2016 Houston Rockets Pre-Season Thread - Preseason Finale vs Spurs

[jewbacca2]

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[Peep Game]

Such a deflating ******* loss when the game could've been sealed several times. Harden has to do every ******* thing just to end up with these types of results. Don't make any damn sense. I don't even have a whole bunch to say that sin't already obvious. Lost to Utah who is in the hunt with you, and Portland wins. We're barely in front of the Kings. The Kings.

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[jewbacca2]

Harden has to do every ******* thing just to end up with these types of results.

Harden needs some help, the roster just isn't good enough 

Harden and Dwight had to attempt to close the game out with the likes of Bev, Brewer, Terry, and Ariza 

I only got to see the last half of the 4th quarter and OT, but within no time I saw Harden make two incredible plays to find open guys that led to Brewer hoisting up an air ball and Bev being lost 

After the playoffs last year, the general consensus seemed to be that we need to add someone who could score to help take some of the burden off Harden. After the Lawson flop, we're way worse off than we were last year due to players on the roster regressing 

 

 

[statis22]

Nah man.

I was told this was one of the most talented teams in the league and they're undermined by the coach.

I remember specifically being told this.

 

[Peep Game]

Lawson is an incredible flop, and I just don't get it. It's not like he had a 3 year layoff and the Rockets decided to pick him up like he was Michael Vick or something. He was a 15/9 guy JUST LAST YEAR. Such a garbage season, even though it can still be salvaged. I really hate that this seems to be a Harden or bust team, even though Dwight, Ariza, and to a lesser extent Beverley are sure to bring the effort every night. Way too many wasted efforts to get these types of results.

Still appalled at the collective defense just collapsing from last year, and guys you thought were gems are playing like they would get cut from the Longdong Dragons.

 

[jinkazama]

Nah man.

I was told this was one of the most talented teams in the league and they're undermined by the coach.

I remember specifically being told this.

First the Lin apologists...now the Mchale Lovers are emerging .

This team is plenty talented...how quickly HOU fans forget the WCF was less than a year ago. So you mean to tell me a team less than a year away from the WCF forgot how to play basketball? Do the players shoulder some blame...yep...but a solid coaching regime would have a team like this locked into the 4/5 playoff spot right now.

Even so 4/5 playoff spot and a second round exit isn't good enough, Leslie wants titles..To get a title you have to remake this squad from one built to compete and beat San Antonio/Dallas/Cleveland...into one that can take down Golden State

 

[do work son]

Nah man.

I was told this was one of the most talented teams in the league and they're undermined by the coach.

I remember specifically being told this.

First the Lin apologists...now the Mchale Lovers are emerging .

This team is plenty talented...how quickly HOU fans forget the WCF was less than a year ago. So you mean to tell me a team less than a year away from the WCF forgot how to play basketball? Do the players shoulder some blame...yep...but a solid coaching regime would have a team like this locked into the 4/5 playoff spot right now.

Even so 4/5 playoff spot and a second round exit isn't good enough, Leslie wants titles..To get a title you have to remake this squad from one built to compete and beat San Antonio/Dallas/Cleveland...into one that can take down Golden State

the team isn't plenty talented. jones, brewer, beverly, terry, lawson, etc are heavy rotation players. that isn't a good thing. getting to the WCF last year was great, but it ultimately means nothing. are they underachieving? yeah. realistically, this is a 4th-5th seed at best. the goal of this offseason is to rebuild around harden. the focal point shouldn't being guys to just catch and shoot either

 

[statis22]

Man I've been in this thread plenty enough, far from a McHale apologist. I've probably been one of the consistent posters over the years saying the demise of this team will be be beyond the coach. Maybe I do undervalue coaching but a lot of you guys sure as hell overvalue it.

It even happened during parts of last season but for the amount of "talent" we have this team shouldn't go to **** every time goes to the bench. If you need a solid reason why Harden doesn't play defense well there goes one of em.

This team from a talent standpoint is not good enough and no coach is going to overcome that.

