ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Kings 12/15/2015

I know, kinda given up on this season.
Hope Les goes berzerk mode next summer.

 

I think the effort problem is that our record is good enough to be in playoff contention. Some guys are essentially mailing it in until the all star break or so.

I remember Shaq doing something similar, but of course he earned it.

Bottom line, get used to .500 ball and a low seed...

 

We will see

 

9pm?

I ain't watching this

 

...

 

Dmo 30+ pts. 7/9 3PT

 

This makes sense. Rockets clearly subconsciously feel they can win without homecourt advantage in the playoffs. No need to go all out during the season.

 

Should this game be watched?

 

Thing is in so many games their down big late and then go on their famous comeback mode but its under 3 mins and that comeback wont happen when your under 3 mins. We need to play like those 3 mins all game until we break it open. Weve had no answer to denver all year. Thank god their not a playoff team and we wont see them anymore

 

You misspelled Mclemore.

 

Yesterday I knew some scrub like Barton will go off

Today it'll probably be Collision or Macklemore

 

Given how inconsistent our team is this season, this should be a win.

 

This one isn't going to be easy, especially after last night, when I watched our boys stink it up against the Denver Nuggets. It's difficult rocking all Rockets gear and having Denver fanboys with drunk muscles feeling good about themselves. I was heckled plenty. LOL

Anyway, from last night, we looked depleted out there. When you sit courtside, you are able to examine things that aren't shown on TV, and quite a lot of body language/conversations that you wouldn't be able to see or hear farther away.

There are some personality issues on this team. The way certain players speak to their teammates is unhealthy, disrespectful and terrible for morale.

There are cliques on this team, and the players are not subtle about which "side" they're on.

One could argue that our two superstars are not on the same page, on both a basketball level and in terms of a personal relationship that goes beyond the court.

I noticed a great deal of differences last night, in comparison to our last game at the Pepsi Center. It's flat out sad. Somewhere, somehow, our team lost the drive to be great. I don't know if it happened in the preseason, when McHale began to lose his grip on the team, or it could be as simple as our guys not playing enough together, and McHale didn't focus his practices enough to address the disconnect. It seems like McHale's approach to the season was way too lose, and he figured chemistry would work itself out on the court as the season progressed. That, in itself, is a terrible methodology of coaching, and with the addition of guys like Ty, and injuries to our 4s, we were being set up for failure.

James should shoulder a great deal of the blame, as our number one option. He has lost a step, but I don't see it from an athletic viewpoint. He has regressed psychologically as a leader, as well as a competitor. Any one of us can see that he hasn't quite reached the "Killer" identity that he played with last year. The problem with that is our supporting cast, like Pat, Corey, Ty and TJ, have played well-below expectations. The margin for error is very small now, and we're reaching the point of fighting just to make the playoffs.

It may seem like we're only a few games back of being decent in the standings, but as of now, nobody fears playing us. We are predictable and don't have the same perseverance as before, when we start losing in the third and fourth quarter. It's been years since I've seen a Rockets team throw in the towel when the going gets tough.

Last night, when the Rockets got down by 8 early in the third, the amount of disgruntled, defeated faces was shocking. In the past, our guys would have found some resolve and would have recognized that a 10-15 point deficit is nothing. Basketball is a game of runs. It's easy to come back from a double-digit deficit, but only if a team has a strong level of trust and investment to winning. Moreover, a team can come back against any team, but only if the communication among players has positive intent and each individual player takes accountability on defense and playing just as hard as the next guy.

Admittedly, I am a huge fan of Trevor Ariza, but even from an objective standpoint, Trev, Marcus and a recovering DMo were playing "harder" (yuck, McHale word) than everyone last night. Even Dwight was lazy when it came to protecting the rim from the weak side, and he was outplayed by a surprisingly-efficient Joffrey Lauvergne. That just can't happen. Period. Dwight is our second best defender, and arguably, our only threat in the paint. His effort last night was mediocre and uninspiring.

Yes, I know there is a flu-bug in the locker room, and James wasn't feeling great. However, when you are a team's number one guy, and when you proclaim yourself as the best player in the NBA, you go out there and compete, regardless of your body. Some of it is mind over matter, and as I mentioned, James' mind does not appear to be as strong as last season. And no, it has absolutely nothing to do with Khloe Kardashian. It has everything to do with self-motivation, and on the flip, the relationship he has with his teammates. Something is not there, and his loyalty doesn't seem to be cohesive towards the team, but instead, his close buddies on the team. You can guess who that is....Dwight is guilty of this too, but it seems to be a bit more civil and subtle.

I don't know if it was shown on Htown tv, but I was pretty disgusted with Dwight's antics with "Rocky," the Nuggets' mascot, during the end of time-outs in the second half. Dwight was playing around with him, pretending to fight him, much like our beloved Chuck used to do back in the day. They had epic "battles." However, our team wasn't playing well, nor was Dwight on an individual level, so in my mind there was absolutely no reason to be smiling and talking to the crowd, along with beating on a mascot. I wish he would save that type of stuff for when he's on the bench, and our team has a comfortable 20-point lead.

That's just where our guys are at right now: still disconnect and unfocused. It's not nearly as bad as before, like last time Kevin walked off the court before the end of regulation and looked like the most pathetic coach in the league. However, it's still not a good look for a team that's struggling to find its way and having a hell of a time playing together.

J.B. is doing a great job, and his passion to win and be competitive is incredibly evident. His timeouts were excellent last night, but no matter how good a coach is, and no matter how intelligent his methods are, he has only concentrated, specific control on the outcome. If his "leaders" aren't playing to their abilities, salaries and expectations, there's very little he can do. J.B. is an inspiring voice...that's for sure.

The issue is that our guys are going through the motions, playing to the beat of their own drum. That doesn't lend itself to being a well-oiled machine in the basketball world.

I hope what I've heard is correct and that DM is sending for help.

We need new blood, energy and a breath of fresh air. This team is running on fumes.

 

what happened to capela last night? i dont remember seeing him even sitting on the bench.

is he playing tonight?

 

He's not feeling well, but I haven't heard about his status for tonight's game.

 

thanks for the info.

 

If the problem is cliques then go and trade and break them away. OKC had bad cliques too and they caused very bad atmosphere but at least there it was the role players vs the stars clique so it was obvious who was going to get traded.

I dont' care if Lawson and Jones are in Harden's clique they must be traded if possible and we must bring in hard working guys hopefully with expiring contracts who are fighting for a new contract.

 

We do what when we have more than 2 days rest

 

So thats why we always lose after those breaks like last night.

 

Must get rid of Lawson and Jones. PLEEEEEAAAASE!!!!