Clutchfans Game Thread: Rockets @ Lakers 9/6/2020 (Playoffs Round 2, Game 2)

I said from the beginning that the Rockets need to respect Rondo. He’s a championship guard that knows how to win. I understand sagging off him a little at the 3 point line, but giving him wide open midrange is stupid. He can make that. He’s a savvy guard that knows how to win.

 

Rondo is a bench player, he wasn't the reason the LAL won. Westbrook was the reason that the Rox lost

w CP3 on the roster, instead of the energetic/athletic Westrook, Rox would have won game 2 against the LAL​

 

I actually agree. I get that the Rockets' defensive strategy is to ignore bad shooters and load up to stop the stars, but Rondo can be a star when he is allowed to do what he does best. Rondo having a good game really pushed them over the top in G2. I don't want them to overreact to him hitting a 3, but they need to slow him down a little before he really gets his confidence going.

 

Rondo was actually a pretty big reason why they won. He allowed the lakers to get in their spots on offense without lebron having to be the one distributing all the time. He’s literally their only playmaker without rondo. and he also hit timely shots that made the rockets pay for giving him those looks. Being a bench player or not means nothing. You can still put your stamp and impact on the game whether you’re a starter or not. That logic of him being a bench player doesn’t make sense


10pts and 9 assists 5 stls. And a game high +28. That definitely supported the eye test of his overall impact on the game. This is what they were looking for in game 1 but he was terrible

 

The Rockets cant treat every below average shooter like Dort. That's lazy defense. Elson Turner needs to stop playing. Also WB kept falling asleep leaving Green open, not sure how he can let that happen

 

as if LBJ / AD had nothing to do w it.

Westbrook did just the opposite, effective an unnecessary obstacle for the the Rox to overcome. he was the reason the Rox lost

 

We got the next 2 no worries!!!

 

I never said Rondo was the reason why they won. I was referring to the article about the impact he has on the game.

 

Did anyone say lebron or ad had nothing to do with it. Doesn’t it look like it to me

 

ur citing the reasons why LAL won, you mentioned Rondo and no one else

 

not w that unnecessary obstacle to victory, for whom Morey traded away CP3

 

I’m citing reasons for rondo specifically Bc he was a big reason. You said rondo wasn’t a reason because he came off the bench and nowhere did you mention Bron or ad in the post I cited. Anyone who actually watched that game can see He significant impacted the game. And the numbers back all of that up.

 

My two cents on the game....
Defend Rondo so it gets in his head he is struggling...then you can fall back.

AD will not average over 30 pts per game this series, so as long as he stays within his normal game, we will be fine.

Love to see LeBron running and hustling during the game...he is finally feeling his age and can't do it long. His stamina is not there. Most big men by age 35 can't compete with a defensive and fast pace team like the Rockets...and Lebron is one of them. I hated seeing that happen to Dream...and then we traded him to Toronto. I'm very surprised to see PJ do so well at his age, but PJ doesn't have that 4 inches more and bigger body for the heart to pump. Did anyone notice the Lakers icing the back of LeBron's neck during the game last night? Not a good sign...Lebron needs to consider retiring and enjoy part 2 of his life before it is too late. JMO

Both Westbrook and Harden are going to have a bad night sometime. The other players just need to step up. The reason we lost was because Westbrooks bad game was his turnovers in the second quarter and his foul trouble. The Lakers capitalized on his turnovers and ran up the score, and the foul trouble kept Westbrook from driving to the paint in the fourth quarter...it essentially took him out of his game. Instead of him attempting threes, I would have preferred him step in a few feet and take his mid range shot...his % is better. A few more points from him and we would have won this game. He had only 10 pts. Westbrook and Harden combined had 37 pts.

And the bench has to play better. 13 points from one bench player, House, is not going to get it done. The Lakers did not beat us, we just didn't play our game and the Lakers BARELY won. EG was right in his post game interview...we beat ourselves. We play our game, we win this series.

 

Turnovers.....The Lakers got 27 points off of turnovers.....WE.CANNOT.DO.THAT. You clean up the turnovers....you win the series. As simple as that.

 

Yeah man. Most don't want to say it but I will. We are better than the Lakers. They have no choice but to play our game. We have the choice to play it the right way.

 

Yea I believe it too. Russ just has to do better in the minutes against Lebron and these dudes can't hang with us.

 

how do you know this ?

you do know that LBJ spends more than $2M a yr, trainers, nutrition, training equipt, etc. to keep his body in tip top condition, all year round, no ?

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take away Westbrick, Rox is not a fast team

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it is inexcusable to true Rox fans, particularly at playoff time.

u forgot to mention his trigger happy 3-pt bricks.

Russ is a 12-yr pro, u'd think that, by yr 12, he should know his strengths / weaknesses; alas, his ego compels him to play to his weakness.

 

Just looked at the +/- from game 2. Green -26, Rivers -18, House -17 Westbrook -14, Tucker +18, Harden +8. For Lakers Rondo +28, Morris +15 Lebron +15 AD -7.

 

The Lakers adapted well. But yep. They adapted. That's not a good sign for them. They are fighting on our turf.

 

Tough one with all the Rockets role players playing well. They really couldn't play any better and realistically I wonder if they'll all have good games during the same game again.

Great comeback, but the Rockets defensive inconsistency reared its head again this game. One quarter of elite defense isn't good enough. Russ also has to figure out how to make a positive impact.