ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Thunder 11/28/2012

Lin is a very good passer. The only reason I hesitate to call him a better playmaker than Harden is that for some reason he sometimes seems a little too shaky with the ball, especially under pressure. I think he needs to be more comfortable handling the ball.

Harden on the other hand has been a solid playmaker for the past few years with OKC and other than the finals, he showed up in the playoffs. That being said, he looks uncomfortable at times in this offense and I cannot say that he is the best playmaker on the team either. Lin's capable of being a great playmaker, I think it's a matter of his own confidence, and better coaching.

Both players will get better.

 

OKC doubled hard on both our guards. They want to take the ball out of their hands and force other three players to create. We could seriously use Parsons tonight.

Not having a low-post threat is one of our glaring weakness.

 

I think we all need a reality check here. If we were able to beat OKC tonight when both Durant and Ibaka were on fire, then we would be talking about going to the finals this season and not maybe/maybe not making the playoffs.

That's with the youngest, most inexperienced team in the NBA that have only been together for 14 games, who still have the CAP space to sign a max contract player (OKC do not have that space) and who were missing one of their key players and glue guys due to injury in Parsons.

We also have a weak bench with players like Douglas and Cook (who was option 9/10 at OKC not so long ago.)

I think this young team is doing fantastically well all things considered. Just get off their backs, give them time and enjoy them growing and developing.

 

They did well breaking the trap in the second half, Lin dropped some nice dimes but lack of consistency, he will klearn.

 

Yeah pretty much. Fortunately for us there aren't a lot of teams that are as athletic as OKC & Miami. So for the most part Harden will be fine. Harden will have to learn to adjust to how teams defend him. Lin also. It will take time. WE really need to upgrade at the front court position though. A lot of fans don't understand if they are aggressively defending you that means the opposition respects you. If they are leaving you open that means you aren't a threat. OKC dared Omer Cook & Asik to beat them singlehandedly & locked up Harden & Lin. if we had a player at the PF spot that was more of a threat the game would have been a lot different.

 

Sorely needed Parsons, for his defense on KD and he would have punished them for trapping Harden and Lin. Great player, hope he's healthy soon.

 

Agreed. We also need more movement on offense. When Lin was trapped near half court at the end of half, no one in the front court moved to receive the ball. Everyone was waiting for the guards to create but no one was cutting. We need a few slashers.

 

I agree whole heartedly. His handle is a lot better than last year but still could be better. I think he has learned to handle pressure a lot better though. I also agree that the coaching does leave a lot to be desired.

I just want to stress that there is a lot more to being a good playmaker than just passing. It isn't just making the pass but how you pass it, where you pass it & when you pass it. Do you hit guys in there sweet spots, do you feed guys enough so that they stay active on the court, do you lead them into there shots as opposed to passing them the ball & having them lead themselves into there shots. Do you control the pace of the game. Do guys stay active because they know that you will pass to them?

For example I noticed that when Lin handles the rocks guys move more because they know he will pass but with Harden they tend to stand around & watch because they don't expect that they will touch the ball. The word is being a floor general. Lin has it in my opinion & has the potential to be great at it, Harden is a great passer but I don't think he is a floor general. And he isn't supposed to be. He is the scorer for this team not the PG.

 

Can we take it easy on the whole team? Difficult circumstances, tired, playing against a top 3 team fresh, away, and they kept trying.

Just take it easy on Harden, over-used the night before, and like Lowry, had a bad game against his former team (it happens). But he'll bounce back. Take it easy because we didn't have Parsons, and hence no credible D against Durant. Take it easy on Lin, who expended a lot of energy against Westbrook and held him to a much below season average score (heck, Westbrook got more in the 1st quarter against Lin in preseason).

The bright side, Asik would've had a 20/10 night had a few more FTs gone in, and 2Pat is continuing to show improvement and hit that 3. He's playing like Lamarcus Aldridge now, and he's much cheaper. Just need a couple more rebounds.

We had a weak bench coming into the season, and it doesn't help when you're missing your glue guy and 6th man (Delfino) on the 2nd night of a back-to-back.

Toney Douglas, on the other hand ...

 

You got it!

 

Experience will take them there.

 

Jeremy, why no double double ? Son, I am disappoint.

 

Unfortunately it's been shown time and time again that to shut Harden and Lin down is quite easy, just trap at the top of the key and there you go, because no one will come and help. It's so easy to get out of this, I don't know why coaches never realize this. Instead, you have players standing around waiting for them to get out of it.

I miss Parsons.

 

The loss was not unexpected, especially given the travel and scheduling circumstances, but obviously Parsons would've been the difference maker by freeing up Lin and Harden from the double teams. Patterson and Asik stepped up big. Pat's been very quietly progressing - his jumpshots are solidly reliable and he's an actual 3-point threat, to boot. And he's playing more aggressively inside, which bodes well for the team down the road.

 

Well you can tell OKC wanted this one more than we do. Team was exhausted but still fought hard, I fully expected the outcome and the good thing is, the game was a lot closer than the score indicates.

 

Good lesson exposed our guys weaknesses, back to the drawing board and learn something from this. You will be better next time facing them. Growing a young team is painful but exciting.

 

Parsons was surely missed. He's the difference-maker. He's the mayo in the Lin and Harden sandwich.

 

Yup. Honestly all I wanted to see from Harden in this game was him NOT pressing. And he pressed. He is very bullheaded it is frustrating. He did the same thing against Miami. He always wants to make a statement. We saw the same thing with Felton in Houston.

Give credit to Lin from that NY game he just played within the system he showed a lot of restraint & didn't force trying to be the man & show up his old team. Harden forced things way to much.

But I think part of the reason he was able to do that is because the coaching staff have him on a long leash. There needs to be a lot more accountability. Also harden is still adjusting to being the "man" that will take time. He is young & he will learn. I am not too worried.

 

We were hurting too much at the three spot, get well soon Delphino and Chandler

 

Shutting down Harden and Lin is easy. All you have to do is trap them at the top of the key, because no body comes to help.

I wil give the boys a pass for this game. They looked tired/no energy. All you b1tches complaining don't know how to play basketball.