ClutchFans Game Thread: Nuggets @ Rockets 10/28/2015

when does motiejunas come back?

 

Howard and Motiejunas not playing is not the only reason they lost, obviously. But they may have won that one even with all of the other bad play if Howard or Motiejunas (or both) were playing.

If they want to win games with both of them out, then they are going to have to shoot better and play better defense.

They won games earlier in the season last year with defense. They were grinding out wins even with Motiejunas and Papanikolaou playing PF and a rookie in Tarik Black playing center.

They need to focus on defense. The offense will come.

 

What have these guys been working on in the offseason?

Harden looks like he only cares about looking swaggy while playing. Showing effort isn't swaggy.
I don't know what he meant by wanting to play off ball more since I didn't see him run once without the ball.
He also kept whining the whole game about getting fouled but I didn't see any contact most of the time on replays.
Defensively he looked worse than last year. I don't know why our guys kept reaching on Nuggets fast breaks instead of fouling, they got a bunch of easy buckets that way.

Lawson seems to be a hesitant shooter yet our entire offense revolves around shooting as quickly as possible.

The real problem however, is this pickup style offense we've been running forever now it seems. It's completely counter intuitive and it doesn't work. It relies too much on several guys having good nights. That's not championship basketball. We don't adjust the offense to fit the players. We don't adjust the offense to focus on opponents' weaknesses. All we do is pass it around the perimeter, shot fake, dribble drive, kickout, rinse and repeat. Oh yeah, we also mix in this new innovative play called thee pick and the roll, but we turn it over a lot, it's ok though, since it's a new play and guys aren't familiar with it yet. Opposing defenses will never know what hit them once they get comfortable with it.

Good job on defense too, they must've been working really hard on their lateral movement and rotations. It's hard to defend veterans like Mudiay who can really pick a defense apart. Who knew Kenneth Faried could jump? Those Nuggets are a true western powerhouse team.


Least watchable team in the NBA

 

This team has the worst floor spacing in the league in half court sets. Too many times this season and last I've seen teammates run into each other or occupy another teammate's area in the set too many times this game and last season. It's simple; players don't know where to be in half court sets. All that is on the coach. Seriously, Mchale will never be a championship level coach. It's miraculous how the Rockets won 56 games last season with **** offensive half court sets THAT BAD. James Harden was THAT good last season.

 

Yes, then we put too much pressure on the GS game. Hope that the presence of Howard makes a big difference, do not know if the GS starter center can play the game since he is having a concussion.

 

I can't emphasize that enough. We need Donatas, badly. Capela should be coming off the bench, not starting when Dwight sits, at least not at this stage of his development, in my opinion. Donuts also, obviously, gives us another (and better) option at the 4. Harrell is a rookie. Promising, I think, but still a rookie. Jones? He didn't look like a starting power forward. Someone please ask him to wakeup and smell the coffee. The season's started.

Last night embarrassed me, and it should have embarrassed everyone connected to the team. Hell, I feel embarrassed simply attempting to come up with reasons for a display like last night. We needed Donuts and Dwight! Somehow, that just doesn't seem enough of an excuse for the level of suckage we had to endure from our team.

 

Why would the poor play of the Rockets embarrass you?

 

Give some credit to Josh Smith, Brewer and Dwight.

 

I'm an ardent fan, Bobrek, just like you. Are you seriously asking why I find last night an embarrassment? Putting that aside, my brother-in-law is a Spurs season ticket holder (great seats, dammit). Yes, the Spurs lost their opener as well, but it was on the road and against what should be a great team this season, if healthy. We were playing at home for our opener and against Denver, not exactly a team we should fear. Yeah, the loss was embarrassing. Thankfully, it's one game. There are 81 more to go, thank god.

 

I think the best thing we can do is make definitive statements about our 82 game season after one game. It's better to just face the fact that we will go 0 - 82. We don't have a chance of ever winning a game.

 

Man I'm still so pissed we played like that on opening night. That was supposed to be the start of their quest for a championship, and they couldn't even get motivated to play?? Ugh!!

 

Person 1: "I'm so disappointed the Rockets came out on opening night and played such a poor game"

Person 2: *rolls eyes* "Yeah the Rockets are the absolute worst team in the history of the NBA because of 1 game, might as well relocate the team and stop being fans...Rockets will never win a championship so might as well give up, is that what you're saying person 1, huh?? HUH!?? WAY TO OVERREACT"

Person 1: "No I'm just disappointed about this game"

Person 2: "No that's not what I'm hearing, you're saying we're going 0-82 and Harden sucks!! ADMIT IT!"

 

(Raising hand) it's person two who is really over reacting, right?

 

Cheke64: this is going to be a slugfest.

Homer: You're just a hater troll.

 

Wilson Chandler and Jusuf Nurkic didn't play due to injury.
Danilo Gallinari didn't play NBA the whole last season.
Mudiay played his first NBA game.

Rockets fans still try to find excuses for 20pts blowout. LOLOLLLLLLLLLLLLLlll

 

So y'all honestly believe Dmo would have made that much of a difference. I LOL you people really need to stop. Dmo could have easily shot the ball terrible and he's not a defensive juggernaut.

 

It was ugly basketball. Offense was way too stagnant. There needs to be more ball and player movement. We always just spread out around the 3 and watch the ball. Harden isn't fire or the other players aren't hitting 3s, we lose. Even to the nugs.