Will Small Ball be the New Wildcat offense?
Overcoming obstacles: The new era of Rockets small ball
Feb 12, 2020, 2:24 pm
What is the definition of insanity? According to Albert Einstein insanity is "Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results." Being a Rockets fan is exactly that. During the trade deadline, Houston traded away their starting Center Clint Capela out East to the Atlanta Hawks. Subsequently the founder of "Small Ball," Mike D'Antoni could go back to his old ways of playing with five perimeter players at once to spread the floor and opening up the opportunity to shoot more threes. Although this style of play is fun to watch and caters to his personnel, this will not bring sustainable success. Since the small ball experiment has begun, the Rockets are 2-2 and have had impressive wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. However, how long will this last?
Let's start with the facts there are a bunch of good teams in the Western Conference, but for the Rockets standpoint, it's really a three-team race. The Nuggets have a good team, but will not likely outscore or be able to defend Houston, unless the Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray P&R is too much to handle. Then there is Utah who I believe is a little better suited to match up with Rockets, but will eventually fall in six to seven games. Finally, there are the LA teams. With this small ball lineup to work its best the floor has to spaced properly and you have to make a high percentage of your threes. However, the two LA teams have something most teams don't, and that is mobile big and versatile defenders.
The Lakers have the best power forward in the league who is a legit DPOY candidate every year in Anthony Davis. Davis also can give you 25 point double-double night in and night out. The Brow is agile enough to move around defensively and contest three-point shots while being disciplined and athletic enough to hold is own against perimeter players. Keep in mind the Lakers have versatile defenders that can get in a stance and guard. If Davis learns to be more patient in the post when he catches it and find the open shooters or seals off defenders under the basket instead of taking contested fadeaways. The Lakers could beat the Rockets in six games.
As for the Clippers, they are all about defensive versatility and have interchangeable wings that are 6'7 and taller. I know the Rockets are 2-1 against the Clippers this season, but the addition of Marcus Morris makes them a lot more dangerous on both ends of the floor and is the piece they need to win a title this summer. With so many switchable defensive players they can switch everything and not worry too much about getting beat off the dribble. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are the best two defensive wings in the NBA and playing small ball against them could be an issue. The Clippers, in my opinion, are the last team Houston wants to face in the playoffs.
Going forward, the Rockets will win around 55 games a year, but this new lineup will not bring long playoff success. They will be lucky to make it to the WCF consistently. This style of play reminds of the Miami Dolphins in 2008 when they brought in the wildcat offense. For about a year this offense seemed impossible to stop, the Dolphins even won the AFC East division. Soon after teams began to figure it out and catch on sending the Dolphins back to drawing board once again. Yes, they are making more threes but it won't matter when the opposing teams are getting 20 more shot attempts due to Houston's inability offensive rebound. This lineup change will wear them down eventually, it is hard to bang down low when your body isn't used to it. Both LA teams are ranked in the top 10 in NBA Team Opponent three-point percentage, Defensive Efficiency, and NBA Opponent Effective Field Goal Percentage. Since 2012 when James Harden has become a Rocket he hasn't had much playoff success and there is always some excuse. He hasn't played with several future Hall of Famers, a coach that created a system around him and an organization that has backed him when he comes up short. It's time to put up or shut. Get the job done or continue to be on the list of seven NBA MVPs to never win a championship.
Imagine if he takes this shot on the block? How much easier would this shot be. Good move but he’s making Tuckers j… https://t.co/op3rP1QeNw— Tobias Bass (@Tobias Bass) 1581118450.0
Same issue here, why fade-away? Kick it out to LeBron for a step-in 3pt shot. No reason the Rockets should of beate… https://t.co/9w3JoRbNZH— Tobias Bass (@Tobias Bass) 1581117413.0
AD needs to get deeper in the post. Why Shoot a contested hook-shot over a 6’3 Eric Gordon? He could also be more p… https://t.co/DdiwzT9HiS— Tobias Bass (@Tobias Bass) 1581117219.0
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How these 3 critical factors could swing battle between Texans and Jets
Oct 30, 2024, 3:06 pm
The Jets host the Texans and their scary defense on Halloween night! Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Houston (6-2) at New York Jets (2-6)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Amazon Prime
BetMGM NFL odds: Jets by 2.
Against the spread: Texans 3-4-1; Jets 2-6.
Series record: Jets lead 7-3.
Last meeting: Jets beat Texans 30-6 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Dec. 10, 2023.
Last week: Texans beat Colts 23-20; Jets lost to Patriots 25-22.
Texans offense: overall (9t), rush (18), pass (8), scoring (14).
Texans defense: overall (2), rush (13), pass (3), scoring (15t).
Jets offense: overall (24), rush (30), pass (13), scoring (25).
Jets defense: overall (4), rush (17), pass (2), scoring (11t).
Turnover differential: Texans plus-4; Jets minus-3.
