If you look at the straight-forward results for last night’s game between the Rockets and the Warriors:
Houston Rockets 121
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 112
Complete Game Info
what you might notice right away is that:
1. Monta Ellis scored 44 points to keep Golden State within striking distance of Houston for the majority of the game;
2. Kevin Martin led the Rockets in scoring with 30 points;
and,
3. Luis Scola had a terrific all-around game for Houston, scoring 20 points and collecting 9 rebounds with 6 assists.
However …
What you might NOT notice right away … unless, of course, if you actually take the time to watch the game AND then:
i. Break it down, possession by possession, with the benefit of:
PART I – The Play-By-Play;
and,
PART II - A “Possession Outcome Chart” for last night’s game …
|
Time
|
Team
|
PG
|
OG
|
SF
|
PF
|
C
|
Start
|
End
|
Diff
|
Ellis/Tot
|
|
1st Q
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Martin
|
Battier
|
Hayes
|
Scola
|
00
|
15
|
+4
|
|
|
12:00
|
GSW
|
Ellis
|
Williams
|
Wright
|
Amundson
|
Lee/D
|
00
|
11
|
-4
|
6 pts
|
|
09:08
|
Time-out: GSW/Short [Hou 11, GSW 4]
|
|
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Martin
|
Battier
|
Hayes
|
Scola
|
15
|
22
|
0
|
|
|
06:11
|
GSW
|
Ellis
|
Williams
|
Wright
|
Udoh
|
Lee/D
|
11
|
18
|
0
|
3 pts/9
|
|
04:56
|
Time-out: GSW/Regular [Hou 17, GSW 13]
|
|
02:57
|
Time-out: Hou/Regular [Hou 22, GSW 18]
|
|
|
Hou
|
Brooks
|
Martin
|
Budinger
|
Hayes
|
Scola
|
22
|
24
|
-2
|
|
|
02:57
|
GSW
|
Ellis
|
Williams
|
Wright
|
Udoh
|
Lee/D
|
18
|
22
|
+2
|
2 pts/11
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Brooks
|
Martin
|
Budinger
|
Hill
|
Miller
|
24
|
26
|
-2
|
|
|
01:26
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Williams
|
Wright
|
Udoh
|
Lee/D
|
22
|
26
|
+2
|
|
|
|
|
2nd Q
|
Hou
|
Brooks
|
Lee/C
|
Budinger
|
Hill
|
Miller
|
26
|
31
|
+3
|
|
|
12:00
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Williams
|
Wright
|
Udoh
|
Lee/D
|
26
|
28
|
-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Brooks
|
Lee/C
|
Budinger
|
Hill
|
Miller
|
31
|
35
|
0
|
|
|
09:28
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Williams
|
Carney
|
Radmanovic
|
Udoh
|
28
|
32
|
0
|
|
|
07:47
|
Time-out: GSW/Regular [Hou 33, GSW 32]
|
|
|
Hou
|
Brooks
|
Lee/C
|
Budinger
|
Hill
|
Miller
|
35
|
37
|
+1
|
|
|
07:20
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Carney
|
Radmanovic
|
Udoh
|
32
|
33
|
-1
|
1 pts/12
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Lee/C
|
Budinger
|
Hill
|
Miller
|
37
|
40
|
-3
|
|
|
06:16
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Carney
|
Radmanovic
|
Udoh
|
33
|
39
|
+3
|
0 pts/12
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Lee/C
|
Budinger
|
Hayes
|
Scola
|
40
|
41
|
-2
|
|
|
04:42
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Carney
|
Radmanovic
|
Udoh
|
39
|
42
|
+2
|
2 pts/14
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Lee/C
|
Battier
|
Hayes
|
Scola
|
41
|
41
|
0
|
|
|
03:26
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Carney
|
Radmanovic
|
Udoh
|
42
|
42
|
0
|
0 pts/14
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Martin
|
Battier
|
Hayes
|
Scola
|
41
|
50
|
+5
|
|
|
03:12
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Carney
|
Wright
|
Amundson
|
42
|
46
|
-5
|
0 pts/14
|
|
02:54
|
Time-out: Hou/Regular [Hou 41, GSW 42]
|
|
00:00.4
|
Time-out: Hou/Short [Hou 48, GSW 46]
|
|
|
|
3rd Q
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Martin
|
Battier
|
Hayes
|
Scola
|
50
|
61
|
+3
|
|
|
12:00
|
GSW
|
Ellis
|
Williams
|
Wright
|
Amundson
|
Lee/D
|
46
|
54
|
-3
|
4 pts/18
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Martin
|
Battier
|
Hayes
|
Scola
|
61
|
70
|
+2
|
|
|
08:05
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Williams
|
Wright
|
Lee/D
|
54
|
61
|
-2
|
3 pts/21
|
|
07:46
|
Time-out: GSW/Regular [Hou 63, GSW 54]
|
|
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Martin
|
Battier
|
Hayes
|
Scola
|
70
|
73
|
-4
|
|
|
06:00
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Williams
|
Udoh
|
Lee/D
|
61
|
68
|
+4
|
5 pts/26
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Martin
|
Battier
|
Hill
|
Scola
|
73
|
75
|
0
|
|
|
04:26
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Williams
|
Udoh
|
Lee/D
|
68
|
70
|
0
|
0 pts/26
|
|
02:58
|
Time-out: Hou/Regular [Hou 75, GSW 70]
|
|
|
Hou
|
Brooks
|
Lee/C
|
Battier
|
Hill
|
Scola
|
75
|
77
|
+1
|
|
|
02:58
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Lin
|
Udoh
|
Lee/D
|
70
|
71
|
-1
|
