I was at the Houston game tonight. My first time actually going this year. Some random obvservations:
- The Wolves have got to be the absolute
worst help D team I have ever watched in the NBA - maybe all of basketball throughout my playing and coaching days too - and I am not exaggerating.
Houston ran the same basic offensive sets all game - high screen + drive and kick or wing drive and kick. Shane Battier never had it easier; virtually all of his 9 three-point attemps were wide open ones or with a feeble flailing attempt at a hand.
My biggest
moment was when Brooks or Martin ran off a high screen and the Wolves continually left Battier on the wing or corner to help the drive. No, no, no! Your help needs to come from the paint FFS; do not leave a jump shooter wide open, he will make it. Bring help from the paint and everyone rotate over.
- The game was never really that close after the first few min. of the third quarter. Houston held a double digit lead virtually the entire second half and only a late rally, when it was well over made the score appear close.
- The pre-game introductions video package is pretty cool this year, however it's sponsored by HBO and there is plenty of product placement. Gotta earn those ad revenue $$$'s somehow I suppose.
- One of the biggest needs right now is a defensive banger. Someone who isn't afraid to body up and play physical as hell. The only guy who really does that now is Love but we need him fresh and he isn't going to stay that way being the only one who bangs.
Darko has his moments but the dude is as soft as butter. Typical Euro player - nice soft touch and decent fundamentals on offense, but a pure finesse player. He scored 15 tonight but should have had 35 because the tallest defender he typically had was about 5" shorter. I kept waiting for him to back a guy down and power over him.
All the wing players - Beasley, Wes, etc. are all finesse defenders as well. Wolves may have to coax Bruce Bowen out of retirement.
I still like where the team is going and think there is a future with the core mix of guys we have. However, something has to improve on defense. Help side D is about 95% effort, you have to want to jump out to stop the ball handler and then get back to your guy. Virtually none of that going on tonight. Houston could have seriously scored 150 points if they really wanted to.