Why didn't Ishmael Smith play in the final minutes?

Hill pretended he didn't know what defense was. Ish has as bad if not a worse shot than Battier does. We needed points and leadership. We got neither. It's easy to say Ish should have been out there, but if Ish was out there and we still had that 4 minutes of offensive lockout Adelman would look a hell of a lot stupider than he does playing his vets.

 

Injuries make you underperform, mmmkay?

 

Thanks for the laugh.

 

no will no the answer, you could only ask Rick Adelman.

 

I'm glad somebody else realize this as well. I mean, as a coach you play the best guys for the actual game situation. Simple analogy. The best guys will not be the same in all in game situations. Our "defensive guys" aren't stopping anyone this year. I think adelman failed to adjust with the abscense of AB tonight. Seeing what just happened, I can say that we really miss his presence. We're missing a deadly three point shooter who can explode pass his defender to put up a shot if they're no other options. If adelman is going to run this lineup of hayes, scola, and battier to close out games like tonight, it will ONLY be successful if we have a guy like AB in the mix. Even Martin wont cut it.

If we are trying to make a comback you need all the scoring you can. I would put in:

AB
Martin
Budinger
Scola
Yao/Hill

You only start Battier in the beginning and during games. He is only there to prevent points from the opponent, make post entry passes or take the occasional set shot. Without Battier, you have another scoring threat in Chase. This will prevent guys from doubling up on Martin which would free up another shooter once AB breaks down his man. Battier is not effective becuase he would just spot up in that corner and 9 out 10 times they will dare him to shoot. If he's making it, thats the only way we'll win but that odds aren't that good. Another problem is now Brooks could be doubled or Martin which futher limits our options for a good shot unless we use shane. Chase would be cutting towards the basket or curling through one of the screen set by Scola. Plenty of oppurtunties could happen with all the motion involved and simply removing battier would make this impact. Hill would be in on the nights Yao is out or out of time. Not hayes. Hill gives us a better chance for an offensive rebound and is a better rebounder than chuck.


If we are up and trying to sustain a lead I would put in

Ish/lowry (playmaker/defender)
Martin/lee (depending on matchup because we still need some scoring)
Battier(defender)
Hill/Hayes(interior defense/rebounder, Hayes situationally)
Yao/Miller(interior presence/rebounder)



Tonight Rick used this lineup being down:

Hayes (no offense, too undersized for crucial rebounds)
Scola ( offense, but no good enough to cover hayes defeciencies)
Battier (minimum offense, but cant be relied on. camps out at the corner)
Martin (offense, but not good enough to create his own shot w/ tighter defense)
Lowry (in a slump, just returned from injury but not making smart plays..at all)

It was pretty much 5 on 2 with this lineup. Notice how we were able to go in those short runs to get us back in the game. It was Martin trying to take over but the guy just ran out of steam. And that's all I think we're going to get with Martin because If he was able to take over during this time, we wouldnt be looking for a closer. It's not like adelman had AB right? well..He could've thrown in Ish because he was making smarter plays tonight and hitting some of his shots which would've gave us a better chance. Like DD said, trades aren't as easy as trading in a used car. Only way this team starts winning is making the best descision when/how to use your roster. AB is definately needed to share the scoring load and is first option with Martin second.


Its going to be a long 6 weeks.

 

Lowry has been out of control these past few games.
Jacking up threes?
Playing 1-5 on fastbreaks.
Forcing the ball inside which results in a turnover or a missed layup.

He better step up his game. That contract is looking worse and worse by the second...

 

We did miss Aaron and Yao, but the fact remains this is a game a competitive team should have won (we had several chances to win this game even without Yao or Brooks).

We still had Martin and Scola playing well.
Ish was playing well, he should have closed out the game.
Hill is a shot blocker and has shown himself to be a difference maker defensively in the paint for us (chuck hayes was losing crucial 4th quarter rebounds to Blantche and letting him score/build a late run on us.Hill is also better offensively)
At some parts we simply lacked effort.
They are a 2-4 team in the east.

No excuses [tough schedule, time to gel, we're better than our record etc. This was a bad loss and indicative of a major problem (not a minor one like those I just said)], this organization from the top down needs to consider major changes in personnel.

 

I just ask RA about this,

his answer is as usual ," I have no idea."

 

when klowry on the court at 4 Q, it means rockets gave up this game.

 

maybe klowry should not be on the court

he should stay at home

 

Adelman=old coot=no player subs who are doing good for the most important stretches=brain fart=the worst scorers when we need offense=no timeouts to stop runs=no subs to put in more athletic Hill to combat athletic Wizards team= another loss by old coot.

 

Or.... we could have won, and his confidence could go through the roof, just like he won the Timberwolves game for us, and brought us back in the Spurs game....

 

Adelman is like JVG...he never starts undrafted rookies.

his is um crazy...i'm telling ya all i am. whwere is my submit button, Clutch!!! I can't fin it.































OK...here is ti down here. I got it. i'm fine.

 

So Adelman is teaching his players to shy away from the competition? Is that why Yao didn't play in SA but Tpups instead? Oh I sure hope not

 

Adelman should have taken himself out of the game!

 

YESSS seriously, why the hell wont they play hill more....he does fine..but RA never keeps him in..i dont get it..

 

Houston's sports team tend to have coaches who goes "brain dead" at the worst possible time! The pain continues........

 

if lowry clearly isn't 100% as you claim, then why was he in there in the closing minutes? Yes its only one game, and its a little premature to making all of these assumptions.

 

Guys, give Lowry a break. He'll be fine in 7-10 days once he's finished off the leftover Halloween candy.

 

Rookie?