In both games so far, we ended the 3rd quarter looking like there's no chance we'll lose the game, displaying the dominance & attitude of a champion. 1 minute into the 4th quarter, and it's a 1 point game. I think the Rockets need to remember it's a 4 quarter game, and not play like if you're ahead at the end of the 3rd, you're gonna automatically win. We need to stop letting teams get back into the game. We need to start the 4th strong, and then give the scrubs some trash time. The good news, though, is that the Rockets are actually beating the teams they're supposed to beat (so far). Sure a win's a win, but I want to see us start the 4th with MUCH more intensity.
Good point, that's why the games against the T-wolves and Suns are important. If the Rockets expect to make the playoffs, then they need to contribute to the other playoff contender's demise. Minnesota and Phoenix are two teams that the Rockets have a chance of leapfrogging for a playoff spot. I hope the Rockets are up to the challenge. Minnesota is coming to town off a back-to-back situation, so the Rockets need to capitalize.
Now I only got to listen to the first game on the radio and was in class during the other one but it seems to me the team didn't forget that it's a 4 quarter game, they just couldn't throw the ball in the ocean and their leads were only 6 or 8 points (not exactly dominance). When you're shooting percentage is in the 30's you're gonna have droughts and the other team will get to make mini runs. However, we've fought off the other team with defense and then come up big in OT. I definitely wouldn't say it's a lack of stepping up in the fourth until we play the 4th significantly worse than the rest of the game, which it doesn't seem we have considering we shoot bad the entire game.
Call me crazy, but it seems like every NBA game I've ever seen, Rockets or not is like that. One team dominates for a while, the other team comes storming back usually around the 3rd qtr, makes a game of it and usually the vast majority of them are close games in the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter. Every once in a while, you'll get a blowout or a close game all the way through, but not very often.
