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

Just get a league pass.

 

They are trying to irk you to the extent so that you buy them league pass. That's their mission.

 

High five over CF. Magic Johnson's Lakers fan here too.

 

I have been having the same feeling about McHale, and that's why I think we won't be able to get to the 2nd in the postseason even when we are able to land a 5th or 6th seed against SAS or MEM.

I have watched every one games that our Rox played this season, and sometimes re-watch the whole game or parts of them on League Pass replays just to verify certain things I saw when the game was going on.

I would check team stats and box score live with the Game Time app during the timeouts, and the Shot Chart, Performance Zones and Scoring Zones after the game. I am able to break the diagrams down from the full game to every quarter for both the team and each player on court.

The reason I mention how I have been watching these game is just to express where I am coming from when I comment on the performance of our players and our coaches. I want to be fair to them whatever I say about them.

With this said, here are some of my observations and feelings on McHale:
1) He, and perhaps the entire staff, is too dead sold on Morey's analytics and Les' running philosophy to a point of rigidity that he failed to make adjustments. For example, if you look at the shot charts, you will see that our team make far less mid-range shots than other team's, especially the best ones except the Knicks. They believe the most efficient way to score more points with the same number of shots should be from the 3Ps, layups and free throws. Look at tonight's game, this is exactly why we lost--9-33 (27.3%) on 3Ps, 12-29 (41.4%) on FT. We scored a total of 91 points, 14 points less than our current average of 106.0. If we had performed at our average rates, we would have won the game but we didn't. On second thought, with 106 as the average, while we had those 125-point games, we are also bound to have some 79, 82, and 85 point games. And the stats for this season show we were 3-10 when we scored below 98 and 1-10 below 93.

Coming into this game, the Celtics have been holding the opponents to less than 83 points in average. That means if we could not break their defense, we would lose, and that was exactly what happened.

Some may argue that this shouldn't be the coaching staff's fault. They are right if we haven't wasted 41 possessions on 3P shooting and missed FTs.

I am not arguing about the efficacy of the 3P-layup-FT strategy, actually I subscribe to that. What I am trying to say is that McHale should ask the players to try something else, more PNRs or mid-range shootings for instance, instead of doing the few tricks we have seen so far the whole season.

You know they say to keep doing the same thing when it's not working and expect different results is insanity. That all our players were doing the same things like they were obsessed is more of the fault of the coaches than the players to me.

Mason, who killed us in the Hornets game with 17 PTS in the 4th quarter, said post game on why they won, "we adjusted as the game went."

What killed us in these two shameful games is exactly the opposite of why my opponents won--the lack of adjustments.

Rigidity, or lack of adjustments or flexibility, is my second observation on our coaching staff.

Since this post is getting too long, I just want to say my third observation is the reluctance to use more of our new players on the bench.

If you're not adjusting your tactics since you abide by the Les/Morey philosophy/strategy too much, then for god's sake at least try to use different players like the Hornets. They had to bring up their 11th player--Mason--to win the game. And they made it.

When you are going nowhere, try a new player, like D'Antoni did with Jeremy Lin, and the Hornets with Mason.

 

Yawn.. you are now arguing that Lin > Rondo based on one game? Cool, Harden > Kobe based on their last game.... Hell I remember when Vernon Maxwell went off on Jordan... So Maxwell > Jordan.

Your position is absurd.

 

Everyone sure is in a pissy mood all butthurt its 2 games we lost "THATS IT LETS RAGE THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE OF A TEAM WHO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON HAD NO EXPECTATIONS" yet here people are acting like ****ing 12 year olds. Relax damn Rockets have had good games and will continue to have good games trust in your team do not bash them. Hope they do better tonight against the sixers so everyone can go back to Lala land.

 

Believe it or not, I trust the team and all the players we have. It is McHale that I don't have faith in.

Let me rephrase that. I believe this team will make it to the playoffs but McHale is going to cost us a series for sure.

Or how about this one? The ceiling of this team is defined by McHale.

 

lol well who knows only time will tell how far Mchale takes this team we'll just have to wait and see how the season pans out. My expectations is make the playoffs anything better than that is a plus in my book

 

The only stat that matters , rockets W.

 

Funny how after the Lakers win, everyone expectation is going to the 2nd round and having that one guy at the 4 to make us contenders???? What happen to those expectations???

 

You are insane if you do not think Rondo is a better player than Lin, and I am not talking about a 2 game sample.

Further, the deficit did not go down once Lin did come in the game.

How many chances has Lin had to showcase his talent? Considering he has started every game and plays 35 minutes a night, I would say many.

As far as the Rockets having a better record, having Harden will do that. Getting a consistent and efficient 26-27 points a night will win you games.

Lin is a solid NBA player, but not a star and not worthy of the hate or praise he gets.

 

Rockets rely on out scoring their opponent, since their defense has been subpar; that is why I said they need Lin to step it up and be more aggressive in looking for his own shots. I'm not saying he should take more 3s; he should only take them when he is wide open. Lin is efficient when driving to the basket; he also can develop his mid range shot by taking more of them. Bottom line is, we need a consistent second scorer in order to out score our opponent; also, it will help when Harden is double teamed. Plus our shooters have not been consistent, you can't always rely on 3s, you will end up losing a lot of games when they are off, which is bound to happen.

Like I said the Rockets would win more games if they have a second consistent scorer, and that has to be Lin; but, in order for him to be that person, he needs to take more shots - You can't expect him to get 20+ points with only 9 shots. Some games when his FG% were high he still only have taken 8 to 12 shots, which is not acceptable if he is on the floor for 35+ mins.

You brought up Lin shouldn't be like Westbrook and that he is a liability; need I remind you the Thunder was the Western conference champ last year and they are 28-8 this current season. Point proven.

 

Who is trashing Lin? Who said he played poorly?

 

The problem with last night's game lack of defense. There is no d. Wtf is going on? Boston score at will at the paint. The only person that is working hard on d is Lin. Defense is something not show in the stats. Unless the team pick up their defense, there is no way they can pass round 1.

 

I like that.

 

we wont make playoffs at all with this defensive effort. Small ball with was horrible idea last night and with KG guarded by smith and morris with no Omer on the floor was horrible coaching. Omer confidence level has dropped it seems especially at FT line and basic ball handling. He needs help in the paint and our bigs are camping at 3pt line on offense while getting ass kicked on defense

 

no its not defense it was FTs.

 

You forgot to add that Jeremy was a -7 in the +/-. Which was tied for the fourth worse +/- on the team!

 

won 5 straight, lose 2, won 5 straight, lose 2, Now let's win 5 straight again.

 

Should the title of this thread simply be changed to "Jeremy Lin - Good, Bad, Indifferent?" Let's just toss out the "Game Thread" title. Who needs it? Jeremy Lin seems to be the only topic of conversation here. I thought there were several threads discussing him in the GARM already, but what do I know?

Sorry for the interruption. This is such a crucial topic. Every thread should really be about Mr. Lin, now and forever more.