Clutchfans Game Thread: Rockets @ Thunder 8/24/2020 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 4)

We know this much: if the game is close and it comes down to who can execute better late game, Harden or CP3, then the Thunder win that 99.9% of the time.

 

Covington’s help defense has been great, but man-to-man, he’s been getting blown by easily...tbh, hardly anyone on the team can contain dribble penetration

then when they get beat, they commit these stupid soft reach in fouls giving up numerous 3 point plays...it’s so annoying

 

I didn't watch the game today. Your description of Harden in the fourth is disappointing. I hope he snaps out of it for the next game.

 

We’ll be alright. Need to shade their players left. Ricky Schroder, SGA, and CP are too fast going right and our help defense was garbage today. Way too slow. Need that swarming D from game one. And need to not step off the gas when we think we have them on the ropes. Gotta also tighten up on situational awareness, can’t win the chip of we’re too loose with the ball down the stretch. DM needs to develop some type of simulation that tells you what is a good pass or not in certain situations. James is horrible at that. We trying to win the nba championship, not the drew league championship.

 

We have to be honest with ourselves after having seen this movie as many times as we have. Harden is one of the most gifted guards I've ever seen play in my life. The regular season win over Golden State might be the single greatest one-man show I've ever witnessed. But in the playoffs, late game, he cannot execute with any consistency and will break at crucial moments. Our only hope now is Russ.

 

His pass to Gordon cutting sums it up well.

Either Gordon was too slow or Harden made a risky pass when he shouldn't have in the remaining minutes.

 

This part hurts the most, because its so true. We only beat who we should beat, but if its a toss up or were the underdogs, we fold. Every time. Our star takes over in every other part of the game EXCEPT the 4th.... no incredible stances, no game-tying shots, no amazing passes or game-winners.

Harden turns the ball over and misses shots. He's been in the playoffs every year in Houston, and he's never shown the right stuff when the game was on the line. He'll help us get a lead, and he'll score some pretty numbers and even make big plays!.... but all before the last 5min of the game.

 

OKC 28 FTA's, HOU 10 FTA's
Hard to overcome

 

And so it begins..............

 

Give the other team life and look what happens.

I can't screech too much. Doncic tied his series without his second best player and with a bum ankle.

Maybe the Rockets will wake up now. No choice, right? But if Westbrook comes back, he'd have to fit in seamlessly. No shaking off the rust, no re-integrating him, no seven man rotations, etcetera.

You'd almost think the league wants the OKC beats the Rockets storyline.

 

Still super confident we win the series with Westbrook back. The dude pushes the pace and will kick to the open shooter. The constant attack of Harden, Ego and Westbrook will tire out OKC.

 

you're launching 58 3's in a game. what do you expect

 

if you're referencing the play middle of the game where gordon was on the left corner baseline, he was being held by schroeder

if you mean the play at end of the game w/ gordon near halfcourt at the right sideline -- terrible pass by harden

 

Missed 15 straight the other night. Missed 14/17 tonight in the 4th. And they said 0-27 was a fluke LOL
KEEP LAYING THOSE BRICKS BOYS!

 

As much as another 3 would help us, I don’t blame the shooting. Our guys were tired and that’s on MDA more than anything. Need another guy in the rotation. Same as any other year with this coach.

Our defense let up too. Tired legs. Again, that’s on MDA and his rotations. We need sharp D because we have to win the turnover battle since our small ball will never win on the boards. We need to win the turnover battle if we want to win the game.

 

It was definitely in the fourth.

 

Yeah, that's why it's so frustrating watching Harden in the playoffs. He has extremely impressive overall numbers. But there are those times here and there, sometimes it's a game, sometimes it's part of a game, when you yell at him, "What are you doing? We need you, man!"

 

Hold it together, Clutch Fans!

 

There were some really poor decisions by him today, and the play D'Atoni drew up after the timeout where he hung PJ out to dry trying to set a pick and caused the moving screen call was one of those.