Morey takes pride at creating an historical offense based on his advanced stats and reflected on a great Regular Season offensive rating. Yet another year the playoffs come and our offensive rating falls to pretty standar levels. I've been asking myself for years how is this being measured on our advanced analysis? This has been consistent for years and they seem to be OK with it. What is the management answer for it?
this years offense was never elite. it’s was a few sites who put out data that this was the worst offense in the bubble.
Our offense got worse when we got Westbrook and even worse when we got rid of Capela. It was our DEFENSE that improved with small ball because of the switching. But, I think you mean in general terms why our offense sucks in the playoffs. The reason is that other teams game plan for our frontcourt players and run them off the 3pt line. Our frontcourt guys have no offensive skills other than open 3s AND they're undersized. So, once they're run off the line they can only pass back to a guard, basically never having the ability to punish the hard close out. To simplify, we don't have the correct personnel for small ball.
Also our best offensive weapon is very predictable and easy to deny the ball to in late game situations.
Game 2 4th quarter 17 points Game 3 4th quarter 20 point Game 4 First Half 41 points. Modern play other team can score 50 points in one quarter
Teams need to able to play the different ball Small ball Big ball In between ball you can’t just eat Pizza every meal every day for the whole year.
strangely enough we are shooting 3ball at a higher percent than we have all year. the lakers are an elite defensive team
In the regular season, it's hard to make minute adjustments when you have to play different teams and styles on a daily basis while also managing egos. Once you hit the playoffs, teams have time to specifically gameplan and make adjustments because their only goal is to win that series. For example, the Lakers realized that McGee and Howard were useless in this series after Games 1-3 and so they sit...but those guys aren't worried about it because they are winning and will likely have a bigger role in the next round. The Lakers have also implemented traps on Harden and have decided to run the Rockets off the 3-point line...things that they normally wouldn't do on a day-to-day basis, but they do now because they are only focused on beating the Rockets. The Rockets and MDA don't have any real adjustments that they can make. The all-in on small-ball has limited their capability to be able to defend the lane and the Lakers are feasting on that. MDA's resistance to playing more guys during the season and in the playoffs also means that he doesn't try different lineups to see if something else works. Look at the Lakers putting in their rookie last night and him getting some crucial scores in the first half...MDA would never do that. Instead, he changes up substitution patterns or cuts even more people out of the lineup. His only answer is to play his stars more minutes...which only leads to more tiredness and lethargic play because they've already expended too much energy. Rockets need more variance in their lineups, but they also need a coach that will develop players as well as make adjustments with personnel when nothing else is working. MDA has been good for this franchise, but it's time to move on and look for someone that is willing to make adjustments when needed...olherwise...we'll continue of this cycle of impressive regular seasons leading to 2nd round or WCF exits
Expending effort on defense will always tend to impact the offensive efficiency/effectiveness (unless you have a big-man who you feed in the post in 90's-style basketball), but right now the Lakers are doing everything right on the defensive end. Its up to D'antoni to throw in some adjustments to counter that... but the Rockets don't have the personnel or the acumen to do anything differently.
Listen. We can say this on Harden, and it is since he's our best player, but we already knew Harden was no Lebron. I mean people act like there's a long list of these "take over the game" guys, it's not. It's only Lebron, KD, and Kawhi. It takes a unique combination of talent/skill/size/athleticism. Harden doesn't have the last 2 so he can't "take over" even if he's trying his hardest. A team of basketball players has to have an advantage when they are playing 4 on 3. That hasn't been the case and that's why we're losing.
Yeah, where is that "elite" offense? The one jordannnnnnn & the rest of the homers like to brag about during the regular season?
The problem is that the offense is easy to gameplan against. In the regular season, teams don't really design gameplans for each opponent - they just play their regular players and regular styles and slog their way through 82 games. In the playoffs, when you start designing your defense to specifically counter the other team, it becomes much more complicated. Harden, in particular, is easy to make passive and get frustrated. You stop guarding Westbrook at the 3 pt line. Etc.
Tilman traded for a trash player, who has been a complete negative when harden sits on the bench all year enough said here. Add another declining showing to his resume
It pains me to say this, but them getting Thug Rondo back really put them over the top of us. Without him, their guards are garbage. With him, they can hack and pester and steal all game and get in James' head. Rondo is also a good communicator and leader on the floor for them. He's sort of a Chris Paul with minimal offense.
