ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Clippers 2/26/2014

Pretty much on point as far as diagnosis. Can we fix this for this year?

 

Turn Overs. 20 vs 11. Also 3 pt shooting woes. Outside of Hamilton no one could hit a 3 pointer so Clippers ended up packing the paint and we couldn't do much.

 

If we were to play the Clips next, all other things being equal despite the obvious liek cut down on turnovers etc - I would give a serious thought to the following:

1. Playing more Asik with Dwight. Asik on Griffin. You do give up a lot offensively with spacing issues but it's worth the try. You need to tame down Griffin and not let those Clippers bigs abuse you on the boards.

2. Play a few minutes of hack a DJ - of course this is circumstantial depending on where the game is. You make Doc make the call - either trust DJ to hit his free throws or take him out of the game. He is a big time shot blocker, defender and rebounder.

3. Switch Harden to Barnes and let Parsons guard the opposing 2 guard - be it Reddick or Crawford or Collison as we say yday. Harden doesn't have the lateral quickness to keep up.

 

If Parsons isn't sick, we might have seen a different outcome in this game, but honestly, the Clippers are just a horrible match-up for the Rockets. I think it's clear that they have what it takes to beat us.....a great player at the 4, and the solid shooters all around. Darren freaking Collison showing up for once in his life didn't help much either.

 

The Rockets did a pretty good job on Chris Paul, as good as any other team manages to do with him. He didn't really go off, and the Clippers' half court offense didn't really get on track even when Jeremy Lin was guarding Paul. The team did a nice job containing Paul coming off picks (which is not a one-man job).-- a huge difference compared to when HOU got blown out at their last road game vs. the Clips.

Griffin is a problem. Jones can't play him 1 on 1. DMo is a bit better but still needs help. Dwight and Asik do good job but this either forces the team to play "twin tower" or stick a PF on Jordan. I think the plan if the teams meet in the playoffs is to use DMo with Dwight (or Asik) and try to come up with a scheme to keep Griffin in check. Jones is just so lost on that end of the floor right now.

Or maybe to go small again, with Dwight plus 4 perimeter guys and dare Rivers to either stay big and see if Griffin can cover a SF/SG or to take Jordan out of the game.


Anyhow, the issue for the game is on the offensive end, where Houston's TOs and misses fueled LA's fast breaks.

 

Balanced assessment.

I was glad to see that we caught up on a 4-17 beginning in the first quarter and were only one point behind by end of the third. Overall the Rox have improved over the last two matches.

I was hoping that we would win this one because it would greatly help our final playoff seeding, but this loss shows that we are still not a match for the Clips yet. The good thing about it is it shows us what we need to do to continue to improve our game.

However I'm still confident that with more experience we will win the next game against the Clips at home, leading to a strong start in the playoffs.

 

I wonder how Harden would do against Griffin in stretches.

 

It is simple. The Rockets can beat the Clippers but they have to limit turnovers and hit their 3's.

 

It's simple we can beat all teams doing that.

 

It was the 3rd game in 4 nights, not 4th game in 5 nights. Also, our starters didn't play the 4th QTR on the previous night. Sure, the Clippers were better rested. But the disadvantage against us was not as great as many are seeing it as or reporting it to be.

The Clippers are VERY good at home and this is factor.

Lets also take into account that when a playoff series is pending, both teams go into overtime in analytically analyzing the other. We may find ways to overcome disadvantage and magnify advantages in a 7 game series that you wont in a single game. Of course, the opposite could prevail also.

 

I wasn't actually calling you my buddy, I was using it generally. I'm sorry I have to explain that to you. You'll figure it out someday.

Explain to me why Howard and Harden's frequent 4 TO games are overlooked and Lin's 2/3 TO games are overblown. I'll wait. If we're going by per 48, his other numbers are quite good across the board. Why don't you list those as well? Talk about cherypicking.

Funny how Pat also gets a pass on O. If that's not his job I suppose it's fair to say it's not Lin's job to play D..oh, no? hmm...

 

I don't know why there's so much to blame on Lin when he played like 18 minutes only.

 

Oh....Parsons was sick. So, we have a built-in excuse. SWEET!

"Oompa loompa...basket ball goo...I've got a little riddle for you."

"What do you get when Parsons is not sick? He don't play so clumsy like poo!"

"What do you get if it wasn't back-to-back? We don't play so lackadaisically!"

"How many layups did we miss point blank? I don't like to piss, point, clank!"

"And if we do all of these things right...we CAN...WIN...LIKE...DOOPITY DOO!"

Cue end oompa loompa song music. "That's a wrap, folks! Ooompa loompas, back to the chocolate forest until next loss."

Umm...yea....sorry.

 

LOL. reminds me of Winnie the POO. Even though it should be scooby DOO

 

I wonder how the lineup Friedman pointed out,
ie. Asik, Lin, Hamilton and DMo + 1 more

vs

our starters would fare.

I'd pay money to watch that.

I suspect the starters would have the upper hand, but only just.

I reckon we do have a v strong bench, but needs to be utilised.

 

IIRC, the Rockets bench heavy group in the first half made a comeback vs. the Clippers' own bench heavy group. Houston's bench group did not fare as well in the 2nd half when the Clips kept more of their starters in.

 

The refs had the Rox by the nutsack the entire game. If Parsons was sick why not start with Jordan Hamilton in the lineup? Mchale is the dumbest coach in the league and couldn't figure that out and make last minute adjustments?

 

Sounded like Parsons pushed to play. Somebody should have shut him down, though.

 

players, especially non-stars like parsons, don't get to determine their minutes on the floor. it's more likely that mchale, who is ever eager to run parsons 40min a game in general, just put him out there all on his own.

 

If Parsons is ill, we want him to breath on Chris Paul and Blake Griffin as much as possible.