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[WaPo] Ty Lawson will help Rockets rely less on James Harden

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by DCkid, Aug 28, 2015.

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  1. DCkid

    DCkid Contributing Member

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    Nothing too groundbreaking here, just a little analysis about our Rockets from a national newspaper, which doesn't happen very often.

    Ty Lawson will help Rockets rely less on James Harden

    By Seth Partnow August 28 at 1:24 PM

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2015/08/28/ty-lawson-will-help-rockets-rely-less-on-james-harden/

    The Houston Rockets’ James Harden was one of just four players who used more than 3,000 possessions (shooting, passing or turning the ball over), leading the league by being directly involved with more than 3,300 plays.

    No place was this burden more apparent than in saving late shot-clock possessions.

    As the shot clock ticks down to the final five seconds, shooting efficiency drops off a cliff.

    On the whole, the NBA shot an effective 41 percent in the last five seconds of the clock. Avoiding these “time bomb” possessions is one of the main insights behind the “Seven Seconds Or Less” offensive philosophy which the Warriors adopted wholeheartedly en route to the NBA title. Golden State took, by FAR, the fewest such shots at 632 attempts (league average was just below 1,000 per team). No other team attempted fewer than 700. Golden State’s bevy of multitalented, omni-positional threats allowed them to create shots with the greatest of ease earlier in the shot clock.

    By comparison, Houston suffered from a dearth of creativity. Harden was their only real creator and when combined with some of the discipline of their extreme “MoreyBall” (threes, layups and free throws only) offensive philosophy, and it’s no surprise Houston was 10th in the NBA in total late clock attempts.

    Largely because of Harden’s sorcery, the Rockets were one of the best in the league at scoring late in the clock. No player in the NBA attempted more of these bailout shots than Harden’s was second highest with 281. His 48.6 Effective Field Goal Percentage was higher than any player within even half as many attempts, and third among players with at least 120 attempts (approximately 1.5 attempts per game):

    Harden’s late clock ability may have been something of a safety net for the rest of the Rockets. They knew they could decline middling opportunities in search of a shot from a prescribed location, even as the clock winds down. Of course, being one of the best in the league late clock doesn’t mean you should rely on those situations. Even as the fourth-best shooting team late in the shot clock, all the waiting for the perfect look was a net drag on Houston’s offense.

    This is a problem the addition of Ty Lawson might solve. While Lawson himself was only average (41.3 percent eFG%) in these scenarios, the extra drive and dynamism he provides should help keep Houston from relying so much on Harden again in 2015-16. Lawson was third in the league with 1,522 assist chances last season. While Harden was fifth with 1,150 potential assists himself, (defined as a pass to a player who shoots in less than two seconds and two dribbles after catching the ball, per SportVU data), no other Rocket had more than Trevor Ariza’s 476, again illustrating just how reliant Houston was on Harden’s creativity.

    Lawson and Harden sharing the ball a little more (and thus assist chances and overall offensive opportunities) might make the Beard a less appealing MVP candidate,but it might also lead to a large improvement on what was, despite the analytically impeccable shot selection, a middling offense last year.
     
    #1 DCkid, Aug 28, 2015
  2. Richie_Rich

    Richie_Rich Member
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    Further proof Harden was last season's MVP.

    It's ridiculous how much better he'll be with a legit PG.
     
    #2 Richie_Rich, Aug 28, 2015
    1 person likes this.
  3. Rockets025

    Rockets025 Rookie

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    I found another article similar to this one but don't have a link, the title of it was "The league ain't ****in ready"
     
    #3 Rockets025, Aug 28, 2015
    1 person likes this.
  4. YaoMing#1

    YaoMing#1 Member

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    Last year is said harden would avg 27/7/6 and he did. This year I predict 28/6/6 with and Increase in shooting up to 47/38/88.... He'll win mvp cause we will have the best record in the league.
     
    #4 YaoMing#1, Aug 28, 2015
  5. mrm32

    mrm32 Member

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    Unfortunately the narrative will be that the Rockets are too deep and Harden doesn't deserve it over Curry who has managed to keep the Warriors as a top 4 team with key injuries to Iguodala and Thompson.
     
