This is in relation to a couple other threads out in the GARM and also in response to the way we've been defending our opponents lately. What are the Rockets defensively? Other than the number 1 defense, or one of the top defensive teams in the NBA, what is this team's real identity defensively? I know we used to be a team that shut down the paint for opponents but left the 3 point line semi-open, daring the team to beat us from the outside while giving them nothing on the interior. I know we used to out rebound every opponent, we used to be hounding the glass. Having all 5 players surround the ball, usually against only 1 of the opposing teams' players. Why is our defensive output changing? Is the team not adjusted completely to having Yao back? Is Yao not in shape enough to play the team defense he was before his injury? Why are opponents getting into the lane whenever they want? It seems like for the past few games (yeah, we've won most of them, just an observation) that any guard who can penetrate is going to have a field day and create HUGE mismatches for us. Usually we do a pretty good job, even if the guard gets into the lane, they are collapsed upon and are given nothing. Nowadays, teams are getting more layups/back door plays then ever. Also, we've been scoring 30+ very often in the first quarter now. Are we playing too fast to really focus on defense like we used to? Is it better this way? Like I said, we've been winning so there's nothing really WRONG with it, I'm just asking, have the Rockets changed their defensive philosophy? Have they been forced to with the injury to Yao and the adjustments necessary to play with him again? Or are other teams just exploiting us more so than ever before? The reason I ask is because this is a team prone to offensive cold spells where NO ONE can score for a period of time. If we don't have the defense that we used to rely on during these spells, will our offense be sufficient enough to cover it up in the playoffs? I guess it's a good thing that the Jazz aren't a high scoring team since we're seeing them in the 1st round. Even in the wins, do the Rockets look a little different defensively? And is this what JVG and T-Mac are so agitated about because playoff time is nearing? What do you guys think?
I think not having a healthy Deke is hurting us alot. Jake has the size but not the skill Deke has, and Juwan has more skill then Deke but not the body Jake has. When you say our defense as of RECENTLY, as I recall, our defense shook up a little when Yao came back. Deke is a very underrated player. Also, it SEEMS like we are attempting alot more threes then we did at the begining of the season. More three pointers makes for more fast breaks for the other team. If you've seen Yao vs PHX then you know a fastbreak is Yao's worst nightmare on the defensive end. As sluggish as Yao is, Im ok with taking alot of threes, but lets attempt 60% of them when Yao isn't in the game.
I don't think we're playing a different type of defense. I think it's looking...worse...recently because Yao's still not 100 percent in terms of quickness and stamina. Teams seem to be aware of this and are less afraid to penetrate and take it inside, whereas before they would have been more reluctant for fear of being blocked. As the previous poster pointed out, we're missing Deke, but Yao is also not the defensive presence he was before his injury. At least, hopefully, not yet. Personally, I expected the big fella to be having these problems. By the end of next week, we should have a better idea of what this team is capable of come playoffs.
2 words .... Shane Battier Man if we never made the trade for Shane I'm certain we would have lost more a lot more games.. He's the only one capable on the team of defending the best in the leauge..
Overrated. That's what our defense is in terms of consistency. Spurs and Pistons are far better defensively IMO, and Dallas is on par with us defensively. We will see in the playoffs just how good defensively we are...
In the past, JVG's Rockets would trap the Pick and Roll. Nowadays, he has Yao and Deke stay back to guard the paint, hopefully preventing penetration and allowing time for the guards to recover. It's all about mixing and matching and playing to your opponent's weakness. It's hard to find a great D scheme for Yao though, because you want him in the paint, but he's so slow. If you take him out to trap, you lose a paint blocker (this wasn't a problem w/ Cato around)...but having Yao back opens up jumpers for big men...and is less effective at stopping penetration than the trap method.
Overrated yet the stats say differently. But stats don't matter, right? Like the stats that say T-Mac is an MVP candidate...but he is overrated because Yao wasn't around much and he got to shoot more and more shots equal more points. Like the stats that say Kobe is the best player on the planet by alot...but he is overrated because he is the only offense on his team and he is a hot dog. Plays defense only when someone pisses him off. Or the stat that say we are an excellent team in a killer conference...but we are overrated because if you really looking at it, we are the 5th seed and are lucky to be there. If Denver, the Lakers, and the Kings always played up to their capabilities instead of being hurt or inconsistant, we would most likely be the 8th seed fighting for our lives for a playoff spot. The Spurs are better defensively yet they have trouble defending the Rockets. The Pistons are better defensively and they lost to the Rockets...almost lost TWICE! YES! We are overrated defensively! Think middle of the pack if you ask me. Question: Does that make us UNDERRATED offensively?
Overly dependant on paint defense. No wonder good jumpshooting teams are our kryptonite. We almost always get lit up by some random scrub that can catch and shoot. And we also show a tendancy to play bad defense when we play bad offense, which is why we give up huge leads. This one is a bit of a head scratcher, since you'd think that if we weren't dropping shots, the team would focus more on defense but...yeah.
Our defense is not disciplined enough, just like our offense isn't disciplined enough. Overall, this is a team that is still struggling to find its identity, and it's made all the more urgent because the playoffs are right around the corner. I honestly don't think we've made any progress as a team since the beginning of the season, partly because we've yet to have a full squad of our main rotation guys on the court together for a significant amount of time due to injuries. I think the seedings are pretty accurate this season. Rockets are fourth or fifth best in the West; the Rox and the Jazz are a toss up, and if we don't significantly improve our roster next season, we will have more company with teams like the Lakers and the Nuggets breathing down our neck.
