The Rockets have the 4th best record in the NBA, and they aren't even clicking yet..

Yeah, that's the problem. If Dwight's not healthy, we still have the fourth best record in the NBA. If Harden's not healthy, we're a lottery team. Harden has certainly earned McHale his extension. The rest of the team also just looks to him to make everything happen. If we were in The East, I'd be curious to just see McHale sit Harden for a couple of games and see if the rest of the team could figure out how to win without him. It's possible if they play right. But since everyone leans on Harden so much, I doubt we'd have a chance.

 

We gotta start hitting or 3's. These in-game droughts are horrendus and won't work in a 7 game series. To me it's a HUGE red flag

 

McHale is still trying to figure out what the Xs and Os he draws on the chalk board mean.

DD

 

I think the bigger issue with that is because we are built without anyone else who can legitimately create. That is the reason we are much easier to slow down in the playoffs, not just because of the rim or 3 approach. It is the reason I would have taken a chance (I think a small one, no matter what Dragic said) on Dragic or at least Isaiah Thomas. Most top teams have a wing stopper who can play all out on Harden.

 

The standings are deceptive. Do not put too much weight on it.

#1) It takes only a few games to drop from #3 seed to #6 and vice versa.

#2) It will be harder for this team to get points in playoffs because a) Their offense relies heavily on 3 pointers and those long shots become harder in playoffs b) Once again, Harden is not going to get as many calls in playoffs as he does in regular season.

 

I've never felt like we "clicked" at any point during the McHale era. I don't think we ever will. The Adelman teams rolled despite constant roster tweaking (in other words - it obviously isn't on Daryl).

The closest we've come to looking comfortable was 2 years ago in the OKC series and that was only on offense. And even then, Lin would have games where he stuck out like a sore thumb.

 

Well we are...

6th in points in the paint per game. Without Dwight for a chunk of games makes this ranking pretty impressive.

3rd in fast break points per game.

11th in free throws made per game.

We do a lot more than jack 3s.

 

the points in the paint goes with the mantra, either shoot a 3 or shoot by the basket

the 3rd in fast break points scares me, that is playoff disaster to expect those points

 

they dont play basketball though..................................

 

We do have the 4th best record and I suppose that is something to be proud of but we go on a 5 game road trip and go 1-4 and we could be 8th best record in a flash.

 

GS should be very afraid then.

Just for reference GS is

4th in points in the paint per game
1st in fast break points.
19th in free throws made per game
4th in % of points from 3(obviously rockets are 1st)

Doesn't look too different from Houston. They obviously have better shooters so the system works better for them, but I'm still not convinced that there is something better we could be doing with the roster we have. And as someone pointed out in another thread, our offense has been pretty damn good lately (I believe 8th best over a certain period of time)even with all these missed 3s.

It might not be pretty but you can win with a top 10 offense.

 

Agreed. Even though he hasn't been much of a factor on the offensive end, hes a big help on the defensive end.

When howard gets back, he needs to be ready to perform. We will NOT make it out of the first round without howard.

 

all those will go down in the playoffs
but
it will also go down for our opponents too

Rocket River

 

Will be interesting to see if we hit the Jackson contender metric of 40 wins before 20 losses.

 

Hate to sound pessimistic, but under McHale I don't think we'll ever "click". This team just plays way to sloppy and they rely to heavily on mediocre 3 point shooters.

 

This this this..................



I just watched a clip today of him chopping up his former team. Why the hell did we pass him up again? The guy can create, assist & score in crucial stretches. Reminds me of a young Aaron Brooks. Watching Prigioni play just adds to my disappointment

 

There was a stretch last season where this team looked scary good.

someone please queue the gif from the Pacers game last season with Harden stomping and pounding his fists like a maniac.

 

38-18, top 4 record in the NBA, "never clicked" under the head coach.

Good grief.

 

This.

Our offense does rely heavily on the 3 ball, but it is not just jack up threes. We also get to the paint, and line at a very good rate. All this without Dwight for most of the season.

So many of the things being said in this thread are myths that have been proven false.

Harden gets less foul calls in the playoffs... false

A team that relies heavily on the 3 pt shot can't win in the playoffs... false, this is precisely how SA just slaughtered MIA in the finals

Look, if Ariza and Bev continue to shoot sub 30% from 3, then yes we are probably not getting very far. But there is plenty of reason to think that at least Ariz should be hitting at closer to a 36-40%. Think back to the beginning of the season, our offense was rolling, and a big part of that was Ariza hitting at a consistent clip. I have faith that he will be able to in the playoffs as well.

 

The Warriors are still playing good defense, though.