So What do you think of Mike D'Antoni small ball innovation?

[Nike D'Antoni]

With 6'5 as center, did the innovation succeed for other teams to follow?
Or did it fail?

[Whoah10115]

Given the decision, don't see how anyone could argue it failed.

I don't think D'Antoni said trade Capella and don't get enough back. They improved defensively, even. What happened to them in this series has nothing to do with losing Capella, despite the size difference.

[Marchesk]

I'll take Anthony Abdul-Jabbar over PJ Tucker at center in 2020.

[Nike D'Antoni]

Given the decision, don't see how anyone could argue it failed.

I don't think D'Antoni said trade Capella and don't get enough back. They improved defensively, even. What happened to them in this series has nothing to do with losing Capella, despite the size difference.

Do you think this was worst Houston team in last couple of years?

[fourkicks44]

Failure in an absolute sense but they have been competitve and an above average team obviously.

Small ball is evolving and the Rockets sorta went left when winning basketball has gone right (Heat and Celtics for example).

[Axe]

Didn't quite avoid a backdoor sweep. That's for sure.

[Tobio-Star]

They have to give it a go one more year. Dont forget they actually forced us to adjust to them. We had to play small ball ourselves to compete. The only difference with them is Davis/Markieff are good 3pt shooting bigs and we have a defensive coach

[fourkicks44]

Given the decision, don't see how anyone could argue it failed.

I don't think D'Antoni said trade Capella and don't get enough back. They improved defensively, even. What happened to them in this series has nothing to do with losing Capella, despite the size difference.

They were better with Capella.

The two man game between Harden a Capella, the lobs etc was unstoppable. They have nothing like that now. It wouldn't have helped them now as Capella was injured and at the time the trade made sense. But he and Harden were an offensive weapon.

[Nike D'Antoni]

https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/status/1304989293262315520


Rockets’ James Harden approves of smallball strategy: “Before these last few games, we were No. 1 in defense. It was the small things like rebounding. We just weren’t disciplined enough. The Lakers went on runs and it’s deflating when you get stops & they get offensive rebounds.”

[MrFonzworth]

A lot better than the big ball Elton Brand pulled.

[jayfan]

I thought it was an absolute joke from the beginning.

And it is.



D'Antoni and Harden were made for each other.

[jayfan]

https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/status/1304989293262315520


Rockets’ James Harden approves of smallball strategy: “Before these last few games, we were No. 1 in defense. It was the small things like rebounding. We just weren’t disciplined enough. The Lakers went on runs and it’s deflating when you get stops & they get offensive rebounds.”


"Small things like rebounding."

:facepalm

[Doranku]

https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/status/1304989293262315520


Rockets’ James Harden approves of smallball strategy: “Before these last few games, we were No. 1 in defense. It was the small things like rebounding. We just weren’t disciplined enough. The Lakers went on runs and it’s deflating when you get stops & they get offensive rebounds.”

They were #1 on defense because they played the offensively inept CP3 Thunder in the first round. :lol

[Manny98]

It worked, but when the Lakers went small they didn't sacrifice size that's what the Rockets lacked and House being out didn't help them either

The Rockets need to go and grab a Serge Ibaka in the off-season and play him at the 5

[jayfan]

They were #1 on defense because they played the offensively inept CP3 Thunder in the first round. :lol

Facts.

OKC has 3 players on their entire team who can score the ball.

[Trollsmasher]

Why not just play a small ball with a 6'11 guy like the Lakers:lol

[Whoah10115]

Do you think this was worst Houston team in last couple of years?

Yeah, but I think the Westbrook/Harden combination is the bigger reason why.

[Whoah10115]

They were better with Capella.

The two man game between Harden a Capella, the lobs etc was unstoppable. They have nothing like that now. It wouldn't have helped them now as Capella was injured and at the time the trade made sense. But he and Harden were an offensive weapon.

I meant this season.

[Bronbron23]

Given the decision, don't see how anyone could argue it failed.

I don't think D'Antoni said trade Capella and don't get enough back. They improved defensively, even. What happened to them in this series has nothing to do with losing Capella, despite the size difference.

It absolutely failed. The goal is to win a chip and they didn't do that. A huge reason was there size. They were much better when they were bigger and longer they almost beat the warriors with kd which imo was a better team

[Bronbron23]

small ball dosnt work. The game always has and always will be dominated by bigger longer players. In thw kast 40 years only 3 players under 6'5 won chips as their teams best player. Isiah, wade and steph.

[red1]

every big man in the league watched this series at home laughing :oldlol:

[Real Men Wear Green]

I'm not a fan of the pathological smallball but what failed is the combination of Harden and Westbrook. You can certainly win games with the two pf them but they don't compliment each other beyond forcing you to put your second-best perimeter defender on a superstar. The problem being that although on paper it's "twi MVPs in their prime!" they won those MVPs dominating the basketball and not playing with each other. If you take Westbrook off the ball he's just another guy without a good jumper abs if you take Harden off the ball he's still useful but not going to do his elite scoring. Trade one of them for a great big (anathema, I know) and that team gets a lot better.

[Jasper]

It's called Nellie ball