Being better is subjective. If we go by results, then if the Rockets were truly the better team, they would be the ones sitting back waiting for the outcome of tomorrow's game between SA & Dallas. This is what happens during the playoffs where it's the little things that often make the difference between winning and losing. Last night, the Rockets didn't do enough little things to win. It wasn't Harden or Howard or Lin, or Jones or McHale that cost them that game. If they take care of one little thing - hitting their free throws - they win this series. Last night the Rox ended up hitting 23-31 from the line for 74%. They lost by 1 point. If they hit just two more FTs, they win. Sometimes the margin of victory is that fine a line. And before folks here point fingers at Howard for going 6-11 from the line as the one to blame they would do well to remember that it was Howard who put this team on his back and carried it for most of the 4th period putting it in the position to win. Poor FT shooting is just as much a part of Howard's game as his alley-oop dunks - you can't accept one without the other. Here's where I believe the game was lost: Beverley went 0-0, Parsons went 0-0 and Daniels went 0-0 - that's three guys who didn't attempt a FT. Harden hit all of his FTs at 12-12 while Asik went 2-2. The rest? Lin went 2-4 while Jones went 1-2. All they needed was for two of those guys sitting on 0-0 to attempt 1 more FT and they win the series. It's as simple as that. They played their a$$es off and left it all on the floor last night and that's all anyone can ask of them.
Harden was exposed during this Playoff series, although he did show up for Game Six. One reason why Harden can't score as efficiently is because the refs won't bail him out to the FT line during the Playoffs, like they do during the regular season. So if Harden is not scoring on the floor, he becomes a liability, because you cannot count on his Defense (ie. Matthews).
McHale isn't the one not going after 50/50 balls and allowing Brook Lopez to get put backs with Howard and Asik on the floor. I blame the Rockets players and there inflated egos thinking Portland was going to be easier competition. That and lack of experience. 10+ pt leads in the fourth quarter in the first 3 losses. Learn to close out games
im so sick of these threads. basketball is a TEAM game. the BLAZERS were a better TEAM than the ROCKETS. its literally that simple. if you want to magnify certain stupid decisions like lins turnovers, go ahead. But these games are not won and lost on one players sole errors. It is a cumulative effect, and our TEAM is to blame for the loss. Hell, give the Blazers credit. They have a very, very good team, and they pointed out our weaknesses. Season is over. Time to build and learn from this loss, a la Seattle in 93. Life isnt over. Our window is JUST OPENING.
^^^and for the record, I'm not a LOF for trying to defend lin's turnovers. What he did was idiotic and hopefully he will learn. I am a rockets fan FIRST and will criticize all players equally, and give them credit equally. Lin played a big part in our demise, but he's also a big reason we were in this series. Same can be said about everyone on our team, including McHale.
If Harden shoot 40%, or at least take less shoot from game 1-5 and give the ball to others, we have advanced
Nobody really, i mean come on we played horrible throughout the series, we lost games that we should have won because of stupid mistakes. with .9 sec we give up a wide open 3, that just says it all about our defense. At least when it happen to the spurs they were on Vince Carter that was more of miracle shot.
Which is exactly why the man who assembled the team, who mandated its three ball offense, who refuses to remove his puppet coach, should receive most of the blame.
McHale deserves it this year. If he is still around for us to get knocked out for the third time in a row in the first round next year, it will be on Morey.
