ClutchFans Game Thread: Clippers @ Rockets 3/5/2020

Went to the game sat row 3 clubside....yelled at D’Antoni that b**** for this ridiculous coaching. No lie Doc Rivers looked at me and shrugged his shoulders

 

just realized PJ and RoCo gave us 5 pts on 2/9 shooting wow .... i get it they are our interior defense but man thats bad

 

Why not gif?
Ok
Slippery pop…

 

Welp...

nailed the Rox score... but had a touch of dyslexia on the Clips...

 

In the words of Don Rickles...

“It’s now 11:30 pm and I’m tired and fed up!”

“We sat through a barrage of 3 pointers and none of them were good....none of them!”

“Harden’s idea of a good time is to walk it up, take a step back, and charge a $1000 to throw the ball in the air.”

“if you had the fish tonight, then you will die.”

“D’Antoni...regards from Tony Scallioni and Sammi Valentino. They told me to tell you you’d be dead in the morning.”

 

My response to this is there isn't another team in the league that is "out of options" if they aren't knocking down 20+ 3s a night.

That's the problem. The Rockets have backed themselves into a corner, stylistically.

 

Not comparing the Rockets vs. Clips, or even MDA vs. Doc, but rather a Doc-Harden > MDA-Harden for Harden's sake.

 

This I fully endorse !! It used to be fun to watch and still is when 3s are falling, but man when they aren’t this **** is really ugly and I get why the media and former players **** on this system because it’s been annoying me on and off for years but more so this year than any other because almost all our losses (many to subpar teams) have usually been on nights we suck from 3 and that juts seems like it’s acceptable with Mike and Morey

Sadly with two guys like Harry and Tyson we really are completely tied to small ball completely now

 

Really its about what our team defines as good execution. The play where Russ almost dunked on Montrez is the way we need to play. We brought excellent energy on the dribble drive we moved the ball and when Russ got it back he darted to the hole with reckless abandon. If you look at the stats everything was in order with the exception of our 3 point shooting. The reason being is its not the fact we take a lot of threes its the work that needs to be done that sets up the right shot. When we play with purposeful energy that shot will go in at a high percentage. When we take the shot as a bail out or lazy attempt we miss those most often than none. Thats where MDA needs to get these guys straight if he can.

 

It's so hard for the Rockets to get off to a good start this season. What's up with that? Dig a big hole and can't get out of it. MDA better find a solution fast because the season is almost ending and his job is on the line.

 

Defense
The switch defense with emphasis on deflections worked in some games. But it is problematic when Refs are calling for the handsy reach-ins. At least two quarters we got into penalty at the 4 and a 5 min mark. In fast pace high possessions game, that could mean a lot of free throws for the other team. When a gap builds , should the Rockets gamble for more fast pace 3's (to catch up) or do you slow it down to buy time for the quarter to end, so can end with a smaller deficit?

Are the Rocket's too slow (or getting tired too early - playing small ball switch defense)? Switch defense is supposed to make the system is easier, so how are we? (middle of the pack). Did our guys read the Clippers scouting report for tonight. Did our coaches prepare good enough reports? (Not some one page summary few bullets, actual meaty content on opponent player tendencies). Are there tangible things the coaches and players can work on to defend without fouling.

Do the starters start to play defense more timidly, because they don't want get to the personal foul limit (pace themselves, because MDA plays them long minutes). A longer rotations can solve this. I understand that some folks think our bench are sub-par in talent level from the starters, but after Knicks and this game, what's the risk really? We're losing by near 20 pts.

Offense
Small ball can work, and still be our dominant offense. However, it doesn't have to be so rigid where we don't vary. Right now we're such an open book. Rockets coaching staff knew going in, Clippers has good perimeter D, and they didn't play a slow center like a JaVale or a Gobert.

The ref was one sided in Q1 and early Q2. When Refs gave make up calls, team's confidence was already long gone. We continue to brick 3's. Rockets just didn't have enough for another miracle comeback.

Identity:
So a 3 and D team? Tonight 3's weren't falling, and small-ball D wasn't going our way. So if we can't 3 nor D, then who are we? We're painting a canvas with only two colors. They're beautiful dominant colors, but why can't we sprinkle it with more? Losing to Clippers is whatever, but I hate that we're getting blown out from the get go.

Can't use the Knick's excuse, and say we didn't take the Clippers seriously. On national TV, at Home, for a 2nd seed. When the Rockets coaches and players re-visit film, do they know their shortcomings. Do they know what their opponents have figured out about them. How good are we with our counters?

At this point, I no idea, but I hope they figure this out before the playoffs.

 

All I'm going to say is...

For all the takes about "SMALL BALL BAD! ZUBAC FEASTED ON THE ROCKETS!"

Please ignore these 0 IQ takes tomorrow. The Rockets did not lose because of small ball. If the Rockets are beating Utah and the Lakers playing small with AD and Gobert then they did not lose because of small ball. Zubac is not better than AD, Dwight, or Gobert.

They lost because they had their worst shooting game of the entire season and too many guys didn't step up.

On to the next one.

It might be that the Clippers are a match up problem with this style though, I guess we'll see.

 

I watched the first few minutes of the game, but then started skipping through it, I just knew we were going to lose. Our body language was pathetic, Harden started it all off and actually when after his first two threes I was worried it was going to be this kind of a night. Harden set the tone, but it was not just him. This is the first game I was really pissed off with Covington, his refusal to do something with the ball sometimes like he cannot dribble is just weird. The incessant fouling, allowing good 3pt shooters to get wide open ones, we were just slow footed all night.

I'm not even going to waste my time analysing this statement game where we showed everyone why they should doubt us. and no not small ball. We have no plan B when threes don't fall, no accountability and D'Antoni just refuses to go deep into his bench when players are not delivering. Gordon is still **** as predicted. Bring on that 4-5 seed so we can get embarrassed against Lakers, because this Clippers team will just walk all over us. They played far from a great game and we still managed to get blown out. Very telling, not just a Knicks fluke game, but cannot wait for all the excuses from D'Antoni and fans on here.

 

Yeah this nails it pretty good, their D was solid but not suffocating, we were just chucking and then when we had open 3s PJ,’House, RoCo, Rivers and Russ started passing on them a bunch of times or they pump faked and gave their defender time to recover ... we had a lot of open 3s that were clanged and when that continued (mainly Harden, BMac) the other guys panicked and became very reluctant shooters. It was just ugly all the way around tonight. Relying so heavily on making 3s is just a scary way tin win games, but it’s nothing new here.

You are right about RoCo he was a dud tonight

 

I'll trust Dantoni/Morey knows more than you bro for sure. Going deeper into the bench was gonna save this game from what I understand. Why you gotta act like this at a game.

 

No, other teams play good defense to account for their bad shooting. Why do you guys give basic solutions to problems you think the Coaching staff or management havent thought of.

 

Yikes!

 

Well, just exchange the places of 0 and 2.

So many Rockets legends on the other team.

Lineup

Beverley
Lou Will
Mook Morris Sr.
PPat
Montrezl Harrell

And some Rockets targets such as: JaMychal, Paul George

 

I don’t know if the sky is falling but I did see some cracks up there last night.
-Chicken Little