I checked them all. Morey should've done a better job at filling this team out depth wise. Holes at PG and PF are glaring. Though he is the GM and this is his fault, Rome wasn't built in a day. No doubt that he keeps working on this roster and making this team better. McHale and Crew: This team has appeared unprepared and undisciplined. Mistakes are common and become more head-sctratchingly stupid as the games go on. It appears as though no one is being held accountable for their actions on the court, and the team is habitually losing 10+ point leads. Strategy has been questionable at best, and game management at times has been nonexistent. Harden: The only way to describe his play this series is subpar. Efficiency is way down, he's not drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line, he's missing gimmie shots that he consistently drained all season, and his defensive is as bad as it's ever been. His body language has been frightening to watch and his confidence at times has looked shaken. (For goodness sake James, TAKE WHAT YOU WANT, and stop accepting what’s being GIVEN!!!) Lin: Lin has actually been consistently good in every game UNTIL crunch time. At that point he becomes a crapt shoot. He either makes an amazing play in his team's favor or he makes an amazing play for his team's opponent. There is no middle ground here. Parsons: His defense has been pedestrian at best, and he tends to disappear on both ends of the court for long stretches. He definitely has had some big moments this series but has failed to sustain that level of play for an entire game. Would really like to see more movement from him while Dwight is in the post. Jones: He just can't handle LMA. His inability to do that in conjunction with his inability to keep Lopez off of the offensive boards has cost him his starting role this series. I have seen and can recall way too many instances of him standing flat footed to get a rebound and letting the opponent jump over him to snag it. The best thing that he can do for this team is be all hustle all the time, unfortunately that’s just not what he’s been doing. Not consistently anyway. Nobody, Blazers are the better team: They have been the better team. They’re not making mistakes when execution matters most. They’re hitting big shots. They’re harassing James Harden and clearly have him uncomfortable. They’re limiting the Rockets’ opportunities to get out and run. They’re making impact and hustle plays. And LMA has been unstoppable. Our entire team of inexperienced players: Read all of the above. Refs: Horrendous call after horrendous call, while neglecting to review calls that are clearly questionable and within the final two minutes of regulation and OT. No doubt that the refs have had a huge impact on this series, with 2-3 HUGE missed calls against the Rockets at the end of games 1 and four. Other: Bev is less 100% due to his knee injury. Asik is a really good option at the five and guarding LMA, but his lack of coordination and clumsiness under the basket can be infuriating. DH misses too many gimmie hook shots right at the basket. Ahhhhhh…. I actually feel a little better now. Thanks OP.
To borrow Phil Jackson's comment after the talent-challenged Rockets took his stacked Lakers to 7 games: Give the Trailblazers some **** credit!
I selected the coaching staff but I wouldn't call myself a McHOH. Harden has gotten superstar publicity this season by drawing fouls in the paint, no surprise he would tend to keep trying to do that even though the refs have swallowed their whistles. Lin likes to go light-speed when the going gets tough and has almost no playoff experience, Jones has a tough time defending in the post, etc. None of this is a surprise. It was up to the coaching staff to get players to change and to get the team to play more cohesively. The 2014 Rockets are less than the sum of their parts.
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