ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Nuggets 11/29/2023

I'd cut Holiday's minutes in favor of Whitmore vs cutting Jabari in favor of Whitmore. He's way too small to play PF.

 

You don’t cut Bari minutes lol he’s playing the best stretch of his career now and our most consistent jump shooter

Amen will take Holiday minutes ..Whitmore will either spell Jalen or Brooks

 

It wasn't possible for us to win without FVV.
His importance to the team is immense. I'm happy that Jalen shot the ball well on the road.

Hopefully, this should give him confidence to become a consistent player. Cam should have gotten more minutes. We need his energy.

 

You are supposed to learn how to play without a 29 year old dude......

 

We don't need FVV when Jalen is on fire. Just mesmerizing moments if Jalen plays PG...
This is a matter of giving Jalen the keys. He was allowed to play ISO and score in the 3rd quarter only. We lost the game because Ime didn't give him a chance to score much earlier.

 

They were down 11 points going into the 4th quarter.

If the Rockets hit a 3, Nuggets miss one, and the Rockets hit another 3 to start the 4th quarter, that is a 5 point game with 10+ minutes left.

The Rockets were down by 10 points against the Pelicans in the 4th quarter.

 

True, but the team needs FVV too.

 

Understood and interesting as well......may I remind you that the Nuggs are the reigning champ but not the greatest regular season team.

They play their best in the Playoffs, their Win number is always around 52-54........not as great as some of the dynasties or even the 65 winning Rocket team in 2018.

Jokic play style is pretty tiring I must admit, it is not uptempo and it does not generate the most wins.

Which is why I think in the long run the Rockets are a playoff contender......but the Nuggs are just not going 110% right now.

As for the Rockets, they were blowing out the Lakers at home, so actually gradually teams are building double digits lds against them, albeit on the road...... The wear and tear will get to players like Dillon, Fred, Jeff, Tate and others.

 

Schedule loss or not, our 3pt defense was inexcusable. Also, how many times do we have to lose someone on a simple cut before we start to either pay attention or get some help defense in time to help? Also hat was up with Brooks? That guy cannot control himself at times, especially on offense. Green finally showed some life, but he makes things so hard on himself, though it doesn't help we have very little sets we run outside of basic pick and rolls. I don't know what's up with him, but he really is adjusting to being the man again or something, because this type of shooting usually means he would've put up 20 shots last few seasons.

As much as I understand starting Holiday, I am not a fan. Let Green be the PG and play bigger. Ime said he would look at line-ups and adjust accordingly. Well, this was a game where you showed that, or the last game for that matter. Seems he just rewards guys, which is fine, but don't tell me there was anything strategic about playing Holiday over someone like Tari the last 2 games. Landale is useless, might as well just see if Nate Williams with his big body can do something and play Jabari at center. I am glad we fought and Cam looked super quick, just some head scratching things that added to our loss.

 

Not sure why the team came out with no defensive fire? The Nugs were on pace for a 50pt 1st quarter... No Excuse for that!

No Excuse for playing Landale over Jeff Green at any point. Also playing Reggie Bullock over Cam...ya I dont get that.

I'm looking forward to playing some eastern conference teams soon please. Schedule has been brutal.

 

There is a lot to address regarding this game.

I will focus mostly on Cam.

Why Bullock or Holiday over Cam some are asking?
I think Ime puts a lot of value on experience. With that, reduced mistakes. Cam has been in G-league mostly and hasnt worked with the starters much at all. Add in his inexperience, and obviously felt that this was the way to go.

Ime has held Bullock and Landale out of several games. Assumably, they have been working on their shortcomings. Ime needed to see if he could count on them or not in a non-garbage time situation.

I think Ime did what he did in the 4th qtr for several reasons. Its was a B2B, in thin air, and we were behind, which requires more energy than simply holding a lead. I think its likely our guys were gassed. So, regaining the lead and holding it was very unlikely. So instead, put some fresh legs out there in the form of the deep bench, Cam and company, and see what could happen. Besides, he wanted to see how the G-League crew had progressed, and wanted it to happen in a non-garbage time situation with extended minutes.

Ime accomplished getting up to date with everyone as a result. Landale, Cam, Bullock and all the rest got long looks.
The upcoming days and games will be telling. We will see what Ime concluded. A hint will come in the form of who goes back to G-league or not. But my feeling is for those who want to see more of Cam is that that wont happen until Cam has some time to work with the current rotation. And that cant happen when he is in G-league.

 

Denver at home is the hardest trip at the moment. They are hard to beat there. Thought we put up a good fight.

 

Good seeing Bullock hit a few threes

 

Here is a fun fact.

When Jokic is available, the Nuggets are 44-3 in their last 47 home games.

By the end of the 3rd quarter, the Nuggets were shooting 55/50/71.

Rockets are at the tail end of a back to back on the road.

Rockets were down only 11 points to start the 4th quarter, and a single bucket away from a single digit deficit. This would have been a 30 point blow-out by the 2nd quarter last season if you told me the Nuggets were shooting 55/50/71.

 

The only way the Rockets were getting back into this game is if we got lucky from 3. In the second quarter, Sengun was chasing those points. We just didn't have the grit and connectivity on D that we have to play with to slow a hot shooting team. When the Nuggets bolted out to their early lead behind some incredible makes (that 55/50/71 shooting), AND offensive boards, it was clear that Houston wouldn't give this game the same level of fight.

Lme did try his veterans, Landale and Bullock, to see what they could give us when we were down FVV and Tate. This seems respectful and normal. Jalen Green did show a few positives in generating some offense on the road.

I'd like to see Jalen be able to draw more fouls or create assists for his teammates by being more decisive. And it's painful to watch him make bad closeouts on 3s. There was one in the third quarter that he flew by, leading to an unnecessarily easy basket.

Whitmore needs to keep working and grinding. Play the RGV games when they come up and work on being a pro. We'll need him to log minutes with the big team later, and I'd rather that he had fresher legs in March.

 

Don't forget Jabari! We have pieces. I think we definitely have enough to make a trade to get us a center.

Sengun
Jalen
Jabari
Brooks
FVV
Thompson
Tate
Cam
Holiday
Olidipo
Tari

We have enough to trade two players to get us a big center. I wanted Myles Turner but with Indy playing so well, that's not going to happen. Same for KAT in Minny and Jokic and Embiid are totally out of the question.

I just don't know of anyone at the moment but I just feel as though we need a bigger center to truly compete

 

I guess at least this one doesn't feel like we could have won. Obviously we could have, but Denver was firing on all cylinders. Too bad Jalen couldn't get hot like that in any of the other road games that were much closer.

 

all we need is home court in the playoffs and we win the rings

 

We are currently the only team in the association without a road win.

Three road wins: Grizz, Pels, Clippers, Pacers, Nets, Raptors, and Blazers.
Two road wins: Spurs, Wizards, and Hornets
One road win: Pistons, Bulls, and Jazz.

 

I think Brooks is getting frustrated with the microscope treatment. He is committing some really stupid fouls for sure, but he is getting a bunch of phantom fouls as well. The return of Amen and slowly inserting Cam into the rotation will help the defense immensely when Brooks needs a rest or is in foul trouble. Missing Tate was pretty big too, because he is Brooks lite and can guard the perimeter. I’m through waiting for Jock. Surely, we can find some journeyman to give us some relief for Sengun that’s better than Jock.