ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Lakers 4/17/2013

I like Harden and agree he's the best player on the team, but that doesn't mean he's perfect or elite (yet). Someone who knew his knee had stiffed up and yet chucking up 3's one after another and went 0-for-7!!!, or ISO'd one after another throughout the entire quarter like tonight? Still a long way to go to be elite.

PatBev gives the city and the team all he has every time he steps onto the court too; that doesn't make him an elite player though.

I have high hopes for Harden too, but he's not there yet.

 

LOL at the Spurs being the example. Obviously. Spurs have 3 HOFers & a coach who knows what is up leading the charge. If only every team could execute like San Antonio

 

ISO Kobe is not even good enough. Harden USO ball will never work well.

 

Other people said he was benched for whatever reasons. I'm getting other people's opinions. The game of basketball is simple either your making baskets or your not. Rockets did not make enough baskets.

 

Or any other playoff team not named the rockets

 

I'm sure it can but the plays are ran through Harden the majority of the time and having Gasol and Howard down low makes it extremely tough. Lin did have 8 asts and some nice dishes still though. Between sitting on the bench and running the offense through Harden it's pretty tough. Lin still deserves some of the blame for sure.

 

You don't care about stats? How about W-L record? Check out the 2-3 games Harden missed in March & April. Did we win? How did Lin do? OK then!!

I believe in Harden too. I just don't see the reason behind your worry about Lin. Sure, Harden is the better player between the 2, but that doesn't mean Lin is bad. I think we have a really promising starting backcourt. How's that for context?

 

If there is anything I learned tonight, it's that if we go after Gasol again this summer, it absolutely will make us contenders!

Ive never been a fan of the guy, but when he is healthy and at his best, the dude can strait up ball!

 

Lol Beverly isn't getting paid like Harden and he's not putting the points and assists up on a regular basis in 82 games like Harden. It takes a lot but comparing Beverley to Harden is ridiculous. Harden had an off game tonight but he did show up for a guy on a team that doesn't run no plays and does not have another superstar or allstar with him on the team. Like I said there was a year Kobe couldn't get the lakers to the playoffs by himself.

 

Yes, I agree. Mchale almost always bench Lin with Harden together and let Beverley out there and be the point guard. It's like Mchale does not trust Lin to be the true point guard without Harden's co-ball-handling. This is becoming a serious problem when we are losing in quite a few games because of Mchale's unreasonable and stubborn choice.

 

They had shown their ability to move the ball and create space for a good shot. ISO had cost us the game in many occasions, no matter who is executing it. Lin ISO failed against the Spurs and Harden ISO failed many times

 

UMMM... Yea it did have to do with the refs... Quit trollin' man!

 

What are you talking about?? And who's putting it on Beverley? And if Harden took most of the possessions, and most plays went bad, who do you blame it on, Lin? How is Lin not being a man? Do you think Lin will get more playing time by going against the coach? You are juvenile and illogical, most probably still in school unless you dropped out and you gotta stop making youself look foolish.

 

I just think you got it wrong Cstyle42. Nash and Kobe has little effect on Linsanity since Nash is too old to keep anyone in front of him and Kobe's defense has gone down the toilet this year. Howard and Gasol has a way bigger impact.

 

If the Rockets get swept by OKC that would be 6 awful losses in a row. I am actually dreading this series & the inevitable negative feedback against our players. The only person I am somewhat confident about to play well in the post season is Parsons. Sigh.

 

It's worth repeating that I like Harden and think he's the best player on the team, but no, Harden didn't just have an off game tonight. Harden ISO'd over and over again thru out the 4Q, dribbling down the shot clock till 2s left. You want to tell me you've never seen him do that? How many close games did we lose where Harden ISO'd on the last possession and missed the shot?

Without the supporting cast of Parsons/Lin/Asik, Harden couldn't get the Rockets to the playoffs by himself either. If Kobe couldn't, neither could Harden. He's not that good (yet).

 

Just think of it as an invaluable learning experience for our young team. What better way to learn (and figure out what they need to work on in the offseason) than going against a title-contending team?

And if we could manage to win even 1 game, that'd just be icing on the cake.

 

Honestly though. Did you watch the game?

 

mchale: we did not have ball movement and sticky.
http://www.csnhouston.com/rockets/mchale-ot-we-did-not-have-ball-movement

 

Not all the way through I was at work