ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Blazers 3/30/2017

When everyone on the team is missing it's time for him to take over.

 

So this clearly puts the rest that Harden is somehow not the motor and one guy that makes this team go. Without Harden, this team is straight up ****. That's partly due to D'Antoni and how we are not letting the ball move and just jack up (ill-advised) shots. Ughhh...should've sat Harden for this one, since no way we beat the Warriors.

 

They lose game and Haden lost the MVP race likely as a 3 game losing strike and terrible looking stats. 30 shots to make 30 points.

I know as long as the Rockets are 3rd seat it should be record over stats but that OKC team can get to 4th seat and then it's over if that happens. That and triple double avg and most in season and 4th seat???

 

I didn't say it was you. You must feel like you were whining. Respect

 

For once I went to bed at halftime. I had seen enough, and didn't want to stay up

So true!!!

 

Makes you wonder why he would jack up 13 three pt shots when Gorden, Lou, Beverley, and Ariza are all better behind the arc. I wonder if we would have won if he had just laid off the 3's. He needs to just stick to what he does best, and let his teammates do their part.

 

No coach can bench Harden. He does what he wants. He owns them and their right to coach his team. Didn't you know that? LOL, joking aside, I agree with you. There is no purpose to him playing the whole game with an injured wrist. Maybe he is trying to make a case for MVP and durability. He can sit out at least half those minutes or sit out completely for awhile. It's time to think "team" and playoffs, and rest injured starters. D'Antoni needs to let Harrell and Wiltjer get some minutes after sitting so long on that bench all year, especially with Anderson hurt. Gordon, Lou, and Beverley can substitute for each other, and let Harden just wrest the wrist for now.

 

Bad looking loss, after a mediocre effort by the Rockets through three quarters, the Blazers did all they could to give it to us in the 4th and we just imploded on the offensive end. Hate having losses like this leading up to the playoffs, hopefully they get it together.

 

one of the worst game Bev has played this year.

he was seen on tv trash talking lillard before him having any points then lillard drilled a 3, picked bev's pocket, then drilled another 3.

 

The biggest thing about this team that bugs me is the lack of discipline on the court, or in big moments, we get to 105, and instead of protecting the ball we continue to fling it all over the place.

This is exactly what we can expect in the playoffs and it is why I think we are not quite a contender yet.....we lack mental discipline to win in the playoffs.

We will lose games in close situations to well coached teams.

DD

 

Yep, bev needs to slow the F down on offense and realize he's not Westbrook.

 

Also, D'Antoni offense don't look at good.... in fact, this is more of Harden offense. everything is so predictable. I feel like he's a passive systems coach, and not an active tweaker, so we might be screwed in playoffs.

 

Check out @calvinwatkins's Tweet:

 

I just looked up the stats for 3pt % for Golden State and San Antonio starters and was surprised to see how much better they are than us. Our guys are so streaky, and even though we take a ton of 3's, we just aren't consistently as good as the teams dominating our conference in accuracy of the shots behind the arc. That in itself makes me wonder how we can stand a chance against them in playoffs, unless we pull off a miracle, and play the best games of the season come crunch time. Keeping the hope alive, but expecting the realistic results, based on performance.

 

I'd never say there's a team this Rockets squad can't beat on any given night, but I thought before the game that James should have taken last night off. Everyone knows he won't sit against Golden State, so when is that wrist going to have a chance to heal? If it isn't close to 100% for the playoffs, we'll be in deep trouble, regardless of our seed, in my opinion. It's times like these that Coach needs to exercise his authority and sit a player in the best interests of the team, regardless of who the player is and how badly he wants to be on the court. We all know that if Harden can drag himself out there, he's going to play. MDA has to know when to say, "Not tonight, James. We need you healthy for the playoffs. We don't need you to be fighting an injury with your left wrist. It affects damn near everything you do. Get dressed."

Maybe MDA will surprise us all and sit James tonight. Much as I would miss seeing him against Curry and his loaded team, it would be the smart thing to do, in my opinion. He should have sat out the game against Portland.

 

Welp. It was pretty clear to me that Nurkic was the best big on the floor last night even though he had a crappy game. He's way better than Capela defensively and has way mire offensive skills to develop.

I don't know why we didn't acquire him. McDaniels and two seconds would have been a better deal than Denver got for him. I do not understand why we held steady at the deadline when it was so obvious we needed more help in the middle.

 

Yes, I've been pointing this out for a while now. If the Warriors or Spurs want to get in a long range shooting contest with the Rockets, then the Rockets probably lose.

The Rockets need better shooters.

 

Hes gotta big mouth that's for sure

 

I know it's unpopular to criticize Harden. He certainly wasn't the sole reason we lost lost night or against the GSW. He does a lot for this team and is trying to play through an injury right now...but...

He's stopping the ball again. He went so much of this season moving and attacking early in the shot clock. The last few weeks he's been dribbling way too much. Last night I almost lost my sh*t when he kept trying to go for the home run 3 when we were down 5-6 with two minutes to go. And he doesn't move once he gives up the ball. It frustrates the hell out of me.

Let the excuses and flaming commence...

 

The Warriors/Spurs are much more selective with their threes than we are. Our guys are told to jack up contested threes of course that's going to hurt our percentages.