Why did Wafer not Play Much Play In the 2nd Half????

Remind me...who won that game again?

 

It's a legitimate question despite the win. My feeling is that RA wanted to give him needed rest.

 

The Rockets were -3 in the third quarter with Von on the floor. They were -2 in the closing minutes of the 4th quarter with Von on the floor. When Von was on the bench in the second half, the Rockets were +4.

http://popcornmachine.net/cgi-bin/gameflow.cgi?date=20090121&game=UTHHOU

Edit: Actually, the ESPN PbPs show its +1 with Von on the bench, not +4.

 

He has been logging a good chunk of minutes. Coach Adelman probably just wanted him fresh for crunch time.

 

that seems like a good answer, doesn't it?

 

maybe they shouldve left von on the bench to finish the game...his 3 was pointless anyways

 

I was wondering the same thing.

Brooks was playing awful. There was no reason to keep Alston and Brooks out there. I don't even like that backcourt when Brooks is playing well.

 

i heard bull say i thinks he wants to get ab some mins so he can try and get out of his little shooting slump .

 

I was actually thinking that may be the reason but I didn't hear Bull say it. I hope that wasn't Adelman's reasoning. There are plenty of chances for Brooks to break out of his slump and he will. You don't do that in the 4th quarter when the game is still in question. Brooks should have been yanked earlier last night.

 

remember we had a problem with turnovers in the first half. I love Von but when he gets excited he tends to not take care of the basketball. I also think Rick wanted to start the half with solid defense as to frustrate the yazz into a worse rhythm.

 

yeah, it was after the game was over. They were wondering the same thing. bull was just guessing the reason.

 

Personally, I don't think there is a reasonable, logical, or rational answer to that question. The kid is lighting it up in the first half, has sixteen points, AB and Shane have a brickfest in the second half as he largely watches from the bench as the lead shrinks. FINALLY, he comes in when the game is almost over (and lost) and makes a dagger three. Show me the logic.

I understand that the kid is not a defensive force, BUT neither was most of the Rocket's team as they watched Jazz players make lay up after lay up. The kid is legit and I think the Rockets are somewhat in denial, especially Adelman.

 

I disagree with that I think we would have folded without that three very similar to the last game against the Jazz that we won in 2OT but this time without Ron and Yao with 5 fouls.

 

The +/- thing is legit

And when the Jazz were making a run, I remember seeing 2 breakdowns in a row, both resulting directly from Wafer. In particular, he lost his man for no reason (just watching the ball)... once he realized, he ran out as his man, there was a pump fake and a drive-by, leading to a series of defenders helping and defenders out of position. I think it may have led to a short J by Millsap. but that doesn't matter.

On the other play, Wafer didn't realize that a switch had occurred.. it left a man wide open and Wafer looking confused.

He really has issues on that end, but they often seem to be the result of a lack of focus..

 

there was one break where he was down close to the basket and he left to go guard the jazz player at the three point line leave a wide open lane for the other jazzhole on the other side of the break to have an easy lay-up.

 

I'm taking a look at the play by plays, and that's not what it shows (it's a little different from the popcornmachine numbers I posted above, so perhaps something is off). It says that the Rockets were up by 10 points when Wafer was subbed out late in the 3rd quarter (they started the half up by 13 points).

When Wafer reenters the game for Brooks with 4 minutes left, we're up 11 points. And, in fact, the lead was never smaller than 7 points (it stayed between 7 and 11 points throughout) during the span in which Wafer was sitting. After Wafer returns, the Jazz go on a 7-0 run. Then Yao returns, Wafer hits his 3-pointer, and the Rockets eventually win.

 

If you guys have noticed, Von is really a first half player. Look at his first half and second half stats of late.

 

Whoo-eee! Was no one watching Shane Battier stink up the Toyota Center on both ends of the court? For what the Vonage loses on defense, he doubles the ante on offense. Shane's points, game by game, are lost on the points he gives up in his personal fouls, the fouls he causes Yao to draw, and the "turnover" points scored on his airballs and other badly missed shots. For this we gave up Rudy Gay.

 

I hate that everyone goes by this..........if that was the case Landry had a -9 in the third, scola a -9 and battier -4.........my question to you and everyone else who likes to go by this is why weren't the other guys benched? Let's face it, it was another bad coaching decesion from RA.......his rotation process sucks