    #5 mrm32, Aug 28, 2015
  6. aussie rocket

    aussie rocket Member

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    Is dynamism a real word?

    Wow.
     
    #6 aussie rocket, Aug 29, 2015
  7. NIKEstrad

    NIKEstrad Contributing Member
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    Ummm....what?
     
    #7 NIKEstrad, Aug 29, 2015
  8. napalm06

    napalm06 Huge Flopping Fan

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    Well, the title isn't exactly a groundbreaking idea, you know. :p
     
    #8 napalm06, Aug 29, 2015
  9. RocketsJumer

    RocketsJumer Member

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    Nah, Curry will lead an injury riddled Warriors team to the 4th seed out West and will be the favorite because he had to carry so much more than a stacked Rockets team and had less help.

    :grin::grin::grin::grin::grin::grin::grin::grin::grin::grin::grin:
     
    #9 RocketsJumer, Aug 29, 2015
  10. YaoMing#1

    YaoMing#1 Member

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    If that is the case than the whole voter system is a joke and the players mvp Is the real deal. I get it tho the Steph curry hype job is real and it's getting a little disgusting. I can't believe im actually reading online that he might be the best player in the league. Smh like really some scrawny no defense playing pg is better than lebron KD AD and harden? Ya right.

    It hate reading the notion that harden has an ugly game as if dropping dimes and crossover dribbles step back arnt fun to watch. I guess LeBron game is ugly too cause he does that same stuff.
     
    #10 YaoMing#1, Aug 29, 2015
  11. gqgeo

    gqgeo Member

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    Well said
     
    #11 gqgeo, Aug 29, 2015
  12. arno_ed

    arno_ed Contributing Member

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    I also went back And read that sententie 4 times. I stil do not know what he meant.
     
    #12 arno_ed, Aug 29, 2015
  13. Spacemoth

    Spacemoth Contributing Member

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    Naw, Curry will get hurt midway through, Thompson will lead the Warriors to the 7 seed and an early exit, and the narrative will be how the Rockets would never have won had Curry been healthy :rolleyes:.
     
    #13 Spacemoth, Aug 29, 2015
  14. Richie_Rich

    Richie_Rich Member
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    dy·na·mism

    ˈdīnəˌmizəm/
    noun

    1. the quality of being characterized by vigorous activity and progress.
    "the dynamism and strength of the economy"

    2. PHILOSOPHY historical
    the theory that phenomena of matter or mind are due to the action of forces rather than to motion or matter.

    [source: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/dynamism]
     
    #14 Richie_Rich, Aug 29, 2015
  15. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    hmmm....this thread is rife with weird use of words and phrases

    wtf Oxford? Tell that to Newton and Maxwell

    Stupid Brit English majors.

    You can't have "force" without motion and/or mass. There is no gravitational force without mass? There is no magnetic force without motion

    Force is derived from Mass and Motion you useless philosophy majors

    mass (matter) X acceleration (motion) = force


    Harden is a dynamastic force of mass and motion. And Ty Lawson is an excellent balance of less mass but faster motion.
     
    #15 heypartner, Aug 29, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2015
  16. Ekiu

    Ekiu Member

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    Harden is not even the best player on this team bro...
     
    #16 Ekiu, Aug 29, 2015
  17. mrm32

    mrm32 Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #17 mrm32, Aug 29, 2015
  18. napalm06

    napalm06 Huge Flopping Fan

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    [​IMG]
     
    #18 napalm06, Aug 29, 2015
  19. dakeem1

    dakeem1 Member

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    I have to agree. Bev is the best player on this team. He will average 5 steals and 2 blocks a game. He is on Ben Wallace's level. Dwight will back up Bev at center.

    You'll see.
     
    #19 dakeem1, Aug 30, 2015
  20. rockergordon

    rockergordon Member

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    "Largely because of Harden’s sorcery, the Rockets were one of the best in the league at scoring late in the clock."

    Wizard
     
    #20 rockergordon, Aug 31, 2015
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