Yao Ming Mania! All about Chinese basketball star and NBA All-Star Yao Ming » Blog Archive » Rockets learn more in loss to Lakers
« Yao’s thoughts on the point guards, his silly foul, and more
Remember…it wasn’t all bad Wednesday night »

Rockets learn more in loss to Lakers

March 12th, 2009
by John

I could go through a lot of the details of the Rockets-Lakers game that Houston lost Wednesday night, but I think before people start panicking, it’s more important to address some of the things I think the Rockets need to fix to win games like this one.


Yao Ming throws down a dunk Wednesday against the Lakers, two of 16 points he would score on 7-of-9 shooting in a 102-96 loss. Click here for more photos from the game.

Let’s face it. For the Rockets to try to manufacture a player like Kobe Bryant is not an option. Kobe, who torched the Rockets down the stretch like he has does everyone to everyone, is one of a kind. Obviously, he can score at will when his team really needs a bucket.

There was a time awhile back when Kobe’s future with the Lakers was so much in doubt, there were rumors the Lakers might be willing to give up Kobe for McGrady and some other assets (referenced here in this Chronicle article early last year). For some reason, the Rockets thought the McGrady-Yao combination could still work, so they didn’t pursue it.

That may have been the worst deal the Rockets never made. If they had, this would be a completely different Rockets team in the clutch. Oh well.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love this Rockets team, but how they close out games now would be completely different.

I still think the Rockets can still find a way to win games in the clutch, and I’m not going to freak out because I believe Houston has guys who can hit shots: Yao Ming, Aaron Brooks, Von Wafer, Carl Landry, Luis Scola, Kyle Lowry, and Brent Barry.

I think the Rockets can do it “by committee.” Jonathan Feigen in the Chronicle does a good job here of describing how one of the answers lies in doing pick-and-roll with Brooks or Lowry.

I like Feigen’s suggestions, and the thing I’d like to point out to Yao fans is that Yao would not be the guy setting the pick. That’s because the guy who sets the pick has to be able to cut to the basket once he receives the ball after setting a pick, and probably put the ball on the floor for one dribble before putting up a shot. We all know that when Yao has to dribble, the chance of a turnover goes up. Instead, Landry and Scola are better at that.

Also, on a pick-and-roll, the big guy needs to be able to hit the outside shot. Although I think Yao can hit those shots, he doesn’t seem very comfortable shooting outside of the paint any more. Again, Landry and Scola are better outside shooters than Yao.

So where does that leave Yao? Of course, like Feigen said, I think the first option is to get the ball down low into him. But when you’ve got an aggressive defense like the Lakers were playing Wednesday night on Yao, that’s not always going to work. It will work most of the time, but not against one of the league’s quickest teams, especially when the entry pass is so predictable that it’s easy for players like Pau Gasol to gamble and go for a steal.

That forces you to Plan B, which to me is having Yao kick the ball out to open shooters, kind of like when Yao threw that pass to Brooks late in Wednesday’s game, and AB hit a 3-pointer and was fouled by Derek Fisher, turning it into a 4-point play.

Brooks has proven he can hit the open shot late against Dallas and Phoenix. And Wafer did it in Boston. And I believe Artest has proven it many times this season and his career, too.

The problem arises when no one is hitting outside shots during a particular game. Do you keep going with that strategy or go with something else?

That’s where the pick-and-roll option discussed above might work. I’d say that pick-and-roll should be Plan B2, right behind Plan B1, kicking it out to open shooters.


I heard a lot of nonsense Wednesday night on the Houston telecast that the Rockets are missing McGrady’s scoring ability in the clutch. But let’s face it folks, when’s the last time he delivered like that? Get over it TV people, McGrady is gone and the Rockets are better without him. Don’t let this one loss make you think the Rockets are doomed because they don’t have a player like Kobe or D-Wade.

