ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Blazers 4/25/2014 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 3)

Lol at Harden saying they might have been too relaxed at home. Dude, it's the playoffs, just man up and say you boys have outplayed and your coach has been THOROUGHLY out coached.

 

Sounds like the Rockets are about to go small.

Smart.

Must gang rebound.

 

Rockets have to play this like they need a huge lead at half time.

 

This is not how these two games were lost.....

 

line up change... its most likely asik in place of jones or lin over beverley.

 

Any word on commentators?

 

Game 3: Fri., 4/25 - Portland - ESPN, 10:30 (Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy)

 

JVG, ESPN, Joey Crawford.... we can't lose. Right? RIGHT???

 

McHale gotta play Lin more minutes. Rockets best offensive scheme in this entire series so far been the 1/2 high pick and roll between Lin and Harden. Lin can actually make Lillard work on defense too. Seriously Portland been targeting Harden and Jones all series long yet Rockets don't even try to attack Lillard, one of the worst defensive point guards in the NBA.

COME ON!

 

i can see asik over tj but not bev over lin he does better coming off the bench. if he starts lillard will pressure him and he'll have a ton of turnover leading to fast break points and the rose garden roof will blow off and we'll be down by 12 in the 1st 5 minutes.

lin does better after the starting pg has worn down a bit since he's a step slow facing up his man.

 

agreed... to be honest though i like the guys voice that has been doing the games, solid and no bias but maybe he's a jinx???. only thing though i don't think Rox have done that well on ESPN? maybe i'm wrong,

 

We are not losing this game. Joey Crawford was picked for a reason imo. He dont give a damn about a hostile crowd after giving the away team calls. He enjoys that spotlight.

 

I fully expect the Rockets to win tonight, and I am serious. I will be shocked if they don't. It is going to happen. I don't know how or by how much, but LMA will not continue in "god" mode, and Harden will show up.

If I am McHale, I make the rest of the Blazers beat me. I shut down LMA if I have to triple team him and foul out my entire bench.

 

I'm predicting a Rockets win, led by Harden scoring 36 points on 12-24 shooting and 6 assist. His defense will continue to be below avg, but with Parsons, Lin, Beverly and Garcia/Casspi all hitting threes, the Rockets will simply outscore the Blazers. Dwight/Asik will do a good job on Aldridge who will score "only" 28 on 28 shots.

 

Bench whoever is not giving their all, including our all stars. All shots must be contested and no easy buckets!!! Desperation time!!!

 

The rest of the Blazers is pretty good. You see they have composure and are allowed to shoot mid range jumpers all the time.

 

Then so be it, but I would not let LMA go off again. No way. I would drape players all over him. If McHale doesn't do something like this then he shouldn't be coaching in the NBA. In the first two games, I don't recall one double team or even players helping out. Amazing.

 

I'm glad this game is on the road.

The loud hostile environment will do the team good. They will only have each other to rely on.

 

Portland statement game. It will not be close. With the home crowd, Aldridge becomes a legend that will be told in the years to come as he singlehandedly destroys the overrated rockettes in a 4-0 sweep and cements himself as a true superstar.

Aldridge will use the rockettes the same way Curry used the Nuggets last year to elevate his status into a top 10 player.

 

good point. with PnR, lin can easily smoke lillard and possibly can get him in foul troubles too. harden can use the PnR to make better shot rather than trying to make shot and be fouled at the same time.