ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Warriors 2/20/2014

How can you blame Harden when everyone else seemed unwilling or unable to get his own shot towards the end of the game? At first glance, it is tempting to blame Lin, Bev, and others for being passive, but I really do think Parsons and Harden shot so much because they were the only two guys creating good shots. I think the Warriors defense had something to do with this. Lin had the ball plenty at the end of the game, but seemed to have a hard time getting good looks. Harden got himself going because he is Harden. I think Parsons' length and athleticism helped him generate some good looks. The intensity felt a bit like a playoff game. This could be a preview of the postseason, and our guys have to learn how to deal with it.

 

Well let's see .... Harden took 27 shots for 39 points.

Silly me... I thought the loss was because Jones shot 1/7, Lin 3/8, Beverly 1/6, Howard 4/13 and Parsons 8/24.

Looks to me like no one played well except Harden.... Not just Parsons.

Also, honestly you will lose games like tonight sometimes. The Rockets were in it until the end and lost to a quality team on a back to back. You just move on.

 

All I can say with Curry getting 25 point last night, no one can guard him.

 

I got a neg rep from a mod for some reason because I called some posters stupid for posting pics of Chinese food in the The numbers are clear thread. Lol

 

#1 The modern NBA has very few scripted plays, teams mostly have philosophies. This loss had nothing to do with McHale drawing up plays at all.

#2 Harden got hurt, stayed in the game and CARRIED the Rockets including hitting a clutch shot to get the lead late and had 39 points. He was not the problem.

#3 Do you know part of why Parsons has improved so much and has gone from being pegged as a no rotation player to being a borderline all star? He will take shots, he isn't afraid to and wants the responsibility. He shot poorly, but so did everyone else except Harden. I didn't see Lin, Howard, Jones or Beveley creating anything offensively.

The narrative of blaming Harden and especially McHale is getting really old and honestly, absurd.

The Rockets lost because they didn't shoot well on a back to back and the Warriors needed the win more. Even with all the poor shooting the Rockets played hard and almost won, the game was a toss up.

 

I can't hide the fact that I'm pissed. It's the way we lost. Wish Parsons wouldn't have let Curry blow by him for a freakin layup to tie the game with seconds left in the game. Then I wanted Harden to hit the three that he hesitated on shooting but I can't be mad at him because he made the previous clutch shot. Overtime pissed me off sooo bad.

 

If it werent for that lucky iggy 3 pointer, it would have been double OT! But rockets looked gassed in the 4th quarter and were basically chickens running around with their heads cut off.

 

Can't blame Casspi for losing the game, it's certainly not fair and very incorrect to proclaim such a thing.
On that play when Casspi needed to inbound the ball everyone except lin was on the other side of the court and Lin was defended really well, so Casspi couldn't even think about passing him the ball because you know it would've been intercepted.
Don't forget there were about what six seconds you have to make the long inbound pass if you want to make it, every Rocket player was defended really well by every Warrior, all the Rockets players are to be blamed for this terrible inbound pass.

 

Howard had an off game offensively, but he wasn't the only one. Harden and Parsons were about it on offense. Won't win many games shooting 36%. Good effort though. Took them to the wall and beat them up.

 

Because some fans are miserable and love to harp on negativity.

 

Gassed because Parsons and Harden trying to do too much instead of involving the team. It was great when Harden was scoring on ISO but when it;s not working you gotta do something different (Mchale needs to fix). I liked how they stopped going to Dwight because he was ineffective and that worked out fo rthe team in coming back a bit. Good adjustment though it was a bit too late. The important part is at least they recognized but, but in the playoffs, these little things matter and if you don't make the right adjustments quick, it can be costly...I don't think with this current team they can get past 2nd round.

 

Beating good teams on the road is hard in the NBA, for everybody, not just us.

Tough loss, but most of us thought 3-2 on this road trip would be a success and that's still possible. Sometimes you lose.

 

noticed not much being mentioned about the free throws. to miss as many as we did and still have a chance to win.

not sure what can be done about the free throws, it seems like when howard, tjones or even harden sometimes goes to the line i get nervous and feel like they are going to miss.

 

I really enjoyed the game, even with the loss. Playoff-like strategies were employed.

 

Good for parsons to take shots, but is it okay to take a quick 3 pointer in OT with so much time left on the clock? I'm not saying Parsons is bad and in fact he's probably key to winning many Rocket games with his gameplay. And yes, I absolutely blame the coach because if Harden is not getting anywhere in 3-4 possessions of being guarded hard, ISO will not work and this is where his leadership as a coach can be used to do something about it.

Lin couldn't create anything because he was being guarded really tight by Iggy. Everytime he tried to shoot he Iggy was all over him. Though I have to admit - he had trouble getting into the lane too. Someone mentioned that if this is the Lin we will see in the playoffs, then he will be ineffective. I have to 100% agree.

I just wish that the coach/or the team would set more screens and cause more confusion for the defense. GSW knew harden wanted the ball and was going to take it - they turned on the intensity and Harden iso stopped working.

 

I have no problems with Harden's FT, he is pretty money on the line lately and clutch. It's just Tjones and Howard...sometimes rest of team too. ALthough I haven't seen Bev miss FT's that much.

 

regarding lin i agree, for now he really doesn't have much playoff experience but has done well during regular season when people aren't playing tight. this game was similar to a playoff game where during playoffs everyone comes with bev type intensity.

i think over time as he learns he'll be ok but you may not see the lin we are looking for come playoff time.

 

This was a good game for the Rockets. I say it was a good game because it felt like a playoff game. The Rockets need games like this. The Rockets can learn things from games like this.

McHale was using some interesting lineups during this game. We had a hard time stopping Lee, so McHale made some adjustments and I think it worked to a certain extent. For a large part of the game the Rockets couldn't make a shot, but we still took the game to overtime. If the Rockets face the Warriors in the playoffs, I feel good about our chances. The Rockets lost last night, but the Rockets need games like this to grow as a team.

 

yeah Iggy was clutch...lucky shots man lol. That bank shot and that wild circus layup wtf

 

I do have to say, Beverley's D last night was amazing. He was giving Curry fits all game. A few of the fouls called on him weren't even fouls but of course Curry is going to get the call.