ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Pelicans 1/2/2015

Why do people alibi for Dwight. Just tell the truth...he ain't bringing it...PERIOD. You know who I feel sorry for ? The Rockets fans that came to support them in NO paying good money while the players decided to take a powder....not come to work in essence. That's a joke.It's one thing to lose but quite another to not even show up.

 

This might make sense if Dwight hadn't looked a step slow since he returned. I think we've given up more layups since he came back than we had the whole time he was out, the Hawks game being the most glaring example.

 

The thing is, three point shooting has traditionally always been a streaky thing unless your name is Ray Allen or Kyle Korver.

The idea that we can nail three pointers for a sustainable clip for a period of four playoff series is utterly ridiculous. Sure we might catch fire and make it out of the first round but regression back towards the mean will probably mean we come out ice cold for the next series.

 

KMH got extended about the same time...

 

Howard isn't trash. Howard rarely even gets the ball. If we can't shoot the 3 we need to feed Howard. I'm tired of people saying that Howard is the problem. We won several games with Howard. Howard makes 3-point shooting easier for Harden, Beverly, Brewer because Howard brings everyone toward him.

The problem we have now is that Smith is starting and he's messing with the team's offense. With Josh Smith starting Howard, Harden, and Beverly look loss. I'm seeing that Howard is most effected with Josh Smith on the court and Smith is getting in his way. Dmo knew where he needed be on the court and now Josh is getting in everyone's way. The reason why we won the first game with Smith was because he came off the bench. And the reason why we beat the Hornets was because they only won 10 games. Harden was a beast in that game and that was how we won.

 

Well, when we were hot, everybody said this year we had the right personnel for the 3pt shooting.

The 3pt shooting is supposed to be complemented by our post-game, but opponents are taking that away as well.

But tonight Holiday was blocking our corner 3s. And Harden was being blocked at the rim. Howard was losing the ball. The 2nd unit was doing well posting up DMo, but he could be doubleteamed. So where to next?

Midrange jumpers? Transition? Outrebounded throughout.

Pellies are a nightmare match-up for us right now.

 

Benched 5 starters.
KM: Were you watching the game

We didn't play very well
No effort
No concentration
They kicked our butt every which way
We missed 9 layups in the 1st Q

Did they let what was happening...
KM: I have no idea.

We had no effort
We were bad
Terrible tonight
Kicked our butts
First 5 minutes of the game, didn't come to play, not ready to play

LOSERS!!!

 

What the hell happened??? Just got off work and saw the score. Jesus Christ....

 

Yeah -- I kinda think the offensive philosophy in and of itself makes it difficult to achieve any real playoff success. Meh.

 

Absolute garbage play/effort by the Rox...

 

Something is broken in the starting lineup. Whether it's Smith, or Howard, or just missed shots, something is broken.

IMO, it looks like a lack of confidence. It looks like they don't believe in one another.

Regardless, it needs to be fixed. Some how, some way.

What I want to see is how does this team respond... Last season the Spurs lost by 21 to the Suns and then responded by winning 19 straight. That's how Champions do it.

How does this Rockets team do it? I'll be there in person tomorrow.

 

I wouldn't ask such a thing. A responder might just shiiit in a bowl and toss it your way.

 

Yup. It was way more appealing when Ariza, Bev (and Brewer, to a lesser extent) were shooting way over their heads. Ugly since then, however. And you're right -- we don't have a ton of good options, other than Harden engaging in Jordan-esque heroics. I tried to suppress my fear that we were relying on him to bail us out way too frequently like 10+ games ago, but um.... yeah.

 

The starters didn't show up. That's what happened. As for why, your guess is as good as mine. I'm thinking this is a locker room chemistry issue because they're not THIS bad and frankly the Pelicans didn't even play that great.

 

Even if Howard is making shots 15/20 that's not the rockets game, him getting FTs etc slowing us down, we won't win like that "see playoffs"

 

I will talk to LOSPOLLOSHERMANOS see if we can get you on the list. Our lines are flooded, we are overwhelmed but humbled.

 

team badly needs a floor general. bev does his thing but he's not a starting pg for a championship contender, at his best he's a defensive specialist.

in a 16 team western conference our pg play probably ranks 11th-13th or somewhere in that area. there isn't a western conference playoff contending team that would swap pgs with us straight up. that should tell you something.

the bad news is gogi's price keeps getting higher every time the rockets stink it up. the suns know we're getting desperate. morey plz pull the trigger!!!

 

I don't know why everyone blaming smith on the chemistry.
We have Great team chemistry when Dwight was out and the team was playing 'open and free' type of basketball. Then Dwight and bev came back... You can see something was not right then. No blaming on Dwight n bev but something was not right with team and then we got smith... The rest is history.

 

I didn't mean Howard missing shots, I meant EVERYONE missing shots.

I don't remember the last time Ariza and Beverley hit a wide open 3. When they aren't hitting, that means Harden has to do all the work.

Like I said, though, it looks to me like they just aren't shooting with confidence. The slump is weighing on their minds and it's killing them, and the team.

 

U don't understand it's difficult to send the ball to the standing center in todays' s NBA
Howard is not Mark Gasol who can pass and shoot, Howard only can layup, it's too easy turnover