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

We have an answer, it's called going under the pick rather than going over and letting him get a free run at the basket. Go under the pick and make him shoot over the defender. The guy is like 5'10" and is a low 40% shooter. On defense, Barrea can't guard anyone. All he can do is fall down on a flop or foul you. Barrea is a bench player for a reason, we've just done a horrific job of handling him. Our coaches are sleep walking on Barrea.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Not to be Debbie Downer after Mavericks' win on Sunday, but Houston hasn't lost more than two games in a row all season. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/noway4straight?src=hash">#noway4straight</a></p>&mdash; Eddie Sefko (@ESefko) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESefko/status/592746094561501184">April 27, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Lol some people really believe the mavs have a chance at beating the rockets 3 times in a row.

 

After one bad game?. Go back under your rock.

 

I'll go on record and say if the Rockets give up 120 points a game, they'll lose 4 straight. Play some defense for a change and we'll win with relative ease.

 

These players are human. To expect them to be fully focused all the time is not reasonable. Are you all fully focused in your lives giving 100% every minute of the day? Players like Kobe and Jordan are rare breeds of Type A personalities who have no slack in them. These things happen and it's how you respond to adversity that matters. Each time the Rockets have been spanked in the playoffs the past couple of years they have responded. In this case they are responding with more talent against a lesser opponent and are at home.

If anything, let's hope the Mavs have awoken a sleeping giant like they did with Spurs last year.

 

Hell .. JUST REBOUND!!

Rocket River

 

With the personnel the team has, no reason for them to be out-rebounded by such a large margin. Very disappointing effort that I have to believe will change in Game 5. If not, we have a problem.

 

Not only that, but the Rockets have only lost 2 in a row once in the last 6 weeks. That was the B2B defeats to the Spurs who were in the midst of an 11-game winning streak. Anyone who thinks the Mavs are gonna win 4 in a row against the Rockets to pull off the upset of the millennium is on crack.

 

Agreed. But the games still have to be played and Rockets just need to not take game 5 for granted. Then they will be fine and advance.

They lost game 4 but got the split that they wanted in Dallas. Fine.

Coming home to game 5, no excuses to lose it. Close em out.

 

The only reason the Rockets lost last night is because my lucky shorts were in the washer and I had to wear some other shorts instead.

I was wearing them, but I went to use the bathroom and when I went to pee it started coming out in 2 different directions and I peed all over my left thigh.

My fault, guys.

 

ok....the obligatory "too much information"....but whatever.

next time, don't let that happen again....plan ahead...we would all appreciate it....even the Rockets.

 

As poorly as the Rockets played, people also need to give the Mavs some credit. As I recall, before the Rondo trade the Mavs had the best offense in the entire league. And now they've shed Rondo and have decided that since their defense isn't getting fixed they might as well just try scoring. If they get hot, they can light up any team. The Rockets need to recommit to defense and rebounding and force the Mavs to play their game.

 

Things for improvement

Three things the Rockets need in order to improve:

1. Play defense
2. Get after the rebounds
3. Don't play Ariza - he is our weakest link and always kills momentum.
I would start looking for someone else for next year.

 

Repeating this ad nauseum doesn't make it sound any less dumb.

 

Don't play Ariza? I've never wanted to negative rep someone for a comment more than this.

 

Dude has 14 posts and all the content can be summarized as follows:

1. Ariza is the "weakest link" and we don't need him.
2. The team is better without Dwight Howard.
3. The Rockets weren't going to make the playoffs (as recently as March).

 

This.

People can talk about effort all they want, but I think Houston was playing with effort... but Dallas schemes to keep us off the boards fared pretty well.

Really... we just missed open shots...for 2 straight quarters. I mean we missed, and missed and missed. I was floored. A Mavs fan behind me actually said "holy sht we're so lucky right now. They've only hit 2 3s and are missing EVERYTHING."

We can't miss 16 FTs and only make 20% of our 3s and win. If 10 of those 16 go in, and we make 33% on our 3s, we win.

Dallas did want it more, and they did play better, and our defense was not great, but I think we lost because for about 20 basketball minutes not a single player could actually put it in the hoop.

That will stop. Rockets in 5.

 

Well, the disgust Ariza showed concerning his effort (and implied for the whole team, I think) supports my characterization. One can just chalk it up to "human nature" or "happy feet" as Rudy used to term it. Still, in the end it can fall under the heading of professionalism.

True, championship teams sometimes get blown out. Instances of championship teams completing sweeps can also be pointed to. It's a case of which scenario you aspire to and are more apt to manifest. Golden State has clearly been more consistent than any other team this year. Due to what? Much superior talent? Maybe. But the Rockets and several other teams would disagree. Morey certainly does.

There's always room for improvement. We shall see, going forward, what the Rockets take from their self-admitted lackluster performance in Game 4.

 

And I wasn't wearing my lucky rockets polo. I've worn the thing twice and harden hit game winners both times. Once in Phoenix at the buzzer (I was there!) and again for game 3.