Of course we have injuries. Of course we have a target on our backs. This team shows no sense of urgency. No game plan...no heart. There's no excuse for not boxing out, there's no excuse for putting a hand in the face of a shooter. There's no excuse for not respecting your opponent. I'm seeing bad behaviors exhibited. We MUST address to have a chance @ a chip. This has nothing to do with losing two straight. We've been playing lackadaisically for weeks (to inferior talent) MDA - Change the culture Harden - Stop looking for a whistle and b****ing about defensive lapses Anderson - Grow some nuts Nene - Show some muscle Black - Focus on two things: rebounding & pick and roll Everyone else stay within your role, while busting your a$$ "You can out hustle talent....until talent decides to hustle". Once our talent come back, it's time to roll up the sleeves.
regular season games, no care anymore to be honest. Do any of your remember the the 35th game of last season, yeah me either
The runner didn't lose the race because of a twisted ankle. . . .. he just needed to try harder!! Rocket River
I remember that our record was 55-27. what a dumb argument, of course every win matters especially for playoffs seeding
You can't keep playing Harden and Ariza 40 mpg . Eventually it catches up to them . Especially in James case where he has to pick a side to use his energy. Clint is a defensive anchor that is out . Luc is a monster that lets us keep all of our players minutes manageable. Some of these other teams just got hot at the wrong time for us . The defense on Rivers and Williams tonight was not "bad" by any stretch of the imagination .... They just got on a roll and didn't miss. We will be fine . I just worry about minutes .
There seems to be two types of posters coming out of the woodwork TROLLS and CHICKEN LITTLES I am not happy with the loss but I am not ready to jump off the ledges Our Center Position is weak with out Capela - No Rim Prootection means a layup drill NeNe and Black - top out at about 25~30 minutes a game. . . at thier best Without Capela . .. . you really cannot hide/cover for defensive lapses on the defensive end. . . Help has to come from the sides instead or waiting at the rim This stretch exposes our lack of second/third line talent If the Rockets played perfectly (and refs were half way fair) . .we win Rocket River
what you've just witnessed in the last two games is the fact that Harden ain't **** without CP3 and Clint. He's not a winner, and playing like that stereotypical 'putting up a lot of points on a bad team' kind of way. Nobody respects that **** anymore, and Harden is absolutely part of the reason why our defense sucks w/o CP3 and Clint.
If Luc, Chris or Capela play these last two games. . . we win Rocket River I think I am probably going to go on a block Sybil
I agree that the Rox have been playing with fire the last several games with lackluster starts, being out hustled, etc. and it's bit them in their asses the last couple of games. Also it's really starting to show the major weaknesses that may hold this team back which is a lack of good depth.
Good thread. Rockets have definitely been slacking, starting with the Portland game. Even though we kept the streak going, that game was a turning point for some reason.
The team seemed to not match the energy and fire of the Clips most of the night and as the game got closer, the Clips just started free stroking and making bs shots and it was all down hill. They may be trying to preserve energy with the injuries on the roster currently as well. Just a tough stretch right now.
I agree, can't fight the refs on this one. They have too much authority to dictate a game. Your best bet is to create a better offense that leads to blowout wins and play focused on the defensive end. Our 3rd quarter play was terrible tonight. Without CP3, you clearly don't see a floor general. During that Lakers game, we were making a comeback in the 4th then CP3 got injured and had to leave. Immediately, you can see the team falling apart. Our best bet right now to win games with Harden as the floor leader is the same as last year... blowout wins where the refs can't dictate crunch time. Too bad that's very hard with Capela and Luc out as well. In which case, Morey has to figure out a solution before we go on a losing streak.
There's been a lot of talk from MDA and CP3 about championship habits. In the playoffs, those make the difference. In the regular season, they give you enough of a cushion that some bad calls and hot shooting from the opponent add up to a scare, not a loss. We're a top 4 team now. Expect our opponents to be motivated, and to get the benefit of the doubt from the referees. Factor those things in, and play with enough focus, effort, discipline, and intelligence to win anyway.
