ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Clippers 5/8/2015 (Playoffs Round 2, Game 3)

This team has the worst switch defense i have ever seen. No after, no no after you

 

I actually wish we had Joey Crawford tonight. He has been more than fair in most games I've seen him officiate. Ken Mauer is one of the worst in the league.

 

I feel like we're toying with them. The Rockets have a strange confidence about them. They're clearly not getting down and they're not the ones whining constantly to the refs. I think Harden is fixin to take over like the last game and we're going to win this.

 

Harden is fine, he's not forcing the issue and has beaten the first defender multiple times (compare that to game 1). Our defense is abysmal right now.

 

Defense is about 90% effort; the Rockets are not giving it. It's the playoffs, please explain to me why.

 

It's a minor miracle we're down only 7. I don't know how the Rockets have 57 points despite shooting only 41% from the field. The problem of course is the defense. The Clippers have 64 points on 54% shooting. I think as the game wears on, some of those 3's will stop falling for LA, but we have to stop giving up these easy layups and dunks in transition.

 

I'm surprised it's not a 25 point game. With the no calls and flops by the Clippers.

 

Most people have that ksny whatever on ignore.

 

I wish harden would get over 20 shot attempts a game. We desperately need his scoring. He's so unselfish but he's making the right plays. The roller on the plays has to finish the plays. Expect James to be the picker in the pick n roll more in the second half.

 

Losing Bev and Dmo have a lot to do with that. Terry/Prigs and Jones just plain suck at defense

 

In reading the comments you'd think we're down by 15.

Unlike others here, I actually thought we played decently (though there's room for improvement, obviously). A few reasons why:

- MUCH better D on Blake this game. He's out of sorts and a few of his makes were bad shots that he forced.

- Our guys are getting open and hitting their outside shots

- Remaining guys on the Clips have hit some incredible contested shots. Hands in their face, good defense, and they knocked them down. You cant count on those over the course of a game.

- Hawes will foul out soon and I dont think they care. After him I expect Big Baby to start fouling. The net effect of hackathon is that we get in the bonus earlier in quarters, forces them to play perfectly on D.

- Really bad fouling. We will get better calls next half, especially if there's contact like there was in the first quarter.

Main change next half: better boxing out of D'Andre, better positioning on long rebounds. Too often sg's go down low to get rebounds on our team and they need to turn around and box out their man to protect from the long rebounds. Crawford, Reddick, etc. scoring too much off second chance opps. If we take that away, I think we have a great chance in this match to take it.

 

I swear if we had Michael Jordan in his prime on this team you guys would be calling him a quitter and a scrub every time he made a mistake. Please, just stop posting.

 

Yes sir !!! Was just about to say that I'd like an I'm going after your ass attitude (Ron Artest like physical). HATE the softness. If Barnes had said that about my mother, he would have been wearing his mustache around his arse hole.

 

I'm not sure D-Mo could deal with the Clippers athleticism but he always had good footwork and played good team D. Bev is an overrated 1 on 1 defender but he gives the team grittiness and can disrupt the opposing point guard's rhythm by getting under their skin.

 

I want a victory.

 

We aint a good densive team at all

 

Does this team know that you are supposed to try to stop them from scoring? 117 and 109 without Paul and 64 at the half. Seriously, with guys like Howard, Ariza, Smith, and Brewer, the team defense should be much better.

57 points at the half on the road is great offense. Can't complain too much there. The defense has been a no show all playoffs and McHale needs to get on his guys for that.

 

Damn we're giving wide open shots from 3, mid-range and dunks all over the court. The chemistry isn't there.

 

Is it weird when refs don't call a foul on clippers play and TV shows a replay of the play but when Refs miss a Rockets play the TV doesn't even bother showing it again.

I for once just wish we have honest refs for one season. No bias and no memory of previous play and just call one play at a time.

But as for this game, Clippers are just more talented. Paul, Griffin = Harden and Howard. Other than that we don't have anyone else that can match with JOrdan, Crawford, or Riddick. We are just talent defficient. We have alot of energy players. But Rockets are hanging with them so that is good enough for me. Rockets are showing heart. GO Rockets!!!

 

Rockets are gonna pick it up the defense in the 2nd half. WE GOT THIS.