I hate to say it because I love this team but it’s so frustrating seeing missed open shots and giving up so many second chance point on the other end. I think that’s the difference between last year and this year. I think this season is going to end with us getting bounced by GS in the second round.
Tonight was just ugly to watch. After a while, I sort of pulled my eyes back and tried to look at the whole court to try to take everything in. Kind of like looking at a Magic Eye. And it was revealing. On offense, the Rockets just look like they have no chance of making a clean score. Not from a drive, PnR, lob, three, midrange two, nothing. Before they even do anything, you can see it. Like a team that's about to run straight into quicksand every single time and just keeps doing it without question. On defense, the other team doesn't look like it can be stopped. Even in a slow half-court setup with both teams in place, the Rockets look like they could allow a straight punch to the basket at any moment or a wide open three within a couple of passes. And the Lakers did both of those things...a lot. Many teams do them to the Rockets...a lot. Again, even before the other team does anything, you can just see it's about to happen. All the griping about refs or lack of acquiring the right players and all the rest of it still can't explain it all away. The team is just completely lost as to what the hell to do out there. On defense. On offense. It's kind of sad, but mostly, it's just ugly.
The Rockets still have problems, and there's not a whole time of time to fix them. I feel like the Rockets play a lot like last year when things are going well, but they just don't have the same fortitude to either stomp out the other team or to regroup and win a close one. I think the lack of defensive presence contributes to that as well, it's a big problem. Defensive rebounding is a killer too but the Faried/Capela line up did great on that end. Just don't know how sustainable that lineup is in the long run, but we'll see. At this point though, I still have a lot of faith in the team. I don't think they're too far from being great, but it's time to get boulder rolling. It's pretty disheartening to root for Sisyphus.
Rockets don't have a decent wing defender or PF above 6'6'' at the moment.(actually don't have ANY outside of Tucker). Made ingram look like Durant tonight with 27 and 13, on only 16 shots. Not looking forward to playing the real Durant on Saturday. To give up a first round draft pick, it sure would've helped to pick up a long defender or a capable PF instead of Shumpert's useless ass.
