Who do you want on the floor defending opposing power forwards down stretch in crunch time?

It varies from PF to PF (though you listed more than just PF's)

I'd have DMo on Dirk, Ibaka, Lee, and West

I'd have Jones on Griffin

I'd have Howard on Bosh, Duncan, and ZBo

I'd have Parsons on Lebron

 

Of the names you listed, I'd probably pick at least 3 different Rockets to defend them depending on matchups and the flow of the game.

 

TT? Asik on opposing center, and Howard on their mobile PFs.

 

Harden and it's not close.

 

When the Rockets face teams with a four who's dominating regardless of who they put on them, I'd like to see them go with Parsons/Harden guarding the four and Hamilton at the three. Ratchet up the defensive intensity and force the mismatch on the offensive end during crunch time.

 

Yea, it really does differ one each matchup. In any case however, I would not want TJ out there, as he and Howard go for blocks, they fail at getting the putback rebound. I'd say Harden on the non-Dirk jump shooting forwards, DMo or Asik (or Howard with O at C) on the power types, and CP on the small ball types (LB, KD, Melo etc etc)

 

I agree. It's just not that simple as all those listed have different strengths/weaknesses and just as our players do.

There really are very few "can defend anyone" players at any position.

 

I'd want Dwight on Ibaka, Duncan and Griffin.
Chandler to guard Dirk and LeBron.
Maybe a combination of James/TJ on David Lee, David West and Randolph.
Really like to see us mix in some zone in the playoffs, especially with small ball.

 

Howard.

 

Harden on back to the basket low post players.

DMo on jump shooters

 

Jones on LMA, or Griffin = disaster, quite literally.

 

DMo on Zach Randolph, Nowitzki, LMA, Duncan

Harden on Griffin, Parsons on David Lee for Small Ball, Ibaka maybe Jones if he is playing well.

 

I want Harden guarding them unless it's Dirk, Aldridge, Duncan, or Bosh. Those guys are very capable jump shooters who can shoot over Harden. Anyone who relies on posting up I'm definitely on board with putting Harden on.

 

Griffin is the one guy they need to figure out I think. He's the only individual player I think they would struggle to guard (I'm excluding the East). But the weakness at the 4 which I'm sure OP is trying to allude to may not just manifest itself in individual defensive matchups. Team defense along with offense should also be cause for concern at that spot. My thought right now is the team will try to go small rather than big to compensate for this positional weakness. Even defensively there's always the option of double-teams or just trying to clog the paint and force outside shots like you would do with Rondo or like the Spurs did pretty successively against LBJ last year.

 

In this order Harden,Asik,Parsons,Mchale,Dmo,Tjones

 

<iframe class="vine-embed" src="https://vine.co/v/MAHgTjin6bz/embed/simple" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script async src="//platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Harden, go small ball when Lin is on. If not, Hamilton should be an option, he came in to close out the game once Beverly fouled out against Portland, I wouldn't be surprised if that continues and we see very little of DMO or Jones at the end of games.