A disgraceful lack of effort and focus. Shocking and disheartening, BUT it is one game in a seven game series. Remember the Clippers lost home court by losing one of the first two games on their own floor. The Rockets have "issues" that can't be fixed at this point; however, if they play smart and hard the rest of the way I am good with the outcome. If they play like they did Monday again I am finished watching this season. I turned it off early in the second half last night. I had seen enough.
I might actually feel better if I knew that Harden bet big on Pacquiao and threw this game to make up for it. I wonder if someone can have Coach K remind Harden again what it means to be a leader.
Problem is that when Harden tries to drive on the Clippers when they're set up in half-court, he gets stuffed.
I will probably get flamed for this comment but I'm just being honest at this point. Games like last night make it hard to root for this team. Losses happen and sometimes the other team is just better than you on that given night. But I can not get with a team who doesn't try and give their all especially in a game of the importance last night. The Rox didn't respect the game last night. I can't defend them after that game last night and they deserve all the criticism they will get, coaches and all. This can either light a fire under their asses or they will continue to fold and have a short series.
I don't think there's anything wrong with what you said. I feel the same way. I was disgusted with the Rockets and the way they played. I can handle rooting for a team that's just not very good(the Rockets post-Yao/pre-Harden) or overmatched against a superior opponent(the Rockets in the 2013 playoffs vs. OKC). But a team that has lots of talent and a significant matchup advantage as the Rockets did last night simply not showing up in a freaking playoff game is inexcusable. It makes me question their heart which is the last thing I wanna do as a diehard fan. They still have a chance to salvage this, but these next 3 games between now and Sunday will tell us a lot about the character of this Rockets team.
Rockets thought the Clippers wouldn't have any power left in their punches after going 12 rounds with the Spurs. Clippers threw haymakers at the Rockets and they stood their watching hoping they wouldn't hurt. They did hurt but we aren't knocked out yet. Now that they're aware that the Clips came to fight and throw haymakers regardless of fatigue and injury, hopefully the Rockets will show some heart and throw some haymakers themselves.
<iframe src='http://streamable.com/e/x85j' width='560' height='350' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen scrolling='no'></iframe> I don't mean to be so sour but the last 2 minutes really disgusted me. 10 point game with 2 minutes left. Plenty of time, yet we gave no effort at all. Walking up the court on defense while the Clippers are pushing up the court. McHale telling them to trap yet no one is even trying to listen. Clippers just passing the ball leisurely till they got the shot they wanted. Just a horrible look for a team in the playoffs. Howard looked disgusted. It's embarrassing if that is the effort the team is going to give down 10 at home in the playoffs with 2 full minutes left on national TV. For the first time in a long time, I actually turned off the game before the buzzer ended because I was so disgusted and disappointed. We could have lost by 45 and gave it our all until the final buzzer rang and I would not have been as disappointed in this team as I was last night. Just embarrassing to do that in front of the home crowd, in front of some of the Rockets' Legends like Hakeem in attendance. Team should be ashamed with that effort.
Man, I hope so. I really do. There's lots of things that go on during a basketball game that are out of a player's control, but playing with heart/effort isn't one of them.
Yes it was a very disappointing first game but I believe our players are better than that and will play better. After the way they played throughout the whole season, I highly doubt they'll play like that again for the rest of the series.
They don't deserve to be swept. They deserved to lose one game, and they did. Let's hope we win game 2. "The Sky is Falling" syndrome is huge right now.
JJ Redick may not be a defensive juggernaut but he is a smart defender. He was funneling Harden in to the paint all night. Hi James, meet DJ.
Harden should change his mindset when driving into the paint, then. Go hard at Jordan, instead of settling for the layup. You know Jordan isn't going to hack because Jordan is a giant. I think Harden has to change it up when he gets into the paint. DJ is definitely a different beast than Chandler.
It looked like the clippers were the one that had all that time off to rest while the rockets just finished playing the spurs in game 7 two days ago. Hopefully they will learn from their mistake and stop playing slopping.
