ClutchFans Game Thread: Pelicans @ Rockets 10/17/2018

The one glaring issue that the Rockets will need to figure out is what to do against big men. Ariza and Moute were very very good defenders that held their own against guys like Davis. I wish we had one more playable big man besides Capela.

 

If we’re depending on Chriss for good smart defense, we need to make a trade ASAP!!!

 

Chriss won't be it... Nene is ok... but not a defenaive big.

 

go check the stats , we won the season series. 3-1, score is 130-123, 113-115, 107-101, 114-91 and without cousins I thought they become worse right? If this is not a disgusting performance then what it is?

 

Morey was grimacing during the 1st half. He takes these games personally, very much so. He will absolutely have a talk with MDA concerning our defense or lack of it.

 

So the bird will take 1st seed of NBA? Wow

 

Chriss lol...dude will probably be out of the league in a couple of years...

 

Rockets have 5 centers on the roster but Tucker is the backup.

 

Or months

 

Out of sorts on offense.

Long rebounds led to terrible transition defense.

Players missing switches (mostly new players)

Ennis not understanding the offense - thinking he’s playing summer ball.

Rotations out of wack. Will take time to get that under wrap.

Rockets had no answer for AD or Mirotic.

I expect a win against Lakers but there are a lot of things we need to sort out with new pieces in the puzzle.

Mike still hesitant to call time outs when Pelicans started their early 1st quarter run in which we couldn’t recover.

Not sure how I feel about Capela. Seemed to be stuck in mud. After AD blocked him twice in what seemed like back to back plays - he just sort of shut down.

Showed glimpses of runs often but couldn’t slow down the attack from AD or Randle.

 

No rim protection with or without Clinty. I expect that with Clinty on the bench but not while on the floor. Very disappointed in him especially after getting paid.

 

This game was lost at the 4-5. You can run guys 6’8 and under against great front courts. Waaay too much small ball.

 

We have nothing highlight but Capela's hair.

So terrible...

 

Look. we all know the Rockets and the Astros can't win on the same night ... the Rox were just doing the stros a solid.

 

The team is relative new with alot of new players. They need time to gel. We will be alright by January.

 

March 2017 game i was talking about... it was similiar score to the one today. We didn't have Moute then... but Pelicans didn't have a playoff team then lol

 

Dead legs, tired, panicked according to MDA.

...

For all the analytic guys, we're not winning 82 this year. That's about all that's been proven.

They played harder, longer, did a better job. There was a period in there where we got really tired & trying to figure things out & being tired doesn't work. Didn't have the energy and kinda let go of the rope near the end of the first half and got down 17. Got it down to 15, looked good but they hit shots & we screwed it up.

Obviously got things to work on. Gotta get our legs & then go after them.

First half defensively, rotations/help, was that not being familiar with each other?, energy?, effort?

Mostly energy. I thought we were tired. They've been playing at a fast pace the entire preseason & we didn't. We were playing some teams that walked it up & it shocked us a little bit, got us tired and then panicked a little bit. Combo of a lot of little things. Doesn't change of what we want to be & want to do. Every game is hard, gotta get back up on the horse & do it.

New additions?

Melo started well. Got a little tired. MCW played really well. James Ennis did well until he took a couple of shots he took out of frustration. That's not him. He'll give us energy. Our main guys weren't ready. We couldn't get flow. Gotta do a better job. We'll do it.

He hurt us last year. Randle hurt us last year. I thought we panicked. A lot of expectations, first night, you go down 15, you get tired, OMG, OMG, stuff happens & it happened.

Pace you wanted to play at?

Probably. I don't know. Offense wasn't a problem. 112 has to be enough. We gotta hold teams to less than that. Other than 2nd Q, just lost our legs & couldn't make shots, stuff of that sort. Not worried about the offense.

Davis? passing like that?

He's just baiting you. We didn't have to double. We doubled at certain times. Being tired, panicked. We can't live with giving him layups, others getting involved, hitting 3s, not getting back on defense. Davis will average 30-something this year. He'll average 32.

Those double-teams all freelance or ...?

We have certain things we do. Didn't read it right, he baited us into it, and it happens when you get tired & panic. First game, legs got dead, tiredness makes cowards out of everyone.

Hard to get into the flow you want?

It was hard to match up with their speed. They averaged 125 in the preseason, didn't win a game. We didn't score along with them because legs or whatever. We'll be good.

 

There's a couple guys on this team that don't fit our system. Bad shooters have no place in the lineup.

 

Ariza is killing it in PHX

 

The oldest team in the league panicked?? Dead legs on the first season opener? Gtfo Mda.