ClutchFans Game Thread: Lakers @ Rockets 11/7/2013

man i dont even know what we need anymore

 

Without establishing himself as a scoring point guard he can't draw defenders in. Without drawing defenders in, those passes do not hit wide open players, and when those players take contested shots they miss. Lin relies of simple cuts in and kick outs. It's his game. He's good at it, but Harden can easily put up more numbers and with a greater consistency than Lin can. If you can't see that, then ask yourself why Harden has a max deal and Lin has a slightly bloated one. Remember, Houston was really the only team who actively sought after him, and that's for a reason. Lin's game relies on him scoring. Heck, even experts don't think Harden and Lin can co-exist. It shows that's because they are really similar.

Sure, Harden's defense was non-existent. Sure the Rockets as a team fell behind in a game they should have led the entire way. They came back on the fact Harden had 35 points on 20 shots. If Harden's outside game was what it normally is, we win this easily. If the Rockets play defense, we win this game. All in all, everyone lost this game, heck, Howard needs to learn how to shoot the easiest shot in the game.

 

Horrible showing from the Rockets. We are playing uninspired basketball. Idk what has to change, but something does. We gave absolutely no effort on defense the whole first half. You can't expect to win games without playing defense.

Of course, we dig ourselves in a double-digit deficit in no time thanks to that joke of a starting lineup. Asik should not, EVER, be in the same lineup as Dwight Howard. It's looking worse and worse each game.

Absolutely no intensity and urgency in the whole first half. It's embarrassing. Dwight Howard should not be taking less than 15 shots in any game, EVER. We are not looking for him on offense and it is pathetic. We are just chucking contested threes and are not playing a more effective inside out game.

James Harden had a spectacular second half, until the last possession. Single-handedly brought us back into the game.

We are not doing the little things, no one is boxing out, no one is hustling. And we have no direction on offense. The TT lineup is god-awful.

Dwight just needs to make his freethrows. Straight up. We should not take him out of the end of the game. His defense is too valuable (that block on the layup at the end was a perfect example). He just has to make the freethrows.

It shouldn't have come down to that last shot, but what ****ty defense that was. Lin got sucked inside when his man was running the other way. We were too grouped up and no one was able to come out and switch. Just a botched play. And damn, Beverly was awful offensively, but played good defense so not a total bad game I guess. But a botched last play as well. Not a good time for Parsons, Beverly, Casspi, and Garcia to all be in a 3-point shooting slump at the same time.

We need to step up the defensive intensity, and we need to find Dwight Howard more often.

 

lmao then where the 4-1 come from.

 

Trade Lin to the... Knicks!!! They could really use him now.

 

I agree. I actually really like Beverley as a player. But the fact that he gets a pass when he plays poorly, but Lin gets kicked to the curb even if he plays well is simply disgusting.

 

Harden shot 9 for 24 , and 3 tos. how the heck harden get to shoot 24 fg, more than dwight.

Lin 5 for 8 , 3 tos.

Beverly 1 for 10 fg,

Dwight 5 for 10 fg ,

How the heck dwight only get only 10 fg.

coach?

 

I saw that too. On one play near the end of the hack-a-dwight. They were slow on fouling Howard, and it looked like Lin saw an opening for a drive. He was waving wildly at Harden, screaming for the ball. But Harden ignores him, and Howard eventually gets fouled, I don't remember if he made any of the freethrows.

 

indeed. Harden should look at the mirror. Sure he put up 35 pts, but 9-24 from the field...dude learn to pass.

 

This. The LOFs can be insufferable but it's the moronic trolls who think it is funny EVERY time to bait them and stir up muck that are the biggest disruption to the board these days.

 

I really hope you're right, Jay. I really do. Anything less than a conference title this year would be a disappointment.

 

honestly, pushing nash and fouling him would have been better than giving them an open 3. I'd rather go into OT than the straight loss.

 

It's normal

 

Yes asik got out rebounded by farmer and then let farmer score on his ass. He's a 7 footer for gods sake. He is clumsy, no jump shot and can't hit his free throws. He is over paid too. You know nothing. Asik jock rider

 

The Rockets have a lot of work cut out for them if they want to think about championships... :X

 

we should go after horford big 4 can play the 5 when howard goes to the bench.
what will it take to get him or is that not an option?

 

It's like the roles have reversed from previous years. Before it was the Lakers who had a bunch of talented players, many of whom played without fire (Kobe excluded), while keeping it close with the help of the referees before the the Rockets would out-hustle them to get a win.

We need a Shane/Mutumbo-like Sensei to get these guys mentally right. Camby could have filled that role, but they let him go after his injury sadly.

 

I truly believe the Rox think all of a sudden they are better than they really are on top of not having adequate coaching. The look like they feel like they can flip a switch and dominate when they need to but they are not that good. Hopefully this loss humbles the hell out of them.

 

My gripes..

Harden's last 2 minutes of ISO.
Parson's inbound to Dwight
Dwight not hitting any free throws when Asik probably would've gotten it. Mentally, Dwight is weak, when people did Hack-Asik, he shot a couple and started to nail more and more with more practice since they kept fouling him. Dwight's little brain shrank quicker each time he was fouled.

 

Man, you made me laugh, though I like Bev he played like crap the whole game, couldn't fight through screen, bricked 9 out of his 10 shots. In what universe he brought us back in the game.