1 pt/27
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Brooks
|
Lowry
|
Lee/C
|
Hill
|
Miller
|
77
|
81
|
0
|
|
|
02:19
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Lin
|
Udoh
|
Amundson
|
71
|
75
|
0
|
2 pts/29
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Brooks
|
Lowry
|
Lee/C
|
Hill
|
Miller
|
81
|
|
|
|
|
00:02.4
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Lin
|
Udoh
|
Radmanovic
|
75
|
|
|
0 pts/29
|
|
|
|
4th Q
|
Hou
|
Brooks
|
Lowry
|
Lee/C
|
Hill
|
Miller
|
81
|
89
|
-4
|
|
|
12:00
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Lin
|
Udoh
|
Radmanovic
|
75
|
87
|
+4
|
7 pts/36
|
|
08:30
|
Time-out: Hou/Regular [89, GSW 87]
|
|
|
Hou
|
Brooks
|
Lee/C
|
Martin
|
Hill
|
Scola
|
89
|
94
|
-3
|
|
|
08:19
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Lin
|
Udoh
|
Radmanovic
|
87
|
95
|
+3
|
4 pts/40
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Brooks
|
Lee/C
|
Martin
|
Battier
|
Scola
|
94
|
94
|
-1
|
|
|
06:16
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Lin
|
Udoh
|
Radmanovic
|
95
|
96
|
+1
|
0 pts/40
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Lee/C
|
Martin
|
Battier
|
Scola
|
94
|
96
|
+2
|
|
|
06:01
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Lin
|
Udoh
|
Radmanovic
|
96
|
96
|
-2
|
0 pts/40
|
|
05:05
|
Time-out: GSW/Regular [Hou 96, GSW 96]
|
|
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Lee/C
|
Martin
|
Battier
|
Scola
|
96
|
108
|
+7
|
|
|
05:05
|
GSW
|
Law
|
Ellis
|
Wright
|
Radmanovic
|
Lee/D
|
96
|
101
|
-7
|
2 pts/42
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Lee/C
|
Martin
|
Battier
|
Scola
|
108
|
121
|
+2
|
|
|
01:54
|
GSW
|
Ellis
|
Williams
|
Wright
|
Amundson
|
Lee/D
|
101
|
112
|
-2
|
2 pts/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hou
|
Lowry
|
Lee/C
|
Martin
|
Battier
|
Scola
|
121
|
121
|
0
|
|
|
00:18.5
|
GSW
|
Ellis
|
Lin
|
Wright
|
Amundson
|
Lee/D
|
112
|
112
|
0
|
0 pts/44
|
|
Legend:
Bold – Player was substituted into the game; Italics – Player was moved to a new position; Ellis/Tot – Points scored by Monte Ellis during this shift/Total points scored by Ellis in the game to that point.
|
|
|
- When the game changed in the Rockets favour , i.e. Houston went “small” with Battier at the PF position;
|
|
|
- When Ellis was on the court and Lee/C was on the court, while Houston was going “small” with 4 guards + 1 Big;
|
|
|
- When Ellis was on the court and Lee/C was on the court, while Houston was going “big” with 3 guards + 2 Bigs;
|
|
|
- When Ellis was on the court and Lee/C was not on the court;
|
|
|
- When Ellis and Lee/C were both on the court, but Houston was going “small” with 3 Guards + 2 Bigs and used Lee/C at the SF/#3 position;
|
|
|
- When Lee/C was on the court but Ellis was not on the court;
|
|
|
- When neither Ellis, nor Lee/C were on the court.
|
… are the outstanding contributions of, both, Courtney Lee [OG-SF] and Rick Adelman [Head Coach] in getting the W for Houston.
According to the Box Score data, Courtney Lee finished with a Plus/Minus total of +3 … which was only good enough to rank 6th for the Rockets.
However …
What a more thorough review of the actual “data” reveals is that:
- Houston took control of this game for the final time at the 6:16 mark of the 4th quarter when Rick Adelman went with a five-man unit that included the following players:
Aaron Brooks, PG
Courtney Lee, OG
Kevin Martin, SF
Shane Battier, PF
Luis Scola, C
- Courtney Lee only played 23:46 in this game
- 23 of the 44 points which Monta Ellis scored were when Rick Adelman made the mistake of NOT having Courtney Lee on the floor
- Only 14 of the 21 points which Monta Ellis scored when Courtney Lee was on the floor were scored when Lee was being used at the OG position
- 7 of the 44 points which Monta Ellis scored were when Rick Adelman made the mistake of using a five-man unit that included the following players:
Brooks, PG
Lowry, OG
Lee/C, SF
Hill, PF
Miller, C
during the first 3:41 of the 4th quarter
- Once the Rockets shifted to a five-man unit that included the following players:
Lowry, PG [best defender]
Lee/C, OG [best defender]
Martin, SF
Battier, PF [best defender]
Scola, C [best defender]
which occurred at the 6:01 mark of the 4th quarter; then, Houston was able to open up a 9-point advantage - with 4 of their 5 best defensive players on the court – while holding Monta Ellis firmly in check the rest of the way [i.e. 4 points scored; 1 FGA; 2 FTM, in the last 30 secs, once the game had already been decided]
============================
Kudos to Coach Adelman!