ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Mavericks 11/20/2013

James Harden playing Chase Budinger or Kevin Martin defense?

 

he actually got passed marion going to his right after the hold happened..watch just before harden releases the ball in his shot..he embellishes some type of contact..harden would have had a better chance of making the shot if he just shot it normal and followed through..

 

I think the 4 core players are Harden Dwight, Lin and Parsons. Dwight and Parsons had strong games, Harden made critical errors, Lin was a no-show. T Jones was an x-factor but the collapse came in this very strange game tonight.

 

Of course it was a milestone night for Dirk. There's ALWAYS a milestone/career high something against the Rockets.

 

How can you shoot it normal in that situation? Marion is a strong guy, we really don't know how much his hold affected Harden going right. But I know Harden must have been thinking he had to put it up there because Marion was coming right back at him to foul him again and when he puts the shot up you can see Marion put his arms up in the "I didn't do anything!" motion.

I don't' think he has time to set his feet and shoot in rhythm.

 

marion didn't have his hand up or on harden as he was releasing the ball..hes done the same thing time and time again..but i guess we see different things..

 

I get that he wanted a foul call, and should have gotten one for 2 free throws, but the dumb flop head flail as a last second desperation to get a call when it clearly wasn't happening, instead of actually trying to size up a clean look at the basket was what annoyed me.

It's getting to the point where Harden is a liability in end game scenarios, I'm not sure how he just repeatedly clams up and chokes but it seems to happen. I read that he was 2-8 in end of the game attempts when his team is down by 3 or less and that includes that goaltend last year by Jermaine O'neal that should have been taken away. It also doesn't account for situations where he has tried to draw contact and ended up not getting the whistle in those situations which was more than a few times and generally resulted in a turnover. He also missed the free throw that would have in all likely hood sent this game into overtime. I hope he can figure out his mental block, and sooner than later. Margins are too thin in the NBA to lose every close game like we do.

 

Blaming loss on a bench player is funny.

 

marion didn't have his hand up or on harden as he was releasing the ball..hes done the same thing time and time again..but i guess we see different things..

 

Good summary. Thanks for laying if out.

 

We didn't really just blow an 18 point lead to the Mavericks, did we? Surely that's impossible, right?

 

this team is a ****ing joke sometimes. Whether its between the blown leads or the end of game plays. Someone needs to tell some of the players to get a ****ing grip already. This stuff gets old fast.

 

Beverley is expected to play D and get a lot of rebounds and knock down some 3 point shots. That's what he did. Lin is expected to come in and run the offense after Harden sits and when he's with Harden attack when Harden decides not to be the sole playmaker, hit some shots, get assists, while playing good D. Much more is expected of Lin but OK, he gets paid more than Bev. We have a 3 1-2 guard rotation. Bev at the 1 Harden at the 2 but Harden does the playmaking, Lin at the 1 Harden at the 2 then Harden let's Lin do some playmaking, the Bev at the 1 or 2 and Lin at the 2 or 1 and they just kind of go by feel and it looks good while Lin could have a center like Dwight in or not and Parsons could be cooking or not so he's a main contributor to the scoring when he's on or just pump faking a lot when he's not. The makeshift after starter unit had TJones more yesterday but a disinterested Asik didn't help tonight and an overly ambitious Casspi took the rhythm away tonight plus Lin's shots didn't fall and only some of Bev's did. Garcia is lost, the guy has to get going. Brooks is for garbage time or emergency time if someone is in foul trouble, D-Mo and Brewer hardly play.

 

They have had one blowout game...every game in the season has been close. That is part of the problem here...they blowout teams for 3 qtrs except one. So he's done fine in close games mostly.

That stat is a silly stat, considering that Andre Iguodala had as many game winners as Kobe, Melo and someone else? That number was 4. Game winners are TOUGH shots to make. I think most star players have about 1 a season and what is really happening is they are making the bigger shots to put the game awya then relying on game winners...so the shot at 2 minutes...not the shot at 5 seconds.

No, but he held Harden before he shot the ball and you're saying that he should have set and shot his shot correctly right? I'm saying I can't blame the guy because he knows Marion is coming to foul him for the second time so he has to put it up.

I also remember no other time where he's done this in a similar situation. If he could have set his feet and shot I'm sure he would have because he's hit big shots exactly that way. But him being rushed to shoot didn't help his shooting form is what I am saying and it didn't help that he was held right before shooting.

 

That's the problem with Bev, Monta Ellis wasnt exactly struggling was he? People keep saying he adds grit and a defensive intensity and that's why he must start, but he clearly doesnt. yea he does his own thing and pressures the ball etc, but the team as a whole clearly doesnt have any of that intensity or grit rubbed off on them.

 

fouls are rarely called at the end of games..take the shot.. don't rely on he refs to award u free throws..just the reason why we are not winning a ring with him..

 

This is extremely convenient...because shooting fouls ARE called at the end of games. Hell, Dallas should know that as D-Wade continued to go to the line in the FINALS of all places.

No, you don't rely on the refs,...but if you are fouled you are fouled. Period.

You are telling me Dwight being hammered in the Paint by Dirk have nothing to do with winning or losing the game? It does. It's no "Can't rely on fouls." no...if Dwight isn't fouled he's dunking the ball for a easy two points. As simple as that.

 

Beverley and Parsons have had plenty of 0/5 games with huge minutes

If Lin's guy scored 37 posters here would crucify him

Hilarious

 

lets agree to disagree..im going to sleep..

 

If Lin had played 34 minutes he'd have 8 assists and zero turnovers!

In the same vein he'd have 2 points on 0-10 shooting and be a -20 for the game.