ClutchFans Game Thread: Clippers @ Rockets 12/22/2017

Timing is the issue bro. We are locked in with the hard cap because of the offseason moves we made. This is why morey has tried to avoid triggering the hard cap in the past; it limits your flexibility.

 

LOL so now we have to choose between having a 2nd super star or depth?

GSW & Spurs didn't have to choose

GSW have 5 stars + depth

 

I don't know how we can say this loss in on the refs as much as we're saying, there were a couple of bad calls late in the game but let's not forget we were up 13 at the half against a team playing 4 g-leaguers in their starting 5. All the complaining i saw from MDA and Harden until the last minutes was some Doc Rivers kind of **** and they somehow totally lost their focus on the game, in the end the refs were probably tired about whining and screwed us with a couple of calls (which is nothing new in the nba btw), those two techincal fouls on PJ and MDA didn't help either, like the putrid defense we played in the second half.

 

Said after the last loss and I'll say it again...

 

Exactly, ppl here were complaining during the CP3 trade that we traded away too many pieces to acquire him. Losing, Harrell, Dekker, Lou, all who can contribute meaningful minutes.

No one complained when D'antoni was running a healthy 8 man rotation but once your rotation players get injured, the ugly truth comes spilling out.

Morey said he didn't want CP3 to go into FA because he was afraid of CP3 changing his mind but the truth is, he couldn't move Anderson's contract. After last playoffs, Ryno's trade value was at an all time low. No one wanted him and his fat ass contract. Morey hoped that the Knicks would take him if Melo waived his NTC but Knicks were smart not to fall for it. They played chicken with Melo and Morey and won.

 

When both Tucker & Ariza are getting lit up then you know fatigue is the main issue.

 

Difference of opinion. Like to win them? Sure. But I had no delusions that they would be the 1 seed most/all of the year. Warriors probably win the West by 5 games or more.

 

Of the multiple issues tonight, the referees are the one that concerns me because it won’t go away when guys get healthy.

He refs are flat out making up reasons not to give continuation calls to harden. This frustrates him and he complains and they punish him for it. The nbas desire to limit the harden effect is ridiculous

 

Except he did exactly that in the playoffs a few years ago. Frustration’s a b****.

 

They were up by 13 at halftime. Then they started complaining like crazy.

Shut up and play ball man.

 

Any other era, I'd agree...

but if our team isn't 100% healthy come playoff time against the Warriors, it won't matter. Depth is irrelevent. If someone gets hurt, that's it. That's our season. Warriors are too good.

 

It is on coaching. They should have develop young players and incorporate them into the system long time ago. MDA never thinks long term.

 

Agreed. Go out there and step on their neck. They were playing too cool to win that game..

 

Harden:

Couldn't get stops. ... Scored enough points, couldn't get stops. Guys got too comfortable, shot makers make shots. ... (Didn't hear the question) Only 2 games. 82 of them, right? ... Frustration at the end? Bullshit calls. Tired of hearing I made a mistake or I didn't see it. Frustrating as a player. We all make mistakes but it's frustrating. ... First since Kobe to go back to back... We lost doesn't matter.

 

Defensively there is no going back to the drawing board. When you replace Capela and Paul and Moute with Anderson, Gordon and Weber... you will give up 125+ a night.

That is just a BAD group of defenders. I wonder how long before the Rockets deal Black and Zhou or a draft pick to a lottery team to add a rotation player on an expiring deal.

 

Reporter: This is the first game since Kobe went back to back 50 point in 4 games. . .
Harden: We lost, it doesn't matter . . . (Walks away)

Have to respect that!

 

We traded all our young players though.

Our other young guys are just not ready. I mean it would be nice if we got CP3 and kept our depth, if we had done that, we are probably 2-3 games better right now but ah well. I trust Morey to fix the depth.

 

Exactly, if you look at Warrior's complete roster, they are stacked from the top to the bottom. What they did last off-season is basically re-sign their key guys and upgrade their benchwarmers with NBA veteran role players so they can provide their Stars much needed rest for the regular season.

Curry sprained his ankle and is allowed to sit for an entire month because they are so deep, he doesn't even need to play. If Harden gets hurt like he did 5 games ago, he still has to play through it just so we can keep ahead of the Warriors because they never stop winning it seems.

During our win-streak, I saw a lot of Rocket fans on CF and social media claim we're gonna beat the Warriors in the playoffs but I always knew that was basically just a dream because so many things have to go right for that to even happen.

 

I'm worried about the Christmas game. If Clint isn't back, there is no hope.