ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Warriors 4/30/2019 (Playoffs Round 2, Game 2)

I've been depressed since last night. I can live with the Rockets losing, what i can't live with, is how they lost.

It just feels so bad when theres something u can't controll at all and it ruined my whole day. Probably will continue to ruin my week.

 

I am struggling too. It is not just the bad calls or no calls, it was the brickfest. To watch a professional team consistently bricking shots is depressing.

 

I think part of the problem with the lack of foul calls for harden is the focus on fouls, by harden, and by rocket fans.

Harden really, really, REALLY, seems to -want- to DRAW fouls. It's part of his game. But to many people, it is not the focus of the game.

Look at the article on the front page of ESPN right now:

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26634745/rockets-audited-18-game-7-say-finals-bid-taken

The video they show is Harden taking a 3, the Warriors defender bumping him, and then a microsecond later, Harden deliberately taking the weight off his leg to intentionally fall down/collapse on the floor. There's no way you can look at that and think Harden was knocked down.

Yes, there was contact, but Harden's exaggerated attempt to draw attention to it, the intentional embellishment, while done by many others in the NBA, is at a different level.

An official would see the contact, but then see the obvious embellishment.

In other sports, like Hockey, they would give a penalty to one player for the infraction, and one to the other player for embellishment. Its not quite the same as 'diving' because there was legitimate contact. It could definitely have been called a foul, and probably should have.

But the over the top flop after the contact, that embellishment is really distasteful to officials, and affects them like phantom diving would.

If officials recognize you are trying to manipulate them like that, they often will not let you, and not call anything.

I believe if Harden didnt exaggerate/flop/embellish after the contact to such an extreme degree (like the flop in the espn video above) then he might actually get more respect from the officials, and they would be more inclined to call fouls against him.

But it seems instead, the the rockets are doubling down, and complaining more, and Harden is upping the embellishment, which, I think, is absolutely not the right strategy.

Play with respect - not just for the players, but for the officials. The post-contact embellishment/flops is a direct disrespect to the officials, imho, and they are responding like any human being would, I think. Play to try and score, and make the opponent stop you. Trying to play to play intentionally for a whistle just looks bad, and some refs are always going to see that as trying to "game the system" instead of treating the game with respect and playing with respect.

Just my opinion.

 

My prediction for game 2:

Clint 12 points 10 rebounds
Tucker 3/5 3PT
Harden 5/17 3PT
Paul 4/8 3PT
Gordon 5/13 3PT
House 2/4 3PT
Shumpert 2/4 3PT
Green 2/4 3PT

I predict 9 more 3's made than last game. Houston wins by 4.

 

With how terrible the games were reffed last year against the Rockets, it's almost as if the league owes it to the Rockets to make sure the Warriors lose this year but NOPE, can't afford to have NBA's goldenboy Steph Curry have an early playoff exit. Gotta make sure this is already overwhelmingly favorite team to keep winning so it can retain all its bandwagon viewers.

It's sad how this league isn't even competitive anymore, just the same team winning every year against injured teams and if not for injuries, the referees will surely side with them.

 

Make and take smart shots.

Playing Faried will help too

 

Good points. I used to hate how James ran in throwing his arms up to draw a "legal" foul instead of really trying to shoot. I thought it was so obvious that he was intentionally trying to draw the fouls. He doesn't do that near as much driving into the rim, probably because he quit getting a lot of the calls. Then he started doing the hook the arm under theirs to draw fouls from behind the arc. Legal, but just another tactic to draw fouls and get free throws. Sure, that is legal, and that is how he racks up lots of points, but many people simply hate it. I would much rather see a guy who just hits shots and doesn't try to draw fouls half the time they shoot, but what I hate about James many people love. I think all the embellishment though draws so much negative criticism from other teams and fans that officials have taken a closer look. That being said, if they are taking a closer look then there is no way possible that they didn't see those feet prevent James from landing safely. That is simply not acceptable. You can't risk a player's safety by turning a blind eye because he embellishes fouls at times. There has to be some fairness in how officiating is done, and you can't foul each team differently. I personally think guys should get ejected for that BS and it wouldn't happen any more. It is just like spearing a QB in the head to try and injure them. Not acceptable, and not enforced strictly enough. Arguing with a ref though is a technical. I just shake my head at the whole weird way it is all enforced. Players and the Union can change those things though.

 

I was bummed today, but I’m also somewhat emotionally checked out. The Rockets have now been screwed over 3 straight playoff games against this team. Hard to care much at this point when you know it’s a stacked deck.

 

This is a little off topic, but how did D. Cousins get a +/- of -1 in yesterday's game? Did he get another bench technical?

http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401129353

 

Must win. If it’s 0-2, series is a wrap.

 

This time tomorrow, we will be about to tip off. I will 100% need a nap after work to stay up.

 

Do it for Carmelo. We've got to get him a ring. I would recommend Carmelo cameo in Houston. Good tv.

 

Does it really start at 9:30 Central Time? I was hoping that was a typo from @Clutch when he opened the Game 2 thread. I’m retired, so it isn’t like I can’t sleep late. The problem is that after a game like the one on Sunday, I’m so keyed up and pissed off that I’m lucky to get 3 or 4 hours. I was up at 5:30am having finally given up on trying to sleep, so I brewed some coffee, facing another day and still pissed off. This is maddening. The NBA has forgotten how to make an honest attempt to appear fair. It’s difficult not to dismiss the entire thing and quit caring. Sometimes I wish I could. I can’t.

 

Deck, watch GOT. It helped me immensely in diffusing some of my anger.

 

We need to look for the roll man and make P&R a threat, not a way to switch.

Start actions early on the clock, we can outrun them all but Durant.

Focus on get Clint going.

Stop looking for fouls and play, its the freaking finals, this is indeed Kings Lakers 02, we will have to earn it and fight for it.

We can imporove our closeouts even Iggy will hit sone 3s with enough space and time.

Big big chance, series is far from over, even with an L, next game is 3 days away, thats why tomorrow night is “all in” night.

 

Funny you should say that. It’s what I’ve been doing!

 

lol. I was watching the stats last game, and the stats showed PJ Tucker was 1-1 at the free throw line, but was 0-2 FG during the first quarter.. How can someone have a free throw, just one, without a FG? After the quarter ended, the scorer changed the 1 free throw from PJ to EG. For the first quarter, PJ had a point, but ended the game with 0 points.

 

ref controls the game

 

It's ok if we lost the game 2.