Just read this from Jonathan Feigen. Warning: it's a bit long but a good read while waiting for the safe arrival of the team at Utah (heard they had to land in Grand Rapids because of the blizzard). http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2013/01/spacing-key-to-rockets-attack-on-offense/#more-13570 Someday, somewhere, someone will shout about the offensive quality that brings by far the greatest disparity between attention and importance. Before the dunks or 3-pointers, before anyone runs or jumps, something that seems simple is somehow difficult — or apparently, difficult to notice. “Wow,” someone will roar, “what amazing spacing!” It’s one of those words players and coaches mix in as routinely as ice in the locker room after a back-to-back, but usually gets about as much attention. Somewhere after shooting, passing, ballhandling, running, jumping, screening, rolling, cheering and talking, spacing might draw someone else’s attention, but with the occasional exception of discussions about the San Antonio Spurs and an occasional nod to range-shooting power forwards, probably not. To the Rockets, however, there is little that matters more. After the Rockets put 119 points on the Nets on Saturday, their best offensive game since beating the Lakers Jan. 8 to complete a five-game winning streak, Rockets forward Chandler Parsons gushed, “I thought our spacing tonight was unbelievable.” Everything the Rockets seek to do, and failed to accomplish during their slide to losses in eight of nine games, begins not with James Harden or Jeremy Lin running pick and roll or the Rockets running. It is dependent first on spacing, drawing defenders to the corners and out of position to either help when the Rockets’ guards make the turn to head down the lane or rotate back to the 3-point shooters. “Guys are … running, getting to the corners, getting to our spots where we can be effective,” Harden said. “I think in our drought, guys were just all over the place, just on top of each other.” The reliance of spacing of the floor has had the Rockets often stationing power forwards Marcus Morris and Patrick Patterson at the 3-point line. No team takes more shots from 25 to 30 feet. The Rockets take the third-most shots from 20 to 24 feet. This is not just because they play at a faster pace than any team, leading to more shots, or that they have few post-up options. By forcing teams to defend 20 feet away from the basket, the Rockets create room for Harden especially to operate in pick-and-rolls in the middle of the floor. Harden has been the NBA’s most efficient player in pick-and-rolls this season. Lin has been in the top 10 among starting point guards. That speaks to their individual skills, but if the past few weeks have demonstrated anything it is that if the Rockets don’t have spacing and pace, the offense bogs down. “James I think benefits more than anybody when we play (with pace) because when we slow it down, there’s too much of a crowd and his shooting percentages go down – the whole team’s shooting percentages go down,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. “There’s just not enough space out there. But when we play with pace and space it just helps everyone.” When Harden was named to the Western Conference All Star team on Thursday, McHale cited Harden’s talents and teammates, but added “and us having good space for him to play in.” Yet, when they struggle, the Rockets bunch up on breaks, inspiring McHale to compare them to junior high soccer players. As the ball movement slows, they cut more slowly, shrinking spacing to nearly a group hug. On Saturday, however, the Rockets could move the ball because they spaced the floor well enough to have the Nets scrambling. The Rockets had 31 assists, their sixth game with at least 30. They are 5-1 in those games, averaging 24 assists in wins, 20 in losses. Even their league-leading turnovers ramp up when they bunch up. Though the greater issue is with careless or low-percentage passes, when the spacing shrinks, the pick-and-rolls that are their best halfcourt offense turn into the NBA version of playing in traffic. Against the Nets, the Rockets had 12 turnovers, 10 fewer than the night before. They did not cite ball handling or passing for the improvement. “I think it’s a product of our spacing,” Parsons said. “Coach has been emphasizing that a lot lately. It was a lot better, everybody spacing the floor, giving guys a lot more opportunity to drive the lane, giving guys way more open shots. Everyone’s cutting harder, screening, and just really moving the ball. “It allowed guys to penetrate, it allowed more guys to have open shots and we really moved the ball great. I think we need to continue to do that because it is a lot more fun to play that way.” Standing in or cutting to the right place does not, however, make much of a highlight. The Rockets, however, know if they get the spacing right, the highlights can comes next.