 

[jewbacca2]

the team isn't plenty talented. jones, brewer, beverly, terry, lawson, etc are heavy rotation players. that isn't a good thing. getting to the WCF last year was great, but it ultimately means nothing. are they underachieving? yeah. realistically, this is a 4th-5th seed at best. the goal of this offseason is to rebuild around harden. the focal point shouldn't being guys to just catch and shoot either

Co-sign all of this.

 

[statis22]

And I wouldn't even mind catch & shoot guys on the team if they could actually shoot.

 

[do work son]

Man I've been in this thread plenty enough, far from a McHale apologist. I've probably been one of the consistent posters over the years saying the demise of this team will be be beyond the coach. Maybe I do undervalue coaching but a lot of you guys sure as hell overvalue it.

It even happened during parts of last season but for the amount of "talent" we have this team shouldn't go to **** every time goes to the bench. If you need a solid reason why Harden doesn't play defense well there goes one of em.

This team from a talent standpoint is not good enough and no coach is going to overcome that.

I can vouch. Statis been level headed from the jump.

And I wouldn't even mind catch & shoot guys on the team if they could actually shoot.

Exactly. The formula isn't flawed. The parts are. We value 3pointers/layups/free throws and we have a bunch of bad shooters, 1 guy who gets layups, and bad free throw shooters.

 

[bonafide hustla]

I think yall forget what these players provided to their teams prior to the Rockets. It's crazy to me how so many people seem to be in line with how our coaching has been bad yet still try to talk bad about the players weaknesses. Our guys are being exposed because we are asking them to primarily use their weaknesses

Quite frankly, I don't think anyone outside of Harden/Dwight are even consistently able to show their strengths.

Brewer is not a 3 point shooter. I see him standing at the 3 point line ALL the time.
Bev is a defender and bulldog but also likes to stand at the line and shoot 3s. or the stepback 3 some coach allowed him to add to his game
Lawson is a floor general PG and he looks like our team is coaching him to get the ball out of his hands
Jones is lost and we continue to let him do whatever when he's in the game
Jet is an old guy/spot up shooting specialist and we're asking him to play more mins (directly tied to Ty)

I'm legit confused on how coaching/system can't be blamed.


do work son If we're building around Harden in our current 3 point chucking system, why on earth would you not draft catch and shoot guys?

imo, we don't have ANY consistently wet shooters on our current team. I personally think we need to change our style, but if we are indebted to this 3 point chucking system, we need to obtain talent whose strengths can be utilized in said system. and that is guys who catch and shoot. Not guys who never been in a high volume 3pt system in their life. The beauty of having JH, imo, is you can really build out any type of system you want, but only if you're recruiting the right pieces around them.

Our problem is our organization at a high level. Coach/Staff are lost. Guys do the same bad things and seem to just try it all over again nightly. It makes me wonder if Morey and the actual on court staff ever communicate.

changes would affect role players, and our stars too. His game could be way more efficient with a diff system.

 

[bonafide hustla]

And I wouldn't even mind catch & shoot guys on the team if they could actually shoot.

I don't get what you want bro, help me understand what acquisitions would be ideal....

You just acknowledged we have guys that can't shoot.
It's a fact that we shoot the most 3s in the NBA the last few years


But you don't think the coaching/system are to blame for any of our troubles....

coaching/system determine what we ask the players to do on a nightly basis. Guys are out here shooting more 3s than they've ever been asked of in their careers. im starting to think guys are coming to the H just to "get their rocks off" from deep . Reminds me of the mindset of the young generation of hoopers now. and it all seems so obvious to me

 

[statis22]

Roster construction dude, It matters. I always maintain this is where Morey has let us down.

Idk why we would change the system when the system plays to our best player's strength.

 

[polosanddunks]

That embarrassing vine of Harden and Howard

Cant even blame Howard cuz it did look like Harden was about to shoot

This is TERRIBLE

 

[jewbacca2]

Roster construction dude, It matters. I always maintain this is where Morey has let us down.

Idk why we would change the system when the system plays to our best player's strength.

In general, nothing says bad coaching like a coach who won't change his "system" to fit his players strengths.

 

[Peep Game]

That embarrassing vine of Harden and Howard

Cant even blame Howard cuz it did look like Harden was about to shoot

This is TERRIBLE

I was absolutely disgusted by Howard's lackadaisical effort on that. It's stuff similar to that which happens with this team too often. Instead of hustling, guys want to try to dispute things during play, most often leading to easy layups or open 3s.

