All the Rockets got to is to take them to deep water LeBron James runs out of gas in the fourth quarter him and Davis are no where as effective in fourth quarter as in the first half. Second half concentrate on the secondary players in the 3rd and 4th quarters. They are the one that killed us in 4th quarter.
Mid-range has to be option when players are wide open. There were a few moments in this series so far when (House? Russ? James?) passed on wide open jumpers just to hastily toss it out to someone beyond the arc. I don't expect MDA to change his system to incorporate those shots, but if they're open there can't be a ban on it. Anyway, that's not a very nuanced take and I know I'm saying this in an echo chamber. I think we can still win this in 7. We led most of the game and the Lakers simply outplayed us in the fourth. If House is back next game I'm predicting a Game 4 win. I think it's fair to say we're evenly matched and I would pick the winner of this series to go on and win the Finals
BINGO! How many threads reiterate this simple ****ing concept. The mid-range is available ALL game. If we start cutting hard when Harden is double teamed. Take the elbow mid-range when the 3 isn't open and play Westbrook only when Harden sits we will win this series.
I think people has been mentioning this all year. There are times when the Rockets players are able to drive pass their man and pull up for a jumper yet they pass it back out. It's ridiculous.
They did a better job of this in the 2nd half of Game 2 and last night. There will be an occasional luke warm (not heat) check by Eric Gordon via a 30 foot jack that kills any kind of momentum though.
Well last year we had a untradable 40mm who when Harden was doubled either bricked all his 3's or couldn't dribble past Looney on the perimeter. Thought this version 40mm would at least be different but it hasn't worked post bubble
My solution was to get a center that also shoots threes ala Okur. we have limited our prospects and flexibility to match up. we have gone downhill every year since the CP3 injury. DD
gotta figure out that double team zone lakers keeping showing. easy counter would be get someone in the middle that can knock down that literally free, free throw line jumper. but nah we aren't allowed to shoot ANY midrange..
I though Harden was double teamed all year? What's the difference? Their defense is better than most. No denying that.
Hartenstein never got the chance. We can't afford a Jokic type, but gave up on a big young guy. By the way, what is Chandler's purpose on this team? Putting him in for 7 minutes might be better than throwing in Rivers and B-Mac.
The Rockets offense has been running this way the whole year - I don't think they can introduce off the ball movement all of a sudden - we know Harden doesn't like to move without the ball and I doubt it starts now. I do think they need to get the ball to moving players versus static targets. The Lakers are anticipating passes much much better - they know our system from film and that's the big difference.
If Harden is double-teamed at the THREE POINT LINE for crying out loud (leaving plenty of space to operate), that should be EASY MONEY man. Move the ball quick, for God's sake someone CUT, PLEASE cut, move the ball, cut, motion, we should be EATING baskets at the rim against that. Yet we struggle? We look stupefied as if it's something new? EGO + Russ + Rivers is enough penetrating power to demolish traps 35 feet away from the basket, man, c'mon, this should be EASY. It reminds me of when teams fronted Yao and we had no answer.
Spot on. I said this before the series started that the Lakers small ball would be better than ours. AD and LeBron are actually bigger guys that can move like guards. They were just covering the 3, and blocking everything coming to the basket.
Yeah man I noticed Gordon does that from time to time too lol. He gets the ball when the guy pass the halfcourt with about 20 seconds left and chuck up a 3 about 3 feet away from the line.
Yep yep yep. Last night in the second half I thought: "Our #1 priority this off-season should be to get a quality backup PG." We desperately need someone to properly run the team when Harden isn't in the game. It's killing us.
Can you really blame him? He's a rhythm shooter, and he wasn't getting looks. Westbrook is simply a poor facilitator. Remember this play? Gordon was open for a 3, and Westbrook decided to drive into the teeth of the Laker defense for a turnover.
