Does anyone still doubt we get the two seed (at minimum)....

21 games left. Still a ton that can happen in that span

 

I think the Rockets need to solve teams that take away the layups and take away the 3's. It wasn't supposed to be possible to take both away but the Clippers did that successfully.

They built a wall around the rim and yet still managed to run players off the 3 point line. Their defense was monstrous last night and I didn't see a ton of wide open easy shots the Rockets normally get.

Forget about the seeding - solve that problem.

 

Doubt is getting bigger.

 

Even if we were the #1 seed it wouldn’t matter anyways. The higher the seed the greater the disappointment. It’s all false hope. It always was.

This team wasn’t gonna win a Championship when we traded CP3. Sure WB is ballin but at what cost? We sold out and tried to re-invent the wheel with the wrong personnel in a last ditch effort to create an “entertaining” and “fan friendly style” that would sell tickets.

Ya’ll didn’t truly believe a bunch of 6’8 and under, mediocre to bad shooters, that can’t play lockdown defense, rebound or bring consistent energy was a legit title contender did you?

Only a dumbass like Tilman would break up a core that won 65 games and 1 win away from the Finals after the dynasty that denied us multiple times finally ends. All the while mortgaging the future in the process.

Also, I hope Harden is happy for actually backing/pushing for that move. Say what you want about CP3 but the man brought the best out of Harden and helped him win his first MVP. WB has been killing it but not only does he not make Harden better but the moves that were made to benefit WB have made Harden worse.

 

2 seed at MINIMUM is looking at this with rosy Rockets goggles on

We are only 1 game win ahead of the Mavs at the 7th seed with 38 wins. They were rolling until Luka got hurt

Clips are 3.5 games ahead of us and they haven't been trying as they sit their stars regularly to gear up for the playoffs

But rest assured, we will make the playoffs and once we are in, never know what will happen. Maybe make a monstrous run as a 6th seed like yesteryears. "Never count out a heart of a champion" - Rudy T

 

Westbrook is so much better than CP3 in scoring, hustling, and rebounding. He is also the perfect combination scorer playing with James WHEN James is hitting 3's. Just because James is chunking bricks you can't blame Westbrook. That's ridiculous.

Those kinds of comparisons just piss me off. Everyone blames everyone but James for his bad streaks. The CP3 team had better defenders than what surround James and Russ. They also had EGO on the hottest streak from the 3 of anyone on the team leading up to the playoffs. Now we have barely any inside game other than Russ, and our highest 3 pt shooter isn't even a starter.

If you want to go back in time than maybe we never should have traded Bev, Trez, Ariza, Lou Williams, Trez etc.. We didn't win with CP3 anyway. No sense looking back now, but looking forward just seems like it's gonna be quite a rocky ride. We will see great great games when our 3's are hitting, but "make me want to barf" games when our offense and defense is just G-League level bad.

 

Need 18 wins in a row now.

 

You are right but we didn't exactly open up everything to CP3's strength and run half the plays for him and the Center.

It is more like 'Hey Chris, we play this way, can you do this and that to help....thanks.....we really need your veteran leadership here and there.'

We made him shoot tons of 3s, less 2s, while he was here and less of what Nash used to run.

Sneak in to the point and either go out again to take a shot/pass out or sneak in again, probing the Defense.

 

Go back to your team troll.

And I hope Malone treats you well going forward. Since hes kicked you to the curb, I'm sure you have been very lonely and sexually frustrated.

 

That may be true to a point ,hed but Westbrook is quicker to the rim and a better rebounder. Plus, our 3 pt shooting isn't as good this year.

 

You'd think people would get used to this Rockets roller coaster by now.

 

they were packing the paint with a match up 2-3 zone. Check this video out. Note in our offense if the wings dont make the corner 3 this is what will happen. Doc ran this last night

 

5th seat.

They lost their best chance to get to 2 or 3 seat already and have momentum problems now.

If Harden doesn't score over 40 they will lose 3 in row and all the I told you so critics will be dancing in the halls.

Small ball doesn't work if you cannot make open 3s and they just don't have good enough shooters period.

One and done in the playoffs. Coach gone, maybe GM too.

The sky is falling prediction here.

PLEASE MAKE ME EAT CROW!

 

And this how Raptors beat Bucks in playoffs and how Heat just beat them the other night.

The difference is that teams can take away Giannis and their team us done.

Even if teams take away Russ in this same way, Harden and Rockets 3 point shooters will not go cold for 4 games.

 

I feel you D-rock the only concern I have in regards to the Rockets counter which should be taking wide open threes or zone buster shots. The correct personell needs to be on the floor. We need a lob threat 2 iso capable players e rebounder and 2 catch and shoot players.

 

Lmao one loss against a team many think will win it all (who we are 2-2 against this season FWIW) and people here acting like the sky is falling.

Edit: Y’all need to stop listening to Charles Barkley and the rest of the ignorant talking heads.

 

We just need to play our game. Thats more of the problem not the opponent

 

Not at all!! Lol. They will win the 1st round then head home for the summer. D’Antoni is bye bye and possibly Morey?


This isn’t a good formula for chips ....

 

What about the loss before that to one of the worst teams in the NBA?

 

I agree!!

Rockets players wet up in corner must have lob threat ability in addition to being threat from 3.

This is our biggest weakness on offense. Our players, outside of Harden and Russ (EGo too once upon a time) lack ability to be more than just 3ball threats.

Not usually a problem with man defense but once teams start playing zone or off ball man combo schemes, this strains our 2 MVPs to carry entire offensive load.

This is why I advocate for players like Justin Anderson, Jonah Bolden or Tyler Johnson because they all have ability to attack the rim (with and without the ball), create for others and the length/athleticism to play above rim while still being disruptive on defense.

Of course I would rather have the better known players who can provide the same threats but Jerami Grant, Kelly Oubre, Aaron Gordon, etc. are costly and very difficult to acquire even ONE, let alone two or more.

6'3 Tyler Johnson (42" vert) provides similar scoring verisimilitude as EGo as well as the athletic ability to either run fast break with Russ and play above rim offensively/defensively. Johnson is not the thicc defender that EGo used to be but is fiery and relentless even on switches.

6'9 Jonah Bolden (7'3 wingspan) is a tenacious and very long man defender who is not only a 3ball threat but can ball on floor to attack rim on closeouts or cutbacks. Bolden is also a very good passer and floor runner. He is foul prone because of aggressiveness but would be a great fit as a backup in the extreme way Rockets play offense and defense.

6'6 Justin Anderson (230lbs 7'0 wingspan 43" vert) is another linebacker sized wing with very high defensive IQ to go with his harassing style of defense and ever evolving offense. Very sticky and active hands on and off ball. And is a terror running court on both ends - blocking shots and smashing lobs with equal relish.