Remember, the championship Rocket teams in ’94 and ’95 didn’t have a “superstar” player outside of Hakeem who had a reputation of hitting big shots. Instead, they had other players who delivered with big shots, like Vernon Maxwell, Robert Horry, Mario Elie, Sam Cassell and Kenny Smith. Not superstars, but solid players.

I believe that’s what the Rockets have now with players like Artest, Brooks, Wafer, Landry, Scola, Barry, Artest, and maybe even Battier (I’d also love to see what scoring-extraordinaire James White can do, just like what we saw with Wafer when he was given a chance).

Here’s the reality: this loss Wednesday night was arguably against the best team in the league. The Rockets were fortunate to have this “measuring stick” of a game to see where they need to improve heading into the stretch run of the season. If you love basketball like I do, it will be fun to watch how they try to do it.

Assuming Yao is going to be double-teamed late in games, do they bring in Barry earlier in the game so he can get warm and hit big shots like he has done so many times in his career? Give it more to Wafer? Let Brooks become the guy?

We all know the Rockets’ chances of winning a ring this season isn’t all that great given the Lakers stand in their way. So let’s use this season as a crucible in which the players they currently have can prove they are worthy of hitting big shots when Yao is smothered by the defense.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 12th, 2009 at 3:29 am and is filed under vs. LA Lakers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Viewing 8 Comments

    • ^
    • v
    All you guys killing Artest are the same ones who are gonna love him when he wins us a whole load of games. I had no problems with his duel with Kobe. In fact, it reminded me of the 90's NBA. Hard physical in your face one on one. You can't back down from a All Star like Kobe, and Artest was in his grill all night. You can't give Kobe too much respect and that's exactly what Artest tried to do. It's just unfortunate that he took some uncalled for shots but the game was to be had in the closing minutes against the best team in the league. Two reasons why the Rockets lost. Artest took a gamble trying to steal a looseball from Kobe. Kobe took it and left Artest in the dust and nailed a 3 pointer. The second reason with the game either tied or Rockets down by 2, Yao asking for the ball in the low post couldn't block out his man and Gasol steals it from him. Yao needs to learn how to hold his man down if he wants the ball in crunch time!!!! Go watch some video or Duncan or something. Doesnt he know he needs to hold his position with his shoulder and not with his back??? There is absolutely NO WAY I would entrust Yao with the game on the line. 3 Times in a week he has shown that he can't do it. Utah game, Denver game and now the Lakers. He needs to show me he can do it in a pressurized game. Artest doesn't have that consistency in the crunch in the playoffs. They are going to have to do it by committee ala the Spurs. I don't know if they should start with Yao in the post because that's the root of our problem in the first place. The reason why Adleman uses Yao on pick and rolls is he wan'ts his speedo guard to get into a mismatch with the opossing center. However, Yao lacks an element like someone like Garnett would use, which is top of the key jumper or drive to the rack. I think during crunch time, unless Yao fixes his box out deficencies, should go to pick and roll first. If you use Yao for the pick and roll you have less options if Yao gets the ball, but you get the speed mismatch between our PG and their Center. If you use Scola or Landry to pick and roll, the mismatch lessons in degree but you have more options if Scola or Landry gets the ball. I think we should use our Fowards for the pick and roll. Our PG breaks down their Foward, or can dish back to our Foward for more options. If we drive in and draw a swarm of defense, the ball then can be lobbed to Yao who is already parked near the block. But in any case, we do need a closer to fill McGrady's supposed role. Closer by committee only works if you have a legit star player like Duncan and vicious scorers like parker and Ginobli. I am not sold if it would work here. Too many deficencies. I think we pull the trigger this summer and get one in Ben Gorden. He can be had because he's with the bulls. They already have their guy in Rose. Gorden can create his own shot, is super quick, can shoot from long range with accuracy and will draw double teams. Who is with me on this one?
    • ^
    • v
    Geeeeeeeez, how Rockets fans will have no problem with the egocentric way that Ron Artest played towards the end of the game with Lakers??

