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Drives me nuts when Pop does this . Seems like most of the time it backfires against us.
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/in...incart_m-rpt-1
HOUSTON — Advantage: Stotts.
One game into the Trail Blazers-Houston Rockets best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series, it’s safe to coach Terry Stotts has edged his counterpart, Kevin McHale, in tactical maneuvers.
Stotts’ decision to attack James Harden with Wesley Matthews’ post-ups early had Harden reeling and forced McHale to adjust. Stotts’ defensive strategies, including opting to guard center Dwight Howard one-on-one, were effective. But his most successful — and best-timed — move came late in the fourth quarter, when he decided to Hack-a-Howard in crunch time.
With four minutes, 30 seconds left in regulation, the Rockets led 96-87 and the Blazers were in desperate need of a spark. So Stotts directed Nicolas Batum to foul Rockets center Dwight Howard and send him to his personal house of horrors: The free throw line.
“Like I said before the game, it’s situational,” Stotts said. “If I think it’s in our best interest to do it, we will. I had no qualms about using it going into the game, and I feel the same way now.”
Howard, a notoriously poor free throw shooter who shot 54.7 percent during the regular season, was initially unfazed by the move on Sunday. He calmly made both of his attempts after Batum fouled him, giving the Rockets a 98-87 lead.
But that unraveled in a hurry. The Blazers fouled Howard intentionally on the next two possessions and he bricked all four free throws. The sellout crowd of 18,240 went from delirious to disturbed and you could sense momentum swing in the building. The Blazers used the emotional twist to reel off a quick 11-0 run, tying the game and — ultimately — forcing overtime, where they eked out a 122-120 victory.
“That changed (the game) somewhat,” McHale said of the Hack-a-Howard tactic. “We missed some free throws. They came just pushing it down and we didn’t defend … then we were kind of back on our heels. They pushed it up on us.”
On Monday afternoon, Stotts offered no apologies for employing the tactic. Some argue it taints the game and has no place. Others insist all is fair in love and war. Some say both arguments have merit. Earlier this season, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said he “hates” the strategy and would be in favor of eliminating it with NBA rules — but admitted he would use it in a heartbeat if he thought it would help him win.
Stotts has a different take. He sees no need for a rule change because the tactic is used so infrequently. By his estimation, there are 1,200 games in an NBA season and you can count the number of times a Hack-a-Howard-like move comes into play with your fingers and toes.
“How many times was it used in 1,200 games? Ten or 20 times?” he said. “I think it adds excitement to the game, to be honest. When (Howard) made his first two (free throws), the crowd erupted. And it adds interest. It adds interest whether we’re going to foul him or not. It adds interest whether he’s going to make them or not. I think it adds a little drama.”
What does Howard have to say about it all?
On Monday, when The Oregonian asked him how many free throws he attempted during the Rockets’ afternoon practice at the Toyota Center, he ignored the question.
At the very least, Stotts was right about the drama.
Drives me nuts when Pop does this . Seems like most of the time it backfires against us.
Stotts doing what he has to do
Nothing illegal
It backfires because Pop does it at the worng time.
Like in the middle of the 3rd when there is no pressure on a bad FT shooter
It worked because McHale panicked. Howard gets in his groove, you're supposed to leave him in there. You don't pull him out, or at the very least you put Asik in who is a better FT shooter. McHale is just way too incompetent to be the coach of an NBA team, dude looked like he needed a couple of drinks after the game. Props to Stotts who was very composed the entire time.
Is tlong going to post literally every local article published in Oregon during the entire fooking playoffs? Give me a break. "Christ!"
Tschlong got in.
You would think that game was great because of the comeback, the thrill, etc, but it was so horribly officiated (in both directions) that it kind of was a block for me. So many screen fouls, touch fouls and pathetic Harden floppping. They would call a horrible screen foul on one side, and felt like they had to compensate on other side with another horrid call. Salvatore is the most punchable person in the world.
Refs are killing the sport slowly
Although I'm not a huge fan of the Hack-a-Big strategy as it's boring to watch and often bails out a desperate and incompetent coach, Dwert needs to stop being a pussy and make his free throws.... Mark Jackass has tried it against DJ both games so far and DJ has made his free throws both games - and he's normally even worse than Dwert
Coward has no excuses, tbh....
Howard makes his FTs during hack a dwight. He missed 4 in a row during that period but he would have come back to the average. His FT shooting later in the game proved just that.
Doesn't matter how you look at it, those 4 missed FTs changed the game.. There was no doubt Houston were winnning the game when Hack a Dwert started
Agreed tbh. Dwert was hitting em towards the end of the game and in OT.
It`s simple. You are being paid over 20 mil a year, so should be able to hit 7 out of 10 freebies. Euro bigs can shoot free throws. It`s just pure laziness.
Another analysis-free post from spurstalk's resident fair weather fan
More importantly, why can't all of these bull articles be contained to one lame ass Blazers thread?
Because I said so!
Doesn't make your one post season win any more compelling that you make 15 threads about it tbh. Just keep doing the lords work this round so we can glide to the WCF
Just starting the threads I'm supposed to start...
McHale panicked??? what about Coward? lol
big man almost peed himself at the line and choked 4 in a row
sorry but Rockets lost BECAUSE of the Hack a Coward.
Pop does it up 12 in the middle of the 3rd and gives about 8 points to the opponent while they rest.
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