(2) Rockets vs. (7) Warriors First Round Playoff Series Thread

This reminds me what the Raptors did to GSW in the finals. Playing scared since the defender is on top of them, Hand-checking (illegal), and hounding them.

The Warriors rather than playing calm, backing off, then driving, or setting screens to get open, or responding with their own physicality- play scared and pass around the ball to get away from the hounding defender.

This is an offense that is playing scared, rather than composed or with a plan against the physicality. Clearly they're missing Butler who is probably the best at playing against this defense.

If I were Warriors, I would be swatting away the hand-checks. Make a show of it for the refs. And complaining to get in the refs ear.

Let Kerr get a tech- it's important to wake the refs up. But other than that, you have to set crushing screens. They're doing none of that and just getting manhandled on their own court.

Moving screens by Sengun. Hand-checking galore by Rockets. Missed opportunity by Warriors in setting the ref expectations on home court.

That first quarter was sloppy chaos

Curry playing erratically- turning the ball over and making passes to people who are not ready to receive.

Van Vleet is hard for the Warriors to stop. They need GP2 guarding him more often.

[QUOTE=bdonovan;14997114]WAHHHHHHHH baby wants his bottle!!![/QUOTE]
Shhh

Rockets know how to work the low-wattage refs. Run directly into defender and get the defender called for a foul.

All these deflections are nuts. Great defense.

[QUOTE=meat;14997116]That first quarter was sloppy chaos[/QUOTE]

It was; physical game but Rockets have the edge in this kind of game.

Kuminga with a mental lapse; useless 4th person help down low, lets Smith shoot a wide open 3. That's not going to get the job done.

It's amazing to me when Rockets hand-check which is against the rules, no one from the Warriors, the players or coaches remind the refs that it's illegal. They just mindlessly accept it. It makes a huge difference. If one team is hand-checking and hounding, and the other team isn't, the team that's doing that is going to win.

Bwhineavan

If Curry were John Stockton, he'd master the art of injuring his off-ball defender while getting free. Like using his elbow to smack off the arm that's holding him. Or elbowing the defender in the side while breaking free. Stockton was a master of getting people to back off that way.

[QUOTE=bdonovan;14997096]This reminds me what the Raptors did to GSW in the finals.[/quote]
Huh, ofc it reminds you. Curry's currently facing vanvleet again in the postseason after more than 5 years. :oldlol:

Look at how wisely Rockets screen up top, at least 2 screens freeing the ball handler.

With GSW, no screens. All the more clueless because you need them against the Rockets suffocating D.

Kerr is out to lunch; he also folds against physical teams. The harder the defenders come, the more you need to use your big men as linesman and clobber the hounding defender. The Warriors play scared in these scenarios and stop thinking.

Warriors are bringing the double teams towards Steph lol.