Waiting for the Spurs/Clippers - Is this good or bad?

I don't think rest is a bad thing. Below are Harden's numbers this season with more than 2 days in between games:

Games: 14
FG%: 46.22%
3pt%: 40.96%
FT%: 90.14%
PPG: 27.43
RPG: 5.71
APG: 6.95
STL: 1.94
TOV: 3.99
Comparable with his per game numbers, but his efficiency is better, as could be expected.

And Ariza

Games: 13
MPG: 29:23
PPG: 12.65
FG%: 41.94
3P%: 37.63%
FT%: 82.76
RPG: 5.68
AST: 2.58
TOV: 1.725

Significantly lower MPG, but his FG% and 3P% are slightly higher... not a huge difference with Ariza getting extended rest (on paper).

 

Gotta win Game 1. We will be at a significant advantage.

 

So, do the rust people really believe more losses in the first round would have helped the Rockets, because that's what the argument implies.

The big thing always missing from this rest v rust story is how rest means you swept a team or won in 5. No one ever talks about how much that type of domination does for team chemistry and confidence. The rust ppl just ignore that as if purposefully losing a game would have been better in the long run.

Not to say losses can't have a silver lining, but it's not about rest v rust. It's about overcoming obstacles that might help you learn. And that's somewhat a stretch as well. Total domination trumps that "night in and night out."

Fo Fo Fo

 

Yep and then the Rockets blowing the close out at home in game 5 and letting them extend it to 7 games basically wore the team out and hurt us against the Jazz.

 

Dwight /jones/smith are gonna dominate Duncan. Spurs post is as old as Dallas's and will be handled like them

Our bench is deeper than clippers

 

It's great if we get the Spurs. It's not good if we get the clips. That team is still young, and momentum would be overwhelmingly in their favor, while rust would hit us. If it's the Spurs, the long road and no rest games would hurt them hard in games 1-2.

 

Rest is bad for fan,good for players and coach ... Yes mental fatigue counts

 

After Game 1, I'm not sure how much it's going to matter. It seems like the Spurs are a mentally tougher team than the Clippers, but they are also significantly older. However, the Clippers bench took a big hit with the injury to Davis, so they'll probably be playing their starters more now. At the end of the day, the Rockets are going to have to execute flawlessly on both ends of the court to win this series no matter who they play. I'd say if the extra few days allows us time to fine-tune our offense and defense, then it was completely worth it.

 

I don't believe the amount of time off has much of anything to do with the Rockets' frame of mind when they go into any next game. Whoever's going to show up big for us in any particular game, especially in these playoffs, is a mystery. Since the mental aspect is a wash, I'm all aboard the get-as-much-rest-as-possible-to-come-back-strong-physically train.

I'm also completely in favor of playing of the Spurs. Winning a seven-game series against the Clippers, then having to play again soon after is going to give us a big physical advantage I think, which is what need to counter their mental advantage. The Clips are a young, physical team that I'm fairly sure can still cancel out our big men even without much rest, and our bigs, particularly Dwight, are our advantage (as long as they make their free throws), when everyone is going to doubling and tripling Harden.

 

Less rest for the opponent.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/JHarden13">@JHarden13</a> on waiting for Spurs or Clippers: &quot;Who ever we play is going to be a tough match up.&quot; <a href="http://t.co/FnKWbWKEtq">pic.twitter.com/FnKWbWKEtq</a></p>&mdash; Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/594212710214045696">May 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kevin McHale: &quot;Sometimes it's better to watch other people struggle for awhile.&quot;</p>&mdash; Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/594210285512069120">May 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
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In before media headlines: James Harden calls teammates "Grandpas"; clearly has no respect for his elders!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">James Harden on Jason Terry and Pablo Prigioni: &quot;The grandpas have done a great job.&quot;</p>&mdash; Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/594213829413744641">May 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Josh: &quot;Did you miss me (these last 2 days)?&quot;

Dwight: &quot;No I didn't miss you. I've been seeing you the past 30 years&quot; <a href="http://t.co/yyAfAye7BR">pic.twitter.com/yyAfAye7BR</a></p>&mdash; Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/594215944185982978">May 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dwight Howard on Josh Smith: &quot;He's shooting the ball well. He's defending. He's passing. He's like Magic Johnson out there.&quot;</p>&mdash; Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/594218240542277632">May 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Josh Smith on Dwight Howard comparing his play to Magic Johnson: &quot;Just to be acknowledged in the same breath as a Hall of Famer, it's big&quot;</p>&mdash; Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/594218970216955904">May 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
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I thought about this when Glen Davis went down
Looked like a broken ankle cause he could not put pressure on it

We have enough bodies to throw at them and wear them down

Rocket River

 

rest is good

especially since people like Jones and Howard just came back from injury not too long ago

gives the body time to recover

plus those old legs on terry and prig are probably dead from one series

 

i think the rest will do ourplayers some good....

id much rather face the clippers bc we can put Ariza on CP3 which had some success...
they have no bench really
Harden abuses matt barnes
Blake might be a problem tho...
Deandre jordan is a worse freethrow shooter than anyone on our roster...

 

Who are the grandpas?

 

Just hoping James stays loose and relaxed during this rest. Maybe he should try something different, like go to a strip club for a change.

Spoiler

:grin:

 

If you have to ask, you just might be one.

 

I know James is young but man I cringe every time he gets a physical foul or hits the ground on his ass, it ain't hard to break a tail bone. dude knows how to fall but man hope he doesn't get injured in this next series..

 

Good, very good. Let them exhaust themselves physically and emotionally. Yes, that's the ticket!