ClutchFans Game Thread: Thunder @ Rockets 2/9/2019

True, but we have to remember that they’re playing against professionals and a team that is down 25 can be just as likely to cut it to 10 or 15 (or more) than to go down by 35 or 40 (or stayed tied in the -25 range). Some of it is obviously up to the Rockets to control, but the other team has some element of control as well.

 

f the press and f the haters

 

He didn't lead us to a choke job. How exactly is this on Harden? He got 42 points. He just doesn't have the support around like George has.

 

You can be critical of Jimmy and he deserves some of it BUT, we can't win when he's not on the floor. He rested 11 minutes tonight. He is surrounded by by a bunch of nothing basically....old men,cast offs from other teams and a an apparent cheap ass owner. I love the Rockets but no other team has one player that is supposed to carry the whole team. Criticize all you will but no matter how good someone is defensively, you can't have someone spend 36 minutes on the court and not score a single point...not one...took 3 shots total, one of which was a 3 but yet stays at the 3 pt. line instead of going inside to rebound. Had 7 rebounds, third to Faried with 12 and CP3 with 10. EGO, GG and Rivers...oh my goodness. Inexcusable.

 

yep,
what is weird is its not that cp3 is bad or washed up, his play is pretty solid but it doesn't translate to rockets winning ...
most likely its hardens fault because he put the foot of the gas pedal when cp3 is playing...
ever since harden proclaimed that this team has turned corner after gsw win, rockets went back to hot-cold rhythm....

 

Missed the game tonight, how was shumperts debut with the rockets?

I saw he took Ennis minutes but how was his impact on the game?

 

Really? Deserves to miss the playoffs? I share all the frustration but teams that deserve to miss the playoffs are the teams that don’t have records sufficient to make it to the playoffs. The Rockets have fought through lots of adversity (I’m not excusing their inconsistent play) that would have done many if not most teams in. Yet they’re still in the hunt.

 

Tale of two halves .

1st free flowing offense everyone getting a piece “D” intense
2nd defense/offense went stale

*i think JH needs to not press on “O” so much now that cp3 is back. I think he wants to pad stats to keep streak alive. Think he spent a lot of energy that 1st half.

 

This game proved what we've been saying all along. Our defense goes into panic when we miss a couple of shots and they make a couple in a row.

I don't mind losing to good teams..... but we literally gave that game away. We allowed way too many open 3pt shots in that 3rd quarter.

 

second unit made a big breakthrough in the first slowly building the lead that exploded to 26 when harden came in after resting for a while

 

Coach is too stubborn for his own good. Same rotation, substitution even when all hell was broken loose in the third. He should have put in CP earlier and take Harden out to stop the bleeding first.

 

I don't know what the league will look like in 2 years, but I do know what the Rockets will look like. We will be middle of the pack in the West maxed out with decrepit CP3 and declining Harden, and looking for a desperate team to give us young assets/picks for Harden and/or Capela.

 

Well below average to be honest. It's his first game, and it was a tough one, so I won't give him too much flack.

 

I’m sick of the inconsistent effort, and the lack of focus after getting big leads. Giving up a 22-point lead in 12 minutes should never happen and every person associated with the organization should be embarrassed that it did. Somebody in the locker room should stand up and get hot about it, too. Effort is something that should never waver, unless you are tired or hurt.

 

I’m hurt man

 

Because Morey and Alexander offered a powerless forward an 80 million dollar contract .

 

hahahahaha!
so true....

 

This team is inconsistent as hell, but they're nothing of not resilient. As angry as we all are by the outcome, I believe the players are twice as upset. Losses can be a catalyst for change. Despite seeming like the Rockets are doing the same things over and over and over again, each time there's been a collapse like this there is a noticeable difference in how the team plays and they get better for it, if only by a little.

HOWEVER: the one thing that helps keep leads is defense, and in the third it was absolutely pathetic. Even if PG was hitting everything, the effort on the boards was ridiculous and nobody closed out hard on shooters. It's not over until the clock says 0:00, and the Rockets were caught with their pants down waaaay too early.

It feels good to vent after seeing a team collapse like this, and to share my opinions with a bunch of people just as pissed as I am. Clutchfans is the real MVP

 

Faried failed to hedge that screen properly, allowing Westbrook to easily split it and get a layup.