ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Clippers 1/18/2016

Didn't Kevin Martin do that when he was on the team?

 

I swear Harden did pass the ball Thornton? He found him on a cut and drew multiple defenders to free up Thornton for a couple of his threes.

 

1) The Rockets need to take the Poppovich's approach to defense and realize there's only 1, maybe 2 guys on each team that can put the ball down, drive in, and finish through contact. You can take away layups from the rest of the team by simply by playing them close and forcing them a direction (left if they are right handed for example, or baseline when they are driving from the middle so the defense can help and close out/recover in time). Once you they commit to the drive you body them up once you get to the paint. Either they have to pick up the ball with 3 seconds working against them, or they have to finish a lay up through contact.

The Rockets have this mindset where they just don't want to foul so they end up giving up layups and and ones. Popp just makes you finish through bodies and the bump is not gonna get called every time and that is what Poppovich banks on. Once the defense catches on and aggressively drives in to counter the contact, take the charge.

2) They also need to just focus on stopping the ball every time the other team tries to push it. This is usually the PGs job. Making the other team's PG feel uncomfortable and forcing him to pass it every time he tries to push it after he crosses the half court line. They run into a wall and they give up the ball so now the Rockets know a play is not being run.

 

3) You saw the Rockets taking 3s off the dribble/screens with Thornton because the defense tightens up and takes away more as the game progresses. The Rockets have to be content with taking more mid range jumpers in the second half and mainly the 4th quarter because teams are so focused on taking away 3s and lay ups. I would rather have a mid range j off the dribble, or a pull up off a screen/in transition than a forced lay up/put back over 3 people.

Before the 4th quarter against the Rockets most coaches are going to advise their players not to make them shoot over a hand on every 3, be physical with their bigs (a good way to get them in foul trouble early if your smart), and no layups-nothing easy inside. Once they start beating them from mid range the other team calls a time out and adjusts. Then you can just play your game.

 

Good post! You are more of a coach than Mchale and JB combined

 

And finally, each team has 1 maybe 2 guys that can pull up consistently from mid range like a Crawford. As long as you get a hand up, it's good defense. Try to jump.

 

Our defense was embarrassing this game, especially Harden, looked like he straight up quit on both ends tonight. And then he celebrates his effort by hitting up the strip club afterwords, jesus christ what is wrong with this man. So unlikable, will we ever see him in last season's form again?

Howard with his best game as a Rocket and one of his top games ever, mad props to this man he just keeps playing. He has some bad games sometimes but he isn't a quitter, he'll always have my respect.

Everyone else played the way you would expect them to play, nice shots by Thornton.

 

Dwight was dominant period.
MT was great wit the ball, minutes
Jones geez words cannot
Capela you had a decent game overall but can be as frustrating to watch as Jones
Lol at Josh smith not playing
We suck at FTs
That was the game right there

 

Howard dominated last night, like 40 and 20 and swishes all of those FTs and we lose to the Clippers without Blake Griffin who kills all of our PFs.

Yes, I blame Harden. It's so easy for him to get in rhythm and beat a guy like Reddick. Reddick gives him a lot of body when Harden posts up making it hard to post him up, BUT he plays him straight up when Harden faces him, gets a hand up on every shot and doesn't reach or go for steals. This means Harden can do as much dribbling to get a nice rhythm going in mid range and kill him. The guy has 36 blocks in his entire NBA career. He is not trying to block the shot. Hit him with step backs and 15 foot pull ups off dribble moves. It's so easy to pass from that 15-18 foot spot too if they come to double. I will admit the spacing was poor at times last night. Guys were walking to their spots, not moving where they should have been.

Harden just got frustrated and stopped playing his game. Reddick got in his head.

 

Offense and defense stops when he waddles his fat ass onto the court

He drains the shot clock to get to the strip clubs faster

 

Sucks having a PF situation where Jones can't play solid, Capela can't play strong, Dmo can't play due to injury. We need a PF in the worst way

 

Ask yourself why MJ played so much in that 15-18 foot area at the top and the answer is because of double teams and defenses collapsing on him. They respected his drive so much so he learned how to maneuver well from mid range.

MJ shot open jumpers in transition, before the defense got back. He didn't care if he had a rebounder because that was always a good shot because he practiced it so much.

MJ was fantastic at the catch and shoot jumper, it allowed him to avoid being double teamed. Harden is not good at it, and it's part of the reason why he can't play off-ball and why his teammates can't create.

 

true (and i like all your posts in this thread).

but,,, what's the point of comparing harden to mj? there is none.

 

Harden gets double and triple teamed and so did MJ. The difference is MJ didn't quit driving or playing his game, he just found other ways to beat them starting with defense and what I said above. Harden tends to quit on both sides of the floor when things don't go his way.

 

The game I see Harden struggling on offense and win it with defense is when I change my mind and say the Rockets have a chance to win this season.

Even Kobe and MJ understood not every night your shots are going to fall and it starts with defense. You need it to spark the offense and get you as many easy baskets as possible.

 

I don't remember Harden attempting to draw a charge once this season. His man is always easily laying it in because he doesn't trust his teammates. On most nights, you should not be doubling so much off the other teams shooting guard. He only averages 0.7 blocks per game on the season. So the question is, how does he stop his man? He doesn't draw charges or block shots. The answer is he gambles for steals. He sags off his man and hopes they pass it to him so he can play the lane, get the steal and 2 points. His man realizes his so he just waits until the ball handler drives (usually after a pick) then he moves to another spot for an open 3 or cuts in because Harden is too busy ball watching.

 

MJ also bought into moving without the ball. Harden on the other hand just stands and watch.

 

you want proof of how much the NBA and people dont like Dwight Howard?....

Google his name and all will come up is stuff about Harlem Globetrotters wanting to play HORSE

change it to the past 24 hours

Exact same results..... How can you have that big of a game and no one cares

 

Early on, Harden should focus on getting his teammates going early, playing off ball and not letting his man get it going. Other teams have nights where a random role player goes off and drops 20 (40 if it's against the Rockets) on a nightly basis. This doesn't happen with the Rockets. If Harden doesn't give you 30-40 points the Rockets lose.

They wrote it off as Deandre being sick.

 

Redick's 40 (and who did or didn't cover him)

Spoiler

Spoiler

Harden
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Spoiler

Transition 3; no one got back; Beverley closest
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Spoiler

Ariza
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Spoiler

Driving baseline layup; Jones half-assedly attempts to cut him off; Lawson watches
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Spoiler

Harden
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Spoiler

Brewer/Howard
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Spoiler

Harden
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Spoiler

Harden
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Spoiler

Ariza starts on Redick; Capela tries to close out; Redick left wide open
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[Redick goes 6-6 FT]

Spoiler

Terry closest guy
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[Redick goes 2-2 FT]

Spoiler

Announcers credited Mbah a Moute but I'm 2 points short for Redick so...
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