ClutchFans Game Thread: Thunder @ Rockets 1/16/2014

I think Howard is physically gifted and all but he isn't skilled or competitive compared to the Alltime Greats.

Barkley and O'Neal happened to be Alltime greats.

 

They said that Howard IS NOT the kind of player you build a team around. I would agree with this statement.

This isn't going to end well. Morey needs to pull the plug on Howard and go in a different direction. Does he have the balls to do that? Probably not after chasing Howard for years and then finally signing him.

The Rocket will probably crash and burn in the playoffs, and then McHale will be replaced with Howard's hand picked replacement. But I doubt the results will be any different. Sounds rather depressing.

 

Props. I respect that you see that now and agree McHale is an inept coach. JVG put in the hours watching tape. His stitch was defense and he knew which players needed extra attention defensively on a nightly basis. He got on his players if they missed an assignment or didn't listen to him when he said PLAY X PLAYER TIGHT HE HAS BEEN HOT.

You have to respect what we had in JVG and he is worth every penny if we bring him back.

 

theyre the team that lost a 17 point lead in the 4th last night. lolz

 

Some of it really is the officiating.

The "5th foul" against Steven Adams -- Dwight honestly didn't even touch him. Adams hooked his arm for an extended period of time, after which Dwight was pissed and retaliated with a half-swipe afterward. That swipe actually missed Adams because he pulled his arm back. If the officials want to call that a double technical, that's fine... but they gave Dwight a foul (his 5th) for swiping at air. That's just ridiculous.

(All that said, it shouldn't have mattered to the extent it did, but Asik... sigh.)

 

It's just a lack of leadership. The players are good enough. It's been a long time in Houston since it wasn't the other way around but there it is.

 

Howard nor Harden are great players they are both very good players, but neither are the kind of players that inspire or ignite a fire in others - we need a team LEADER desperately.

DD

 

Yea he said that in his status before he said Dallas>Houston. What a ****

 

Both Barkley and Shaq want to see Howard dominate every game and every big man.

24 ppg and 15-16 rpg all day every week

 

2nd game of a back to back. No Beverley, no Asik.

 

Too much dribbling on offense. Looks great with all the between the leg dribbling, but not much comes from it. Rockets need to go back to fundamental basketball. Basketball is not rocket science.

 

It's funny how they say this tonight. Howard has been on a tear lately and they didn't say anything. He is mad because Kenny (stupidly) compared Howard's offense to Charles and Shaq's offense earlier in the show saying they matched or something.

 

we already have seven. at least each of them think himself is a true point guard.

 

You can say a lot of things for the inconsistency, like young team, lacking a third allstar etc but tonight we got outcoached. Scott Brooks made three defensive adjustments in the second half, contest every three point shot, keep Ibaka near the rim and make him contest anything near the basket and put Durant on Harden. This strategy worked well as the Rockets did not develop a plan to work against Brooks second half moves.

Good learning experience for what adjustments teams may do in the playoffs. Hope the Rockets practice counter measures as soon as they can.

 

Ignore those MFFL fools - they're smoking blue meth...

 

Someday the Rockets will grow tired of being utterly humiliated by their opponents. Someday...

 

Howard has from from post moves to trying to faceup every time. He was more dominate with his back to the basket but also guys flopped on him causing offensive fouls

 

This is 100% true. Even though I think McHale is an average coach at best, you still have to give him 2 years with Harden and Howard, to prove the doubters wrong. I personally believe, like Bill Simmons' said last year when the Rockets were in Houston, this is a gimmick offense. I think this offense can be completely disrupted by a team playing the zone effectively. At which point, you need to have another offensive style, and for McHale, it's ISO Harden. Not PnR Harden, which is pretty awesome, but the ugly turnover prone ISO Harden.