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

We can't beat those top teams like OKC, Pistons and Nuggets this season.

The KD trade may be vastly overrated. We had good chance to beat those top teams last season. We could beat any team last season.

 

Just weird over reaction.

We can beat those teams.

Just need star players to play better at certain times.

OKC- KD missed a free throw.
Pistons- 3/14 from Jabari. 2/8 from Thompson. 5/18 Sengun. 3/11 from Reed (arguably the worst games from them on the season)
Spurs- Close and lost it late. Bad games by Jabari and Amen
Nuggets- Bad games from Jabari, Sengun, Amen

Need better play from Amen and Jabari.

I still think we need to find a way to absorb some of Jabari and Amen's shot attempts and shift them to the better offensive player in RS.

Rockets are elite. Still getting used to playing with each other. Shoot that was Reed's first game playing with the starting lineup in the second half.

Long season ahead.

 

He gets assists, but his passing has been atrocious this year. His assists to TO ratio is 1 to 1. 3 turnovers a game with only 3 assists per games is horrible. Anyone else on this team with those statistics, would be getting annihilated on this forum. His shooting has been under par especially from 3. The two bigs lineup is the biggest problem on this team and affects the spacing for both Sengun and Durant. I think this team gels and is championship worthy, but Durant shouldn’t be given a pass when he plays horrendously like last night. We would have been better with him on the bench, but Ime can’t really do that without causing locker room issues.

Three things need to happen before the playoffs. Ime needs to quit being stupid with his lineups, Amen needs to start hitting his shots in the lane, and Durant needs to get his sh*t together along with Ime getting him the spacing he needs to be effective. Okogie played 8 and 11 minutes the last 2 games. We are 9-1 when he starts and he is still hitting 43% from 3. Even if he ends up a steady 35% from 3, his defense should get him 20-25 mins a game. I think we need to give Reed his 25-30 mins a game even if it means losing a few games (I don’t think that will be the case). Holiday taking Okogie’s minutes is ludicrous.

 

Some people love to b**** about Reed even after he was our best player tonight lol.

 

man i had dreams about this game and this team making it to the finals.

i hope tari and DFS can come back soon. we need wing depth and spacing. amen is shooting way too many 3s

 

Yea that stood out to me also, it seemed like all the Reed assisted 3s were from Jabari. Which is nice to see because early in the year it felt like Jabari looked him off a bit but lately has been finding him. I noticed too many time Sengun and KD taking worse shots when they could have went to Reed. At this point, Ime needs to let the team know if Reed is on fire like that you do what Golden State does with Steph and set some screens for him and let him get as many shots as possible.

Also some of our screens are weak and ineffective. Need to get better at that. Adams is good at it but some of the other guys don't even do it correctly. I know we will get better there, it's basic fundamentals.

 

Both Amen and Jabari played great in the second half. Without them we would’ve been blown out. Reed kept us within 10 in the first half and disappeared in the second half. Some of that was being ignored, but the main cause is they stuck to him like glue soon as he crossed the half court line. I’m sure he will adjust as the year goes by, but he is still susceptible to being bullied with the ball. When he is the only hot shooter on the floor on a given night, Ime should be running plays for him with screens and movement. He is absolutely golden as a spot-up shooter. Amen just needs to start hitting his layups and he will explode into a massive force on the offensive side of the ball. This team is fine other than Ime’s poor bench coaching. He’s a good motivator, but terrible at rotations and game time adjustments. Durant needs to be playing less minutes as soon as either Tari or DFS return or even sooner. He’s already playing Amen monstrous minutes which is fine with his youth. Reed, Amen, and Okogie are young and can handle the extra work load without running Durant into the ground. ‘This game was lost by Durant and Sengun, not Amen and Jabari.

 

You look back at the game and this is how close it is.

If Capela finishes a wide open lob with no one around him instead of getting stuffed by the rim and Hardaway doesn't hit an off balance contested middy behind the backboard... then the Rockets win.

It was just a great game. Leave it at that.

 

Make or miss league and we missed, but it exposed our weaknesses.....pack the paint to stop Sengun and double KD......Ime just isn't a cerebral coach - he literally has no plan B.

DD

 

There is no world where Amen and Jabari should be getting more shots than Sengun/Durant or even Reed.

The most efficient guys need to be getting the shots.

Jabari is a 3/D player who can bail you out at times late in the clock with Durant off the floor.

Amen is the ultimate dunker spot/hustle player. He should be that until his shooting improves.

Reed deserves to be on par with Sengun and Durant shot wise.

Anyone remember the Atlanta Hawks saying they felt Reed was a Patrick Mahomes type of prospect. Other teams felt the same way. Luckily the Hawks didn't take him because they had Trae Young. Kid is special. Off ball, on ball. His ceiling is equally as high as Sengun's.

 

I'm sure that jacked up Cup court didn't help any.

 

that was the ugliest of the courts I’ve seen since they started this insane mid-season tournament.

 

Pretty amazing this game was close when you consider KD and Sengun's performance. Rockets can thank Sheppard, looking at the box score. Dude is having the greatest turn around I can recall in franchise history year-1 to 2. Not sure if KD and Sengun were guarded well and/or poor offensive decisions but I'm confident both will play better and it appears maybe only one of them needs a good game to beat Denver -- that's huge, but we'll see. Reed averaging 14-16 points with efficiency would be amazing, and seems almost likely at this point.

 

The decision to abandon what was working and instead try to keep forcing more Sengun and KD nonsense cost the Rockets the game.

Every time Adams set picks for Sheppard, it lead to something positive.... but no one else on the team has any interest in anything besides standing around demanding the ball because they always think it's their turn to cook.

That needs to get fixed.

When you have a guy who single handedly gets the team back in the game by putting up 20 in the first half and they get 2 shots in the entire second half, the team has failed.

 

Ceiling is through the roof!

 

I've got news for you: Defenses will continue to leave Jabari wide open when KD or Alpi have the ball, but if Reed keeps shooting lights out, they will bird-dog him with a defender every second he's on the floor, not just the 2nd half. This season, he won't average 15-18 shots per game because there are too many other options.

Let's climb back off the ledge. Alpi and KD won't stink like this on a regular basis. Rest assured, Reed's FGAs will continue inching up over the next 68 games and level off higher than they are now.

Enjoy the ride.

 

I’ve come to accept te loss

 

Reed missed 2 out of 3 FTs was the turning point of the game. I dont think the Rockets got the tie or the lead after. Im not saying Reed caused us to lose the game but seeing a high pct FT shooter missed 2 is not our night. I think Durant getting blocked by Murray affected him and Sengun also getting swatted left him dazed. I believe they should of stuck with Adams than Smith. Regardless, they havent lost a game where they were blown out.

We could of been 2nd place now we sit 5th.

 

The Rockets lose by 20 if not for Reed Sheppard. The missed FT's hurt, but the reason for the loss was a combination of Sengun having one of his worst games ever and Ime being a terrible coach.

 

Assists only look good if the player you pass to hits the shot