Clutchfans All Sarcasm Thread

Os Trigonum · Mar 20, 2016

you know something, I don't know what all the "fire JB" fuss is all about, but I really find his post-game assessments reassuring. I feel much more confident about the team's progress after reading this.

J.R. said: ↑

http://www.sports790.com/onair/the-pallilog-1133/jb-bickerstaff-on-the-drive-home-14505640/

Disappointing performance last night. How do you explain it at this point in this season?

Because we've been playing better, hopefully it was just one of those nights. When you play as many games as our guys have played, you have those nights where for whatever reason you can't get your mojo going. Ton of games, they come quickly at you. We've been playing really good as of late so I won't overreact to the one game. We need to prepare ourselves as we did today for a game tomorrow.

Umm...you were off. They played the night before. You're playing too many games was the reason the players couldn't get it up last night?

That's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying there are times in the season for whatever reason where you have one of those nights. Our guys have been playing hard and really well over the past 5/6 games. Some nights, it doesn't go your way. Our first 2 quarters last night weren't good enough defensively. No excuse for that. No rhyme or reason, not good enough flat out. Again, if it becomes a pattern, then I'll react. We've beaten good teams on the road. We went to Boston & Toronto, we played good basketball. I won't overreact to the one night performance. I trust our guys will come back and be ready to go tomorrow and understand the significance of all the games we have coming up and they'll give their all. They won't lay down or quit or give in. We won't overreact to the moment.

You beat Toronto & Boston. From a fan perspective, fair that it's that much more frustrating that there hasn't been the consistent quality play given what you have demonstrated?

No doubt about it. I understand the sentiment. We are frustrated. No one is pleased with us being 34-34. What I can say is, there's been improvement. Those wins are signs of improvement. We have to continue down that path. At this moment, the focus needs to be on getting better every single day, better at practice & film and earning a playoff spot and moving forward. Last night's game was frustrating. Our guys felt that today when we watched film. We understand that. It has been frustrating but we need to focus on the process of getting better. You want to win games in that moment but you have learning moments/opportunities. You hate to lose but you hope in a loss you can learn something from it and it doesn't happen again. Since the break when we've had discussions about the team we want to be, how we plan on getting there, we've had more nights where we've been good Rockets than bad Rockets.

Players-only meeting.

Communication & resolution of the problems we may been having. The obvious problem has been first quarters. We've talked at ad-nauseam with our group. We gotta be better in the first quarters. If you're always playing catch up, shots become more difficult, each mistake on defense is more magnified. We need to put ourselves in better positions from the jump. We have to do whatever it takes to do that.

Analytics & eye ball test, anything contributing to the slow starts?

If you look at, as we do, the turnover numbers in the first quarter are higher than throughout the rest of the game and defensive FG% is higher than the rest of the game. If you're turning the ball over, that leads to easier shot for your opponents, they're getting out on the break in odd-man situations(offense's favor) and putting more pressure on your rim which leads to fouls and those type of things. That's where it starts. Us being more sound with the ball to give our halfcourt defense a chance to work.

How do you defend the CP3 pick-&-roll?

With Chris Paul, you have to make him a scorer, as odd as it sounds. You can't have nights where he has big scoring nights AND big assist nights. Last night, he had double figures in both which means he's doing a heck of a job for himself AND getting his teammates involved. He'll take big shots in big moments but hates to exhaust shots. He won't take all the open shots; he'll turn some down because he's looking to create for his teammates. We didn't do a good enough job last night in limiting him in one of those categories. We allowed him to do both.

4 spot - contemplating changes?

We'll give DMo the opportunity to get his feet wet and reach the level we know he can play at. Having Michael off the bench who can give you a double-double is rare. The ability to have him on the floor when James is off gives you a scoring punch most teams don't have from their bench. He's well suited & comfortable in his role. His niche may grow as the season winds down but we're trying to give and want to give a guy we believe in and can fit with that starting unit because of all the intangibles & little things to get comfortable in that role and earn more minutes.

34-34 with 14 to play. Do you feel like you better finish over .500 to deserve to be there and in the end, will need to be over .500 to be there?

I think we need to. I think we will. It's ,again, you want to be playing good basketball. You don't want anything handed to you. If it takes .500 to get in, then you've done enough to get in and deserve to get in. The league is a tough league, a competitive league. People aren't walking into the playoffs. You have to earn that spot and win more games than other teams below you. Utah is a good young team. Dallas is a good team. Portland is a good team. To be fighting for the spot we're fighting for, when you get in, you deserve to get in. You've worked for it. It may not be the perfect scenario. It may not be the scenario everyone dreamed at the beginning of the year but whatever it was, you did enough to get in and something your guys should be proud of.
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#Pursuit

heypartner · Mar 20, 2016

My gf just bought a can of stickum against my wishes. I've never felt so stuck in a relationship before.

Stardog75 · Mar 20, 2016

The best sarcasm on the Internet can ALWAYS be found at Clutch Fans!!!!!!

Os Trigonum · Apr 1, 2016

Os Trigonum · Apr 6, 2016

that was a fun game to watch

Borneoman · Apr 6, 2016

Barea was on fire. Put Terry on Barea.

J.R. · Apr 6, 2016

Jason Terry & Corey Brewer are good players and deserve the minutes they get. In fact, I hope John Brewer Bickerstaff increases their minutes as we close out the season & head into the playoffs.

daywalker02 · Apr 6, 2016

Versatile Offense and consistently good Defense throughout the season

The Playoff perspective is looking great - we can upset anyone and nobody wants to see us in Round 1.

jayhow92 · Apr 6, 2016

It's just one game. We're only _____ games into the season. I'm sure we will turn the corner. Nobody wants to face us in the playoffs. We're got everyone right where we want them.

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