ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Spurs 5/9/2017 (Playoffs Round 2, Game 5)

Are the Spurs better floppers than the Rockets? (Not saying we lost because of flopping. Just asking a general question.)

I was looking at this, and honestly I have no idea how Simmons went flying the way he did on that Harden drive. The thing that bugs me the most is Patty Mills though. He's not a great defensive player, but he's very aggressive and pushes with his chest, but pretends like he did nothing. He pushed Harden from behind with his chest for Harden to get those 2 free throws. It's smart because he's not using his hands, so it looks like Harden is just falling over but in reality Patty is using his force to get Harden off balance. On this IG video it looks like he sort of pushes Harden into the floor by boxing out. I'm not sure if I'm just reaching here, but it's just kind of weird how Patty is always involved in a play with someone falling over.

I never got this feeling from any of the other Spurs, but I have a huge gut feeling that Patty Mills does not like the Rockets one bit.

 

It was horrifying to see a 39 year old man show more fight then our entire starting lineup. It was sad. Every time we have a chance to step on their throats we fail to take full advantage of that. Game 3 and tonight. This is the difference between us and the elite teams in the Cavs and the Warriors. Look at them sweeping teams because they know how to finish games.Having said all that, I think we will game 6 and will win game 7 up there.

 

manu played 31 minutes

gordon - 44 (who took the last real shot in the game)
ariza - 40+
harden -43+
beverley - 42
capela -34

bench
ryan - 36
lou - 26

we dont have a backup 1 or 5. everyone is playing out of position. But don't worry, manu is guarding capela and had to guard nene

 

A buddy of mine who used to follow the Suns from way back then warned me a few weeks ago that MDA, while a good coach, almost never develops young players. While watching the game today, he said he was not surprised at all that the Rockets only utilized 7 players, and that these players were going to be run into the ground. That's precisely what happened today.

This game was there for the taken, especially because their superstar was Injured during "winning time".

 

decisive moment

 

Even Pop is using a rotation of at least 9 and Harrell nor Troy cannot be worse than their 10th man...MDA being outcoached and Harden wanting to be the hero, sounds like we're back with McHale and same ol James!!

 

This loss is not about losing the opportunity to advance (I think we will take game 6 at home) so that we could have another crack at the dubs in the WC finals. After all, barring injuries to the Warriors, either the Spurs or the Rockets will get destroyed by that ridiculous team. That is the expectation.

This game, this series was about potentially showing free agents that the Rockets are not too far off from the two truly elite teams. To that end, that fourth quarter and OT, did little to inspire such a vision. I do put a lot of the blame on MDA's strategies. These players are not robots, play them long enough, they will barely have enough energy to drag themselves around, which is again exactly what we saw. Seven players will not cut it.

 

Snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, and I think MDA is the primary contributor. Great coach, massive upgrade over Milkhair, BUT you can't roll out a 7 man rotation, go to OT, and expect anybody to have legs. Either Bobby Brown or Dekker needs to get minutes, assuming you're set on keeping Anderson as the backup 5. He also should have immediately called TO after the first OT possession for both teams - nobody moved on offense and on defense we gave up 2-3 ORBs. Put in Capela! Or Lou! Somebody with fresh(er) legs, Coach!

Bad loss, especially with Kawhai on the bench. I expect they will make a minor change to the rotation and push the series to 7, but I was really hoping to avoid G7 in SA.

As an aside, I hate the comment "whoever wins will get swept by GS anyway". This team, especially with Anderson at the 5, is built to compete with GS - we were specificaly designed by Morey to match up against them. I'd personally like to see it, regardless of outcome.

 

It seems to me like Harden should trust his teammates even more. Yes he had 10 assists, but could have gotten at least 5 more. He put too much on himself IMO.
In final minutes of 4th or OT, can't remember, he was chucking pull-up 3s, but on one posession he drove and kicked out to Beverly who was spotting up in right corner, and he hit a three. He shouldn't be doing anything else for whole OT, or sit down / play off the ball if fatigue got to him. Williams, Gordon and Pat were just enough fresh to deliver that one final blow, but it wasn't meant to be.

Shame, because in final few minutes it looked like Spurs don't want to win at all. Playing to our pace, turnovers, missed bunnies...and we couldn't capitalize.

 

I like it , Harden needed the slap in the face! Wake up and play the game the way it should be played.

 

Such a disheartening way to lose.

 

this loss still hurts, a lot

I still haven't gotten over it

Kawhi didn't even play in OT

got beat by Ginobili, Green, and Harden having a meltdown...

 

Stop it, just stop it. Harden's whole career he's had "brain farts" in playoff games. Were all the ones before MDA due to "fatigue"? It's comical how the narrative has switched off Harden on to MDA. The coach's job is to put us in the best position to win. We were up in overtime until Harden made 3 rookie level mistakes. If he was tired he should've given the ball up

 

You must not have watched any of the 4th or OT except for that play if you think THAT was the decisive moment.

 

@YOLO, what is this guy talking about???? Why would they need rest?

 

Now is where it hurts the most that Gordon/Anderson missed those 4 straight early FTs.

 

Patty Mills IS a very good defender at the point. Him and Simmons are both doing a terrific job bodying up on Harden and denying him the initiation dribble and the triple threat. Mills IS defending Harden as well as Harden can be defended and Mills defense on Harden is the single greatest reason went they're up on us.

Small, quick, tough guys that will get up into Harden and deny his close space so that he can't simply face up with the dribble and initiate unencumbered are the defensive tonic on him. Mills has Harden turning in circles out there. And that's a big reason why we are winding the shot clock down..........and why we need another playmaker that we don't have. (Crossing my fingers for Frank Mason III in the draft.)