The most gut-wrenching stat of these 4 games is:

Kevin McHale + Officiating really can affect the outcomes of games.

 

I just...I just want to jerk off.

 

No ISO bro.

 

One word: "Coaching".

Hours and hours of tape and analysis by your staff....and this is what you pull out in playoffs?

 

wo fat has covertly vegetablized mchale's mind through hypnosis in order to sabotage the houston rockets and their taiwanese point guard

 

I think the team lacks the killer instinct! when they were up by 11 and had those fast breaks -- mental breakdown with turnovers. I remember watching a tv recollection of rockets v Knicks and Rudy saying "it's time to demoralize them". I've never heard McHale say anything like that to the team. so I think it begins up top. the coaches don't have that mentality to instill in the players

 

but...but ...it was all a coin flip at the end.

 

Lack of execution down the stretch - thanks to incompetent clueless coaching by McHale

Boneheaded plays down the stretch - thanks to Lin

 

It really feels like the refs are helping the blazers here. Maybe they do have money on it?

 

The defense just isn't good enough. The Rockets can build leads, but when the opponent absolutely needs points, they know they can get them immediately and in bunches. It's hard to demoralize a team that's aware of this. It's also the downside of the Rockets' pace - a 10 point lead for them is about the same as a 4 or 5 point lead for most other teams because they burn possessions so quickly. And yeah, quitting the boneheaded unforced turnovers would really, really help.

 

Do we even know if they're doing any sort of analysis? If so, what the hell adjustments are they making other than plugging Asik into the starting lineup?

The reason we keep blowing leads is simple. We don't play defense and we resort to ISO ball in the 4th quarter. That's a recipe for disaster.

 

I think like the OP Said, those 3 transition plays in a row where the Rockets had a chance to blow the game wide open and threw the ball away tells me it's not the refs. They simply just threw the ball away twice and the 3rd time was a charge. Just poor execution honestly.

 

What really sucks is that this series could be 3-1 either way, 2-2, or even over at 4-0; again either way. Additionally, the one guy who I would've been most concerned about disappearing under pressure (DH) has been solid as a rock. Sucks to see his great play wasted in losing efforts. Harden had been consistently good and CLUTCH all season, I definetly wasn't expecting him to struggle and appear scared when his scoring ability mattered the most. I expect Lin to turnover the ball, he's done that all season long. But watching him play solid ball all game then revert back to his poor play during crunch time is deflating and... Just sucks.

Through four games, this has been a GREAT series for evey single type of basketball fan there is - Except for those pulling for the Rockets. For us, it sucks.

 

/thread

This was our biggest single weakness coming into the playoffs: not having a playoff-quality team defense.

The best offensive coaching in the world can't make up for lackluster team D in the playoffs. You have to be able to make late game stops, and we don't seem like we can.

 

The inability to maintain a large lead normally is because of youth, inexperience, poor coaching or preparation. I think most of us would agree the coach part has always been questionable. Youth, clearly some of our guys are still developing. I wasn't expecting a WCF appearance this year but I was hoping to get out of the first round.

All in all, it's been a ridiculously close series even though I'm disappointed at the outcome. Three out of four games going into overtime? Crazy.