ClutchFans Game Thread: Warriors @ Rockets 5/16/2018 (Western Conference Finals, Game 2)

Look at that green grass. What you using?

 

I wonder if Steph will start to catch some heat for his weak performance so far in this WCF or will he continue to get hardly any criticism

this guy has been below average offensively and garbage defensively...KD been carrying his ass

 

sucks that we have to listen to the GS announcers all series ...

 

Days of grace. Attention all fans of the NBA Association .....

 

Didn't you hear all game, and even afterwards?

It's his 'injury'!

It's a f*cking joke that Harden and LeBron seem to be the only superstars to cop flak.

I cannot fathom the love affair with this piece of sh*t.

He literally is the worst defender in the league.

 

I love Clint....

With that said if it’s the choice between him and lebron? It’s Lebron every time.

Our team with lebron would be almost unfair.

This team is older and Lebron fits with everyone’s timeline. Harden has a nice 5-6 year window but everyone else cp3 included is really only going to be valuable for the next 2-3 years tops.

If Clint gets offered huge money, let him go if u can get lebron if not bring him back.

 

Good game, the ball movement was pin ball like

 

Looking at a box score you would think CP3 and Steph washed each other.

CP3 dominated that match up.

Something to note, last night CP3 mentioned Klay’s 3 point shots. The Rockets first key in this series is taking Klay Thompson away.

Great great coaching MDA.

 

I won’t go so far as to say that he’s the worst, but he’s easily exploitable...he looks like a little boy trying to defend Harden and CP3 in isolation

ESPN had Harden ranked 8th heading into the season, but they criticize him more than any top 5 player...it’s crazy

 

A few highlights from the stats--

1. Only 37 uncontested shots for the Warriors
2. Only 3 uncontested looks for Klay Thompson (2-3). Keep in mind he was 1-8 on contested looks.
3. The Warriors did have 9 offensive boards but only had 25 chances. Rebounding has to be a point of emphasis, as the Warriors won't always be so turnover prone.
4. The Rockets had 10 boards in 36 chances. That speaks to our effort of going after the ball.
5. The defensive ratings for Gordon (89.4), Green (84.3), and Tucker (89.3) were night and day improvements from game 1. Ariza's rating (100.2) was solid despite Durant scoring in bunches.
6. Durant scored 38 and was a -28 for the game. zero blocks, 1 offensive rebound, 3 defensive boards, 5 TOs and little help from his teammates.
7. The Rockets had 16 3s and the Warriors only had 9.

I expect will see a more focused Warrior team on Sunday, but what's interesting here is that the Rockets weren't historically good here. We were simply a little better and had a more well rounded game from Gordon, Tucker, and others. This changes the narrative that the Rockets have to play a "perfect game" to be the Warriors.

Yes, the Warriors have great talent, but I think the Rockets showed that we didn't win 65 games for no reason. We have the personnel, scheme, and scoring punch to compete in this series.

 

By the way, does anyone notice how all the advanced stat numbers disappear from the national reporting with a Rockets win?

 

Nick Wright reppin Htine

 

After watching the full game highlights on YouTube it helps me realize that Eric Gordon played like a MAN last night. That dude was balling his tail off. Props to him for backing up his talk.

Also, at 5:38 in the 4th quarter the Rockets ran the exact type of action I was talking about before the game. Ariza inbounds the ball to Tucker. Curry was guarding Ariza. Ariza went to set a screen for Harden away from the ball. Curry gets so wrapped up in switching that Trevor cuts to the basket and gets a wide open dunk.

It's such a simple action, but when you attack a guy so often on the switches it becomes an easy way to get points.

 

Exactly when he was in the new Orleans series they was like he back. Now he plays bad. He hurt. Don't give houncredit for how they defending

 

Heard James Harden showed up at Belle Station after the game last night. Guess he had to celebrate that first win.

 

Curry's hurt/injured
Warriors got complacent

Spoiler

Rockets role players (Ariza & Tucker) won't keep this up

 

I really hope Houston wins game 3.

I just want to see the panic.

If you can just give CP3 a chance to eliminate the Warriors, you know he will.

 

Ariza and PJ Tucker are going to kill the Warriors if they choose to let them shoot open corner threes.

GSW likes to crash penetration.

The defensive philosophy they employ won’t work as long as they don’t play McGee or ZaZa.


Look at it now, but the Rockets are in the same scenario as they were with the Jazz.