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

Now you are the ultimate rocket fan!

 

Just a couple notes.

1) Lin on the lay up was ONE of the reasons we went to OT. Driving for the lay up WAS a gamble, but considering it was close to Wide open with 50s left on the clock I don't consider it inexcusable to attempt the shot. I'd much rather he be aggressive and go for the dagger on a lay up given the Blazers ability to score. It wasn't like he went for an early shot clock jump shot that at best is 30-40%. A lay up is always going to be an 80-90%+ shot when you have that much space. It's just unfortunate that he missed it. However, Portland did NOT score on their possession, and as a play it was FAR less egregious than Harden NOT calling time out on the last possession with 5s on the clock and forcing us to inbound on our end of the court.

2) On the final play, I believe passing to Daniels is 100% the ONLY play that makes sense. You can NOT lob or pass to Dwight for ONE simple reason... IF you lob/pass to Dwight, as soon as the pass is in the air he is considered "part of the play" and can be fouled ON THE GROUND.

That puts Dwight on the line for the two most important FT's of the series and a FULL 11s for Portland to run a play and get a shot. If Dwight makes 0/2 any score or foul and we lose. If Dwight makes 1/2, any score and we lose, and any foul puts the best FT shooting team in the NBA on the line for the win. And if Dwight makes 2/2, any 2 forces us to OT and any 3 gives us a loss.

By making the pass to Daniels, it burns time off the clock (for the shot), it he misses it puts the ball on the rim with Dwight Already in position under the rim for a put-back (score) or a rebound (forced foul situation), or a guaranteed win/tie (if Daniels makes), or a long rebound with the ball in a scramble where we still have a shot at the rebound.

If the Blazers get the rebound, it's still a full 11s on the clock that they have to call a time out and run a play where we're in the position to get a stop with our defense set, or if they make an early score it gives us the last possession to force OT or go for the win, or if they burn clock they still must make a shot to win or we're looking at an additional OT.

Just my 2c.

 

Guessing since Lin didnt get back on defense after he missed that layup was the reason we ended up playing in over time is what clutch meant to say.

 

Batum shooting a three in Harden's face wasn't the reason, but it was a reason.

 

Can you break this down after every game for us because there are many on this forum who do not have the reasoning like you do? You will notice that many of them already came to the conclusion that we lost the game because of one mistake and the game was not even over yet. How silly of them. Great analysis. Thanks.

 

thank you for this, agree with virtually everything you say here.

 

There were 4 rocket players that failed to cover. just saying.

 

It happened all the season long.
Nobody expect Harden learn how to do defense rotation.

 

When I first saw the video I was like "damn did Lin cost us the game?!". Then I saw we won. I mean really Clutch, it is special treatment when you single him out. Tell me in that situation you saw a layup that could push it to 5 you wouldn't take it. If you hold on to the ball are you sure we could get a better shot than that? If you can look in the mirror and say if anybody else took that risk, and on a day when Troy Daniels should be the hero and story of the night, this is the video I would choose....then I have nothing to say, you are who you are.

 

We may have to accept that our lovable stars all have flaws to their game.

Harden's our best offensive player. He can get hot anytime; he can score any number of ways. But he is also vulnerable to opponents gameplanning defense for him. When POR takes away his drive to his left and the refs don't call fouls for him, he has to shoot a high percentage from 3, which he is not been able to do. Yet.

The reason for Lin's brilliance is also the reason for his erratic play. He plays very instinctively. You saw his quick decision to go for the lay-up. But we also saw the flipside, how fast he scrambled to get the loose ball and flick the pass to Daniels.

Howard is a beast underneath but he may not get the benefit of the calls in the endgame.

At this point, we have to accept them for who they are. They are learning though that playoffs are almost a different kind of ballgame. You can see that they're growing.

 

i was so pissed when he attempted that layup instead of working the clock. in fact right when he started his acceleration along the baseline past the blazer defenders i was cringing for him to just stop and pass it back to parsons or beverley.

that being said, i may have missed it, but i've yet to ever see any criticism of mchale's coaching or any of his specific errors on the front page of the site...

 

Why are people still complaining about Lin's missed layup? Guys, we finally won a game! Let's stop being so picky and negative about everything thing.

My thoughts on it are this; if he made the layup, I think most people (not counting any crazy LOHs) would be saying that was a great play. Now it's a two possession game and now we have some breathing room. If I remember correctly, Lin was one of the best players in the NBA this season at finishing at the rim. The fact that he missed the layup AND Batum hit a pretty contested three, makes it look like a horrible mistake. But, if you can get a layup which will give more breathing room to the lead, I think I want Lin to take it.

Anyways, it's now a new series. I really feel like we just needed to get a win before we can really play our game. I think the expectations of having to win those first few games really forced us to make a lot of mistakes. In all honestly, this has probably been the most exciting series, along with the Grizzles and Thunder. It wasn't fun for Rockets fans the first two games because it was loses, but for a basketball fan, what a great series it has been. All the games could have gone either way. There have been buzzer beaters, back and forth runs, players going for huge nights, unexpected heroes and it's only game 3!

 

Still harping oh Lin? Drop it we won't. We won as a team too.

 

Dwight Howard is the best player in the playoffs for us. Jesus how come this guy is not getting the credit he deserves?

 

That Lin layup led to a made 3 by Portland...5 pt turnaround.

 

Careful pip, you're not suggesting the site owner has inherent biases? Because according to him, only LoF are biased.

 

My error, and it's not a "turn around".

If he scores Portland still has possession of the ball and might still have made that 3. It wasn't a wasted possession ala turn over, it was a shot at the basket.

 

regardless, it was a bad miss that led to a bad result, not as meaningless as you made it out to be.

 

He's played like a true superstar, flaws and all ...

 

at the time it was a wasted possession because it wast a wide open layup...unless NO ONE is back you never take that shot with less than a minute left and a lead, but their best defensive player was the one back, and he forced him to miss it so very stupid play by lin, just for the mere fact that there would have been 33 seconds left and a 3 pt lead even if we had a shot clock violation...We are obviously better than this team, but they seem to be the ones with the experience for some reason just plain wierdd..