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

Stone sucks

 

I see no improvement. This is still rookie Jalen. I'm sorry, but I have to admit our time to say goodbye is approaching.

 

Ime's slow adjustments is a big concern.

We possibly lose G2 because of it.

 

Fred had no business taking 19 shots this game. Yes he is the highest paid player on this team, that doesn't certify him to take the most shots in a game.

There should never be a single game where he leads the team in shot attempts, not in any multiverse. He has to do a better job of helping others to score, making it easier for them.

 

We don't need anything but experience. Rockets will be better because Jalen will shoot better and VanVleet will take less shots and Jabari will get more minutes. Udoka is also a new coach, 3rd year coach and much better than Silas. We will be fine and will win this thing in 7.

 

"The Rockets being so reliant on offensive boards just to score is a recipe for disaster."

This is exactly what @Mathloom and I were trying to explain to you on the Rockets v. Warriors game thread 2.5 months ago, while you were praising Ime for leading the Rockets to the 12th-best OffRtg in the league.

The Rockets had the 12th-best OffRtg thanks to their historic OffReb% numbers.

The Rockets didn't have any structure on offense back then, and they don't have any structure on offense now.

 

I don't know how anyone can defend dude.

His greatest moves are always ones we didn't even utilize.

"we have so and so picks from so and so team..."

it's always hypotheticals. he built a 1995 team in 2025.

 

Another stupid post? Give it up already

they are reliant on offensive boards because they can’t fcking shoot, which is exactly what I was telling u

they also have zero reliable perimeter playmaking

they play 2 complete non-shooters in Amen and Sengun along with 2 below average shooters in Fred and Jalen in the SL

they went 11-20 on free throws and are the worst free throw shooting team in the league

THE TEAM CAN NOT SHOOT

 

Amen, Tari etc generate tons of extra possessions thru steals and defensive stops as well.

 

Still don't get the point huh, lol

If you praise and give credit to Ime for the things players are naturally good at, you should be able to criticize Ime for the things players are naturally bad at.

Ime can't make a player a better offensive rebounder or a better 3-point shooter, however you give Ime credit for their success on offensive rebounding but when it comes to the other end of spectrum, you claim it has nothing to do with Ime.

I could argue FG%, EFG%, 3FG%, TS% have much more to do with coaching than grabbing offensive rebounds does.

 

CC won his 1st playoff game with 33 pts 12 rebounds.

When will Jalen have that number in playoffs?

 

This is such a stupid take.

They were a top 2 or 3 team to end the season ever since the trade for Butler.

It's why it was shocking there was so many on Clutchfans confident in a matchup vs them.

They aren't a 7 seed with Butler.

 

If Alpi was a decent FT shooter, then I think Alpi could be getting around 20 to 25 shot attempts for this series. There are no other bigs that can stop him on the Warriors.

 

Sengun not getting mass amount of shots has nothing to do with him not being a great free throw shooter, unfortunately.

It has everything to do with a horrible non-existent offensive game plan, and guards who think they're better and need to get theirs to the detriment of the team.

 

I think Ime is fine as a coach overall. I'm not sure if he's the best offensive mind out there, but I don't think he's as bad as the players make him look.

When he was the HC in Boston they had a top 10 offense. They were ranked 7th on offense and 1st on defense and made it all the way to the finals.

He just had better players.

 

Yeah i thought about this as well and posted on some other threads.

I am ok with Jalen taking a lot of shots but Fred taking 19 shots? For real?

Surely between the coaches and Fred, they should be able to figure out a way to get Sengun easier looks at the post. Like i said, there is no one that can stop him on the Wariiors, they can only slow him down by fouling.

 

I think Ime is a great coach, I would argue he's the best defensive coach in the league, but if you watch the Rockets play half-court offense and say "There's nothing Ime can do better than this" you're not only fooling yourself but you are also disrespecting Ime.

Shotmaking ability of players is one thing, but an NBA team not knowing where to stand on half court offense is another.

 

The funny thing is, that first play to start the game, attacked from one side into the middle to an alley oop from the opposite side on top of Draymond's head.... movement from all directions. I've never seen this team run a legitimate play like that before.

I was giddy thinking ok Ime and staff, ok. What have you got for us now the playoffs have started.

Boy did I feel stupid.

 

I actually said the opposite of that. There are absolutely things that can be done by Ime to improve the offense. I think whoever wins the championship this year, the coaching could have been better to improve something or another...

What I'm saying is that what Ime does, IMO, is more than good enough to win with if you get better offensive players. He's proven this.

The Rockets maybe have one of, if not THE worst backcourt offensively in all of basketball and a rotation full of players who can't shoot. Dillon was the ONLY regular rotation player who shot above league average from 3. By comparison, the Clippers have 5 players who play regularly that shoot well above league average from 3.

 

He hasn't proven it actually. Winning that Eastern Conference with that Celtics team doesn't really prove anything. Mazulla has won the whole thing a year after Ime.

Anyway, I'm done talking about the lack of structure this team has on offense. If you see it, you see it, if you don't, you don't.

But just asking out of curiosity, do you think it's a coincidence that the Clippers have 5 players who shoot well above league average and the Rockets have only 1? Do you genuinely believe that Batum or Bogdanovic or Powell would shoot over 40% from 3 if they were playing in this Rockets team?