How Hard Was It for Stotts Not to Double Howard in the First Half?

[PapaG]

Then they come out with the late double in the 3rd quarter. What a coaching job. Really, that was a masterpiece.

 

[Natebishop3]

I think he likes to sit on it for a while so the other team doesn't have time to prepare for it. If he waits and throws it at them in teh second half, they have to deal with it on the fly.

 

[oldguy]

Not as hard as it was for Robin. That had to suck for him.

But in the end, it's scoreboard, baby.

Go Blazers

 

[magnifier661]

I think he likes to sit on it for a while so the other team doesn't have time to prepare for it. If he waits and throws it at them in teh second half, they have to deal with it on the fly.

I absolutely agree with this. I think in time out, I think he reassured Lopez they would have his back. It was a masterpiece!

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Then they come out with the late double in the 3rd quarter. What a coaching job. Really, that was a masterpiece.

OMG you're right! He totally trolled Houston! Let Dwight dominate because he was gonna anyway, stay close, then shut his ass down in the second half!

Totally agreed: it was a master stroke. It was artistic coaching. Our adjustment was pretending we couldn't adjust.

 

[Natebishop3]

I can't remember where I heard it, but someone was talking about how Nate had a good track record against Dwight in Orlando because he would let Dwight do his thing and score 40, but he would shut everyone else down and win in the end. That seems to be exactly the plan.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

I liked that aldridge took over end of first, gave his teammate a break. Lopez has busted ass all season for la and aldridge had his back when he was in over his head. Aldridge is finally a real leader.

 

[maxiep]

I think Howard came out so jacked, he wore himself out. He missed a bunch of bunnies in the second half.

 

[Natebishop3]

I think Howard came out so jacked, he wore himself out. He missed a bunch of bunnies in the second half.

Actually, I will say that LA played some amazing defense on Howard. It was some very Sheed-esque defense.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

LA is a really good defender, but it's sneaky. You don't notice it most times. But he plays Howard perfectly, forearm and hand, and is long and fast enough to keep him off balance.

 

[-Ace-]

LA made him miss his final four shots of the first half once he switched to him.

 

[HailBlazers]

LA is a really good defender, but it's sneaky. You don't notice it most times. But he plays Howard perfectly, forearm and hand, and is long and fast enough to keep him off balance.

So true. Vastly underrated.

 

[PapaG]

OMG you're right! He totally trolled Houston! Let Dwight dominate because he was gonna anyway, stay close, then shut his ass down in the second half!

Totally agreed: it was a master stroke. It was artistic coaching. Our adjustment was pretending we couldn't adjust.

 

[LuckyShot]

LA is a really good defender, but it's sneaky. You don't notice it most times. But he plays Howard perfectly, forearm and hand, and is long and fast enough to keep him off balance.

The biggest thing is that Howard perceives LMA as a mismatch and decides to use his back-to-the-basket game to try and bully LMA. The problem is that part of his game sucks and LMA doesn't back down and he's more difficult to shoot over. At least that is what happened tonight.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

Stotts is hellaciously intelligent. You can just see him out processing McHale on the sideline.

 

[ripcityboy]

Good gameplan. Let Howard do his thing and just focus on the other players. It stopped any type of rally that Houston got on.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

BTW. Not that his team has given him any reason to be. But McHale doesn't look real healthy.

Hope everything is alright for him in that department.

 

[jlprk]

Howard got some stupid fouls far from the hoop, and started conserving himself for later. As for this thread's two theories, it wasn't Stotts, or more laughably, Aldridge's defense.

Similarly. Lopez was a sieve all night to delay his inevitable foul trouble.

Both slowed themselves down due to fouls.

 

[jlprk]

BTW. Not that his team has given him any reason to be. But McHale doesn't look real healthy.

Hope everything is alright for him in that department.

He was like that even as a young player.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

He was like that even as a young player.

Hope it's just nothing. But there is a pale, malaise look about him

 

[jlprk]

Hope it's just nothing. But there is a pale, malaise look about him

It's too bad PapaG despises McHale. Does Papa say here that he posted on a Rockets board?

http://sportstwo.com/threads/261668-So-what-s-the-excuse-now?p=3319166#post3319166

 

[jlprk]

Anyway, here are Kevin McHale's last 17 months.

Nov. 2012 His daughter, age 23, dies of lupus.

Dec. 2013 His mother, age 86, dies.

After his daughter died, he was teary-eyed (I won't say crying) with his old protege Kevin Garnett:

[video=youtube;WDM1hEetVsA]

 

[Eastoff]

Then they come out with the late double in the 3rd quarter. What a coaching job. Really, that was a masterpiece.

must spread more rep!

It is clear McHale cannot coach on the fly. Good point that he surprises him in the second half!

 

[Eastoff]

I think Howard came out so jacked, he wore himself out. He missed a bunch of bunnies in the second half.

Yeah, Lopez simply made Howard work a little to get his points. Howard tired himself out in the process. Then when Stotts brought out the flitting double team, Howard kept getting confused and didn't know what to do. He'd look for a pass, and as soon as he stopped trying to shoot, our second coverage would go back on their man. Then Howard would realize and try to shoot again, and the double would come back once more.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

Howard got some stupid fouls far from the hoop, and started conserving himself for later. As for this thread's two theories, it wasn't Stotts, or more laughably, Aldridge's defense.

Similarly. Lopez was a sieve all night to delay his inevitable foul trouble.

Both slowed themselves down due to fouls.

Re watch the game sir. Aldridge called his own number to guard howard and he muscled that bitch at the end of the half to an 0-4 stretch that howard couldnt recover from. Aldridge had rolo's back and stepped up in a huge way. He's the cryptonite.

 

[blue9]

Yeah, Lopez simply made Howard work a little to get his points. Howard tired himself out in the process. Then when Stotts brought out the flitting double team, Howard kept getting confused and didn't know what to do. He'd look for a pass, and as soon as he stopped trying to shoot, our second coverage would go back on their man. Then Howard would realize and try to shoot again, and the double would come back once more.

Ooooo, I'm remembering that one defensive stand...I don't remember who was the primary defender, LMA or Lopez, but I think LMA went to double and Howard passed out but Nic read the passing lanes and picked off the pass. Loved that! Really hope to see more of us forcing the pass, then playing in the lanes and picking 'em off! I was worried that's what they'd try to do to us, but still no double on LMA.

 

[maxiep]

It may not seem like it, given the points Houston is putting up, but what has improved the most of the course of this season is our team defense. I think Houston had absolutely zero respect for us defensively and they're getting it shoved down their throats. We may play flashes of great individual D, but it's our team defense that has been so much better than the beginning of the year.

 

[Blazinaway]

LA is a really good defender, but it's sneaky. You don't notice it most times. But he plays Howard perfectly, forearm and hand, and is long and fast enough to keep him off balance.

Howard's lateral quickness is just too much for Rolo, but LMA can match it and does do a much better job, on occasions I like shifting LMA to Howard, but only situationally