ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Blazers 3/30/2017

*** man, this beard has the heart and soul of a fukn warrior. Love this dude. He really bleeds rockets red.

 

Check out @Jonathan_Feigen's Tweet:

 

I didn't think the wrist was bothering him too much after he initially hurt in Denver, but after re-aggravating it against OKC, he just did not look right against GS...his shot was way off from 3 and he couldn't finish at the rim at all

he also kept grimacing during the game

we'll see how he looks tonight, but if that wrist is gonna have him looking like he did against GS, then I'd rather he sit out

 

He was able to finish at the rim well against GS (even had a dunk) and made all his free throws. His 3 was completely off though.

 

James wasn't the only one grimacing during that last game.
Fans and players were also wincing, mostly due to that horrific shooting peformance

 

Its gonna be Chipotle tonight

 

You can bet the Blazers will be hammering down on Harden's wrist all night. And ditto for every opponent moving forward if they think they can limit his game.

I am sure Harden will lean more towards distributing. His teammates better come through for him in making shots.

 

Jump shots require more "wrist snap" on their follow throughs than layups, dunks, and FT's. Dunking would definitely hurt, but the pain technically wouldn't impede on his ability to dunk.

I'd rather him sit out this road trip all together - 3 games in 4 nights, plus another 2 nights of rest before playing Denver on Wednesday would give him at least a week off including yesterday night. 3rd seed is pretty much locked up. Would love for the Rockets to beat up on GSW, but would rather Harden get to the playoffs at a 100% rather than with an ailing wrist and beat up on them in WCF.

Even if the Rockets end up 0-3 without Harden on the road trip, 1) it may just solidify his bid for MVP, 2) They're 5.5 games ahead of Utah for the 4th spot, and Utah has a rough schedule to end the season (1 vs Wash, 2 vs SA, 2 vs Port, 1 vs GSW,). The worst team they play is Minnesota, and they're not exactly pushovers IMO.

 

hmmm....well, sadly, Harden was 5-20 in the game and everything was either at the rim or from 3.

Harden was 4-11 at the rim, with 3 misses in the last 5 minutes, which looked to me like inability to put proper spin on the ball at full arm extension. He missed 3 from "0 ft"

Here's his shot chart, and link to try for yourself
http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/shot-chart/201703280HOU.html

 

After these coupke of westbrook games, I´m expecting a monster game tonight. It really has been a fun MVP race!

 

5-11 at the rim... yeesh. I agree with the "spin" issue, but could some of the misses have been no-calls? I know there was a free throw disparity a majority of the game.

 

4-11...he made a three. He missed 7 shots at the rim.

 

yeah, I seemed to remember he wasn't finishing well. Particularly late in the game after I think he got his wrist whacked. It will be a concern from game to game. My guess is he will be cautious and the wrist won't limit him initially, until it gets whacked and aggravated.

 

A loss here makes two in a row. Then GSW tomorrow makes it 3 in a row...Will the Rockets ever win another game?

 

He wasn't finishing well at the rim. He shot 1-9 from 3 and 5-20 overall. That means he was 4-11 at the rim (I don't recall him taking any midrange shots) which is pretty terrible, especially when he's been a 70% finisher at the rim this season.