I am going to attempt to cover some of the aspects of the Rockets-Clippers playoff series that have not yet been mentioned. This is just to fill in some of the missing pieces to the playoff puzzle.
- The Clippers are at times their own worse enemy. The Clippers technical fouls cost the team almost one point per 100 possessions. The Clippers can and do become frustrated easily. Perhaps they feel entitled or have a very ego-centric view of their abilities on the court. Well, they need to be prepared for the frustration of watching the James Harden parade to the foul line repeatedly. That march can even frustrate Rockets fans. The Clippers will be cursing, displaying potty faces, and waving their T-Rex arms in frustration every game. Count on it.
- The Clippers for the first time this season will be playing against Dwight Howard. And not the regular seasons Dwight, but the bad boy, 16.8/13/3 blocks playoff Howard. The "don't bring your weak shit into my lane" Howard. The Clippers bring that type of big man to games in Jordan. They really have not faced such a force in any game this season. Expect cursing, stomping hissy fits and many many potty faces in the series from the Clippers. And maybe a few technical fouls.
- The Clippers are not even an average defensive team on the wings. They realistically, even with Jordan, are only a run of the mill NBA defensive team. And as every NBA team knows, when you play Houston it is going to rain threes. Expect the Rockets to P&R and move the ball on the perimeter for the open three when Jordan is on the court. Expect drives, many drives to the basket when Jordan sits. It should be a lay up drill. When Jordan or Blake or Paul sits the Rockets need to attack the Clippers on the offensive end. Which brings me to my next point.
- The Rockets have to push the pace without mercy. Other than Crawford, who is a ripe old 35, the Clippers have no bench. Sprinting down the floor on defense takes a heck of a lot more effort than trotting back. Brewer is a greyhound of an NBA player, and the Rockets need to utilize his talents fully. Howard, Smith and Jones need to drag Jordan and Blake back to defend at a sprint.
- Next to Jordan, Paul is the Clippers best defensive player. The Rockets have to force him to fight over screens relentlessly. The guy has an injured hammy. Injured hammy's do not get better when they are being stressed to their maximum for 40 minutes every other day. This is the playoffs. You go for the jugular.
- The Rockets have to find a way to force Paul to the sidelines and baseline. Paul is an incredible shooter, but his areas of weakness are the average NBA player's areas of strength. Just look at these shot charts:
Paul Regular season:
Paul playoffs:
- Jones has to step up on the defensive end. Smith too. Blake played an epic series against the Spurs. One of the best all time by an NBA power forward. Jones has to cut off Blake's drives to the basket. And most of all, Jones has to learn to make the proper defensive rotation when Howard goes for a block. But Jones has never been able to do that, so I expect to see a whole bunch of Smith in this series.
- Ariza has to hit at least a third of his treys this series, or else Rivers is going to be doubling off of him this entire series. If Ariza cannot do that it is going to be a long long series for Howard and Harden.
- Terry and Prig have to be able to fight through the screens to stay on J.J. Redick. Redick is a good three point shooter, but if the Rockets get tied up in the screens and let him get completely open looks he somehow goes werewolf and turns into Kyle Korver.
- Howard played more than 39 minutes the last game of the Dallas series. Between him and Smith and Jones I do not expect to see Clint Capela (and certainly not Joey Dorsey) on the floor much. If we do it could be a very good sign or a very bad sign for the Rockets.
- The Rockets have to play the 2.9 defense efficiently and with certainty. Thib's 2.9 takes the weak side wings, especially the one guarding the far corner three and moves them into the paint for 2.9 seconds. There is a danger moving a weak side wing off of Barnes or J.J. Redick but it has to be done to slow down Paul penetrations and Blake's drives to the basket.
