ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Celtics 11/1/2025

Our current starting five is a wicked look defensively. That could be a highlight reel of any of them on any given night.

 

After watching that horrible ending to the world series, I'm gonna need us to dominate the Spurs this upcoming Friday.

I'm so sick and tired of seeing the Wemby = MVP narrative this early on in the season just because they've had the easiest schedule in the league so far. We're the first actual competition they will face so our guys better show up.

 

The fact that youre making this the same thing is really stupid Im sorry. The Rockets are one of the biggest teams in history. All of the replays on the fouls the Celtics fans complained about last night were actual fouls. Even white Mamba said this last night. The Rockets were driving like maniacs and the Celtics traded all their defensive depth to save money. Ofcoure we had way more fouls then they had they are too short and could only grab sengun to stop him or slapamen and KD on the Wrist as they were shooting. All the celtics did was shoot mid range and three pointers because we are too big to drive on. THAT IS WAY DIFFERENT THAN A SMALL TEAM THAT DOESNT PLAY DEFENSIVE GETTING PHANTOM FOUL CALLS BECAUSE LEBRON JAMES IS ON THE ROSTER.

 

I don't think you should take my post so seriously. It wasn't meant to be a scathing criticism of NBA officiating.

It was just an ironic observation.

I'm relieved to see the Rockets getting fair calls. I believe we would have beaten the Warriors in the playoffs in the games were called evenly.

 

well… one particular call stands "out", so to speak… Hopefully, they keep favoring that player…

 

Great win peeps…..

 

Wemby has been damn good. If he stays healthy he'll be the real deal, heck he already is the real deal lol. Dude's a cheat code.

 

Gambling.

 

Good news! We're in the Play-in!

 

He's looking incredible so far this season, but I do want to note that they played against, so far, four really bad teams and one decent-but-not-great team (Miami), and in the game against Miami he shot 43% from the field and 20% from three. (While still racking up a ridiculous 18 rebounds and 5 blocks, to be fair.) He also failed to lock down Bam in that game, who scored 31 points on 44% / 30% shooting.

If Wemby has one major flaw in his game right now, it's that he doesn't have enough sand in his pants against other star centers. Alpi has generally won their matchups so far statistically, for example. In a limited sample size, so have Jokic, Embiid, and AD. That may change if he bulks up, but at his height, bulking up may also increase the risk to his joints and feet.

Anyway, he's obviously an incredible player already, but that isn't to say he's going to be unbeatable.

 

Yet another example of the unreliable, wild difference between DRtg at bb-ref and nba.com

here Sheppard is the best defender of the game at nba, and the worst at bb-ref

 

Which is why for most statements you need more than one metric and a much larger sample size.

 

So, I gotta admit, Scalabrine has to be one of the 3 best color comms in the league. He is totally unbiased, has that deep raspy voice, and his insight was spot on, even from a team that he doesn't watch. White mamba was on point last night.

And yes, we get fouled, clear as day. The disparity is because we actually aren't a handsy team, we are just long, and don't have to recover from being out of position due to that length, and having really smart defenders.

 

The key is in the closeouts. Bb reference doesn't track those in their defensive ratings.
Reed has done a good job getting there. He could have clapped and the celtics were just missing those shots.

 

Quick question now that we all love Amen if we had the 1st pick in the draft would you take Amen over Wemby?

 

Wtf? hell no, nobody would do that

 

Scalabrine was a delight to listen to in contrast to our cringe team of Ackerman and Hollins.