ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Hawks 11/5/2016 (HARDEN vs. HOWARD)

Btw did we run out of legs or was it brains this time?

I thought ATL were on a b2b

 

You know the Rockets sucked, when you can find posts winning each running-debate on the BBS right now. ie, we need a backup playmaker, a complete 4 or 5, defense/rebounding and better Wings.

In summary,

 

Brains, definitely.

 

Terrible effort, especially defense. Just not focused all game. Reminded me of last year.

I was so pumped when Harden hit those three shots in a row to end the 1st half, but then he came out super passive in the 3rd?? What's that all about? He could have had 50 tonight, I wish he was more aggressive when he clearly is in a groove.

Terrible defense all around, but I guess that's just how it is this year. Brewer is total garbage as usual lol. Capela is decent as a roll guy, but leaves much to be desired defensively, lots of lapses by him. Terrible Gordon game, he was due so not too mad, but I've been saying all year he needs to be more aggressive when Harden is sitting.

Lol, alright, sometimes it's helpful to be open-minded to another view. The writer is referring to the charges where a guy just steps in front of someone and falls down. The game was insanely different when the rule was created and it's archaic. Most charges have no place in the league IMO.

Haha, man, this might be the worst conditioned Rockets team that I've seen in awhile. As noted before, I'm befuddled by Harden's passiveness in the 2nd half when he clearly had it rolling.

Well, if healthy, I think this roster should be good for 45-50 win range, but then I remember that D'Antoni hasn't been a good coach for almost 10 years and then I have to adjust expectations accordingly.

I suggest you listen to Lowe Post with Windhorst, he covers that team and said exactly what I sad that night.

I do agree that they played super sloppy and it would have been closer if we had had a decent game offensively. Problem is that I really don't like the fact that we have to score 115+ to have a chance it seems. I was encouraged by the Mavs wins since our defense looked better than, but now that they're 0-5 (lol) I'm not as comforted.

The Laker team is improved and Walton is proving to be a good coach. But they are still perhaps a 30 win team at most. We should have won that game, we are more talented and have by far the best player. They absolutely had a lack of effort defensively, which is why I think we actually gave a damn the next game against Dallas. We took them lightly and assumed that it'd be another blowout as usual. Our defense especially on 2nd efforts that game was a joke, and was pointed out by many that night.

That's fair, if we are at least top 20 in defensive efficiency 20 games in, I'll shut the hell up. Deal?

 

Bickerstaff for all his flaws saw he needed Harden on the floor most if not all of the second halfs of games. There were games where Harden was playing the entire second half of games

 

We just are not a good team. I wonder if Harden will have 2nd doubts about his extension after we miss the playoffs this season.

 

While this is true, I give JBB no credit because like MDA so far, he played Sewer wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too much.

 

He will because it will be embarrassing. He's wasting his MVP years on Maury's ego or laziness. I wish we could trade Les and Maury.

 

Morey deserves ALOT of blame for this flawed roster. What a mess. We have Harden and inconsistent Gordon and nothing else.

 

Bullard kept saying THE YOUNG REF alot in that 1st quarter
Dude seemed very whistle happy

Rocket River

 

It really wouldn't surprise me if he ends up wanting out midway thru next year unless this team starts winning at a high rate ( unlikely )

 

I was literally about to say the same thing - I think Harden made a mistake. He put way too much trust into this front office, I reckon he regrets it all ready. He's not as good as LeBron was but the situations are very similar - ball out of control night in and night out, front office completely incompetent and can't surround either with the most basic of talent.

He wants to win - sooner or later something has to give. Won't be surprised if he wants out soon and we have no one to blame but Les and ****ing morey. Clowns.

 

The roster is flawed in large part because they never were allowed to rebuild, as a result they have tried to use free agency to improve and they have zero identity. They go from a supposed superstar heavy team that relies on defense; to a single superstar lead team that now has a coaching philosophy that is the complete opposite of what the GM or previous coaching staff wanted. The owner expects patch jobs every 3-4 years will lead to success. The foundation of the organization is a joke; they were told to make the playoffs every year AND rebuild at the same time with no high draft picks.

The owner has lost it.

The GM is only remaining with the team because he has a family that has grown up in Houston and they don't want to leave.

The head coach is a cancer of a human being that can draw up plays as well as anyone but lacks any redeeming leadership qualities.

The franchise player will likely get sick of getting 28/9 every year and winning 45 games and end up somewhere else that has a solid foundation from drafting.

The fans get to just accept the inevitable train wreck of MDA, the firing/resignation of the GM, exodus of James Harden.... until Les Alexander passes away Howard Hughes style.

 

Team is not built to win, but to score. No matter who you get to coach defense, we just don't have the two-way players all teams need. It ain't even entertaining.

Should we blame Morey when no big name FA wants to sign here?

 

Not only are they wasting get Hardens prime years but the fans as well. I feel sorry for any rocket fan that watches these 2+hour games. There's a sucka born every minute.

 

I agree with the gist of this post, I would rather have Dekker over Harrell, but it's a close call. I just think Dekker is more skilled and we desperately need another sort of shooter outside of Gordon in that lineup. Ariza is too streaky. Also, I don't think Harrell is that good at much besides the occasional offensive rebound. Sure, he'll clean it up against scrub teams by just playing harden than them, but on most nights I don't think he has that much of an impact.

Agree 100% about Harden, our roster isn't good/deep enough to afford him playing only 36 minutes. I can understand the mindset that he will be able to play better defensively, but it doesn't seem to be helping the team defense so far.

 

I love how the board reacts when we lose and when we win. lol

 

no middle ground.

 

Harden's gonna be one of those players who leaves his team in his early thirties to chase a ring. He will probably end up with a super team not in Houston. I said last year in the "should Morey be fired" thread that we should give him a chance but man I change my vote. He went the whole summer still keeping Brew and not getting us a center who could rebound knowing ages ago Dwight was leaving.

 

This game was a preview of the entire season. No defense. Not sure why Les and Morey think all offense and no defense will work.