ClutchFans Game Thread: Pacers @ Rockets 1/19/2015

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>James Harden is only player to score at least 45p on fewer than 20 shots in past 5 seasons. He's done it 3 times. (Have been 10 in 30 yrs.)</p>&mdash; Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/status/557362647276859393">January 20, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>According to one of the guys who tried, Solomon Hill offered this after the game: “You’re not going to stop a guy like James Harden.&quot;</p>&mdash; Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) <a href="https://twitter.com/CandaceDBuckner/status/557360208997916672">January 20, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Luis Scola on Harden: &quot;We saw it today. He went out and got 45 points. You don't score that many points w/o being an MVP candidate.&quot;</p>&mdash; Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) <a href="https://twitter.com/CandaceDBuckner/status/557360410035093504">January 20, 2015</a></blockquote>
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The media is loving Harden too. Going to be a close race but imo Harden will win it as well as win the scoring title. Curry is not having an all around great year like Harden. Harden is making a difference on both ends of the court.

 

I'll stick with what I've been saying. The Rockets probably have to finish with a top 2 record in the West for Harden to win it. Otherwise I think it goes to Curry. The good news is they can catch Portland and Memphis(and hold off Dallas) if they play well in the 2nd half of the season.

 

Nice bounce back win after the the blow out game against the Warriors. Now enough of the talk and get the win against Warriors on Wednesday.

 

that blowout win for the warriors effectively solidified the narrative that curry is better than harden (not for me) for non-Rockets fans...

hopefully the narrative changes in the playoffs.

 

I will say it after every game this season.

These types of monster Harden games show exactly way is wrong with this team.

An mvp player who has to give his all to beat a terrible team.

A one man generating offense who, when playing against better teams with game plans, can be shut down and have the rest of the team implode.

Desperately need a Dragic or Lawson type player on this team. Additions of Brewer and Smith did not address anything despite being energy players coming off the bench. The big men are fine. Coach sucks but isn't going anywhere.

 

Meanwhile...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p> RT <a href="https://twitter.com/Made_Man_5">@Made_Man_5</a>: “<a href="https://twitter.com/2Loyal28">@2Loyal28</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sauce?src=hash">#sauce</a> <a href="https://t.co/z2HIq0rjsy">https://t.co/z2HIq0rjsy</a>” I see you youngin <a href="https://twitter.com/SiP03">@SiP03</a></p>&mdash; Isaiah Canaan (@SiP03) <a href="https://twitter.com/SiP03/status/557252561313349633">January 19, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/X9i08cfds5c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Yup look what happened in the 4th when he sat. He should have been able to sit the whole 4th but pacers made a run and forced him back in. I've said it before as well harden has to do too much for this team to win. Against the elite teams they will get exposed if the starting backcourt remains the same

 

His injury looks healed.

 

You seriously think Morey is not aware we need a 2nd playmaker? Why do you think he tried to get Bosh? Here is the thing that a lot of people don't seem to comprehend however; it takes at least 2 teams to make a trade. This is NOT a video game. Morey can't just override a team to make a trade. If we are unable to get another playmaker, it will not be lack of trying on Morey's part.

 

Tend to agree with this.

The Rockets are not really being held back by coaching and they are not being held back by a lack of effort. Overall both have been adequate this season. This Rockets team has added depth and have had interal development (DMO and Harden), but a lot of that is off set by Howard being 80% of himself. The other teams in the West doing really well (GS-MEM-POR) have for the most part been healthy and playing together with no major changes for a long period of time. The Rockets don't have that luxury because they need another play maker.

I don't agree talent wise the Warriors are several levels ahead of the Rockets, but I do believe (like the Jazz 20 years ago) you are seeing what a team that is really familiar with each other and disciplined can do in the regular season.

 

why? why must harden have an mvp game for the rockets to have a chance of winning any game? im sick of this

 

Glad we won. Watching Harden have to come in and close out a game in which we had a 20+ point lead at one point, concerns me. All he was doing was throwing up threes with defenders kinda in his face(and makin them).

You tellin me there's nobody else on our team that can throw up shots (and make them), to maintain a lead? Nobody that can be a legit scoring threat? Dwight doesnt count cuz he should not necessarily have to be in the game with a 20 point lead.

Dmo? Brewer? Josh? Guess not.

 

Pacers meh they ain't no GSW

 

Yeah but what about Alexey Shved, right?

 

Win is good, but the team's playing style is very disappointed.
Josh smith is the same guy. I wounldn't say he is a bad player, but he isn't fitting in this team

 

Against the better defensive teams in the league this team has got no shot because they will simply shut harden down and make everyone else try to win the game and our shooters have not been shooting well for weeks now, and worse our D has really fallen off a cliff in far too many games over the last 3-4 weeks. Ariza not hitting more and demanding more attention hurts, Bev being streaky and incapable of creating shot for other players is becoming a huge issue, Dmo has had some shaky games lately where his confidence isn't as solid as it seemed when Howard was out. Brewer is a nice player and adds some solid play but he is not a guy that is going to feature score (unless he is in a minny uni and playing the rockets). Smith is extremely inconsistent in terms of what you get from him, some solid D and sometimes some good defense, but he is also a poor shooter who shoots too much and turns the ball over way too much, and Kpap after being sat for a while looks like he has regressed all of a sudden.

There is no way this team can make it past the first round unless they get a favorable match up and frankly I don't see any team in the top 8 of the west that we are clearly head and shoulder better than and that only happens if Harden plays out of his mind every single game....

Very disturbing to watch them play like this game in and game out...

 

RELAX PEOPLE.

The nba season is a season built on runs. We hit our stride. We will hit it again after ASB like last season.

 

I wished either Jones or DMo developed a consistent jumper and be a good offensive option.

So close