ClutchFans Game Thread: Nuggets @ Rockets 11/21/2025

Same

cant sleep ts pisses me off

 

Agreed, especially with not letting Reed go off, but these games are going to happen in ANY season. You have to always be able to take an accurate snapshot of where you are at and the ramifications. When we were the 2 seed last year a lot of teams were sacked by injuries and we knew the team was missing pieces. We are missing 3 top rotation players and can easily be at the top at the end of the season. For perspective, the team we thought was so good last year was the exact same team as after the 2024 all star break. We hadn't really improved.

FVV's sole purpose was the governor on our offense to maximize our possessions. Ime wanted us to set the slowest pace to maximize our defensive effectiveness with fewer opposing possessions and go all in for over-rebounding to buttress our piss poor offense. We now have the shooting to have the best offense and can keep our defense in close range to what we had previously. This is Reed's real rookie year. We can still improve our man-to-man D and zone because of simple team familiarity. We can MASSIVELY improve TOs down to 10 and under instead of 15+. That's probably 5-10 possessions a night that can go the other way against good teams. The spacing has massively opened up and we are a mostly unpredictable offense. Teams do crowd Sengun and KD and they are getting better at the synergy and kick outs.

If anything, some of the familiarity problems are definitely exacerbated by having a rotating group of starting lineups. Like everything there are tradeoffs. Ime chose the way we play on purpose based on the personnel at the time and the matchups. He very much reminds me of the Landry, Parcells, Johnson, Belichick coaching mindset that games are lost not won. I can agree with you that he is stubborn but in this arena that is better than being flaky. He is basically saying if you are going to get on that court you have to prove it to me consistently. I want to see it on tape and that also means I am not going to be wishy washy when slumps happen. Right or wrong, he didn't trust Reed, he is starting to now. Reed responded, Cam and Jalen didn't.

 

Nah, I'm ok with losses. But I just hope it's not an on going issue where KD is a non factor in games against Thunder and Nuggets. We've only beaten two good teams so far.

 

Different trajectory, Rockets are still after a Chip while Nuggets and OKC already won their Chip and after more glory.

That Experience is invaluable not having to be hunters every year.

 

Team showed heart in the last 3 minutes. Loss can go on Sengun for the turnover and the wild drive to the rim when he was stuffed. Notably, Reed was not given the rock in the last 3 minutes even though he had the hottest hand.

 

Most of the times between those 3 teams OKC, DEN, HR, games are going to be decided by 1-5 pt differential.

Better get used to it.

 

Ball got sticky

 

It sucks that we lost another close game to a top team but I'm excited for what's to come. Reed is continuing to get better. Sengun, Jabari, Amen, Tari and Okogie's games are continuing to evolve. We still have DFS to integrate. When Ime said the growth will be more internal with the youth he wasn't lying. We still have a lot more growing to do with a lot of games left in this season. KD and the other vets understand how to get through 82 games and be ready when the games truly start to matter.

 

Reed should start at Pg enough with this monstars lineup - put amen back in dunker spot

 

The reality is the margin of error is low against the top tier teams who capitalize and thrive on mistakes and turnovers. A bad pass leads to a fastbreak. A rushed missed shot leads to a fastbreak. A bad decision to double leads to a wide open shot.

As great as Sheppard shot last night he still made glaring mistakes (unecessary double team, leaving man to chase a steal, bad passes, missed FT’s, forcing shots) but it wasn’t just him. It’s compilation of these mistakes that continue to hurt us.

Amen made some inexcusable bad passes. Jabari made a few mistakes. Holiday forced the ball to Sengun a couple times. Sengun made several stupid decisions turning the ball over.

You absolutely just can’t play like this against these great teams and expect to win no matter how good your shooting is. It’s like Wood or KPJ dropping 30 in a losing effort filled with mistakes on both ends.

 

lol

 

lol

 

They can’t beat the top teams: nuggets pistons - and Joker had Sengun looking like a little boy.

they start doing that consistently then I’ll believe. Right now, they’d get knocked out in the first round by a team like the warriors again (who is bound to make a late season surge)

 

Yep! That BIG lineup isn't working! Start Reed Sheppard!

 

Reed really benefits from playing with Adams, who sets a lot of great screens for him and frees him up. I don't know yet if it is better to start him (without Adams) or bring him off the bench with Adams.

 

It’s a marathon not a sprint! On to the next! Always lesson learn. I am sure The Rockets will keep improving as this season rolls along! Go Rockets! H-Town Crazy!!

 

Tip your hat to the Nuggets but we shot ourself in the foot. Why wouldn't you feed Reed the last few possessions? Reed needs to start and for God's sake put Amen in the dunker spot. We are missing Tari and where the hell is DFS? On to the next, good teams get hit in the mouth, adjust and then go on another winning streak. I think Reed officially feels like he belongs now, I'm excited

 

You can look at the box score and say it was any number of things that we lost on but the truth is the team was discombobulated by Denver’s defense, tired from coming back in the second half and ultimately lost due to poor coaching adjustments.

 

Rewatching the end - Sengun could have made one additional pass to an open Reed who was at the 3 point line. I know it’s tough when the clock is so low, but I think he had the time instead of dribbling up and launching a 40 foot heave. Also, why is he the one getting the ball in that situation anyway? Should’ve been Reed, or at worst KD or even Holiday before Sengun.

Also, a number of moments in the 2nd half when KD/someone else took a contested 3 with Reed one pass away (and wide open). I did enjoy seeing Bari make the extra pass to Reed on multiple occasions (at least 3 times). He was making that extra pass to get him an open shot, but the others need to do a better job. Reed has that Steph-like quick trigger. If we run more plays for him and getting him screens and off-ball, he would have had 35-40 last night. Just one game, but woke up this morning feeling bad that we wasted an opportunity to win this game with our 2 stars being pretty bad. 2 second half shots is unacceptable, after he scored 20 in the 1st half and is the reason we got back in the game.

When Reed is out there with the starters, they don’t look for him as much as when he comes off the bench. You’ve got two stars, but Reed is an important part. Pure shooter. I know KD is KD, but sometimes he gets tunnel vision and is trying to shoot over 2 guys (which he can do), but get someone a better, cleaner open shot. Make your teammates better, and ride the hot hand. You can always get your own shot. Haven’t really been impressed with KD this season - 36% from 3 on the season, and half of his games, he’s shot under 45% from the floor, and a lot of bad turnovers.