ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Lakers 4/17/2013

THIS.

 

Harden and Lin looked like they were awful but that wasn't the root of the problem. This is what happens when the Rockets face a team with a good defense. When the other team is able to slow the game down and force the Rockets into a half-court set, the defense just traps Harden and Lin when they drive in. This is because the Rockets have no reliable scorer at the 4 and 5 spots so they just completely leave them free to double/triple Lin and Harden.

No way Rockets get out of the first round, not because of guard play but they have no offensive threats outside of the Lin/Harden/Parsons in the half-court.

 

Just play your starters as much as possible and let them play their natural positions.. And call timeouts when theres a momentum change. It's the playoffs now, you can now ride them. But please don't over-coach. You're horrible at it. McHale, I beg you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How does he not see that when Harden plays pg and isos, we lose.. How do so many posters on here not see that??

 

He was 2/3 in the 1Q then went cold in the 2nd. Heated up again in the 3Q then came the brickfest. The first 2 shots he took were good shots, the rest were contested and forced with time running out. Still, I expected more from Lin because I think he's capable of hitting those.

 

Carlos Delfino is inconsistent. Tonight he was 0/4.

 

I WISH MCHALE WOULD LISTEN BUT YOU KNOW IT IS A LOST CAUSE, NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE BEG.

 

He's hit plenty of those.


Just not tonight in the biggest game of the season

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Parsons on iso-ball: "We cant slo the ball down like that. Thats not what kind of team we r. We're much better in the open court" <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23RedNation">#RedNation</a></p>&mdash; Howard Chen (@ho_chenCSN) <a href="https://twitter.com/ho_chenCSN/status/324766523807920129">April 18, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Look going up against OKC isn't that bad as people may think...SA may be a better match up but not by a long shot. Lin actually has had more issues guarding Parker than Westbrook. If you look at it Houston is more like 1-1 with OKC, with that first game a garbage game. It's the playoffs so anything can happen...you want to be the best you play the best team and make them go home early.

 

Good for him,i hope lin does that too.Their both per4mance has been unacceptable down the stretch.

 

Him guarding Gasol in the 4Q was a pure WTF...

 

Amen.

 

That's one crazy looking eurostep

 

I just cannot with McSucksAtCoaching, is it really asking too much of a COACH to draw up some offensive plays for his (youngest and most inexperienced) team during crunch time?


And I still for the life of me don't get why when Jeremy was playing well, he sat him for so damn long, when he had already subbed in all other 4 starters? All other 4 starters played 10 whole minutes more than him. And I would understand if Bevs was lighting it up but again he wasn't...he was out there bricking 3's, fouling, and getting crapped on by Blake. It just felt like a slap in the face to JLin, who had started the game very focused, playing D, hitting shots and assisting. Fast forward to the Lakers taking ALL the momentum and Rockets losing a 10 point lead....finally in comes Lin, and now McHale can sigh in relief that he can use Lin's cold shooting to justify his decision to leave in Bevs for so long. Ridiculous.


And I can't believe James is still dribbling the air out of the ball for 23.9 seconds and just passes it to whoever to forcibly shoot up a contested hail mary. I mean MY GOD! Has no one let him know how infuriating and ineffective that is? Usually that's the coach's job but again, it's probably asking too much of Coach McHale to coach, it's not like that's what he's getting paid for or anything.

 

NO SCREENS NOR PICKS AND ROLLS. MCHALE CAN ONLY DRAW ONE LINE, HARDEN ISO LINE ON THE CLIPBOARD.

 

He hasn't got back in shape since his flu.

 

Now this is true. It is also true that the best shot blocker in basketball gets to bump and push a fronting Asik in the back, knocking him totally out of the paint and not get whistled. It is also true that Lin and Harden both get bunped (more than once on some possessions) out on the 3 pt. line w/o a call, while the slightest contact is called at the other end. If you are going to beat the Lakers, it had better be CONVINCINGLY ..otherwise you lose if it's close.

 

That's why I was disappointed. I knew he's capable of hitting those but he just couldn't deliver it tonight when the game was on the line and the stake was high.

 

Travel? Lol...

 

Lin wasn't every really hot, I thought he was but if you watch the game we wasn't shooting too well throughout. It was weird to see that.