ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Warriors 10/17/2017

Warriors aint tested yet.

So good opportunity beckons.

 

Not too many defending champs lose on ring ceremony night. I recall Nowitzki lost (but against a revengeful Lebron), and I think original Wade title.

I still think Rockets -10 is a great bet.

 

is that what the spread is now? swear it was even just a few days ago...

 

Well, that would be an even better bet.

GSW has lost only 7 home games in two years....combined with that stat about how few times the ring ceremony team loses....despite it often being a good opponent (if not the Finals opponent) on national TV.

 

Chris Paul and James Harden will combine for 99 points

 

Second page, second seed

 

If you’ve read the chron article, players and coach sound like they expect to lose and not care too much if they do. I understand nobody should take winning or losing this game as either we a great or we are clearly incompetent, but at least lose before the excuses begin...I wasn’t optimistic to begin with but when Harden and MDA speak like that, I’m expecting even worse.

Warriors 134 Rockets 108

 

Warriors 126 Rockets 95

 

Lets get ready for a spanking... spanking of the donkey to be precise

 

Life is restored!

 

Warriors are 9.5 favorites. You’d make more if u placed it on rockets

 

Oh dear.

 

hopefully the Rockets win, but if they can make it a competitive game and lose 120-111 or something like that then I'll take it

 

Betting against your own team when your team is not one of those pathetic teams.

 

Guaranteed L

 

Tbh i don't expect us to win, especially since i'm not sure our chemistry is good enough to compete with them at this point but hey, i didn't expect us to win last season too and we did so...

 

Yep not tested. The same team with virtually every rotation players returning only cruised to win the title last season.

If we get crushed by 28 points, I don't wanna see chicken littles everywhere. I think we could still win 60 games but the warriors are a well oiled machine. The rox on the other hand has again overhauled our roster, we have to find a way to fit in 3 new players in our rotation.

 

I know this will be unpopular, but I hope they gloat at the ceremony and crush us. I think it will serve to:

- Remind the players that we are objectively not as talented. That means we have to think faster in transition, think faster on rebounds, throw more elbows, commit more tactical hard fouls, bury friendships and do all this while remaining poised and focused. They will do that too, they play hard those mf'ers, it's not just talent with them. We need all of that ON TOP OF the bare minimum of scoring like a historically elite team. That's what it takes. It's not a 50-50 game based on talent alone. Wins against the Warriors have to be extracted like a dentist extracts wisdom teeth.

- Make sure Morey sees whatever weaknesses are exposed and stays on that phone every single day trying for even the slightest of improvements.

- MDA needs to see that defense matters as much as offense. The Warriors are not a historically elite defensive team. They are a historically elite offensive team. We NEED to be a historically elite offensive team and at the same time to be a top 5 defense.

AND ALL THIS is done to get us to a coin-flip.

HEY they're THAT good. They are. This is a historic team, and insane team. Michael Jordan's Bulls would be having the same conversations we're having. We all remember a team that overcame talent to win it all. Twice.

Every heroic feat comes from a dark lesson. let's be frank, they have dominated us recently. The Houston Rockets lost both regular season games to the New York Knicks in 94-95. I believe that kind of stuff matters. Psychologically. The pain of coming in second, the pain of losing, the pain of there being truth to the trash talk you hear. Harden and Paul have been doubted their whole careers as winners - and now they get to watch the Warriors receive their championship rings on day 1.

That stuff makes great players dig deeper. It's been 20+ years since I could say with such confidence: only the ring matters. I don't care if we finish with 40. If everyone works hard, the young guys are taught well and the vets are kept psychologically focused. We can get it.

I'm telling you guys. This is it, this is the season. And them crushing us in game 1 is more valuable to us beating them in game 1. That's what it takes for a heroic team to emerge, to keep getting kicked down by the mvp, your best friend, the champions.

Let's go. Sorry for the long post!