ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Pistons 11/23/2018

The only lesson to be learned from overtime, without watching it and after reading they didn’t miss, is when a star player hits five threes in a row in the last few min of the previous game and then a big three in the last few seconds to go up 2, any team can get hot and pumped up when they have the confidence (and refs) on their side. And that can be the game. Literally any NBA player can get hot and have a career moment.

It happens. That was good defense on Blake. He hit the shot.

 

Now I know what one of those 'holic Fool's Gold games really feels like.

Detroit Fans must be thinking they turned a corner -- Fool's Gold wrapped in a Black Friday gift from the league.

 

I loved it when we clamped down on them defensively in the 2nd

 

This game was no biggie. Pistons aren’t great but they’re not horrible. Hard to beat a team twice in a back to back. On top of that we were up late but Harden was tired and made some poor errors and Blake came up big.
We’ve seen much worse this year. On to the next one.

 

I was able to start watching in the early 3rd Q. We were down 10, then down 14.
We chipped away and brought it back to a tie, then took the lead.
ALL of that effort went to naught. Refs surely didn't help.

40 FT's to our 21? THAT's the game. 20 more free points made available.
Hard to say that the refs were not doing their part.
Toss in a non-call on a blatant goal tend to shave 2 more points and the refs succeed.
I don't typically complain about officiating, but the numbers are pretty obvious.

 

We got little from our bench. In a combined 70 minutes, more or less, they produced 1 trey in 10 attempts, 6 boards, with no offensive rebounds, were 2 for 2 from the charity stripe, and had a combined 2 assists and 1 steal. In about 70 minutes. With bench production like that, along with an absurd disparity in free throw attempts thanks to the refs (and our bench), the big surprise is that Detroit didn't win in regulation. Yes, Harden had 7 turnovers, but he didn't cost us the game, in my opinion. He kept us in it, along with Tuck, Chris, and Capela. What a nightmare.

 

Anything can happen in a close game. That includes a turnover or a bad call.

They key is not not get in a close game. The Rockets had their chance by being up 5 and playing good defense. They let the Pistons off the hook and paid the price.

Bench is a hot mess.

Love Harden getting back to his good FT shooting.
Love Capela's energy.

 

NBA front page having an orgasm over the so called pistons comeback. Do they headline us like that when we beat any team?

 

no but thats the best sign of our greatness

 

Lot of bad luck for Houston towards the end. Rim out threes and Blake hitting a tough shot (wish Capela would've gotten closer to him but oh well).

The game basically came down to CP3 rimming out a wide open three that perhaps was goaltended by Drummond, and then Blake hitting that three.

 

Make or miss league, CP3 was WIDE open on a 3 late, he hits that we win...he missed, we lost.

DD

 

We suck since Biz came back

 

Not as a shot to you, Reeko, but I wish people considered the time frame.

When I mentioned bringing Melo back, it was before his team decided he was out. Behind the scenes CP3 WAS trying to convince him to lace them up again. You can go and listen to a post-game CP interview where he briefly discusses the brotherhood he has with Melo.

Do I believe Melo is coming back? No. It wasn't the right fit offensively, philosophically and based on his abilities.

What other fans ALSO don't consider is that we didn't LOSE in this signing ...What if the trade for Melo actually went through in a previous summer and this happened with his "Max B" contract? That would have been bad. Instead, we lost a guy, a brother to CP for the minimum.

Anyway, I guess I wanted to address that one after being dragged Real Housewives style.

From my guy: Melo is battling another attempt to play or simply taking the season off. Personally, I think he'd be good on a team that has him in a post-up role (low minutes, 7-10 shots). His age and legs would allow him to be effective on the block. As guys age, they learn how to play differently with their legs and body. Melo isn't at the stage of volume threes, but we have seen him in his nastiness on the block.
*That's where I wish MDA gave him more room to work, just like CP3 sometimes works in the post (facing up though)


Also, there is a scenario where Melo plays elsewhere with a wink wink agreement for a small return. (I find this unlikely)

 

Normally i see CP3 right side (looking towards rim) of the paint posting/facing up. So I know D’Ant has post up plays.

Immediately after Melo stopped playing, CP3 was posting up on the left block (looking towards the rim) where
Melo should’ve been working. He was successful on all 4 attempts that I saw. I took it as a shot at D’Ant for
notting calling the play.....or at Melo for not running the play.........or at himself and Harden for not thinking of
calling the play enough. I pointed out how Melo was shooting over 70% from post ups on something like
2.3 attempts per game this season.

Oh well, water under the bridge now.

Edited: it was either the Pacers game (8 FGM) or against @ Denver(7 FGM).....to me I saw it as defiance
or regret for not calling Melo’s number in the post enough.

 

Took them a quarter of the season to play a complete game