders.
... who didn't play half the games he was a Rocket this season due to injury. And replaced him with that defensive juggernaut, Goran Dragic. And, got rid of one our best defenders for a seven foot center stuck in a 70 foot well. Forgive me if I'm not convinced by this line of argument.
