ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Thunder 4/21/2013 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 1)

let's go shock the world

 

we won't its a near statistical impossibility barring any thunder injuries. What were the 'great' upsets? Denver in the 90s, Golden State against Dallas, even the 6th seed rockets winning the title? Doesn't happen often.

Losing the last 2 games of the season sealed their fate. Inexcusable imo

 

I predict a horrible series from Lin and a resurgence of you know who's. We might steal a game with strong bench play, but I'm just watching the games with no expectations. We've already reached the goal I expected of the team from before the season, so nothing more is expected.

 

1st game is critical.if the thunder get too comfortable , we can probably steal that game. parsons is going to have average 20 plus for us to have a shot. expect harden to get his points, hopefully not on a horrible fieldgoal ratio.

 

Raphael and durant are in no way near the combo that is wade and lebron and we hang with the heat pretty well.
I think we'll do better than expected just guard the 3 point line with kfart.

 

Harden will have 7TOs and get blocked 4 times.

 

i believe in the rockets

rockets in 6

 

I have absolutely no expectations for the playoffs, this is experience that will be needed for the future. I would rather they play the toughest team and don't care if they get swept. I would rather they go in and take their lumps and learn what it will take to be a championship caliber team.

I am proud of what they have accomplished this year and they are very young and are on the inside looking out, not on the outside looking in.

Go Rockets you have earned your stripes, enjoy the playoff atmosphere and the thrill of a victorious season.

 

im just gonna watch the game with no real expectations.

 

Anything from here on out is all gravy. Yo, we arent supposed to be here! The Mavs were supposed to be (boo hoo).

Would be nice to have the chicken fried steak with the gravy, though, too.

That will require much better D than we've been playing, though.

We may just have to have biscuits with our gravy.

 

I hope that our guys won't be intimidated. Leave it ALL on the floor. Go Houston Rockets make us proud. We love you.

 

At the beginning of the season I would have been overjoyed to make the playoffs, above the Jazz and the Mavericks, which I did not expect. The playoffs are a bonus, a better-than-expected for Harden, Parsons, Asik, Lin, McHale, Beverley. Gotta be grateful. Looks like James Harden is going to get his self-estimation adjusted by the end of this season. . . .

 

So is the first game Sunday or Saturday?

 

Sunday. 8:30pm.

 

With the same coach? I don't think so.

Last night's game against the Lakers brought out McHale's 3 biggest flaws:

1. Stubborn obsession with small ball
2. Stubborn obsession with iso Ball
3. Stubborn refusal to stagger Lin and Harden

This team will continue to make the same mistakes over and over again as long as McHale is the head coach.

 

Thunder shocked! Rockets will draw first blood I can feel it!

 

It will be same old. Harden ISO mode getting fouled 8 times but doing nothing much otherwise, another 25% FG game. Lin plays 30 min max, sit out for 10 min each half, comes back in game cold and loses confidence soon after that. Stop being aggressive just defers to Harden. Beverley probably finishes the game because of "defensive reasons".

The key tho to this game is to double team Durant. That was how we got our only win against them.

 

Get Nick Collison in foul trouble...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>OKC-HOU regular season: 80 mins w/ Collison on bench: OKC +1. 64 minutes w/ Collison in game: OKC +48. (per <a href="http://t.co/FEdwClyOLp" title="http://NBA.com">NBA.com</a>)</p>&mdash; Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/324860688851927040">April 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Nice one my son... he is not coy candidate for nothing

 

Well, we have a few things going for us:

1) Houston seems to play best when in underdog mode.
2) No pressure. In part, we lost the last 2 games of the season cause there was pressure to win those games. No one expects us to win games in this series.
3) OKC doesnt play stellar defense.
4) Westbrook is an inefficient scorer that often times take too many shots and can occasionally be enticed to let his emotions get the better of him. Where is Vernon Maxwell when you need him? Oh wait, we are a "good guy" team these days.


I like to be able to say we might could sneak up on them. Maybe if Harden wasnt on the team, this would have a chance