ClutchFans Game Thread: Spurs @ Rockets 5/7/2017 (Playoffs Round 2, Game 4)

We are gonna win or I am gonna burn something.

 

I think PyroTex means it, too.

Someone give him your Dwight jersey to be safe, just in case.

 

Refs will do their best to hand this game to the Rockets now that they have handed homecourt back to the Spurs. League wants this to go to 7, it's the only interesting series in this round (let's face it, the Wiz are going to be done in 5)

 

Game 1: 30 assists

Game 2: 22 assists

Game 3: 17 assists.

The Rockets need to reverse this trend if they want to get back on top!

 

MUST WIN GAME!

I was so disgusted last game, and sorry I couldn't bear the pain with my fellow Clutchfan members, but I was also occupied while watching the game getting some major dome relief from the headache that the Rockets and the Refs were giving me.

I will say this about that last game:

1) I have no idea why MDA is changing up the rotation pattern from all year because we lost one game in SA in the 4th quarter. Harden didn't seem to gassed to play the whole 4th quarter, so him being tired was not the reason because he still played 40 minutes.
2) We are shooting enough 3s (39 last game) and MANY of them are WIDE OPEN...we are just stinking at actually making them.
3) Harden has to be in attack mode the entire game, foul called or not. First, he passed off too many layups or in the paint shots for guys that were covered at the 3 pt line. Capela can jump way higher than Gasol, so put the ball up there and let Capela go up and get it and come down dunking on Gasol. Second, Harden is getting fouled ridiculously and not called. ANYONE ELSE NOTICE ON THAT DUNK HE HAD OVER GASOL THAT HE GOT CLOBBER IN THE FACE WITH GASOL"S ARM? #nobloodnofoul for these refs.
4) You can't give up on Lou and only play him 11 minutes because he misses a few shots. If anything, when that happens, put the ball in his hands with Harden on the bench and let him go to work to get his confidence and shot going.
5) Capela BEASTED...even if he wasn't perfect on a few plays. The young fellow stepped up and did exactly what I thought he could do if MDA actually plays him 30 plus minutes. Nene is a great bench player for us, but we need both of them to have good games together. The problem with MDA is that even if Clint is having a good game, if Nene does well too, MDA cuts Clint's minutes. That's the wrong way to win. Capela is more of a shot blocker, a better rebounder, a better FT shooter, and a better option for James to lob the ball to. Nene is just better at midrange shots over Clint. Don't get me wrong, I love Nene as our backup...but Clint should play 30 plus minutes every game.
6) Ariza has to learn to do what he does best, and ONLY THAT. Which is shoot that damn 3 BALL as soon as he catches it. Forget dribbling, if the shot isn't there, just pass it to someone else. Plus he is 6'8", so guys closing out from a distance are NOT gonna block his shot. Just shoot the damn ball and play some good D. MDA CAN NOT play Ariza 46 minutes and expect him to be effective at the end of the game.
7) Get Ryno at least 10 shots in the first half. If he can't hit at least 4 of them, bench him the entire second half and play small ball the entire way, and maybe give Dekker 10 minutes or less. Harden or MDA needs to go to Ryno and tell him that no matter how many he misses, DO NOT F*CKING hesitate on shooting the damn ball when it reaches his hands. Step out even 2 feet farther, but get those shots up. It's the only way to keep either Aldridge or Gasol out the paint on Harden.
8) Bev all season long has passed up wide open 3s, and it's hurting us this series too when he does and tries to drive in on SA's bigs. Damn, even though we got up 39 3s last game, I haven't counted them, but I would guess that we passed up at least 10 more 3s that WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN...but our guys are acting like puzzies and afraid to miss. SHOOT THE DAMN 3 BALL WHEN YOU ARE OPEN!
9) MDA has to continue to work the refs, and even get some of his assistants talking to them to point out obvious stuff like Gasol continously over the back, Kawhi pushing off consistently, James continously getting fouled going to the hole, etc. Pops has the refs looking only at what he wants them to, and the Rocket's players are doing too much complaining, although I don't F*CKING blame them. If it was me, I would probably choke the f*ck out of a ref and be out the league for a damn year. smmfh So MDA has to tell the players to let him and the coaching staff do all of the complaining and for them to just play the game.
10) Last but not least...HARDEN HARDEN HARDEN. He is our leader, and he has to set the tone, fouls, no fouls, whatever it takes. No bad easy turnovers, hit his 3s, and go to the hole relentlessly and try to dunk every damn ball on them! If this game is close, Harden has to play 42 plus minutes because he won't need rest if we lose this game, the season will be effectively OVER.

p.s. - Sorry for the long post. I had to get it off my chest.

LET'S GO ROCKETS!

ROCKETS 118
SPURS 102

 

Harden quits ref baiting plays real basketball team gets inspired plays defense grabs rebounds all 4 quarters Rockets win

 

a blunt

I don't know man I can see the Spurs winning it in six even if we do win this one.

everyone always says they want a seven game series but how many times have the Rockets got bounced in four or five? last series we won in five. how many seven-game series have there been so far in the playoffs? The clippers and Jazz series that's all I can remember.

 

lmao

this guy made a video about harden and it got fixed within one game. I bet this doesn't get fixed at all. you guys have to know NBA players are smart and they know when the defender loses his dribble and which way he can pivot and what he can do. But Kawai Leonard just walks all over the place and that's impossible to guard.

both he and curry also do the hesitation blatant carry before they shoot or drive-in. It made Stephen Curry really tough to guard that one year even without the illegal screens.

Ronnie nunn, that official was so anti-harden when he brought him on before, but now that it's Kawai Leonard right right he brought him on he was like I'm sure it's magnified because it's the playoffs and he keeps defending Kawai Leonard on the officials.

 

Doesn't matter. Won't get called.

 

Rockets win guaranteed.

#GetGame4

Keys to victory

1. Bench has to show up
2. Rhyno need to become depussified
3. Control the boards

 

I just don't know anymore......

 

NBA.com dunks of the day had Ariza's #1 and Harden's right-hander #2 both ahead of Kawaii's

woohoo

 

There is no mid range shooting. No one mark nene, he cannot shoot any. Guarding gasol and arbridge have problem

 

I hate this mentality because . .. Spurs do it all game long
and
they get the calls. . . . it is like conceding a part of the game to them because the refs
that is so weak

Rocket River

 

No worries guys apparently the referees will be on our side this game because they had to make sure the Spurs won the last one even though they only shot two more foul shots and the Morey/Dantoni Law of Averages Handbook says that they will make more threes this game because that's how basketball works. We got this, easy

 

Refs better make sure that our series goes 7 games. Both the gsw and cle series are gonna be sweeps

 

2-2 Go Rockets!

 

That's because they were both right on the head of the best defender in the world, the man who does not foul, Mr Ostrich, Pau Gasol

 

Yep poor Gasol was burned on both highlights