ClutchFans Game Thread: Warriors @ Rockets 5/14/2018 (Western Conference Finals, Game 1)

"Son, join the dark side...and together we will" conquer the championship trophy.

 

I miss the olden days where the home team would actually wear the white jersey, complimenting their home floor. The road team wearing a white jersey looks terrible.

 

Is it kind of strange that I'm not excited for this series? Only because I know I'm just going to be so stressed out and I don't look forward to that lol. I barely survived the World Series...

 

Ya... I feel like all NBA fans have looked forward to this matchup the entire year. This is what we were built for and now its time to go out there and execute

 

Rockets seemed to be the underdogs this series, i find it hilarious GS fans considered themselves being the underdogs and being disrespected.

 

If rockets win game 1 , I can see the headlines read " rockets steal one " , when the rockets are playing at home

 

Draymond green loves him some underdog status. He tries to act like no one gives him any respect even though most people consider him the best defensive player in the league and he's a perennial all star.

 

Same here. Man, that Astros World Series was so stressed out for me. I just don't want to have another stressful title run. But we will have too much stress in this series.

 

I'm right there with you. This series will not be good for my cardiovascular system.

 

I just watched all the highlights from the 3 games we played against them this year.

My thoughts:

Harden: needs to be the MVP. Need him in game 1 mode from the first two rounds (obvious)

Paul: need him distributing and attacking the pick and roll with the mid range game on point

Capela: I think we need to employ the spurs strategy on this one. Have him sit back and contest shots at the rim and force them to take mid range while we press up on threes

Ego: attack the hole relentlessly to open up the rest of his game. If they green playing the 5 Gordon can get to the hole. If they have McGee in, we lose that but Capela would own that matchup AND they would lose a shooter

Anderson: I think he needs to get ALL of Nene’s minutes. Nene hasn’t played good D or rebounded particularly well, why not replace him with a shooting threat.

Defense: Make Green, Iguadola, and West (2 point shooter only) beat you. Stick everyone as close as possible.

We got this. There’s a blue print. We just can’t have even 1-2 minutes of mental lapse. Need to be locked in and balls to the walls for a full 48!

 

For psychological purposes, game 1 is almost a must win. I don't feel like watching Harden sulk the rest of the series if things don't go our way from the jump. You're the league MVP, go out and impose your will upon the game. It's the only way we're getting out of this one...

 

Was saving my 500th post for this thread as a good luck charm.

ROCKETS TAKE GAME ONE!!

 

This is series is the most talk about series ATM. I mean have you guys heard, read or watch anyone talk about the leastern conference finals?

 

Rockets 103-96

 

Time for Nickle beer night at Toyota Center

 

We lose game 1, go Red nation.

 

We play better in black so it's ok

 

CP3 and Tuck I'm not worried about. Ariza is steady, though he struggles when his shot is off. Luc is also a source of mental strength. Harden obviously is the key to everything. I
want him to do better than anyone else, because he can make us nearly invincible.

 

It's ok to get a little more rest for physical injuries. Luc's shoulder injury was a bad one. Who knows maybe even Ryan's ankle will heal better. Edit: Corrected heel to heal.

 

I am a fan of the Warriors. I don't think they are underdogs, but I also don't think they are prohibitive favorites. I think the oddsmakers put the Warriors chance of winning the series at about 65% and the Rockets chance of winning the series at about 35%.

The Rockets have proven themselves this year and have played better than the Warriors. Given how much Houston and coastal Texas went through last summer I was thrilled that the Astros won the World Series. If the Rockets beat the Warriors (and I fit the bill as a Worrier--I really believe that the Rockets have a great chance to beat the Warriors) I will be rooting for them to win it all.