ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Pelicans 3/6/2025

The "4 big men plus Jalen" lineup was pretty ******* hilarious and worked, because if a team is going to pack the paint anyway and your outside shooting sucks, may as well pack it right back with size and NO's guards kind of stink an didn't have any tangible way of exploiting mismatches on offense. I don't know if it would work very well against less crappy teams with real perimeter off the dribble guys.

 

It's definitely one of those it's so stupid it just might work.

 

It also worked again Dallas and Indiana. Both are better than NO.

 

Rockets defense is at its most elite level when Amen + Tari are on floor together. They are even better when both are paired with Alp. Tari was also the most lethal 3P shooter on team last night + he has outplayed Jabari consistently. Due to Dillon's lack of rebounding, I would experiment with Tari + Jabari as starting forwards. Maybe Dillon subs out Jalen going forward.

 

Forecasting future injuries is not exact science. There are actual posters who prefer the more efficient + defensively lazy LaMelo Ball over Zion. And both have very similar injury unavailability in the past. Zion's contract is the most incentive laden I've ever heard of for a player of his talent + production.

And a healthy guy on the court but can't rebound to save his life is more useless. Dillon has to do better in this area.

 

This trio is still the most productive 3 man unit for the Rockets.

 

It really comes down to cost. I don’t want Lamello, because his contract is guaranteed and the fit on this team is not good. Zion is worth the gamble only because of his contract. The problem would be the assets to get him. If it is two of our Phoenix picks plus players (you have to match salary) then the risk is too much for me, because if we lose those 2 Phoenix picks we are giving up the opportunity if a Giannis, Ant, or some other tier 1 guy becomes available. Zion is tier one when healthy. I don’t think he will be healthy.

 

We both agree on LaMelo + cost to acquire Zion cannot be exorbitant. Just disagree on continually waiting for the perfect player to become available.

Not being sarcastic but do you really believe Ant will become available? Sounds more like wishcasting to me.

 

I’m tired of FVV out! What is the reasoning when they said they were originally holding him out longer so this wouldn’t happen

 

Worthless Mavs

 

I hate avulsions.

 

Avulsion seems not good.

 

No I don't think Ant will be available, but I do think Giannis may be available at some point. You also can use the draft picks and players to move up in the draft or maybe use the draft picks to supplement our current core. I'm not of the opinion that we need a superstar from another team to compete for a championship. I think Amen is our superstar and we have 2 other guys that can be perennial all-stars if they continue to improve. I don't think it would get it done, but I would trade all 4-5 frps to move up for Cooper, but maybe there is another guy that would fit perfectly on the team in a year or two. Zion is just too big a risk to expend multiple frps on.

 

Man, the Pelicans showed some of the worst interior and paint defense by a Rockets opponent this season. I know Zion's talented but his defensive intensity looked quite awful. They'll probably be better in the next game in Houston, because I don't think they can get much worse.

 

I would move up for Ace Bailey if we could. Would Tari, Cam, and a future Rockets pick get it done, I wonder?

 

I think Cooper and Ace would roughly take the same. Probably all our phoenix picks and the Nets pick and that might not be enough.

 

Dylan Harper is da man.....at Rutger's.