ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Hornets 3/7/2020

When the Hornets can defend you, you know you in trouble. Teams will adjust in the play-offs and they know Covington, Tucker & House cannot get past their man or do much when they go inside. Especially because 90% of the time we go inside we throw it back out and get a TO, interrupted pass or at least a well contested 3 if the team has a good defense. This offense is just way too predictable without Russ and it's telling Harden cannot lead a team anymore. If it wasn't for Westbrook, we would not have been able to win some of these games are get close to winning and it's obvious it's Westbrook's play that is keeping us alive during this stretch.

We had 2 straight games of coming out with low energy, not focused and then against a Hornets team they decide to let them go 19-0?? That is pathetic and inexcusable. 6-7th seed is not that crazy and a 1st round exit is looming. Bye bye Mike. Though I wonder, will any coach be able to undo what MDA has done? What is obvious that he needs to bench House, put Tucker and Covington at the 3 & 4 and allow Jeff Green to be the starting center. It's just not going to work with 3 players who cannot do **** once they get the ball in the paint. Green catches it and can either go up for a dunk or pass it out, he's a very good passer.

It's also obvious we need a strategy that involves way more off the ball action, whether it's screens, pin downs, bodies moving around to flash in the lane or get open on the perimeter, though only McLemore & Rivers seem to be able to take a quick three once they get it. Covington, Carroll, Tucker, House, Harden are just way too slow with their release so defenses have time to catch up. I think this is one of the reasons Gerald Green had success since he only needed a bit of space to get a 3 up. These guys are all way too slow.

If we don't turn it around quickly, I can foresee a really awful ending to our season and an embarrassment of a play-off "run".

 

We lost to the knicks, hornets, and got ridiculed by the Clippers in the same week.

 

I would rest Tucker more, we need him fresh for April and May.

Jeff can play Center if they allow it.

 

We lost because Westbrook didn't play. Every game is different. Truth be told I've given up on Harden a while ago, but I'm still rooting for him to turn it up in the playoffs.
As Russ goes, so go the rockets

 

rockets will be elite in playoffs .....they are bored out of their minds in regular season

 

Well idk if it’s how Russ go rockets go because we have seen plenty of games Russ plays his heart out and no one follows suit. Russ can keep us in games sometimes but when James is going that is what can really make us contenders. It we ever got ego to chip in too then we can make some serious noise

 

haha

 

Sorry that you had to waste 2.5 hours of your life on that.
I actually ended up watching the second half at the bar

 

MDA won't even consider changing things up, he's too stubborn as we all know. My guess is the added "exciting" part of having a 6'5 center will even make it less likely as it's too sexy. Tucker is not a center period. He's a PF with the size of a SF and should go back to playing the 3/4, which are interchangeable in our system anyway. Hell, Covington is currently our best big defender 1-on-1 so might as well make him the starting center and Jeff Green at the 4 with Tucker at the 3. In any case, it's time to indeed rest Tucker more but also realise we need a proper big out there who can stretch the floor and that is Jeff. If House is already this inconsistent in the regular season, how do you think he'll do in the play-offs? Last year he was just unplayable and I get a feeling as a starter at least he will be much of a non-factor.

 

Can they be bored at a higher winning %? That'd be nice to earn the boredom.

 

True, but you would have to split Covid's minutes at the wing and his at C, he is still top 2 wing defender on this team.

 

MDA is too stubborn to be fearless of being fired.
Actually, it is his 8-man rotations mess up the whole thing!
The whole team looks so sloppy and worn-out in the past 3 games. On one hand players need to play switch everything hustling D, on the other hand they need to keep avg 3pt% above say 33%-35%. without fresh legs off the bench to support say DMC(15min+), Thabo(8-10min), or even Tyson and Bruno (5min apiece), his 'micro ball' system ran 'a mission impossible' or a castle in the air.

 

loss ain't a big deal, how we lose matters most. Seeing this team got whacked up like this way, is helpless and hopeless.
To real fan, it's totally speechless, other than whining.

MDA's stubbornness makes below comments like big joke:
JH

(past 3 games, the beard definitely totally being worn-out)

DM

(past 3 games, our games definitely ain't fun to watch)

 

Your shot isn't falling...it happens.

TEN freakin turnovers in a game is just pathetic. One or two in a game...ok...but TEN!!!

He's just sloppy with the ball and even more so in the playoffs and especially crunch time.

 

Ego is useless, idk what Morey was thinking extending him. He has been totally useless

 

Put Rivers, Demarre back. Q2 ending in a meltdown.

 

Gordon is one of many mistake transactions this season.

He has deteriorated every season since joining and there's plenty more seasons to go.
___________

Wrong thread but it still applies.

These ads are distorting every link I attempt to click on.

 

This is a team that has quit.