Game Thread GAME# 2: ROCKETS @ BLAZERS - DECEMBER 26, 2020 - SATURDAY, 7:00, NBATV & NBCSNW

or maybe it was staged and even GTJ pouting was an act to keep him out of the picture. /tinfoil hat

 

Granted the Blazers still look "out of sync", and I don't expect it to get much better for another month.
But did it really matter who was on the floor with Harden last night? When he is shooting like that no one else is touching the ball.
Matter of fact I wish someone else besides Harden was out there taking away his shots. I do find it funny that after many Blazer fans have been asking for Neil to go after Wood and Tucker that all of a sudden they are considered G league players.

 

I agree with this.... but I dont understand why this doesn't also apply to Melo/Giles. Giles needs some run - so sit Melos ass down

 

I agree with that also. But remember Giles is not really a threat from outside and his free throws are a bit bad. He feasts at the rim and he fouls a bit much. I have to wonder if Harden would not have torched him creating fouls like he did Kanter?

 

It's coming. Lets see where they are in 10 games.

 

20 free throws and 5 to's

 

tow hops...travel

 

That pretty good for CJ but majority of those assist that he got was Dame scoring and with Dame his assist is spread out with other players. Even though I think Dame should be getting double figure in a assist but he came close last night.

 

100% travel. @dviss1 am i wrong?

Edit:
Dviss: “ohh about a great many things. To which specific category are you referring to?”

 

Hmm, I am rewatching the game right now and I am not seeing this at all.

 

My takes from this game:

Offense is pretty much a two man show between Lillard and CJ. Jones Jr. and RoCo are zero involved which is not their fault. I absolutely believe that DJJ and RoCo are upgrades over Aminu and Harkless, Stotts is using both very poorly. They are much better than what we have seen from them.

Bench is horrendous, Melo is a totally blackhole and he's really starting to pissing me of, dude has zero basketball iq and takes ridiculously bad shots, and Stotts has no balls to take him accountable, Giles and Collins (when healthy) have to play over Kanter and Melo, they're unplayable. I'm not worried about Hood, he will be back as soon as Melo and Kanter are out of the rotation. The Bench has to be Simons, Trent, Hood, Giles and Collins.

 

I would too. He's as good as DJJ defensively and has a better post up and three than DJJ. Jones would be fun off the bench as a slasher of which we see zero of when he starts.

 

Who doesn't appeciate an occasional tinfoil hat reference.

Not sure who did that, but every reference I made to the Rockets G-league squad mentioned Harden/Wood as the exceptions. Tucker obviously isn't a G-leaguer. Just a career singlel digit scorer who is now old.

 

coaching issue. The slashing would serve better in the starting lineup if we just called more off ball screens for him to slash off of.
The off ball movement is making many players look worse than they are.

 

Ive watched a bunch of games of late and you are correct in that we dont move the ball as we should.

 

...for years now.

 

its not just ball movement. Its off the ball movement. we find our spots snd camp or rotate side to side based on the ball handlers direction of dribble.
when Mellow is dribbling down a defender all we do is wait for a double team and then half the time the shot is still taken regardless.
What i would love to see is this:

mellow gets the ball. As soon as its passed the weakside, top of the key player comes down and plants a screen on the corner defender. Or vice versa. By the third dribble a player is then forcing the defense to mKe a decision off of the ball. In turn, then mellow finds one of two guys. An open spot up or a slasher for a dunk.
Mello could lead the second unit in assists.
But it takes proper playcalling.

 

This NBA video explains the gather and step-back three. It compares a legal step-back by CJ to a travelling step-back by Steph Curry. Based on this I'm gonna say Harden's was clearly a travel.

Start at 1:35
https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/wp-co...ling_Educational_Video_Part_2_of_2-1.mp4?id=1

 

One observation I noticed last night was Harden was able to easily blow past DJJ as he wasn't quick enough laterally. Trent is a better on ball defender and can bother a player like Harden with his quick hands and D.

 

Yeah, Harden did destroy Jones a few times but Jones won a few battles as well. I wonder how many times he has actually faced Harden before last night? JH has a way of keeping defenders off balance. Not sure if it was an issue with his quickness or just a lack of knowing Harden's moves.