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ClutchFans Game Thread: Mavericks @ Rockets 4/21/2015 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 2)

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Clutch, Apr 19, 2015.

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GMNot Member

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For 3 quarters I was thinking, "It doesn't matter who wins this series, they'll get thumped by Golden State.": Both teams had problems getting a rhythm for any length of time. Still too many turnovers. And Golden State seems to always find a rhythm. But if the Rockets can build on the 4th quarter to where they can put 4 quarters together, and then consecutive games together, with the kind of rhythm they had in the 4th quarter, then the next round will be interesting to say the least.

I know there was a thread to boycott watching Barkley and company, but some of us watched anyway. It was a surprise to hear Barkley say, "If Josh Smith plays like this every game they can't be beat." I don't know if he meant just this series or whether he was now considering the Rockets a serious contender. And O'Neal also said they are serious contenders if they dominate the paint this way. Oddly, Kenny Smith was arguing that the Mavs can win this series if Rondo plays like Rondo can.

#2681 GMNot, Apr 22, 2015

marky :) Member

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Airdough said: ↑

Was it just me or did Howard's free throws have more spin on them and a touch more arc last night? Something seemed more consistent and fluid with the release and every time I saw it, the free throw went in. Every time his release was not the spin and arc it missed. I could see Calvin offering him advice. All it took was the first free throws in Hack a Howard to go in to stop it.
Click to expand...

His FT form is horrid with that T-Rex arm he does at the end but it looked like he flipped his wrist and followed through before completing that T-Rex arm form. Usually he does some weird push shot when he shoots FT's but definitely added more rotation last night.

#2682 marky :), Apr 22, 2015
joeson332 Member

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marky :) said: ↑

Any word if Parsons will play next game? I think Parsons would do a better job to disrupt that 3 man game of Harden/Smith/Howard or the 2man PNR of Smith/Howard far better than Dirk.

If he's healthy, I think that's where the adjustment will be for the Mavs. It would be foolish for them and for us thinking the 4/5 PNR would work that well again next game. Not saying Parsons would be the game changer into stopping the PNR but he could affect some of the plays.
Click to expand...

out for the series

#2683 joeson332, Apr 22, 2015
i3artow i3aller Member

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Harden is going off in Game 3. Book it! Time to cook!

#2684 i3artow i3aller, Apr 22, 2015
tmacfor35 Member

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zeeshan2 said: ↑

Amare's a jerk:

Despite popular opinion, the Mavericks can dispel one myth about Dwight Howard.

“He’s not the strongest guy in the league,” Amar’e Stoudemire said Tuesday.

Stoudemire listed Minnesota’s Nikola Pekovic as his vote for the NBA’s strongest player in the paint, but saying that it’s not Howard was a bit surprising, particularly after Howard had said earlier that he was going to have to scale back his physical play to avoid foul trouble.

It’s all part of the mind games that go on in every playoff series.

Howard started Tuesday by saying he thought the Mavericks try to bait him into being physical and creating fouls, which is why he said he would keep a handle on his physical style after he played just 17 minutes in Game 1 because of foul trouble.

“Yeah, a little bit,” Howard said when asked if he would ease off of the aggressiveness. “Just the pushing and stuff like that – and understand what Dallas is trying to do to me, get me frustrated and stuff like that.”

Howard added that the Mavericks do try to bait Howard, but that doesn’t separate them from a lot of other teams.

“Do they bait me? I think a lot of teams do,” he said. “I just got to stay composed, and breathe again. I understand my teammates need me on the floor. I got to do a better job of not using my weight-room muscles and do whatever I can to stay on the floor.”

To that, Stoudemire said the Mavericks are not doing anything different to Howard to get him agitated.

“I don’t try to get under his skin at all,” Stoudemire said. “I just play basketball. He may think we’re trying to bait him into something, but we’re not. We’re just playing tough basketball. Whatever happens, happens.

“We’re all strong. He’s not the strongest guy in this league. We all lift weights. I lift weights. I’m just as strong as he is. So, it has nothing to do with weight-room muscles. It’s about playing the game of basketball the right way. If I foul someone, I’m sure the officials are going to call it. If he does, they’re going to call it. So you just got to play smart.”

http://mavsblog.dallasnews.com/2015/04/stoudemire-dwight-howard-is-not-the-strongest-guy-in-the-league-but-this-guy-is.html/
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That is a ploy to get physical and get in foul trouble.

Love the mind games.

#2685 tmacfor35, Apr 22, 2015
joshuaao Member

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GMNot said: ↑

For 3 quarters I was thinking, "It doesn't matter who wins this series, they'll get thumped by Golden State.": Both teams had problems getting a rhythm for any length of time. Still too many turnovers. And Golden State seems to always find a rhythm. But if the Rockets can build on the 4th quarter to where they can put 4 quarters together, and then consecutive games together, with the kind of rhythm they had in the 4th quarter, then the next round will be interesting to say the least.

