[ClutchFans] Podcast: Game 1 loss a wake-up call or death knell for Rockets?

I think we lose in 5, but I've never wanted to be wrong more than now. Before last night, I was hoping for a sweep. Ug, what a year.

 

Here's the problem with LaMarcus going off. LaMarcus went 5 for 14 from outside the paint area this game. You guys that keep talking about him hitting all these crazy shots need to understand something. Yeah, he hit a couple crazy shots, the 3 from deep and another jumper or two. But overall he was 5 for 14 outside the paint.

The problem with LaMarcus was he was too big for anybody we put on him not named Asik/Dwight. LaMarcus went 12 for 17 in the paint!!!!!!!! Do you understand that? He got the ball, rolled into a post up and obliterated us inside. Jones, Garcia, Parsons......we can't put those guys on LaMarcus and expect to stop him from getting in the paint.

By the way, Omer Asik's foul trouble???? Here you go.

Foul #1) TRob drew a shooting foul on Asik. Now........once again...that's the wrong matchup for Asik. TRob has quickness and a move off the dribble. TRob is the guy that Jones should be covering. So...there's the first foul on Asik. It wasn't Asik defending LaMarcus. It was Asik defending against TRob. TRob came in the game for Lopez and McHale went with Asik for Jones. Once again that is the wrong matchup. This is on McHale. Mchale has got to see the correct matchups defensively or we're gonna be out of here.

Foul #2) Offensive foul on Asik setting a pick. Once again nothing to do with LaMarcus.

Foul #3) Asik fouls LaMarcus.

That's one foul where Asik is defending LaMarcus.

Foul #4) A second pick foul on Asik. Once again nothing to do with LaMarcus.

Foul #5) Asik fouled Lillard at the rim off contact Lillard initiated. And that was somewhat of a questionable call.



Fact 1: Omer Asik played a grand total of 3:23 alongside Dwight defending Lamarcus.

Fact 2: Omer Asik played a grand total of zero minutes alongside Dwight while Portland had their 2 bigs (Lopez and LaMarcus) in the game.

Fact 3: Omer Asik and Dwight played in the Twin Towers alignment while Portland had LaMarcus and Thomas Robinson in the game together.



Now you tell me....do those matchups make any sense? If you're gonna play Twin Towers why would you play it when the opponent is going to a smaller lineup and not play it when Portland has their 2 biggest men on the floor together??????????

Doesn't make sense to me. I don't know what McHale is thinking with his matchups. I really don't. To me this is an easy call. Asik on LaMarcus and Dwight on Lopez until Portland benches one of those guys. If Portland brings in Robinson then that is our opportunity to either play Jones or go small with 4 shooters on the floor.

 

Lin can barely hold onto the ball, much less hold onto Lillard. The less we are relying on Lin for anything, the better.

 

Where is the H and H pick and roll?

I had figured that we were saving the heavy dosage of this for the playoffs...... I just don't understand why we didn't go to it more last night. We have to get away from 1 man offensive sets (Howard in the post, Harden or Parsons on the Iso)

I would like us to have a more specific offensive and defensive game plan. I understand free flowing but good god. We have some of the worst team defense I can remember seeing. Especially when you consider how frequently we give up the offensive rebound after Dwight moves over to help.

More pick and roll, add some Troy Daniels and figure out how to get Harden an open shot or two where he doesn't have to work so hard.

 

LOL you you went from expecting a sweep to thinking the Rockets will only win 1 game? The knee-jerk is strong in you...

 

This will end up being a huge wake up call for us. We come out with a purpose from here on out. Rockets in 5.

 

What a great post. It's not fun reading the knee jerk reactions which happens far too much and fans go full force whichever way the wind blows.

I think Portland posting him up early in the game played a role in his being tired at the end of the game. It was a good strategy for them. The Rockets need to adjust, and they are definitely capable of winning this series despite the game one loss.

 

I didn't realize LMA was that inefficient outside the paint. But it actually shouldn't have been that surprising. I recall LMA have been pretty inefficient in 4 regular season games against us, shooting % wise. I hope McHale understand that of all the poison, giving LMA a jump shot outside the paint is one of them we should pick up and try. This also help with L&L PnR. Trap Lillard and let LMA takes jump shot.

I'm in favor of the TT against Portland 2 bigs. Jones cannot guard LMA. 5/5 times. We don't need it to be 6/6 times.

 

The way the Rockets have "defended" him this year? Yeah, he could probably keep on doing that

 

I don't know about the players. But it's a wake up call for some cocky fans who believed we were one of the elite teams. We are not. We are still learning, from the coach to the franchise players to the role players to the bench.

So get use to it.

 

I'm not worried, I still think we win in 7, with an outside chance of winning in 6.

 

How to stop LA? Two words: Tanya. Harding.

 

edited..

 

basketballholic, all I’m saying is that the probability of him going off for 46 and Dwight and Harden playing below their averages will likely not happen 3 mores times; not all 3 factors in the same game.

With that being said, I completely agree with you about the match-ups. Letting him go off with 12 for 17 in the paint is unacceptable. He was just too big and too skilled for Jones (and Parsons) to guard down there. As the game went on and LMA was scoring at will, in the paint, I kept asking myself when the Rockets coaching staff was going to adjust the defense to make him uncomfortable. They should have thrown different schemes and personnel at him to at least make him have to adjust a little more.

Let me ask you this, is this game indicative that small ball just does not work for extended periods in a Playoff game? I just remembering thinking that the Blazers were doing an okay job getting back on D against our small line-up and then on the other end we were getting beat-up pretty good.

 

Thanks Clutch! Very much appreciated.

 

I had said I don't trust this Rockets team in a seven game series. I think now people can see why.

 

We played a B or B+ game, you played a C+ or B- game. Bottom line, you still have a lot of room for improvement. The Blazer fan base is happy we won last night, but we all know we haven't seen close to the best from your team.

To paraphrase Bill Simmons, right now our fan base is a bunch of worried soccer moms.

 

Game two will tell us one of two things: hope is alive or hope is lost. Going to Portland down two? Seriously? Reputations are made in the playoffs. The media is already feasting on Howard. Will Harden join him or will they both redeem themselves?

 

Y'all are in a good spot. Rockets need 2 out of the next 3 to have a chance.