ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Mavericks 4/26/2015 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 4)

Five observations from Mavericks 121, Rockets 109:

 

Yeah, but the shooting by others was just horrendous. Hate bring up Kobe, but ... what I want to see is that killer instinct knowing that I need to be in kill mode to take us home. I want to see him to start imposing his will in the 4th. Once again, say all you want about Josh, he was the difference maker in the 2nd and 3rd game when things were just bogged back and forth. He was again in the 4th last game starting to take matter into his own hand. I want Harden to do the same. Big time players make the right plays by scoring, not necessarily by playing it right. That's just too academic for the 4th quarter.

 

And they aren't getting 100 in game five either.

 

Wouldn't surprise me. The Rockets held them below 100 in the 2 regular season home games as well(and Dwight was out for both). Whereas the Mavs topped 100 in every game played at Dallas, regular season and playoffs. Not surprisingly, the Rockets have played much better against them at Toyota Center.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Mavs with Barea on the floor in this series: 121.4 offensive rating, 22.9 net, 58.3 TS%. With him off, 98.9 off. rating, -32.2 net, 50.7 TS.</p>&mdash; Bobby Karalla (@bobbykaralla) <a href="https://twitter.com/bobbykaralla/status/592710363453509632">April 27, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Final report in.

Harden holds on the ball too damn long. Hell, I just finished watching the game and the staff went with no pg on the floor. Thats right, harden pg eventually came true. He waits for the defense to settle then he passes to a well defended shooter ready to jack up a three. Thats my take. Prognosis, no bueno

 

Heavy doses of Barea and Aminu were always going to be Dallas' best bet.

 

Fan fiction is fun.

 

Interesting take, considering only 5 of the 31 3s they took were contested.

 

We could have really used Donuts and Bev last night. I kept thinking that during the game.

 

Only cockyness I saw was from jet.

 

Defense has to improve, especially on JJ. But we just didn't hit shots. We missed WIDE open 3s. Not worried.

 

Thank you.

"Harden PG" also is the reason Dwight and the team shot poorly from the line.

Stories are fun.

 

cheke was patiently waiting for our first loss to come out in full force.

 

... a lack of professionalism.

Rockets pay lip service to not getting too high or low and just taking care of business, but failed miserably last night on that count. For as many veterans as are on the team now this should not happen. They went from a 12-point lead in the first quarter to a 24-point deficit in the 3rd.

We've all watched sports enough to know that there are many catch-phrases in player and coach's responses after winning and losing. That is what is frustrating. The words sound right but actions speak louder than words.

You can imagine the frustration a coach must experience to see a team see-saw so much in one game.

Professionalism. That is why the odds are against the Rockets doing "something special," as they term it. (Their euphemism for winning a championship.) Good teams can have bad games. It happens. But most of the time they are bad from the get-go in a bad game. The Rockets lack the consistency of a Golden State or Spurs team. Maybe it's a discipline issue. But professionals shouldn't need discipline. Their commitment to their craft should set the boundary for mistakes.

One obvious lack of effort last night was in rebounding. There were many rebounds where 2-3 Rockets players were within range of competing for them but were more or less standing around watching the ball instead of trying to track it and be in position.

A team either demonstrates professionalism and consistency or it doesn't. Should we give the Rockets some slack because their lineups this year have been anything but consistent? Possibly. But these are all veterans, with the exception of Capela. And oddly enough he has been pretty consistent within the confines of his experience.

I posted recently that in a 7-game series with the Spurs, even with home court advantage, I'd give the edge to the Spurs. Ditto for a match-up with Golden State. And I might even give the edge to the Clippers, too.

For the Rockets to do something "special" in these playoffs they need to do as they say. Cliche responses are a dime a dozen in sports. We know what athletes are going to say most of the time before they say it when referencing wins, losses, etc. I don't see enough consistency to warrant expectations beyond winning the first round. FT's are one area that aren't about effort within the game. That effort should have been part of each player's internal drive to eliminate known weaknesses in their game. It's a matter of professionalism.

 

We really don't have an answer for this fool. If Mavs win tomorrow night this will go 7

 

The rockets have some useless player named pridgeroni what ever rock they dug this creep up from they need to send him back to the stinky kicks team with carsmello

 

Pridgeroni is the worst player in the nba...period and he is getting minuts!!

 

They didn't have an answer for anyone last night because they weren't trying. Aminu, Villaneuva, Ellis, Barea, Dirk, Chandler, Amar'e. They pretty much let anyone in a white uniform light them up. I don't recall Barea hurting us in Game 2 when Rondo was benched. Or in the 2nd half of Game 3 when Rondo wasn't even in the arena. Barea's a scrub. The only way he poses any sort of threat to the Rockets is if they leave him wide open to do as he pleases.

 

Were the Spurs consistent when they lost to Dallas by 21 at home last year?
Was Miami consistent when they lost by 36 to the Spurs 2 years ago and 19 to the Pacers the year before that?

Were the Lakers consistent when they lost to OKC in the first round by 21, or Denver by 19 the year before?

Even championship teams get blown out in the playoffs. One game means nothing.