Why the heck do we fans put ourselves through all of this insanity? It's absurd, right? We waste precious free time watching games in which the odds are completely against us, and we're supposed to shrink quietly into the warm Texas night as an Oklahoma powerhouse steamrolls over us on their way to some ringed destiny. We aren't supposed to win this round, let alone two games. There's simply no way we are supposed to win two games. But heck, after enduring a brutal opener, taking three games to the wire, stealing one of those, and then controlling a fifth to its final horn, we stand taller than most anyone expected. And all the while, here we are, the members of ClutchFans, a rabid and loyal fanbase posting more than most any other internet forum in the NBA as our team wins games with a resilience you don't teach in any grade school. Maybe I'm an idealist, but I see what this forum has been through over the last few weeks as a testament to the power of the Houston Rockets fanbase and to the team itself. We have fought against ignorance and embraced these inspirational moments, which frankly embody everything sports are about. We're trying to maintain the integrity of our community against the ignorance and flippant judgment of fickle and undeserving observers. I hope to speak on behalf of the whole community in welcoming all folks who are fans of a single player, whoever it may be, as long as they show proper respect. Now, of course I care about what happens to the Rockets next year and the years that follow. I care about our personnel decisions and how we can make our team better. But honestly, right now, as we sit enjoying this amazing moment, I also love our team exactly as it is. I love Harden's spunk and overzealous leadership. I love Beverley's erratic nerve-wracking surprisingly satisfying ball movement. I love Asik's hustle and rebounding and general put-us-on-his-back heroism. I love Garcia's wild and controlled run of shot selection and defense. I love Delfino's veteran fearlessness on every play. I love Lin's enthusiastic support for his teammates, even as he sits on the bench with his fashion swag. And most of all, I love Chandler Parsons's rhetoric of unwavering perseverance, in every interview, no matter who is asking questions and no matter what the situation is. And so often, fan threads look to the future and what a team can be (as these threads absolutely should), but also right now, right here, we are experiencing incredible Rockets basketball moments we won't forget. Sports are so much about the communal jubilation of an amazing sequence of moments, those incredible shots or wild dramas or unprecedented wins. And as much as we can argue over this team subtlety or that one (Harden, Lin, Parsons, Asik, Beverley, who deserves the ball in the final minutes??) let's enjoy the awesomeness we have been shaken by over the last five games, no matter what happens in Six or Seven. What an amazing run we've had. Four thrillers. Four Clutch City classics. One hell of a team.
Yeah, who knows what will happen in games six and seven? It's an interesting discussion to have, but heck, the Griz-Clips series is an unknown at this point as well. Being a team down 2-3, we should know better than most not to declare the Griz the winners of that series.
I enjoy every season, every year. Life is short (and shorter when you're in your 40s), so just the ability to watch athletes perform at the highest level is fun. It's even more fun when you're a fan of a team like the Houston Rockets that has a decent-to-great history (2 championships, 2 additional Finals appearances, etc.). You never know when you're going to be on the receiving end of something potentially historic like this (e.g. 22-game winning streak), so you completely savor the moment, always.
Would rep the OP if i could. The team we have now is the one that's fighting through blood, sweat and tears against the Goliath OKC Thunder. Why don't we pull together and support them -- each of them, from the owners to the coaching staff all the way down to the last bench player have their strengths and also their flaws. This is what makes rooting for them even better because you never know what you will get on any given night. I find more satisfaction in this bunch of upstarts beating the Thunder (take that Jon Barry!), than if it were a super team of Dwight Howard, Al Jefferson, CP3 and Harden plowing through the competition. Why hate our own? Sure, if any of our players become free agents or get traded, we may simply wish them well and root against them when they do play the Rockets. But not now, never mind Harden's ISOs or turnovers, or Asik's poor hands and lack of footwork, or Lin's non-contribution so far in the playoffs, etc etc., we get frustrated, but we don't hate because they are our own. Whether they continue winning or are finally knocked out, this has been one of the more special seasons in recent history and instead of pining for other superstars or players we don't have or talents our players do not possess (why can't beverley guard Durant!), let's just get behind them and savor what's left of a great year.