Also agree about bad shooters here. We have a system predicated solely on open looks (which can even by luck) instead of actual skill. I feel like throwing my phone on the floor when I see Smith, Brewer, Jones, Bev and Lawson currently taking shots that I already know they will miss. Meanwhile I look at other teams seeing their shooters take shots with confidence and I have no doubt they'll make them. The Warriors, Spurs, Butler, Korver, Love, Millsap, Ellis, and a hoard of other guys to name can make shots whether contested or night.

Even with that, defense has been the biggest problem for this team the entire year, leading to ****** offense. In every game we've won, and even games where we just played well, made runs and lost, all that happened because of high level defense being played, leading to easy buckets. This team looks entirely different team when we play defense, I team that I'm a fan of and love watching. When this team doesn't play defense, just standing around letting someone gather themselves before a shot, not boxes out, playing 22 seconds of amazing D then fouling, etc, that's the team I want nothing to do with and am embarrassed to support. Effort on defense and coaching are this teams biggest problems. The coaching was marginal last year, but the effort all around was much better.

57 games in at 28-29, and we're still alive.

 

[jinkazama]

the team isn't plenty talented. jones, brewer, beverly, terry, lawson, etc are heavy rotation players. that isn't a good thing. getting to the WCF last year was great, but it ultimately means nothing. are they underachieving? yeah. realistically, this is a 4th-5th seed at best. the goal of this offseason is to rebuild around harden. the focal point shouldn't being guys to just catch and shoot either

You do realize a team that's 4/5 in the West is only behind GSW, SA, OKC, and maybe LAC...If that's their potential that's pretty dang good for a squad that "needs more talent".

I think yall forget what these players provided to their teams prior to the Rockets. It's crazy to me how so many people seem to be in line with how our coaching has been bad yet still try to talk bad about the players weaknesses. Our guys are being exposed because we are asking them to primarily use their weaknesses laugh.gif

Quite frankly, I don't think anyone outside of Harden/Dwight are even consistently able to show their strengths.

Exactly! While these guys are most certainly role players...they are talented ones. Guys who if they aren't utilized properly (coaching) aren't nearly as effective.



While we can disagree on the talent level of this team we can all agree even if they were living up to their potential they wouldn't be good enough to beat GSW. I don't think that's because they lack talent...I think its because the coaching staff is average and this team was built to compete with a different type of team for a title. The road to the finals will go through GSW for the next 2-3 years, so the Rockets need to let Howard walk and re-make this team to compete.

 

[Peep Game]

That plus hope they all grow huge(r) egos. Need Draymond to start getting jealous and wanting to be the lead dog. Something to rip that team apart, I'm all for it

 

[Peep Game]

Well let's see what they're made of tonight.

 

[bonafide hustla]

lol, these guys so jekyll/hyde

im glad the comeback was in portland, and on national tv though

 

[Peep Game]

lol, these guys so jekyll/hyde

im glad the comeback was in portland, and on national tv though

Ditto like, i just don't get it with them. they were totally locked in once they got down heavy, and it was great to see. That effort and intensity needs to be there more frequently.

Will have a proper update tomorrow, but hopefully JBB realizes the lineup he had. A couple minutes for KJ, Harrell getting some lengthy time, and minimal Lawson and TJones, and Jason Terry being clutch on both sides of the ball.

Harden playing 46 minutes though :x :x

 

[earldagoat]

 

[jinkazama]

Even on a night when pretty much everybody played bad offensively James put the team on his back and balled out. The defensive intensity in the second half was awesome even though nobody's shots were falling besides James.

The Rockets brought that defensive intensity 90% of the time last year. Hard to believe they're only bringing that 10% of the time this year.

 

[bonafide hustla]

lol, I wouldn't say 90% of the time last year. But def more than this year. They did turn up the intensity over the course of the season/heading into the playoffs.

pretty frustrating watch them increase the intensity only when they're backed into a corner (OKC, GSW, SA, last night) and not take care of business against your DEN, UTAH's of the world.