Clutchfans Game Thread: Lakers @ Rockets 9/10/2020 (Playoffs Round 2, Game 4)

Only Tyson

 

You can’t tell teams we want 3s and layups only - you literally give them a defensive plan in playoffs .... take the midrange - use the post.. but let 3s and layups be priority

 

What I don't get is why the double teaming Harden is shutting him down. All year long he's faced being double teamed. Maybe their defense is just too much for him.

 

I was in Arizona when we went down 3-1 to the Suns and we looked pretty awful. My AZ friend was talking so much smack. I took great pleasure in leaving a note on his door after the Rockets came back and won the series as I was headed to the I-10 to head back to h-town. Got to be home for the rest of the playoffs and championship celebration. For that reason alone I will tune in to game 6. Not saying we will do it, but you never know. Maybe someone is working the snitchline on the Lakers as we speak

 

A lot of us knew this small ball crap wasn’t sustainable. You can’t just go all in one way with no adjustments. There’s no Golden State this year. The Lakers aren’t GS. You have AD just shooting over our players and Lebron just gets in the paint with no resistance at the rim and no one to grab a f**** rebound. Going all in on small ball without any bigs was just stupid. And the Rockets have no choice now because they have mortgaged their future to solely fit a player that doesn’t fit at all.

 

I agree. You still have to have a backup big to bring in to mix it up when you are getting killed at the rim. It was working though when we took 50 or more 3's, but it just isn't working when we don't. Now let's get back to 50 3's next game and keep this series going. Don't give up what has worked best all year now!!

 

Can't stop laughing...

 

Most teams don’t have an AD. They were a top defense all year for a reason.

Sadly sometimes who you end matching up with in a playoff run can decide things.

I actually thought we would be able to exploit their “bigness” and fair much better in this matchup, but they slowly but surely learned that our strategy would end them if they continued to play big. It’s what anyone with a brain has been thinking all season, that they would be truly unleashed with AD at the 5 and dump playing these dinosaur big men.

The better team looks prime to take this one.

 

Despite being blown out most of the game, Harden finished with a +/- of 0.

Our biggest issue is we're mostly trash when he's off the court. One of the biggest things we can do to increase our chances to win is simply play Harden more.

He had 39 minutes in Game 4. He needs to play 40+ the rest of the way. It's now win or go home. His minutes need to go up.

 

Bro, just say it, Westbrook is killing our spacing and it makes easier to trap Harden this way.

 

I mean...

 

Westbrook's body isnt right. No excuses...he only has one gear and his body cant reach that gear. He had to come back early for us to beat OKC. We aren't totally done yet, but it will be tough. Dig deep Rockets. I do think Harden needs to mix in a little mid range. They are running him off the 3 point line and they have rim protection. He needs to occasionally pull up from mid range and if he hits some, it will open up other stuff

 

Once the Rockets committed to small ball, they had no choice but to shoot 50-60 threes per game and get roughly 60 points from the three-point line to counteract their lack of paint points. They have taken 63 combined in games 3 and 4, which is three more than the Lakers. Don’t give me this bullshit that the Lakers somehow figured out a magic solution to prevent the Rockets from taking the number of threes they need to have a chance of winning. The Rockets forgot how they have to play at the most important juncture of the season. Even game 1 was somewhat fools gold because the Rockets won by 15 despite only shooting 39 threes. Versus OKC they were taking 50-60 threes. Against the Lakers, they aren’t. They have no chance of winning against a bigger team if they aren’t shooting threes at a high volume.

 

This is bad. Very bad

 

Not gonna lie, when we first locked down - I got used to no sports and actually enjoyed it

 

Westbrook could compensate with drives, kickouts, and midrange before, but he isnt himself. Still recovering. I see it most on D. People are getting right by him.

 

Man how many games are we gonna say this. He looks as explosive as ever, he's been having those crazy turnovers and erratic drives all season. I'm sorry but its just way to easy to guard him on the roll because he doesnt have the size.

 

Missing that 2009 Rockets squad heart and grit

 

Aye, maybe the Lakers are better? hmmm

 

There was no adjustment. Not 1 single adjustment in 3 straight games.
It's not just MD's coaching....which at this point is extremely laughable.
Or Morey's system.....which at this point is just gimmicky nerd ball and a bunch of numbers that don't mean ****..

It's also shows the flaws in Harden's game.
He's nothing without the ball in his hands.
No versatility
No movement
No cutting
No nothing
just stand around and watch

And Westbook? He's just flawed all around the board.
Can't shoot.
Turnover prone
Low IQ
Stubborn
and so on......