ClutchFans Game Thread: Blazers @ Rockets 4/30/2014 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 5)

The rockets have to practice tomorrow. Parsons needs to find his jumper and it has a lot to do with his rhythm. You see him shoot and it is to ugly. Handling the ball and dribbling will help you get back to playing basketball the way you used to and it will fix your shot.

 

Was Canaan inactive tonight? If so, I wonder why. It would be useful to have an insurance PG because Beverley is sick.

 

He has been inactive the entire series. He must be injured.

 

How close are Parsons and Lin? They have to be brothers from another mother. Love that.

 

Canaan will never see any mint in this series unless one of our guards has an injury.

 

Your an idiot. Jeremy was talking about how he couldnt sleep and he just been booed by him own fans.
He just tapped them on the leg to show his support.
That what a real friend is.

 

I like that Daniels doesn't seem to force his shot (the 1 miss was a still good shot) and he's at least competent defensively for a rook (something Canaan still needs to work on).

 

Even Asik has more points than LMA (3-12) :grin:

 

At first I was thinking McH shouldnt have played PBev at all, cos of his condition.
What is he thinking!!!!

But with further thought, if either LMA, DLillard or Matthews not turn up for game 6,
cos of flu symptoms, then it was a _master_ stroke.

Well played, Coach McHale, well played. I underestimated you.

 

Rockets players have more of a chance of getting it being around him on the bench and in the locker room. Hoping they're taking a lot of precaution with that.

 

He makes a lot of defensive mistakes out there, very understandable though.

But he's very poise and he has been amazing from 3. 8-13 for the series! Get enough shots and he could break all records.

We need play designed to get him open in G6. We need his scoring whenever he's out there. He can be that difference maker that Portland can't answer.

 

Very nice win.
Basically the Rockets took the lead with a few minutes to go in the 1st Quarter (with back to back Chandler scores) and never relinquished it.

Blazers got close 91-90 with about 7 minutes left, but Harden came to life, and helped the Rockets to pull away.


Few complaints. Except I hope Harden gets back to being Harden by Game 6. Still I liked how he adjusted his game; and he did come up big in 4th when we needed him most.

--

What is this new thing with player only huddles -- hope next time Harden and Bev can join. But really like the idea that the players are initiating things like this. Reminds me of the players only practices in the summer.

 

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This guy thinks Lillard will be the greatest PG of all time since Isaiah Thomas. He made this video back in January comparing Lillard's jumper to Rubio's shot. Lillard says he uses both the hop off the pass because it's quicker and when the defense is closing out and the 1-2 (when he shoots off the dribble). Rubio is an exclusive 1-2 shooter, he doesn't dip, and he holds his release/uses two motions causing him to shoot forward and come up short. I am noticing a similar thing from Chandler Parsons. He doesn't use the hop anymore, he's leaning back, and he doesn't dip before he goes up to shoot it. Dribbling exercises will fix the the stop and pop and the 1-2, but he needs to work on the hop when he needs to catch and shoot with assistants. Lin has a nice 1-2, Harden had the stop and pop down, and Parsons used to have the catch and shoot ability. I hope they fix it.

In the playoffs, Lillard loves shooting the three from the right wing and the top of the key. I think he's always preferred the left corner over the right corner as well. I also noticed the Blazers ALWAYS have someone camping at the right wing. Lillard drove in one time and made the craziest pass. I guess he saw the right corner was covered well, didn't check the left corner and just threw it to the right wing for the wide open three. I think it was Mathews because that is his spot. He just knows where to throw the ball to when the defense collapses and I am surprised the Rockets haven't been intercepting these passes. You have to game plan for these things. In the playoffs, once you learn your opponents tendencies you can get steals for easy transition buckets. It is hard to get easy points otherwise.

 

We outrebounded them. 48-34
We had more assists. 23-14
We had a better FG% 47.3-43.4

 

The speech by Mario Elie worked!

Especially that part about staying together and not letting POR see our weaknesses and lack of faith in each other. That took the pressure off Lin and Harden, and they started to believe again.

Let's see this reach Game 7

 

This is something I picked up on as well. There were times today when he could have forced up an ill advised shot but didn't.

I don't know if that's because he's only a Rook and doesn't want to rub people the wrong way - but I'm hoping it's because he's smart.

I'm really looking forward to seeing him utilised by a coach who can draw up plays.

That double pick used by Portland to get Wes a wide open 3 at the top of the key... How good would it look having Daniels be the shooter on that play numerous times a game.

 

even the 3 he missed was still so soft that it bounced up and had a slight chance of falling back in. he is truly one of the best pure shooters i've seen in the modern era.

 

when things go bad, I would want a parsons massage. who doesn't?

I just noticed Lillard hates playing defense maybe as much as Harden. In the first quarter they had batum on Bev because Lillard wanted to freelance in the middle looking for steals.
attack him and keep attacking him.

 

The best part about that quote is it was made anonymously. If that player is so confident, why not put your name on that quote?