Knowing what we know now, would you still make the Russ trade?

Russ is a Rocket now, let it go.



This is what Russ adds to Harden.

Let it keep eating at you or enjoy it, up to you.

 

Are you high?

Rockets under CP3 were bottom of NBA in pace, with Westbrook they are NOW the best in pace.

After two games (both wins) at the NBA “bubble,” the Rockets are averaging more than 106.9 possessions per game. That’s the fastest pace of any of the 22 teams invited to the league’s restart, and it’s also quicker than the No. 1 team in pace (Milwaukee, 105.4) for the whole season.

Jan. 31 was when the Rockets began playing full-time without a center. Before that, Houston ranked No. 2 in pace at 104.2 possessions per game. From that point until the season’s March 12 hiatus, the Rockets slipped slightly to No. 8 in the NBA at 102.0 possessions per game.

 

This is a pet peeve of mine...higher pace does not mean better. I don't like the phrasing that we have the "best" pace. Playing at a faster pace can very easily make you a worse team. There are a lot of pros and a lot of cons to playing at a faster pace, based on the skillset and age of your roster. Out of all four of the MDA rockets seasons, this team has the worst offense, least wins (lowest win percentage too, since this is a shortened season), and the second worst defense (only last years team was slightly worse). The 65 win rockets had the slowest pace of any of these teams, and it was the best team we've had in decades.

 

In the MDA system, pace is paramount to success though. What other factors do you think may be hampering our success then?

 

Rockets pace is not just up, it's the highest in the bubble and turnovers are down.

The increased pace also allows Rockets more scoring possessions.

But forget the stats showing how much this team has improved since Covington trade, we can see with our own eyes how exhausted the opposing teams are when they play us.

I wrote a novel and added articles and vids to support my stance but decided it was too much.

Like it or not, this is the Rockets identity and I will ride and die with this team, that is how much I believe in them.

If you dont feel the same, I hope you can find a way to enjoy the remainder of games left.

 

Timeouts.

 

So definitely not a now declining Harden and Ego, no Ariza and no Capela then right?

 

The one thing people forget about playing at a much faster pace is that it helps alleviate both the shooting inefficiency (from adding Russ) and the rebounding discrepancy when playing a small lineup. When the pace slows to a crawl like last year possessions are more valuable and the only way you're going to get more opportunities to score is through rebounding. With this small ball lineup you're pretty much guaranteeing that your team will get outrebounded every night. So what better way to counter that than by ramping up the pace to get back the possessions you theoretically would have gotten if you had a traditional center (e.g. Clint) out there getting offensive rebounds for you?

 

Playing at a faster pace does not give you any more possessions than your opponent, it only gives both teams more possessions.

 

Rockets on a 51-win pace over 82 games. As we all know 51-win teams tend to win the title.

 

Thats assuming both team plays at the same pace which they dont.

 

I don't recall saying it gave us more possessions than our opponent but feel free to reference any mention of that. I only stated that it gave us more possessions which is true and what's also true is that we need those additional possessions to counter the lack of 2nd/3rd opportunities from not having a consistent rebounder.

 

Declining harden? Are you high or just out of it. Harden maybe playing the best of his career on both ends right now

 

Not true. In any given game, both teams play at the same pace, always. You cannot get extra possessions (compared to your opponent) by playing at a faster pace.

Well then I misunderstood your point because that's what I thought you were saying. If you agree that it gives Houston more possessions, but also gives the other team the same number of extra possessions, then how does that benefit Houston? I'm not following.

 

Again, I don't think you're understanding what I wrote. I did not state that the faster pace serves as a benefit and/or advantage over the opposition but rather a counter (or by product) to what this team lacks which is size in the middle and/or rebounding. Basically, the faster pace is a necessity due to lack of size or vice versa.

 

You're right, I'm not understanding what you're writing. Are you saying a faster pace is helping the rockets, hurting the rockets, or neither?

A part that confuses me is this -

Saying they are getting possessions "back" in this context sounds like you're saying it's helping the team get extra shots, similar to offensive rebounding.

 

My original comment was that the faster pace solves the problem of rebounding due to the small ball system. So you can take that as "faster pace is helping the small ball system because we're generating additional possessions that would have theoretically existed if we had played with a traditional lineup with a 7' center in the middle grabbing boards" or "we are missing additional possessions (from getting back misses on the offensive glass) and the way to fill that gap is to play at a faster pace"

Point blank: I'm not saying that a faster pace automatically equates to success. I'm saying that this team--as it is currently built right now--needs to play at a faster pace in order to have a higher chance at succeeding.

 

It does when you force more turnovers than they do in the process

 

And turnovers are more easily forced because other team is playing faster than normal and increased pace increases fatigue, especially in big men.

 

and that can be negated by giving up possessions on the boards. there's a give or take with everything. what really matters is the opportunities that are actually counted. it doesn't really matter if the pace is slow or fast so long as its optimal for your personnel. the only reason the rockets are forced to play fast is bc WB sucks in a half court setting and it can help maximize his productivity. Not something you want next to harden obviously.

People are just lucky Harden is able to play either way bc he controls the game by playing at his own pace