Looked at the shot chart brandon roy has about 6 shots out side of the paint for game 2. and around 8 inside the freepoint line. Lets think if all he can do is drive the ball to the basketball why dont we play a 2 3 zone let him beat us from the outside first. secound yao ming had no shots the 2nd quarter and only 1 in the fourth quarter. this again comes down to post up artest more make them double him in the post. or play high post with scola and low with yao im telling you if you put scola at the freethrow line or a little above and he sinks his shots his guy will have to come up and guard him. then yao can seal his man and dump the pass down low. also why dont the rockets go with a small line up make them take aldridge out put scola at 5 artest at 4 battier at 3 brooks and lowry in the back court. and push the ball. Also with brooks quickness why dont the play the pick and roll like the jazz.
Zones are a dying breed in the NBA. Much less a 2-3 zone. A 2-3 zone essentially dares your opponent to shoot the ball and given the Blazers' abundance of quality shooters, that's a risk i'm not willing to take.
A zone defense against a team like the Blazers would be suicidal. They've got an abundance of quality jump shooters who would destroy our zone. Right now, the Rockets have to be resigned to the fact that Battier is going to have to guard Roy for the majority of the game, because he seemed like he was the most effective at it. Roy is too cerebral of a player to allow Artest's bullying tactics to work on him.
All good points. Adelman and the team made a lot of mistakes last game. We should have beaten them. Heck, even if we made our free throws, we've beat them... good news is their fronting is beatable.
Pretty much agree here. Portland has some excellent shooters. Blake and Fernandez would make it rain three pointers. Battier does seem to be most effective guarding Roy. Ron's technique of beating up on guys won't work if the refs are going to keep calling things tight. Also, Roy is a pure face up and drive shooter. There is really no opportunity to lean on him like Ron can do with other wing players who like to play closer to the post or with their back to the basket.
The Blazers missed 10 free throws, too...so if only they would have made their free throws they would have won easily...see, you just can't use that argument. I'm in agreement that a zone is not the way to go quite yet. I think it is a fine line, but the issue at hand is Yao having to show a little more, and sooner, when he's defending in a PnR scenario. Again, a fine line...because I'd rather Yao not show if it mean Roy is taking 20 footers, but when they are those in-lane picks, or Roy is starting to think drive, Yao has to be a little further out towards Roy, and concentrate on sliding laterally, being tall, and not fouling with his hands or lower body. A lot to ask for, but it's how to win.
I am not going to comment on the zone ideas, that’s been addressed rather thoroughly. The free throw argument will always be out there, but like JayZ750 pointed out they have missed a fair share of theirs too. We did make mistakes, but Deke going down like that was a total surprise and definitely messed up the game plan. He was incredible in game one and I am sure the Rockets looked for him to be carrying some more of that fire to game two. Now we have had time to adjust to Dekes abscence so expect some different combos on the floor. LIKE EVERYONE HAS BEEN SAYING, WE NEED TO GET YAO MORE SHOTS MORE OFTEN. HE IS FIGHTING DOWN THERE FOR POSITION.
you want to know why portland won last game? b/c we're in a recession... extended series=more money. You just watch game3.. refs will make up for it and we will win w/o a doubt... i'd be shocked if we lost..
a 2-3 zone doesn't work in the nba. you can't have a guy just stand in the middle of the paint with the defensive 3 seconds rule. and a zone isn't the best idea against the blazers. roy can do a lot more than just drive. he's a very good midrange shooter and shot 37.7% from 3 on the season. and a zone just means more open looks for rudy(40% on the season from 3), blake(43%), outlaw(37.7%), and batum(36.9%) from 3. giving portland open 3s is not a recipe for success.
a 2-3 zone will work in the nba you just have to play it right. and i dont care if the blazers have great shooters make them make a couple first instead of them throwing it down our throat in the paint.
The other point to consider is that you don't have to use it the whole game. If Roy's hot, switch to zone and see what happens. They rain down the jumpshots? Switch back.
