ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Celtics 1/11/2013

Not saying TD was because of TD, but....you're suggesting if he was, that we take him out anyway, just so you can cheer Lin on?.

What a hypocrite. Your bias towards Lin is just as equally ridiculous, and idiotic as the people you're trying to talk down to.
Hypocrite LOF.

 

This is one of the biggest problems on this team. Garnett/Rondo and Duncan/Parker, Griffin/Paul are quite successful because they play the PnR so well and allows the PG to do his job very efficiently.

 

Excellent points. They went on a run but it was not because of TD (he did not do much really, just lucky being on the floor at that time; therefore, getting credit by fans). He actually chucked up two shots that didn't go in near the end which actually contributed to the Celtics run, so when Lin was back in Rockets were down by quite a bit again - I think down by 11 or 12 points with 4 mins left.

Lin needed his rest but that was not the right time and should not have been that long, since he is an excellent 4th quarter player - he would have been aggressive.

 

With 1:34 left in the 3rd, Lin had the Rockets down 61-74.

TD enters for Lin.

With 7:22 left in the 4th, TD had the Rockets down 81-83.

20-9 run by the Rockets with TD at PG.

Best Rockets run of the entire game. Only down 2.

Score 81-83.

Celtics call timeout at 7:22 mark. Then....

Pierce makes a shot.
Delfino misses a three.
Greg Smith commits a foul.
Rondo makes both free throws.
Harden misses a free throw.
Bass scores inside.
Harden turns the ball over.
Pierce makes a shot +1.

Rockets down 82-92 at 5:50 mark.

Lin did NOTHING to improve things in the 4th. Lin entered with 4:52 left and the Rockets down 82-92.

The offense with Lin sputters and the Rockets get outscored 9-11 the rest of the way. Final score: 91-103.

In the second half +/- at least, TD was a plus and Lin a minus.

The closest the Rockets got was within 2 points 81-83 and that run was with TD on the floor and Lin on the bench.

Besides, Lin played 36 minutes. He can't play 40 minutes a night or he breaks down and folds as we saw in New Orleans.

 

He should have"felt the run was losing energy"? You are grasping at straws.

 

yeah McHale needs to study tape of this game and the Spurs games to teach our team how to run better PnR's...a big problem though is that the other team's roll men can cheat on our bigs because they are like no threat to actually score...id like to see more of the lin-smith pnr because no one else seems even close to capable of finishing on the roll...a good pnr would really add some depth to our O

 

Of course no one knows, but in my opinion, when Rondo came back in, Lin should've been brought back in. Unless TD was playing really well and creating (he wasn't), you thank him for a job well done and bring in the starter who happens to have fresher legs and has played an all around great game. When Lin left in the third and the Celtics went on a big run to run up the lead, the importance of Lin on the court in today's game was clear. McHale did well in riding the hot hand, but he rode it too long.

Also, games like this will mess with a player's confidence in the coaches to treat him right and can't be helpful in the long run.

 

And despite all that ... there's a reason Douglas ended with -12 for the game, and on the whole since December, the team's overall +/- is a lot worse with Harden/Douglas than it is with Harden/Lin.

So the bigger sample size tells you playing Douglas is worse off, and the smaller sample size (the game) tells you Douglas wasn't really doing much except he was in at the right time when the Rockets made a run. So you take the back-up out and play the starter.

This isn't just a Douglas/Lin thing. The small ball line-up in 4Q also disgusts me. Take out your best defender, rebounder, and screen setter ... to live and die on jump shots and no second chance shots.

 

good news utah and minny also lost...our playoff place is firmly hammered down!

 

We better be practicing our free throws tomorrow

 

TD brings energy and at times instant offense, but you are forgetting there's another team playing the game. Rondo also sat during that period. It was when Rondo was brought back into the game that our lead started to disappear. Coaching brought Lin back too late.

 

It's okay...every player/ex-player is allowed to have his groupies.

 

The loss is disappointing, but the defense of leaving TD for most of the 4th is more lame by many on this board.

Lin was the BEST player tonight. Basketball is a game where you'll see obvious momentum shifts -- this is expected. Read that -- momentum SHIFTS. If momentum lasts forever, it makes sense to ride one group forever. The real trick is to NOT TO RIDE IT FOR TOO LONG.

We lost. That's 100% proof that we rode the momentum too long.

 

Jason Terry has a face that I really want to punch. God, I really hate that guy.

 

How do you define "vastly superior" player? Dude look up the stats, what's so superior about having the same stat line (2 fewer assists by Rondo but 4 more TOs by him as well). And last checked Houston has a better W record as well. Lin and Rondo have faced each other twice this year....and there is ZERO indication that Rondo is "vastly" superior....Lastly, how many times have Lin been able to showcase his talent this year....right only one game.:grin:

 

Alright so I was at the game (got to fist bump most of the Rockets players!) here was my observation...

1. Europeans stick together (Asik and Motiejunas were talking and posting up with each other all of warm up).
2. Aldrich and Harden are pretty tight, they talked a lot and seemed to genuinely enjoy each other during warm up
3. Usual team-rituals, Patterson, Aldrich and Smith stood up from tip off till the Rockets made their first basket
4. Some bad calls tonight but overall the Rockets tried to push things too hard... Pierce was unstoppable for some reason

 

I love the choice of words in your post. Even though, he clearly was helping the Rockets stay in it by playing well, you state that "Lin had the team down 82-92." You could say the same thing about Hardne. He had us down 82-92.
So are you saying that Lin played worse than TD today? Is that the gist of your summary. Then, I disagree. Let's leave it at that.

 

This game shows we really need a dominant big man. We any expect harden and even Lin to an extent make everything happen offensively. Boston had no respect for our bigs tonight. They were double teaming harden as soon as he touched the ball. The rockets really do need another elite player in the worst way if we're gonna become contenders. This team is nicely constructed we just need that allstar big bad. No joke Luis scola would be a nice player for us right now. When the game slows down he would be perfect for time being in half court sets to just dump the ball to and get quality looks.

 

He absolutely can, but with how well Lin was playing him, why gamble with it by leaving Douglas in? The lead was lost. Douglas is instant offense, and little else.