It got me thinking. Tonight even paul being injured, it was him and west all night down the stretch, no silly shots from others if it aint called for. It's like paul aint having none of it even with Jack playing great. I know Adelman's "motion" offense where your miget pg dribbles down the shotclock and takes a fadeaway over a tall defender is not supposed to have a dominant player but who on this team puts other players in check? It doesnt look like Rick can since he never draws up one successful play out of the timeout and force his supposed alpha player the ball. I thought with motion offense which ever player with the easiest or clear path shot takes it. Why was Rockets melting the clock with over 3 minutes left being up by only two as if they are trying to ice the game? Is it Lowry running the show? I know its not martin because he doesn't touch the ball half the time when attempting end of quarter shots. This team looks undisciplined in the offense or is it just because Adelmans system makes it look like that? Who is the alpha dog that says "I'm taking the shot even if it's a bad one" or "only he takes the shot and every one else worry about defense"
There is no alpha dog. There is no one to live and die with, to win or lose with and know, that at least it was in player X hands. This Rockets team is lacking that along with that inside presence. When will it come? If Morey doesn't accomplish what he wants too before the deadline, he may have to take risks that he usually wouldn't.
The problem is not the plays Rick Adelman draws up, it's the players executing. Rick Adelman didn't seem to have these problems in Sacramento when he actually had good players, did he? Things are different when you have Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola trying to close games as oppose to Mike Bibby and Chris Webber. Get better players and you'll get better results. As for the question, this team doesn't have an alpha dog, one of its many problems.
So this is why we are blowing leads everytime. There is no player that can put any of his teammates in check. I think Houston jacks up so many three's and jumpers its rediculous. They need a captain not neccessarily a pg that command that they follow a game plan. I see alot of Rockets jack up jumpers all night even if they are cold thinking its a great shot because they were wide open. In a team with an Alpha dog, it would be the alpha or his sidekick that shoots you out of the game. With Houston, it could be anyone on a given night that shoots you out of the game. The odds dont look too good. Motion offense? The odds are good only if you have players and a coach that is discapline enough to know that not every jump shot is a good one because you are open. Everyone on this team has the green light this year. It could get real sloppy and we are witnessing last season chicago game on a nightly basis.
We have this thing with blaming the scapegoats.......Martin and Lowry accounted for the Rockets last 8 points in regulation, and we're blaming for "not being clutch".......seriously? did you expect them to shoot 100%?
It's a myth that Adelman's offense doesn't need star players. He always needed at least 2 star players, whether it was Weber/Peja or Drexler/Porter.
Great points you made here, Aldeman and Morey are to blame for the strategy of jacking up long range 2 pointer and 3 pointers. They dont know how to do anything else, we dont have a slasher, we dont have anyone with a back to the basket game. We dont have anyone that can post. All they can do is run down the clook until the last few seconds - then pass it to the guy standing the furthest from the rim to jack up a shot. Ask yourself if this was not approved by Aldeman and Morey - would our players be able to get away with it after 45 games now. And I really hate how an open shot is deemed as a high percentage shot or a good opportunity. We definitely need an alpha dog on thsi team. I think if we go young - T-Will can be that guy.
this.... the best pull-up jump shooter on the team and current MIP in the league who led the league in 3s and hit several huge game changing shots last year(denver to win, boston to force over time).. I like rick, but NO TEAM would sit a healthy Aaron Brooks at the end of a close game.. if anything take out Shane, not like he's playing offensive stopper on Ariza for goodness sakes...sorry im off topic......BROOKS!!
K-Mart has been the one Lowry's been trying, but way beyond there Scola doesn't seem to care or capable the rest being the rest
We don't have one and that's the problem. No one wants the ball in their hands in the closing stages of the game. Before we never had that problem with McGrady being around for so long but since then we have never had that player with the confidence or ability to take ownership of the game and make crucial shots. When you watch players like Williams, Kobe, pre injury Roy, you see them demand the ball in clutch stages of the match. No one does that for us.