    He just played completely out of control, not playing in accordance with game plan, wanted to out-duel Kobe Bryant. If he thinks he is as good as Kobe, which he isn't, and if he wants to take over the game and be a hero, then sorry, he failed miserably as demonstrated by his 4/16 FG% 0/8 3-pointer%.

    He reminded me of TMAC. There was this game with Dallas Mavericks back in 2004. And TMAC was having this duel with Dirk Nowitzki. He scored 48, and Nowitzki did better than him.....53, and Houston Rockets lost to Dallas Mavericks in over time. And TMAC just did not realize it was him that lost the game, and he was still all-smiling and said how he enjoyed the duel with Nowitzki.

    They should always remember basketball game is a team sport for 5.
    • ^
    • v
    I remember that game well. Despite the loss of the game, TMac was all smile as if he won the duel. Like you said, the bb game is a team sport of 5. But I think Yao's play is too much to the other extreme. He should attack the basket more and try to score himself instead of kicking the ball out to his teammates especially when their shooting is off.
    • ^
    • v
    The thing with Artest is, he can win us some games and vice versa. Against the lakers, he lost the game. Because of his stubbornness. He didn't put his abilities in use. Kobe manipulated him, knowing that he will get provocated andthrowing away the offense. Kobe succeed. What I'm afraid is, that in play off situations, this type of Artest will show up.

    Artest is good, but he need someone on the team to keep him under control. I hope Adelman can.
    • ^
    • v
    God, just watching the ESPN Gamecast was infuriating. 0-8 Artest? Lunacy. And, yes, panicking over such an anomalous situation is silly, but he can't shoot like that. Rockets weren't missing McGrady, they had a bad acid flashback.
    • ^
    • v
    The Chroncle (Feigen) is busy defending the benefits of Artest, but from what I saw, I blame last night's loss on Artest. Had he sticked to the offense and not wasting the shotclock McGrady-like (0 - 7 on 3s?) we would have won. Certainly, especially after AB tied it at 86-86.

    I hope someone steps up and kick his butt when he starts 'taking over' again.
    • ^
    • v
    Well said, John.
    • ^
    • v
    Well, it was a game that the Rockets could have won.

    Yeah when the game was on the line, there was no one on the Rockets that can close it out the way Kobe Bryant did.

    But this game was lost due to the 2Rs.....Rick Adelman and Ron Artest.

    This is another vivid example of Rick Adelman's laissez-faire coaching style and slow and stupid decision making.

    He just stubbornly sticked to his starters and his rotation come what may, and did not make prompt on-the-fly adjustment as required.

    The Rockets had a 11 point lead into 3Q created by the second unit. The lead was eaten up slowly by the Lakers when the Rockets starters were being outplayed by the Lakers in the early part of the 3Q.

    If Yao Ming was ineffective due to the change of defense strategies of the Lakers, why could Rick Adelman not just sit Big Yao, and switched to the small ball roster, playing Luis Scola and Carl Landry, who did a marvellous job in that 2Q, piling up a 11-point lead?

    He just sat there and did NOTHING !!!

    And Ron Artest thought he is as good as Kobe Bryant in that 4Q. He was trying to duel it out with Kobe, and was trying to take over the game, and was not following the game plan, but missed his jumpers/3-pointers consecutively; 4/16 FG% 0/8 3-pointer% was horrendous. He seemed to forget basketball is a team sport, and it is not about personal glory. He let me remember Tracy McGrady.....same type of egocentric player that tends to play out of control.

    But again Rick Adelman did nothing......

    If a sports writer like Jonathan Feigen can provide/suggest solutions on how to close out a game when the opponents' defense tightens up, why can't Rick Adelman come up with winning combinations/solutions???
 
close Reblog this comment
Powered by Disqus · Learn more
blog comments powered by Disqus