Texans player to watch
RB Joe Mixon. He has carried Houston's offense in the three games since he returned from an injury and could be even more important this week after wide receiver Stefon Diggs tore the ACL in his right knee last Sunday and is out for the season. Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 100.6 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing and a TD run in three straight games.
Jets player to watch
Edge rusher Haason Reddick. After ending his lengthy contract holdout early last week, Reddick made his Jets debut and played 26 snaps on defense with two quarterback pressures while working mostly on third downs. His snaps might increase a bit Thursday and he could help the Jets get after C.J. Stroud, who has been sacked 22 times this season — tied for third most in the NFL.
Key matchup
Jets offensive line vs. Texans' pass rush. New York has had issues this season with injuries, consistency and protecting Aaron Rodgers. The Jets will face a tough test Thursday night against the Texans, whose 27 sacks are third in the NFL. DE Will Anderson Jr. is tied for third in the league with a career-high 7 1/2 sacks, including at least one in his past three games. DE Danielle Hunter has 5 1/2 sacks and DT Tim Settle has four, powering a formidable defensive front for Houston. Hunter leads the league with 51 quarterback pressures and Anderson is fourth with 39, the only teammates in the top 15, according to Next Gen Stats.
Key injuries
Diggs' injury leaves Houston without its top two receivers. Nico Collins, who leads the Texans with 567 yards receiving, is out for at least one more game after being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. ... S Calen Bullock was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday after injuring his shoulder Sunday. … LBs Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and Henry To’oTo’o (concussion) both missed the Colts game, but could return this week. … S Jimmie Ward could miss a fifth straight game with a groin injury. … LG Jarrett Patterson is in the concussion protocol and is likely out. … RB Dameon Pierce missed practice this week with a groin injury. ... Jets LB C.J. Mosley suffered a stinger in his neck during pregame warmups at New England and was meeting with neck and spine specialists this week. ... RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle), WR Allen Lazard (chest), DL Leki Fotu (knee) and safeties Tony Adams (hamstring) and Ashtyn Davis (concussion) all missed the game vs. the Patriots and their availability for this week was uncertain. ... K Greg Zuerlein was placed on IR. Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader were signed to the practice squad, and one will be promoted for the game.
Series notes
The Jets have won the past two meetings. ... New York won the first five meetings, including the first game between the franchises in 2003, when LaMont Jordan's late 8-yard touchdown run helped lift the Jets to a 19-14 victory. ... Zach Wilson threw two touchdown passes in the most recent meeting, a 30-6 rout by New York during which Stroud left with a concussion.
Stats and stuff
The AFC South-leading Texans have won four of their past five. ... Stroud is 2-0 with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in two career starts in prime time. He had 285 yards passing last week for his ninth career game with at least that many yards passing, which is tied for second most in the NFL since 2023. ... WR Tank Dell had a touchdown reception last week and has a TD catch in two of his past three games. ... TE Dalton Schultz had a season-high 52 yards receiving against the Colts. He has two TD receptions in each of his past two Thursday night games. ... Hunter has 10½ sacks in eight career Thursday night games. … LB Neville Hewitt, who spent the 2018-21 seasons with the Jets, forced a fumble last week. … Rookie CB Kamari Lassiter had a career-high three passes defended last week. … S Jalen Pitre had his first interception of the season last week. ... S Eric Murray had seven tackles and a season-high three passes defended last week. ... New York is trying to snap a five-game skid. ... Jeff Ulbrich is 0-3 as the Jets’ interim head coach since replacing the fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8. Ulbrich, also the team's defensive coordinator, said earlier this week he'll continue to call plays on defense. … Rodgers snapped a streak of three consecutive games with an interception. He has seven in eight games, six shy of his single-season career high set in 2008 in his first year as Green Bay’s starting quarterback. ... Rodgers hasn't passed for 300 yards since throwing for 341 against Chicago on Dec. 12, 2021 — a span of 30 regular-season games and 31 overall, including one playoff game. ... WR Garrett Wilson leads the NFL with 84 targets, 11 more than the Giants’ Malik Nabers. Wilson’s 51 receptions are second in the league behind Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers, who has 52. ... WR Davante Adams had four catches for 54 yards, giving him seven receptions for 84 yards in two games since being acquired from the Raiders. ... Second-year WR Xavier Gipson caught his first career TD pass last Sunday. ... TE Tyler Conklin has a TD catch in consecutive games after not having one since catching two TD passes in Week 8 of the 2022 season against New England. ... RB Breece Hall has 316 yards receiving, the most among NFL running backs. ... Edge rusher Will McDonald has eight sacks, second in the NFL to the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence (nine). … The Jets have only six takeaways, ranking among the fewest in the league. Backup CB Brandin Echols has New York's only two interceptions.
Fantasy tip
Houston wide receiver John Metchie is coming off a career-best three-catch game and could see more targets — and perhaps his first NFL touchdown — with both Diggs and Collins out. Might be worth a stash as a potential WR3.
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