I still have faith We won't shoot this bad again for awhile Just need everyone to play team ball If its not your night with shooting, pass the ball We have lots of good scorers so Harden doesn't need to play hero ball
Give LA credit, they adjusted in a very specific way to the Rockets - they showed their hand in how they would defeat the Rockets - take away the layups and force us into making contested 3's. They collapsed and walled off on the drives and immediately expanded out on pass offs. It was amazing team D and it clearly frustrated the Rockets and took them out of their comfort zone. Westbrook was forcing shots. Harden was forcing it. Shots were rushed and not in rhythm. We didn't look like we had much space. LA won because of their defense. But this is what I have said since the trade was made. The Rockets had to do it, but small ball is an experiment - it's uncharted in the NBA at this extreme. You can't judge it after 10 games, or ever 20, because you have to give time for the Rockets players to figure out how to play in all the various situations they will face. Teams adjust, and the Clippers gave the Rockets a gift - they showed their hand now vs the playoffs. In other words, the Rockets now have something to look at as to how to improve and they have a couple of months instead of a couple of days. The Clippers exposed a flaw with the Rockets. Can the Rockets make the adjustment? The experiment continues but by no means can you say with certainty this is a success or failure yet.
They no longer can hide on defense, their legs are shot, causing us to shoot poorly, small ball is a gimmick that doesn't work over the length of the season. We should adjust and play Harty and Green at C. DD
Yeah, for sure. they are gassed you can see it. Harden has very little explosion, he has never had to play D or rebound this much. DD
There's an even gloomier scenario where they finish behind both OKC and Dallas... And face the Clippers in the first round.
we are done, for the sake of god, please start the rebuild, we wasted the golden opportunity to run for a championship, should have kept that 65 wins team intact by all means, but anyway, we are one hamstring away from a champion i would say it is still a success
Yuck - would rather have been wrong - tbh - I don't want them to be losing like this - and they have some players they could adjust with - Hartenstein is a legit 7 footer who can help with the rebounding etc.. DD
I think this is a very real possibility ! I was lulled into thinking we were on our way when the small ball snuck up on a bunch of teams in succession and caught them unprepared. This 4 game stretch has taken all that optimism and killed it. This team in its current form, with its superstars neutralized and playing in a system that’s demands a bunch of min players to be lights out shooters just isn’t going to work now. I wouldn’t be shocked if they play 500 ball the rest of the way. Which means we end up in the 7 seed (unless Mavs or OKC choke down the stretch) and we will get blown out (possibly swept) by LAC in round one. This 4 game stretch has really exposed this team and highlighted it’s glaring weaknesses.
I think Clippers and Lakers are the main BIG two I think we can beat everyone else It could be a problem with the others if we don't play our A GAME Rocket River
