ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Warriors 4/30/2019 (Playoffs Round 2, Game 2)

This is my issue, and I remembered as I was watching last night that I thought the exact same thing last year during the WCF.

Harden (and to a lesser extent, Paul) are so talented that they can ISO/P&R just about any team/player in the league to death and we'll be successful. But it just doesn't work when GS is on and playing defense at a high level. We have to come up with some sets to get open looks and layups - we are just having to work so hard for every shot that it's not sustainable.

 

Good. I supported you in the ban fchowder thread. But here in the blood in the towel issue, you're coming off as annoying. Don't die on that hill.

 

It pretty much is. GS would have been blown out both games if Durant had just played avg games..

 

In the two games the Clippers beat the Warriors the glaring difference was points in the paint. The Clippers had 104 vs our 63 pts in the paint. Even our role players shot as well or better than the Warriors' stars from behind the arc last night, but hardly anyone can drive in and make a layup. We play like a one trick pony act.

We just dribble away the clock, pass frantically into their hands, or dribble until they set up on defense and clog the paint then drive into guys and try to do a little floater or get clobbered. If Lou can make it look easy to make a layup our stars need to find a way to get back to basics. Its times like these I even miss Brewer. Oh and I am grumpy after staying up so late for another loss.

 

What happened in the regular season means nothing.

 

I coach a conoetiti

MDA gets paid millions of dollars and all we doing is pick and roll. We have 0 plays in our playbook.

 

Durant is unbelievable. Best offensive player in the NBA.
Can't wait for him to leave Oakland.

Also, I loved the ball movement / offensive flow the team had leading up to Harden returning...then our offense got stagnant with less ball moving again.

 

NENE is the only REAL tough guy on this squad. I wish somebody would step up and fight back. They are getting pushed around, fouled, ridiculed, embarrassed and are just taking it timidly. Getting punked.

 

Last year, for sure Houston had it, this year at a minimum it'd be 1-1 (and game 1 certainly influenced game 2). I guess I was meaning their ability to sign an extra max player w/o losing their main core. Because that first championship he got was absurd with their PO record.

And then to add, other than the Rockets series last year and hopefully this series still, this will be the closest challenge the Warriors can possibly face. Unfortunately the refs and league are just as tainted as always.

 

We got this. Say **** off to the two games. And then dominate the next four

 

Alot of people saying Rivers did a heck of a job keeping this team alive when Harden was out. Most likely due to the ball movement that caught the Warriors off guard.

 

harden's effort seems to be overlooked by not only media, but rocket fans. 29pts on 9-15 shooting in 2.5 quarters while playing half blind visibly squinting nonstop even on the bench. imo despite the loss this was one of the great playoff performances in nba history.

 

Yeah we were basically looking like the team that upset the Warriors without Harden in the regular season. The difference is we didn't try the Capela/Faried/Tucker lineup so we still got killed on the boards.

I'm ready to give Rivers a chance in the starting lineup. I am full on bench Capela.

 

We tied the second quarter and won both quarters in the second half, just that terrible first quarter - so you have to pretty much play four damn near perfect quarters (or very strong ones) to beat this team. That’s a hell of a task.

 

The Rockets shot the ball well. The Warriors did not shoot well from long range. That sounds like it should add up to a Rockets win. But, poor rebounding and turnovers did us in.

I give the Warriors credit for playing a good swarming defense that created turnovers. The Rockets have done a good job this season in limiting turnovers, so it was a disappointing game in this respect. I think the Rockets can and will do better in protecting the ball going forward.

But, the rebounding is a problem. We've been bad all year, and we were horrible last night. Rebounding is a team thing. Capela does what he can. But, everyone has to be focused on that part of the game. Too often we have players just standing in the paint waiting for the ball to come to them while the Warriors swoop in for an easy rebound. The Rockets have developed poor habits when it comes to rebounding and it's probably too late to change those bad habits. The Rockets lack height to begin with, so suddenly improving the rebounding will be tough.

 

Tremendous respect to Harden for coming out and still playing. That looked very painful.

 

the rockets have got to get support from their bench. house, shump, green have all basically looked unplayable (sounds familiar) and green is barely ahead because hes able to hit a 3 at some point

 

We should try a new strategy.
There is a method called 'boxing out' that is employed by most teams that appears to be most effective.
It works thusly: "When the ball is traveling toward the rim, our player looks
for opposing player closest to them to place themselves between the opposing
player and the basket, thereby severely restricting the opposing players' ability to obtain
the ball should it not go into the basket"

Got frustrated SO many times last night watching shots go up and GSW players crashing
the boards without so much as being looked at or touched for easy putbacks, dunks or 2nd chance possessions.
It was like we don't have a clue what boxing out is. Our guys just seem to stare at the ball in flight
hoping it's going to come to them.
Between our turnovers and GSW 2nd chance rebounds it was game over.
We either handed them additional possessions with turnovers or simply let them rebound and
get additional chances. Can't be that sloppy against a precision team

 

What plagued the Rockets tonight was what plagued them all season, lack of effort and concentration on the defensive boards. You build bad habits during the regular season, and they come back to bite you in the ass in the playoffs, we're seeing that now.

When you're playing against a team with so much more talent, you have to outwork AND outsmart them, we did neither tonight. Frustrating because if we had given a little more effort in the regular season, we could easily have had HCA throughout the Western Conference playoffs, and this series probably plays out a little differently.

 

i couldn't stand how we saw some of our players boxing out while others are just standing in no man's land, not finding a body or leaking out as if they don't need to play a part in finishing the possession and getting the board. That's one thing about ariza/lmm. they are great in that regard especially as wing players