I know there was a thread to boycott watching Barkley and company, but some of us watched anyway. It was a surprise to hear Barkley say, "If Josh Smith plays like this every game they can't be beat." I don't know if he meant just this series or whether he was now considering the Rockets a serious contender. And O'Neal also said they are serious contenders if they dominate the paint this way. Oddly, Kenny Smith was arguing that the Mavs can win this series if Rondo plays like Rondo can.
Click to expand...

We are playing the winner of the Spurs/Clippers series. Regardless, I was feeling the same way, watching our team struggle to score against such an atrocious D. But man, what a 4th quarter that was. T

his team is special, I can feel it.

#2686 joshuaao, Apr 22, 2015
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Weird game. For three quarters I was cursing the Rockets for playing dumb and sloppy and letting the Mavs stay close enough to steal it. Then the 4th quarter happened and I thought, "I guess they can probably do this anytime they want..."

A nice thing about Dwight's play so far is that he doesn't seem to be pressing anything. As well as he played in Portland last year, I always felt like it was him going all by himself against the Blazers and the Blazers were letting him have his plays so they could take care of the rest of the guys. This year, everyone is playing together and feeding off one another. Much more chemistry.

#2687 Andy Sheets, Apr 22, 2015

topfive CF OG

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#2688 topfive, Apr 22, 2015
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Worst thing about this win is today they will talk about #playoffrondo and not the Rockets domination in the 4th.

#2689 DreamShook, Apr 22, 2015
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Bravo, Josh Smith!

That 4th quarter play by you was nothing short of spectacular!

A well-deserved almost triple-double.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing! Keep it up!!!

#2690 Surfguy, Apr 22, 2015
tmacfor35 Member

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Surfguy said: ↑

Bravo, Josh Smith!

That 4th quarter play by you was nothing short of spectacular!

A well-deserved almost triple-double.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing! Keep it up!!!
Click to expand...

He did things like this for Atlanta.

If he can for us every night, as CHARLES BARKLEY would say, "they can't be beat"!

Did anyone else catch that?

#2691 tmacfor35, Apr 22, 2015
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I am very optimistic about our team. We have just started to peak at the right time. We find ways to win:

Game 1 - Howard did not play very well. He got in foul trouble. Our big men bailed us out. We got some good minutes from Capella.

Game 2 - We did not play very well for 3 quarters. We owned the 4th Qtr.

We need to play some good ball on Friday. The Mavs will be in survival mode. We need to come out on fire and put them away.

#2692 ROCKETrobert, Apr 22, 2015
don grahamleone Member

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ceonwuka said: ↑

Exactly. Teams are playing Harden like they play Curry on the pick and roll. Trap hard and make the other guys beat you. If you can get the ball to your release quickly, with good spacing and passing you can get great looks playing 4-on-3 while the defense is scrambling. Thats what Golden State has mastered with great shooting in Thompson and Barnes and great passing by Draymond and Bogut.

I love that our bigs are unselfish and look for each other. I even saw Capela make a nice dish inside for a dunk to TJ tonight.

This is a great strategy for us.
Click to expand...

It's like the old kings except all the people passing to each other can get up and go get it too.

#2693 don grahamleone, Apr 22, 2015

red5rocket Member

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Did anyone see this? I don't know how to post videos!

http://hou.scout.com/story/1539765-j-j-watt-steals-the-show-at-the-rockets-game

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt made a special appearance pre-game of the Houston Rockets playoff game to make a kid's day.

At the Houston Rockets game two playoff against the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Texans J.J. Watt made a special appearance prior to tip off.
Sitting in the front row, Watt ran over to congratulate a kid named Nicholas on his great rendition of the National Anthem. Look at the kid's face and see if you think he was surprised by this unexpected celebrity endorsement.

#2694 red5rocket, Apr 22, 2015
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What a fantastic win last night... I am still pumped up..

We're even dominating with Harden's poor shooting. The bench play has been magnificent and McHale's coaching outstanding.

We will win this series 4-1.

Let's go Rockets

#2695 Htownballer38, Apr 22, 2015
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I couldn't focus in class today and now I'm at work still pumped, this team is truly special! I'm ready for Friday, just watching that 4th quarter is ridicolous!

#2696 Mprice, Apr 22, 2015
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REPLAY ALL DAY! everyone is pumped. the 4th Q last night was like 13 in 35! just amazing and entertaining!

The nba is in the entertainment business... it would be smart to respect the rockets!

#2697 linvetb6, Apr 22, 2015
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Hi guys . Could anyone tell me the group who performed last night on halftime show ? These dogs were amazing

#2698 sweetcat, Apr 22, 2015

tmacfor35 Member

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You know your team is athletic when they appear to be playing on 8ft rims at the middle school black top.

Awesome.

#2699 tmacfor35, Apr 22, 2015
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http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nba-shootaround-superman-returns/

NBA Shootaround: Superman Returns

#2700 Haymitch, Apr 22, 2015

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