ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Blazers 5/2/2014 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 6)

We have the all the tools. We just need a better coach.

 

Rewatching the fourth quarter and I'm realizing Robinson just flat outplayed Jones. The guy we traded away so Jones would develop more outplayed our starting pf. And Harden and Lopez wtf?!?!

 

https://twitter.com/NBATV

Blazers, Blazers, Blazers, Blazers, Blazers, Blazers, Blazers

Nothing but Blazers tweets. It is obvious the NBA is pumping up this team. They haven't won a playoff series since 2000? They went to the WCF in 99, and in 2000. The Rockets, on the other hand, have only won one series in 19 years. They barely missed the playoffs so many times and got bounced out of the first 8 of the last 9 times they made it. Why do they make it sound like the good guys won and that Portland deserved it more because of their recent struggles? Both teams dealt with injuries, so it's not that. It's obvious they are pumping and dumping them. Idiots will bet on this team when they see how much they can win if they beat the Spurs next round and they will lose.

 

I have to agree, especially after some horrible play-calling and continual confusion on both ends throughout the season. Stuff like this really shows up in a playoff series. I'd like a more Xs and Os guy when it comes down to these crucial game end possessions.

 

A better coach alone would make a huge difference. Now imagine a couple more pieces added to the roster. What concerns me is that young teams like this don't win overnight. They need to gradually advance through the playoffs before finally breaking through and winning it all. Witness the Thunder a few years ago or going back to the days of the Bad Boy Pistons, the first Bulls three-peat, or the Shaq and Kobe Lakers.

And we've already wasted a season that should've ended no sooner than the 2nd round. This more than anything else is why we need a new coach. Wasting the 2014-15 season on top of this would be like a slap in the face to these players and the fanbase.

 

We gave away Robinson to have enough money to sign Dwight. Robinson makes $2 million more than Jones. Quit trying to spin it. We also had to give up assets to get rid of White. Nobody was going to help us sign Dwight and they took advantage of the situation we were in. Would redo it over every time.

 

Just turned on the game they are replaying on CSN....torture. 4 minutes left in the third Mathews jacks up a bad three because we played good D and the long rebound falls right into Aldridge's hand. It was that kind of series.

 

I hate to bring this up. Now that Lillard had made that dramatic last second shot to eliminate the Rockets, everybody is questioning why McHale did not play Lin to defend Lillard when he was able to shut Lillard down the entire 4th quarter. Just imagine, had Lin been the one defending, and Lillard still made the shot, what kind of ***** would pile on Lin for his epic failure. I bet the whole city would come down on him. This is why in a way i am kind of happy that McHale didn't play him, so at least he's exonerate from any blame by the knee jerk fans. Remember the regular season game when the Rockets lost to the Lakers in that last second shot by Blake? Lin was clearly held, there was no switch by any other Rocket, and all the blame went to Lin for not setting himself free.

I am a big Beverly fan for his tenacity and heart, but he really shouldn't be on the court at that last second. I know hindsight is 20/20, but check my post, i called it when Bev was subbed in after Asik had fouled out. This is squarely on McHale. As big of a role as Bev has been all season long for the Rockets, he really hasn't been the same player in the playoff. Either his high fever or his injury has made him less effective on defense, and he was never much of an offensive player to begin with. This was obvious to the average fan and yet McHale continues to send him out there hoping somehow he would slow down Lillard. The definition of stupid is when you do the same thing over and over and expect a different result. That's exactly what McHale has been doing. SMH....

 

Dwight warriored-up admirably. Everyone missed shots and some missed FTs.

It came down to defending the 3-point area and the inbounder and inbounds pass with .9 seconds left, and it didn't happen. Jones was MIA on the play - he didn't know what to do or where to even stand. He could have made it a tough inbounds pass and then contested the shot, but he was out of the play playing the wrong side of the inbound. He wasn't even up on the guy. WTF???

 

Howard got fouled don the put back attempt and Mathews didn't let Harden land. That rule has screwed over so many teams. I recall it happened earlier to Parsons I think too. We ended up scoring on the Parsons lay up 27 seconds later, but still call a foul. We lost the 2 for 1.

 

So I hate Portland now.

 

Portland, OKC, Utah, Lakers, Clippers, Warriors.

I hate then all.

 

Man, McHale calling that 20 cost us the season. We had Lin and Bev matched up with Mo and Lillard. All he had to do is was Harden on the inbounder and Alrdidge on Howard and we win.

Right before the shot:

Bill: Jones will be on Batum, and Dwight will be on Aldridge. Harden will match up with Mathews, and Parsons....Watch, watch Lillard!
Clyde: Yeah, definitely watch Lillard three.
Bill: Batum gives it up! Lillard puts it up! And got it!

 

I hate to harp on it, but if Jones would have just gotten in the in-bounders face he could have forced Lillard to receive the pass a few feet behind the 3 pt line. Instead he has a clear pass straight in front of him. He could have damn well handed it off to Lillard. Jones could have sat on the bench the whole time and he would have been just as effective disrupting the play.

Granted all the other criticisms hold true to start with: Parsons shouldn't have been on Lillard, players should have switched, etc.

That said I can't hold this one play as the end all of the series. So many little things could have changed the result of this game. Howard makes just one more free throw, Asik doesn't foul on Lin's 3, get ANY offensive rebound in the final few minutes, Harden stuck on Lopez (???), blah blah blah.

 

And I turn off the TV after seeing a cocky Portland fan sitting in the front row with his wife saying wassup to Dwight after hugging and congratulating all of their players. **** them.

 

A stat they showed last night on espn was all of LA's makes came from the left side. Why can't we make him go right??!!!

 

You mean why can't we play defense? Yeah, exactly.

 

lol at wishing lillard a career ending injury. over react much? no place for that. Our defenders looked like they were all playing with torn acls. pathetic.

Hopefully we get a leader of men that our players fear yet respect.

 

Dude, it's ****ing twitter. What do you expect? It's full of haters and trolls.