There are some good signs still This is a Year One team, completely new one. Let's face the truth: there are a lot of things you need to achieve your goals in the playoffs and team chemistry is clearly one of them. How many players from yesterday game had a minute or so last year against Portland? Three. Harden. Howard. T-Jones. Only one player for the Clips didn't play last year: Austin Rivers. Spencer Hawes was in doghouse for reason against the Spurs and will continue to be there in future series. That's quite a disadvantage, if you also look into Spurs, Warriors, Grizz cores. They know their strenghts, weaknesses and limitations. So this team needs to learn from a massacre, I'm OK with that, but I'm disappointed because we are lacking fight and character on defense that Rockets've showed throughout the season, things that gave us a chance to add a meaningful [but still solid] banner. We were banished last year and we came out with a lot of fire on defense, with a ton of improvements defensively. None of them were shown here, but we can't ignore the fact that they were shown earlier and that is a good lesson to move forward.
good luck getting harden to play off the ball more with mchale manning the troops. Mchale is an enabler. He can be master of the Xs and Os but if the team goes rogue what good does it do? Rudy T was a players coach but Hakeem and company were mature players. Steve francis and Mobley, according to Barkley, disregarded the coach.
Emotional investment in the outcome of sporting events is juvenile. Every season I find myself less bothered by these losses. And that feels good, letting go of childish feelings.
Great post. I didn't think this team could be the Clippers in a series especially without Beverly, but the shocking thing to me was the lack of urgency, fire, fight, heart and grit ect. in the first game without Chris Paul playing, they were handed a golden opportunity and they came out looking satisfied in beating the Mavericks. Coaching plays a big part in preparing your troops for battle both physically and mentally!!!!
I was also in the didn't watch crowd. Tuned in for 5 minutes of the second. They played like crap, lost a lead and that was enough. You can call me a bad Rockets fan... And I guess you'd be right. Reality is I'm too exhausted these days to lose sleep with these type of performances. I just don't have the time or energy. I've gotten too old I guess... But the Rockets aren't helping. So definitely what the thread title says... Bleh, disappointed.
They didn't even put up a fight. Damn i bet those players are already packed up and booked their vacation somewhere while we the fans are still on depression mode. Its like their mind is no longer in the game. Harden on the bench with no expression whatsoever.
I'm disappointed that to think if we where playing at the YMCA on saturday that our starting 5 would get rolled by their starting 5 is unimaginable. Also, the fact that we haven't changed any strategy in our gaming planning is apalling to say the least.
Put me in the "Not mad, just disappointed" camp, too. I guess what is so staggering to me is how this team battled through adversity and injuries all season long, won 56 games and then seems like a totally different group of guys in this series. I don't even mean that in terms of numbers or individual performances, more the intangible/emotion stuff that we just aren't seeing. I wish I understood why.
I guarantee there is tension in the locker room. Dwight, after 11 years in the league as a flawed but dominant player, finally publically deferred to Harden and said "I'm all about defense, rebounds and PnR from now on...do your thing, MVP". He then turns on beast mode in the playoffs and his an absolute monster on the boards and defensively only to watch only one or two others guys come near to matching his effort. Harden not being one of them. You could tell in the first minutes of the game last night that Dwight was frustrated. I wonder if something specific went down in the locker room or if he just realized that he can't carry this team to the next round and that's the only way they are going to get there. The guy knows his knee is on borrowed time so I'm sure he sees the window slamming shut right now.
While making good overall points, lets be sure to clarify that Mc Hale is not a master of the X and O's of coaching at all!
When they are not "interested" I am not interested. Why should a fan emotionally invest in a team that appears to be unmotivated, unengaged, and disinterested. Teams that fight to the end, give it all, and still lose because they aren't good enough is one thing. Nobody respects wimps or quitters: no spirit, no fight, no respect. The Rocket tradition deserves better than this team. If you go back pre-Les Alexander, you had a number of spirited teams including the Champions. I remember Yao/T-Mac choking in Utah, but redeemed themselves by almost beating LA in the second round. Anyway, I am way beyond disappointed. If this team isn't seriously reconfigured by next November some of us may take a break.
The only thing worse than losing a series like this, is the fact we're stuck with Harden and McHale for multiple years to come. Unless there's major changes, how can anyone feel confident going into next season?
It appears that the clips have our number. I get it, but the team has to put up a fight. You lose the series at least put forth all your effort. Seriously it's not that hard. Anyone that has played any team sport can relate. Sometimes you get your a$$ handed to you but you leave your sweat n blood on the floor with no regrets. If anything this series has showed that the 2man game is not enough. Would DMo have made a difference on the offensive end? Probably, but you need all your role players to show up during the playoffs. Let's hope if we go down we go down swinging.
Agree 100%. Only way to save face is to go vintage Detroit Bad Boys and go down swinging. At least that is what I would do. Might get tossed, but I am going to leave a mark. Bad sport? Yes. If the Rockets don't show some grit in the next game they are going to get booed out of their own stadium.
What you guys have all said. Can't invest serious emotions in things I have absolutely no control over. Also too old. Glad I'm going back to school in the fall where I can focus on real and important things. Good luck Rox! (Analyze THIS, huh, DM? Big fan of your work, but... WOW. Gotta have all those other ducks in a row first, I guess.)
