ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Sixers 11/13/2013

It's not about their "parade", Slick, it's about the denigration of the rest of the team while refusing to hold Lin to the same standard.

Furthermore, as a Rockets fan it's about the team over individual performances for me.
I don't think that's a particularly difficult concept to grasp.

Oh and peace in the GARM? You must be new 'round these parts Sparky.

 

True! Great post. I'm excited for the future!

 

I'm ok with discussing issues. But a few posters clearly had an agenda and were making unfair and hyperbolical arguments to get their point across (i.e. crucifying Lin for JA's ridiculously hot night).

Peace in GARM is just an expression - I am channeling my inner 2pac.

You don't win fights by beating people over the head with these unfair arguments. It just further creates a sense of victimization and fuels the perception that there are "LOHs". I am all about the team but let's cut out the crap where the analysis is spun to make Lin to make to irritate his fanatics. They do them - you do you.

 

It's good to see Lin play confidently - I don't know what has changed from las year but he's performing with confidence. That comes with playing time usually - James Anderson is a perfect example. He is incredibly athletic but got zero playing time last year and so played like ****. Now he's improving - same goes with Evan Turner - more touches - better playing.

To me, the problem is still Mchale. We have an incredible amount of talent - period. With the proper direction, player development and specific concept and tactics as well as unflinching discipline, we could be one of the best teams in the league. But it seems like we are moving backwards in some ways from last year.

I know I keep harpin on this but hasn't anyone at least started to feel this way?

 

I didn't misconstrue anything. You claimed that people did not call out Harden for his turnovers in the game against the Blazers, which is disingenuous because the context is completely different (Rockets won the game, so less complaining) and the fact that people did note his obvious short comings (poor defense and turnovers).

I find it highly insincere that you are trying to make a claim for double standards against Lin by arguing that he can do no right for some people, whiles completely ignoring the fact that for others he could do no wrong.

Maybe you should acknowledge the fact that Lin's polarizing opinions go both ways, otherwise, that's called double standard.

 

Injury?

 

Yep

This was no surprise by any stretch. Their coach has them playing grind it out ball, and the way they were shooting the 3 was the great equalizer. More time will mend out of offensive woes. Once we hit some perimeter shots to open up space for Dwight, that will establish a post-up to kick out and ball swing for a corner 3 that we will fully utilize once our shooters get their feet under them. Their will be some more growing pains, don't be lie those lame on-the-fence fans who can't see what is going on. We weren't gonna blend right away and that was evident during preseason which I was preaching. It wasn't about the scores during preseason, it was how we interacted and it wasn't clean then either. We are rapidly improving though and are actually doing somewhat better than I thought we would up to this point. Our goal should still be a top 4 seed and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if we are a bit higher once we hit our stride.

 

Some of you guys can't be serious, would you actually expect the fourth man of the team, if not the fifth or sixth, designated before the season started, to carry the offensive load, play-making load, and actually contain the hottest player from the opponent?? I mean fair is fair, if Lin's role on this team is THIS importment, let it be known! put on the record! so we wouldnt have had so much craps between LOF and LOHs. But lets not kid ourselves, Lin wasnt part of this team's long term plan, I know it, you know it, and pretty sure Lin knows it too.

 

Of course ur right. Also, new system, first real year as a starter etc. I'm glad though that having a rough last season didn't break him but brought out the fighter in him and he's playing well

 

If he keeps playing this well....he might be again. I think the hope from Morey and McHale was for Lin to slowly waste away on the bench, so when the time comes there won't be much of a noise.

 

When was the last time garcia made a shot? He's been struggling big time lately. I do agree mchale needs to be better situationally. Against lakers, garcia and brewer should've been on the court for the defensive stand. Toronto game as well as tonight should've been a foul before the 3.

 

When someone is in a zone, it almost doesn't matter who is guarding him. Your shot becomes automatic. YOu only hope the guy cools off which Anderson did not.

 

I think the bashing is going way too far. Actually it was not a bad game at all and the Rockets were seconds from winning it.

It is a misconception that the Rockets should have won this game hand down. Remember, Philly has won Miami and Chicago already this year. So it should not be such a big surprise that Houston may fall to them as well.

The only thing that I have criticism of was the lack of fouling in the end of regulation (Q4). When a team catches that supernatural groove and everything that they throw up goes in, don't take the chance that a guy may get a 3pt opportunity. Even 3 free throws is preferable. That's my only criticism on game management.

Concerning the players I have only one problem. Don't keep the ball, don't put it on the floor and do not dribble. That will cost dearly in TOs. Move the ball. The faster the better.

Garcia is still a great player. He came from a flu and his minutes probably needed an adjustment, but Harden was missing too. Casspi was just about there with his 3-pointers.

Don't compare Casspi and Garcia to the preseason stats. Then they could shoot tons and have the stats working every game. In the season there is a seniority where the major players take the shots that count. Casspi's stat line was actually very nice.

So the bench was probably too short tonight, but the team appears to be on the right track. Pity that the game did not and in a W.

 

I didn't watch the game, heck even the highlights. I just glanced at the box score and read few posts here. But using the LOGIC I would say Lin had a lot of offensive load to bear and he spent most energy there.

Didn't Harden once said he was a better defender in OKC because he didn't need to be the main offensive threat for 38+ min so he could spare some energy for D? I guess the same happened today with Lin...

 

no matter if McHale couldnt figure out how to make him and Harden work together, Lin wont be half good if Harden has the ball in his hands all the time, besides there'd be endless dramas which is no fun at all, should trade Lin while his stocks at all time high.

 

That's just it, his defense was fine for most of the night: He was right in Anderson's face on most possessions. There were only a handful of possessions where Anderson was even open. Some nights players just keep making tough shots. There's not much you can do except maybe send a double team. They didn't do it probably because they didn't think Anderson could make those shots all night, considering that he could barely make wide open shots most of the time. If Anderson was wide open all night like Redick vs Harden, then you can blame Lin's defense all you want, but that was not what happened tonight.

Lin's defense this season has been very solid. He made slightly more mistakes tonight than he usually does, but the downgrade is more like from "very solid" to "solid." Beverley gets outright beaten on defense far more frequently than Lin does so far this year, particularly on screens where Beverley gets rubbed off easily and just trails a foot behind his man all the way to the basket instead of picking up his helper's man (just terrible). Beverley's iso defense is definitely better than Lin's, but Beverley only gets to take advantage of it against teams which don't scout him. Well-managed teams will just keep rubbing him off screens.

It's not that people are surprised that there are those who can't tell the difference between a player going off being left wide open all night and a player going off despite having a defender in his face for most of the night. At this point, that comes as no surprise at all, just as it ought not come as any surprise that there are yet others ready to point out the difference.

Lin is not the terrible defender that Harden is. The comparison you try to draw between Lin and Harden's defense is not even remotely apt. I have not seen defense comparable to Harden's since Mayo's in his Grizzlies days. Man, wish I still have links to all the videos of Mayo completely losing track of his men. One could swear he and Harden are long lost brothers.

 

I agree. I would say torocan has done an admirable job analyzing Mchale's issues. Search for his posts if you can.

 

James Anderson, you can only hope and pray that he cools off so he doesn't go for 40. LOL. This thread is just hysterical sometimes.

 

I knew the thread about LIN being clutch is JINX!!!!!

LIN was amazing first 3 quarters then laid and egg on the 4th

 

He can seriously drink some of those 5-hour energy....