ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Clippers 11/4/2013

Let me tell you good peeps that was very embarrassing to me:

Right before Coach Rivers called the dogs off, Chris Paul called his teammates into a huddle. They inbounds the ball CP3 and he threw a nice alley-hoop pass to Blake for a thunderous one handed dunk.

I know we have the Trailblazers tonight and Lakers on Thursday but If I were the Rockets, I would be looking forward to getting sweet revenge on Saturday.

 

so far it only worked on the Grizzlies during preseason... we haven't seen the twin towers dominate the first quarter at all, we always seem to get blown out in the first quarter.

 

Nice read, J.R., thanks!

As much as I don't like last night's result, it was a fun game to watch.

 

These are growing pains.

I think we will have our true form soon this season. I just hope it doesn't take many games to get there.

The Clips look deadly if everyone is on fire like they were last night. I think we can definitely play better though. Our defense will make us contenders, but it needs to show up.

 

We need a second scorer. We can't just rely on Harden.

 

Scoring wasn't the issue last night. The team had an ORtg of 114.8 (points per 100 possessions) last night despite Harden's bad shooting. They ended up with 66 points in the first half, 118 total. http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201311040LAC.html

The team has more than enough guys who can score in Harden's off nights.

Defense was the problem.

 

3rd game in 4 nights, plus it seems that Harden is injured. It's clearly affecting his defensive effort. I know he's not a good defender, but I can't believe he'll continue to be this bad once he's healthy. I wouldn't worry too much about this game.

 

We need Beverly back... H&H didn't show up but hopefully win tonight and Revenge coming on Saturday. Hopefully refs will be on our side at home on Saturday!

 

That was nothing. Thought it was gonna be the one where Lin almost fell.

 

That gif pretty much sums up the Rockets team D last night

 

If the team's eyes haven't opened after last night, our (fans) eyes sure has.

Anything (bad day, poor play, playing hurt) is better than no effort. That's how Tmac lost us at the end.

Here's to hoping we get back on track.

 

We just got buried in the first quarter and could not dig ourselves out of it...

we should stop this twin tower experiment... it does not work...

 

CP3 traveled his a** off too. Joker took 3 steps pick up his dribble at the foul line. You can see it in slow motion but in real time, LOL that's another story.

 

Lol. It's easy for me to laugh about it this morning, but I was annoyed as hell last night. CP3 is hella smart, I don't know how he got Casspi to set a pick for him.

 

Like you said hella smart and add in crafty as hell..LOL Dude look like he had that sh** set up as soon as he crossed half court. It annoyed the hell out me as well but you have appreciate how good that joker is LOL.

 

Except the Rocket play the same type of game as the Clips - it's just that the Clips are better at it than are the Rox. It's VERY early in the season so we'll have to see what develops in the next few months but someone needs to give McHale a calendar to show him it's 2013 and not 1986. There is a little thing known as the zone defense that's now legal. That "Twin Towers" idea just won't fly as your base offensive set. You have two big offensively challenged guys clogging up the paint while your star SG loves to run ISO plays to get to the basket AND your PG also loves to attack the paint but is a so-so jumpshooter. Sort of contradictary wouldn't you say? Morey needs to find them a legit 4, one who can hit the outside shot on a consistent basis. Oh and a little effort with perimeter defense would be nice.

I know a lot of the Rocketsheep b****ed about the Jazz announcers and all but they were dead on with their comments about Howard's lack of offensive skill. Since coming into the league, he's definitely upped his defense but offensively he is extremely limited and it really showed last night. The alley -oops and the power dunks are pretty to see but he has to develop a consistent post game for them to go far in the playoffs. Harden HAS to play defense - he has to actually show that he has the heart and the will to pay the price to become a champion (they both do). His effort last night was TOTALLY crap and the announcers were dead on when they said he wasn't into the game from the start. And the b****ing about CP3 needs to stop. He did what he has always done which is why the Clips traded for him. He gave the kind of effort the Rox need to get every night from their PGs. Will be interesting to see what happens on Saturday night.

 

though he had a falling out with the clippers - something about them not renewing his season ticket or something... you can hear this guy all the way on the other side of staple center.

 

chris paul is a gnat. but damn he's good. so in control all the time.

 

Yeah, he is a great actor too. Well ... he lives in LA.

I will nominate him for Oscar

 

Zach Lowe, the stage is yours:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Part of last night's explosion in LA stems from 2 very good teams playing potent lineups, including small-ball, that are just tough to guard</p>&mdash; Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/statuses/397724415493820416">November 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>BUT: HOU's perimeter D is a flaming train wreck -- back-cuts, lack of awareness, lots on screens, lack of effort. Horrific.</p>&mdash; Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/statuses/397724545722748930">November 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Beverley's return will help, but it is NOT a catch-all solution -- not even close.</p>&mdash; Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/statuses/397724613351714816">November 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I meant to say &quot;lost&quot; on screens in that tweet on HOU's perimeter D issues, by the way. Both on and off the ball.</p>&mdash; Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/statuses/397724833368117248">November 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Asik/Howard only averaging 12 minutes together per game, and HOU offense has been bad in that limited time. Still early, but...not good.</p>&mdash; Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/statuses/397725627890929665">November 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/Alex_Roarty">@Alex_Roarty</a> Parsons, Lin, Harden, Brooks all minus defenders, though Harden might be the worst.</p>&mdash; Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/statuses/397725691950555136">November 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/jdseiden">@jdseiden</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Alex_Roarty">@Alex_Roarty</a> He's not. Go read Kelvin Sampson's comments on his D from over the summer. Way overrated, and the team knows it.</p>&mdash; Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/statuses/397726456085614592">November 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/egriffin1">@egriffin1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ShowMeTheMorey">@ShowMeTheMorey</a> No. You also saw back cuts all over the floor, shooters left open, screens negotiated poorly all over the floor</p>&mdash; Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/statuses/397726658301423616">November 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
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