Bring back Clutch City!!! I absolutely love this team but the why they play down the stretch infuriates me, especially Harden's ISO three pointers and last second passes. Anyways I don't want this to be a negative thread dumping on players or coaches. Just want to know if any you (especially the coaches, and armchair strategists out there) have any suggestions on how this team can become CLUTCH down the stretch. Personally, I would like to see more ball movement. I like the double high screen they use to free the ball handler (Usually Harden or Lin) BUT I want to see them drive aggressively to the rim and kick it out if the defence collapses. OR A back screen for Harden and pass to him on the curl with some momentum heading toward the basket. I am not a coach so sorry if my ideas sound stupid. Pleaase let me know why. Looking forward to reading your ideas. Keep it positive please.
I'd like to see some pick and roll options. Have Harden with the ball send a pick. The player that picks can either drift back behind the three point line for Harden to kick out, or roll to the basket as long as another Rocket positions themselves for a kick out opportunity should the defense collapse when Harden drives. Players on the perimeter can even do a feint where they start moving to the middle in order to entice their defenders to collapse and help on Harden thus opening them up for an open shot should they drift to the outside once their defenders commit to helping. If other defenders don't help, then Harden should drive to the basket all the way instead of taking the outside shot unless he's been hot all game long.
The only suggestion I have is to stop making Harden the primary ballhandler down the stretch. It's painfully obvious that the offense becomes stagnant while everyone waits for Hardens ISO move! I know it's been said before... ......... ......... .........
Is what you're describing like the Lin Harden PnR? That seemed to end with Harden doing ISO on the switch which didn't seem too effective either.
Well I think mainly it was to get the switch so Harden could eat up the PG, but when Lin is aggresive and looking for his shot it worked quite, well, remember on xmas day they were saying non centers arent used to hedging that well..
The Harden ISO has two purposes if we have a lead. One is to get us the best opportunity to score, the other is to run down the clock. It did run down the clock. Harden has made bad decisions on the ISO, but in that situation he's still got the best chance of anyone on the team of creating a shot for himself or a teammate. But that's not exactly what I'm advocating though it is close. If at the end of the pick and roll Harden has only one defender he should be able to get by that defender for a shot close to the basket. If he doesn't just have one defender or they have help, that means someone else is open. The Harden Lin PnR has been effective this season. We shouldn't try and go too far away from what's been successful, just fine tune it a bit. I also have no problem admitting that I'm not an NBA level coach, and could be entirely wrong in everything I'm suggesting.
Good point about the non-centers not hedging well. I'll have to watch that game again. Is hedging the same as playing ice?
The Lin-Harden baseline backdoor has never failed. Wish that play was used more often. I guess the opportunity doesn't present itself very often. Another clutch play would be for someone not in the rotation to be subbed in, creep up behind KD and... sweep the leg johnny!
harden is like 35% fg and 25% 3pg against west conf. team (small sample size btw) i just dont understand why call a timeout when everyone know you are going to iso harden again and again
