ClutchFans Game Thread: Warriors @ Rockets 5/14/2018 (Western Conference Finals, Game 1)

Game two is a must W! Can't go down 2 heading to Oracle. Rockets will need more from the role players but no hard cuts to the basket or any player movement will not cut it against the Warriors. Need ISO but also need to vary the offense to keep the Warriors honest on D. Will see what changes MDA can come up with. Go Rockets!!

 

thats prolly coming

 

Welp...

That really sucked. Some observations:

1. Draymond Green is exempt from rules regarding decorum and treatment of officials apparently.
2. Even in the face of a 40 point game from Harden, we all got to witness the weaknesses of "Iso ball" tonight.
3. I have no idea how to defend Durant besides hoping he just misses. I do know that Tucker...for all his hustle and grit...just isn't tall enough.
4. Our guards absolutely cannot miss layups and free throws and I can think of at least 10 points we left out there on those things alone.
5. We are getting to see the weakness of switching...i.e. they simply run picks with the guy Harden is guarding and voila....Harden is trying to guard Durant or Curry. Maybe try to double team the ballhandler on those I think? I dunno.
6. There is this air of "confidence" the Warriors have that makes them so hard to beat. They just never seem to get rattled.
7. Officials were mostly decent. There were some head scratchers tonght but for the most part the game wasn't decided by those.
8. Gordon, Nene, Anderson are all dead weight on this team. Gordon especially has been so disappointing. He's capable of so much more.

 

Once again, our defense is really overrated. How are we giving up so many open looks? Klay Thompson always seems to feed off of us because of our lack of discipline.

 

sloppy offense, 1st half was all one on one with Paul and Harden. What a waste of time. Warriors defense was solid.

 

Bruh who are these people XD

 

James Harden & Chris Paul Press Conference (1st question is awkward)

 

That's supposed to a strength of the Rockets, too, one of the things that made this year more special than others but they seem to have lost that in the playoffs, or at least don't have it consistently. Guys too often look like they're pressing and losing confidence in the game plan. They need to remember what made them so good.

 

nene getting blocked by draymond when we cut the lead to 4 was probably the turning point of the game. he makes that layup/dunk possibly even for an and-1 and i'm sure we win. ugh he's so washed :/

need ryno to step up... maybe iso joe as a wrinkle. more luc/clint minutes. can't justify nene really

 

^ This is embarrassing. This is a total indictment on the Rockets' lack of discipline. I don't want to hear anything about the Rockets' supposed elite defense. When they miss layups, dunks, or open threes, they seem to quit and let the other team score in transition. It's unreal that such a veteran team is so lackadaisical on the little things.

 

Hopefully this will be a wake up call for the Rockets for game 2

 

My biggest question is WHY do we switch so easily?? I totally get that we have versatile defenders and part of our defensive scheme is to switch...but why do we not even try to fight over the screen at all? The Dubs switch a lot too but they know we are targeting Steph -- so every time we set a screen, they are at least TRYING to fight over it and switch back. This happens 2-3 times until Steph gets switched onto Harden...but there is only 5-7 seconds left on the shot clock.

Literally whenever Nene was in the game, 1 high pick and roll and the Dubs have KD vs. our slowest defender at 15 seconds left on the shot clock...I don't get it at all.

 

EG said in the post game interview that they aren't panicking, which tells me they are panicking. LOL

 

Hurts to say but the better team won. We all know they are much better. Anyone who understands basketball and pays attention knows we cant beat the warriors in the playoffs. They have better shooters. They have better defenders. They have a higher basketball iq. They play in a better system. They have a better coach. They have more confidence. They are more focused.

They added Durant to a 73 win team. They arent going to lose for a long time.

 

Somehow have to win the next two games to regain some momentum

 

A fully healthy Celtics team next season is the only shot. Or if Lebron signs with the Rockets.

 

Guys need to learn how to always draw a foul on Draymond and stop trying to score right in his face. He's never going to back down.

 

Good post. Nene got old a half year too early, it seems. I really think Gordon's not quite right physically. I think he's playing through something but in the end, it's not going to cut it.

It was sad to waste such a hot shooting game from the Beard.

 

easier said than done. refs let him get away with a lot of contact cause of his reputation smh. donkey should've been ejected this game as well...