During this last run by the Rockets the one big thing I've noticed that is fueling the Rockets is the guard play. It seems like even while guards get injured and are out our other guards step up and play big. Harden is out and Lin and Brooks play big. Lin goes out and Harden comes back and plays big. Not to take anything away from the great play of Jones, Parsons and the front court guys but to me the X factor seems to be the ability of our guards to fill in for each other.
Ive mentioned this before but not in such a direct manner - Their recent success has been fueled as much by their protecting the ball as any other factor. Its a small sample size but since Harden went out their turnovers went down then Lin goes out and Harden comes back and they remain down in relative terms .... I really wonder if Harden & Lin can coexist as they both turn it over a lot and play weak defense. Over the past 4 games they have averaged only 15 TO's and had just 11 in the loss to Dallas. That 15 is ~4 fewer TO's per game than their season average which has been around 19.
No, our recent success has been because our three point percentage has been extremely high compared to the beginning of the season.
In other words our guys are finally knocking down the open jumpers they have been getting all season.
It is a huge luxury for the Rockets to have. All four are talented to be starters on other teams (well obviously in Harden's case). It's due to both.
Yup. Our offense is predicated on threes falling. At the beginning Garcia and Parsons were both struggling from three but thankfully our defense was top 5 at the time and we were able to go 4-1. I'm just happy that we seem to have so many players capable of carrying the team when it's needed.
While Lin may turn the ball over some, he does not play weak defense. It's not even the turnovers, it is guards take charge and step their games up, high turnovers or not.
Correction for post#10. You did mention other factors. Ignore my comment. It's early in the morning. I need another cup of coffee.
Front court and back court has to do their jobs for it all to work. Bigs keep the interior defenders honest and vice versa with the back court. If everyone just does their job and plays hard the floor is spaced better and it makes it easier for everyone to do well. The team is built to win minus a couple gaps that can be relatively easily filled.
I know how you feel. Jones is lighting it up no doubt but my own feeling for why the Rockets are on a roll is the guards being able to pick up the slack. If you look at the injury situation where we have Harden out and then Lin out yet there doesn't seem to be a let up.
I think Harden's injury was a blessing in disguise. He was able to observe how the team looked smoother if the ball moved right away if there was no opportunity to drive. I am not saying he was not buying into the system but rather, saw how it should be ran.
^^ The problem wasn't his isos. The problem was dribbling 7-8 seconds off the top of each possession deciding whether or not to iso, then dumping it off to a guy who can't create his own shot. Whereas the other guards immediately penetrate or get a screen and see what develops. Harden has picked up on it and the offense is smoking.
