MDA: "Most of time adjustments are overblown. You just say 'Play Harder'"

NY and LA were failing before him and they continued to fail after him. Sometimes bad teams are just bad.

He has adjusted to the Rockets though. Everyone knows Harden is a slowly dribble the ball up the court type player and he still made it work. We are not running 7 seconds or less here. Sure, he preaches more ball movement. But even then the ball can stick to Harden at times still. So we're not really running the full Phoenix version of MDA offense here. Is he the magician that Pop is? no. But then neither is anyone else.

While I do think MDA is a good fit here, let's give him some credit for allowing Harden to be Steve Nash without playing the same way.

 

MDA's anger was more entertain

The 2005-06 Suns, the subject of the book Seven Seconds or Less, averaged 95.8 possessions per 48 minutes.
The 2016-17 Rockets so far averages 98.4 possessions per 48 minutes.

Those Suns were the fastest paced team in a usually low-pace era. However, the Rockets are still the 4th fastest paced team this season so far.

 

Pace isn't just dictated by one team. The average pace in that season was 90. Phoenix was +5 possessions over average. This year, the Rockets are roughly +2 posessions over average. Overall possessions increase when both sides push the ball.

 

I just hope MDA and James have figured out a good bail out move when he gets double teamed in the 8-10 sec timeclock left scenario. (James often holds the ball long enough that it's around the 7sec mark left that he finally makes a moves/commit to a play.)

 

Of course Harden isn't the same as Nash. No two great players are alike. But they both have the skill set to execute his offense. He emphasize ball movement, He also rely heavily on a ball dominant PG who can attack and dish. Both Nash and Harden are master in those skills. Heck, remember Linsanity happened under him? Was it a coincidence that it was a PG whose style was attacking the basket with PnR? (Once Melo came back from injury, it stopped working because Melo was ball dominant but not an attacking PG.) Why do you think he quickly named Harden the "PG" of the team as soon as he arrived?

 

MD'A is out of solutions. All he knows is playing harder.

 

In chess can you check a king without a queen?

It is possible but now you'll need to rely on multiple factors --- a strategy that works while having one dimensional pieces.

The same can be said about our team.

 

David Fizdale's "PLAY HARDER!" speech worked.

Spoiler

Tony Allen credited coach David Fizdale's blunt halftime speech for the Grizzlies' drastic defensive turnaround against the Rockets. Houston shot 58.3% from the floor in the first half and 26.1% in the second half. Allen on Fizdale: "He told guys, 'We need to stop lying to ourselves. We're not playing hard.'"

 

Guess who is David Fizdale's associate head coach?

 

Also, the fact that they absolutely mauled the Rockets on defense (even Corey Brewer!) and the refs said to themselves, "I'll allow it."

Reminiscent of the Seahawks in 2015 saying they play over the top because 'the refs can't call everything'.

Our little spark of a comeback with about 5 minutes left happened when Brewer and Beverley starting mauling the Grizzlies back, and generating turnovers.

Ugly game.

 

Nash was good at keeping turnovers low. If Harden can do that, we'll hit yet another level

 

It's interesting to compare Harden with Nash. They both thrive in D'Antoni's system.

Nash is a superior shooter and is better at decision making. Harden is much better at finishing at the rim or getting fouled doing it.

Harden will never be the shooter Nash was. But that's not the most important aspect. He may get better in decision making, and it will make him more lethal than Nash.

 

One thing that Harden never does that every all-time great pg does is probe the lane. Harden is very binary when he drives. Either pass off or try to finish/draw contact. Great pgs know how to keep their dribble, probe and if nothing is there then still maintain dribble and come back out.

Harden just doesn't do that. He's also prone to stoping his dribble.

 

Most great PGs, with the exception of Magic Johnson, don't have Harden's strength. That's why they had to back out when the lane was closed during the drive. Harden forces the issue and either finishes with a power move or draws foul most of the times. Smaller PGs such as Stockton, Nash, ,and Paul can't do that.

 

True. He does have a strength and size advantage but I think he sometimes gives up his dribble too soon for a full time PG.

 

Mike Anthony "Play harder" >>>>>> Kevin McFail "play harder" "clap clap"

When Mike Anthony says play harder, there is actually meaning behind it and truth

When doofus Kevin McFail says play harder, it means he didn't know what to do or say and is lost for words to his team except play harder or juice or sticky

 

McFail didnt have Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson, McFail offense created open looks day in day out just had nobody to hit em

 

the thing with nash is he didntg need toavg 30 a game. he didnt even avg 20 for the suns other than playoffs. thats at least 3 to's right there. 12asts is also at least 3. harden is doing really good with the to's when u factor in everything he does. he's bnasically an offensivbe system avg less than 6tos while avg 25-30ppg and 12apg.

 

With all due respect to your belief that Milkhair was a weak coach, because he was, he was pretty solid on out of bounds plays. He should have turned his out of bounds style into an entire offense. I know he wasn't drawing them up on the board during a timeout, but the results and organization of the plays was evident. In conclusion, MilkHair is still weak and deserved to be fired.