By the end of November, the Rockets had only lost two games, one for the Mavericks and one for the Kings.

Counting the Oct. 30 opener, the Rockets won 14 games.

And for the entire month of November, the Rockets had a 13-2 record.

Whether it is the overall 14-2 or the 13-2 in a single month in November, the Rockets are the first in the league, so Qiao Hai lifted the Coach of the Month trophy in November.

Another Coach of the Month trophy was in the bag, and even ESPN, which stood up for black Qiao Hai three times and five times, also made a very high evaluation of Qiao Hai this time: "Qiao Hai is ruling this era!" ”

Indeed, with the Grizzlies' two Best Coach trophies, combined with the Rockets' strength this season, it looks like Joe is about to win his third Best Coach trophy.

If a team's three consecutive championships are considered a dynasty, then although Qiao Hai has not been able to complete the great cause of three consecutive best coaches, but three best coach trophies in five years, three may even have four O'Brien cups, Qiao Hai can be regarded as creating a dynasty of his own.

……

In the first game of December, the Rockets faced the Jazz.

In this game, Wade was still a substitute, and Keller Korver started.

However, the change of tricks that worked wonders in the last game, not only did this game not play any positive role, but caused the Rockets to almost lose the game.

Keller Korver's start made the defense of the originally very strong Rockets starters a lot weaker all of a sudden, and the defense against Carlos Boozer was not as airtight as the last time the two teams met.

The final score was 107-100, and it didn't look like the Rockets' offense was bad.

But in fact, the game was played in overtime, and the Rockets beat the Jazz 11-4 in overtime, and finally won by 7 points.

It can be said that this is a sinister victory.

The Rockets' offense fluctuated again, and the previous invincible defense also broke up a lot in this game.

……

In the video room in the rocket training hall, the video footage of the last five games of the rocket cut by Ma Jian and Yang Xuezeng, Qiao Hai played it one after another.

Then the coaching staff started the discussion.

'It's been very inconsistent offensively, but our defense is good, and maybe we don't have to be in such a hurry and focus on defense.

Bernie Bixduff was very puzzled, and he couldn't figure out why Qiao Hai had to improve the Rockets' offense.

As an old-school coach, he believes that the Rockets are good defensively at this time, second only to the Pistons in terms of statistics, and even surpass the Spurs by a few points.

This kind of defense seems to be already the top in the league.

If Yao Ming is replaced by Big Ben, the Rockets' defense can even go to the next level.

Defending like this, if you stick to it, you can be successful, so why do you have to improve the offense?

Bernie Bixduff looked at Qiao Hai very suspiciously, but Qiao Hai shook his head: "Bernie, if Yao is replaced by Wallace, or the young center of the Bulls, Tyson Chandler, then our current situation is what we want." ”

"But our center forward is Yao Ming, an attacking center who is above the standard defensively, but not as strong and has obvious shortcomings."

Qiao Hai's shortcomings here are obvious, referring to Yao Ming's slow movement speed, poor physical fitness, easy to get started on the defensive end, and easy to fall into a foul crisis.

Such a variety of shortcomings, once targeted by the opponent, can quickly open a gap.

In other words, the Rockets' excellent defense at this time is actually more of an illusion, because it is the regular season, there are no desperate opponents, and no team is staring at the shortcomings of the Rockets.

Therefore, the Rockets' defense has not had fatal problems.

Qiao Hai thought very far, the lineup he created, the defense is only the auxiliary, and his defensive system of infinite changes is proof.

Infinite change of defense, this is too brainless, to ensure a certain defensive intensity is OK, once you meet a strong enemy, this defensive system is not on the table.

Therefore, the focus of the Rockets is still on the offensive end.

Yao Ming is a bug on the offensive end, and the Rocket's use of him has reached the extreme, holding the ball in the middle and high positions, and even holding the ball in the low post, Yao Ming is always holding the ball.

Wade and Ron Artest are both breakthrough masters, plus an experienced veteran Gary Payton, it can be said that the outside Rockets have three scorers who average 20+ per game.

Brad Stevens was quick to raise a possible problem: "In terms of the function and position of the players, the role, Ron, Dwayne and Gary all overlap a little, which is probably the main reason why our offense can't be opened. ”

The reasons for this, the rocket has been analyzed countless times, but obviously, now, what the rocket needs to look for is a solution.

"The solution, forcibly make Gary speed up, we have tried, but it didn't work, once Gary speeds up, his rhythm will immediately be messed up......"

Tang Yi shook his head, but Elvin Gentry interjected at this time: "It's better to give the ball to Dwayne and let Gary go to the flank." ”

Qiao Hai shook his head again: "With such an adjustment, the significance of our original signing of Gary was weakened all of a sudden, and Gary Payton, who only played without the ball, was not Gary Payton in the real sense." ”

The Rockets are very powerful on paper, but obviously, if they can't play the role of all the players, this kind of strength on paper is only illusory.

"We've tried the way to change the formation, Keller doesn't have Dwayne's enthusiasm on the defensive end, and once he starts, the defensive pressure on the wing Ron is too great."

"Boris can start." Little Bixduff then came up with another idea.

Brad Stevens immediately shook his head: "Chris doesn't start, who will protect the frame on the inside?" ”

Qiao Hai fell into deep thought at this time, he knocked on the table, and thought of a solution: "It's better to do this, we can try it, and directly hand over all the tasks of protecting the frame to Yao, anyway, he has already begun to develop into the forbidden area now, it is better to directly push him into the forbidden area first." ”

"Boris starts, stays in the mid-range position, he has a strategy, he has a long shot, maybe our attack does have a chance to come alive all of a sudden."

After some discussion, Qiao Hai and they decided on the first plan that they needed to try, Boris Dio was put on the start, and Yao Ming went to the penalty area at the defensive end.

Then, after discussing it again for a while, Stan Lefour came up with an idea: "Actually, Joe, have you forgotten the Grizzlies' style of play?" ”

"What's the way to play?"

"Speed up at halftime!"

The half-time speed is actually the trick Qiao Hai played when the Grizzlies beat Princeton's offense.

The Princeton offense is a positional battle, but if the Grizzlies want to be more efficient offensively, they must speed up, which again conflicts with positional warfare.

So, Qiao Hai at that time thought of a way, which was to speed up the half-time, which is the so-called creeping bombardment.

The Rockets can move slowly through the half, but after the half, they have to pick up the speed immediately, find opportunities quickly, shoot and score through quick air cuts.

Qiao Hai slapped the table and included the move of speeding up the half time as an alternative!