ClutchFans Game Thread: Warriors @ Rockets 4/20/2025 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 1)

Ryan is 10x better than Fred on shooting.

 

Fred only shoot 20% in all games against Warriors this season.

I see in no way we win with this shiit Fred playing 40 mins.

 

Golden State definitely got away with so many fouls in the paint.....
It was sickening

Rocket River
And we were call for some BS touch fouls

 

No way in hell Sheppard would have chunked as many bricks as those two. He's shot 20 of 40 from behind the arc in the past 10 games. He's more apt to find and pass to the open man instead of chunking bricks over and over.

 

That's on Ime. Limit Fred to 25-30 minutes a game and don't allow him to shoot more than 8-9 times(unless he's got it going). His only purpose out there should be to share ballhandling duties, play defense, and take open shots set up by Alpi, Jalen, or Amen.

There is no justification for him attempting the most shots of anyone on the team. Even Alpi who was the one guy who had it going in Game 1 took one less shot than Fred.

 

Sucked to watch, but to me this series was always all about gathering data for future moves. We have one game's worth of clear info on playoff performers now, and will get at least three more. At the moment, I think a PG update is the biggest need, would love to get a good playmaker who is at least decent on shooting and defense.

Hopefully the young guys play better, but Jalen might just lack basketball iq and Amen might just be a bad outside shooter, which will always make them fall short during the playoffs. Hopefully Amen can develop his shot, I'm less optimistic about Green. Fred was never going to be anything other than what he is.

The most disturbing thing from Game 1 to me was the rotations. Just really disappointed with Ime. Yikes.

 

Ime views Fred as our only superstar.

He selected Fred over James Harden.

 

Whatever happens. Fred has to go next year, and the right deal for Jalen? We need pure shooters.

this is why Durant would be helpful, we don’t have anyone that can score at will. I’m also not trading the entire roster for Durant.

 

Agreed. Sheppard is a REALLY good passer.

I really think it’s time to let the holy Sheppard free and give him this playoff experience and time to shine because there’s no way he does worse than Fred.

I feel like Sheppard the kind of fella to **** around a full IMPORTANT game and give us 15 points, 5 assists, 5 steals, and 5+ 3’s a game.

 

We need Jabari out there all game… he’s playing like a mini KD right now, and no one else could buy a bucket last night.

And let’s be real this is playoff basketball. We don’t have the luxury to rest Sengun for long stretches. He’s young, he’s built for this, and we need him on the floor.

And man wtf we’ve got a straight up sniper in Sheppard just sitting on the bench. Same with Cam the dude’s a legit hot headed bucket. He could’ve easily dropped 20+ and brought some real fire. We need dogs like that to go at this Warriors team.

I can’t believe Udoka didn’t play Holiday, Cam or Sheppard a single minute last night. Like holy ****ing ****???

 

i think you forgot how bad Ryan Anderson was in the playoffs. dude was so bad he was replaced by PJ Tucker.

 

Sad to say but it's Houston sports. Always an excuse or something that's stopping us being the juggernaut.

 

Its difficult having all of your weaknesses so fully realized all at once. Two weeks of rust definitely didn't help.

If you had asked me what my fears were going into this game, probably this:

- 1 terrible quarter derails the game
- no one can hit a 3
- struggle from the FT line
- Jalen Green plays without his activation switch engaged
- FVV launches and no matter what just keeps launching
- Ime stubborn about rotation and adapting to the game
- even missing easy buckets
- unforced turnovers

Its crazy to think 2 more threes and shooting 16/20 at the FT line equals a win lol. Our defense and rebounding for the most part were really, really good, and honestly it's crazy to think that we could shoot THAT BADLY and still be in the game.

As frustrating as it was to watch, as infuriating as it was to experience, maybe the rust is shaken off and we got all of the sht out of the way so we don't have to see that the same way again. Lol 85pts, my god.

It wasn't about the refs. It wasn't about that Golden State is just some unbeatable force. Curry made some wtf shots and they didn't even break the century mark.

Maybe we needed that slap in the face wake up call. No matter what, we stand no chance in this series if our starting backcourt is THAT bad, and Udoka has to shake things up if it happens again. Then again, if last night happens again then the series is simply over.

 

The recent Lakers and Clippers games were the most minutes Sheppard played this year, with 41 and 37 min. He shot 4-8 and 6-10 from behind the arc and got 2 steals in each game, and IME didn't find him good enough to come in for Fred last night as he chunked brick after brick after brick. Reed also would have fed Jabari more shots.

 

I think if the Rockets want to win this series, they are going to have to play a lineup of Adams,Sengun,Jabari,Tari and Amen most of the time. Playing Fred 40 mins and shooting 4-19 ain't going to cut it. I think also if this series goes to 7 games, Curry and Jimmy playing 40+ minutes is going to take its toll on them.

 

We missed 9 free throws. Weaknesses are magnified in the playoffs.

The Rockets do two things well. They play defense and they rebound. That’s better than nothing, and it will win some games in the regular season season. But, true contenders can play on both ends of the floor.

 

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/ime-udoka-coaching-record-vs-warriors-including-postseason



doesn't matter who you hire, just can't beat curry.

 

I was not crazy about resting everyone and mailing it in the last three games of the regular season. Knew they’d were going to come out flat and cold. You can’t flip your mojo off and on like a light switch.

 

Jabari was unplayable in the 1st half. Dude kept losing the ball by dribbling into defenders.

He settled in the 2nd half and luckily he did or else Game 1 would have ended in a 20pt loss if not more.

 

The signs were there down the stretch. Cam was completely removed from the rotation and even Holiday eventually got benched in favor of an 8-man lineup.

Ime is a terrific coach, but one of his biggest weaknesses is how stubborn he is. Even when something isn't working or is less effective than what he was doing before, he'll stick with it til the bitter end. I just hope he adjusts his lineups and substitutions going into Game 2 instead of waiting til the team is down 0-3.