ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Clippers 3/1/2017

I don't see OKC on this list. An MVP couldn't come from that team I guess.....

 

deserves its own thread

 

to me it seemed we played better without harden tonight

 

that's part of it but we have to note that he has family/friends who came to watch him also so it gives him some more incentive to keep playing.

 

I think this may be accurate. Remember they mentioned during the broadcast that one of Harden's goals was playing all 82 games because he loves to play basketball and loves to be out there for the fans.

 

Ah, yes! Back to the "boring wins." Good work gentlemen!

 

I don't blame Harden one bit for trying to stat pad in a 30 point blowout. These assholes in the media keep fawning all over Westbrook and his triple doubles like that's the end-all-be-all determining factor for MVP, so Harden feels like he needs to wow the stat-whores every single night. While winning is the ultimate goal, and nothing gets in the way of that, getting to say you have an MVP on your roster goes a VERY long way in free agent recruitment, branding, marketing, ticket sales, etc. Winning a championship is the absolute end game, but Harden winning MVP would be great for this city as well.

 

I don't know why you have such confidence in the Clippers. This gear that they refuse to show hasn't presented itself in the last four years worth of playoffs. They've always struggled with their defensive identity and they're 16th this year in that department. Since their rocking 14-2 start they're a .500 team. Nothing has changed in years except they are older and more injured now. They couldn't even beat us two years ago with a 3-1 lead.

Their problem is they have no identity. Are they an offense juggernaut or a defensive team? In my opinion they're neither, they're just talented but lacking cohesion. Lob city isn't a reliable offense against playoff defenses. They play early 2000's style offense and have no commitment to defense. That isn't going to cut it nowadays, which is why they've underachieved for years. Look how frustrated we are with our defense. Our offense is top tier, but our defense is mediocre and holding us back. Yet, we're still better than them defensively. Somehow they're going to step it up when it counts? They never have and I don't think this year is their year.

 

Basically, Big Baby Davis was right and Doc Rivers is an overrated hack who is riding the coattails of KG, Ray Allen, PP, and now CP3. There hasn't been any adjustment to their offense in like 5 years, and they keep trying the same old schtick over and over again.

 

hit pretty much all the points here. I'm still wondering why I see a good amount of people so worried about the Clips as well. their team is still built to win as of many years ago, and in addition to them getting older and older, they just don't have guys good enough to take over. Never addressed their problem on the wing which has always been a huge hole. cp3 is still good but he's obviously on the back side of his career and can't do as much as hes done in previous years to actually take over on a nightly basis. he'll still show flashes here and there but it's going to take a lot more out of him compared to years before. BG is an all star but nothing more. A few other decent complimentary pieces but as a whole, gives you just a solid regular season team. There time has passed as being a serious title contender. 2 years ago was as good of a chance as they'll likely ever see again with the core of that team.

 

He was +/- 0 last night, so about spot on.
Fact is the team actually only played a great half game last night - 2nd and 3rd quarters. But they absolutely dominated in those quarters.

As many noted, PBev was absolutely the key player last night, and his +32 shows it.

 

you know that he penetrated 6 X, scored 3x on this, got fouled and went to the line 3X right?

and out of his 9 assists, how many of those were lazy passes?

 

8k posts and you didn't realize until Monday "how shitty a fanbase the Rockets have"? Sounds like you had a massive meltdown. I'm sorry we all had to witness that in the Pacers thread.

This idiot even said "I'll wait" as if I'd actually waste my time going through this psycho's posting history for "proof" when we all remember sifting through his spam in the game thread the other day. smh.

 

Maury playing it well eventually leading up to the "we have the 3rd most winningest record in the regular season over the past 10 years"

 

Right now I can't decide if I hate the Clippers or Warriors more.

I can't stand Curry's face and mouthpiece. Klay is ok but acts a little entitled at times. Green is dirty mofo. Minus Bogut but plus Barnes bleh...and KD has long been my favorite non-Rocket. Ol' shovelface Kerr too ugh. So kinda better than last season but only kinda...

Clippers have been the whiniest group of pro athletes in some time. Whiny. For instance, Griffin straight elbowed Capela's throat, probably deserved and gets ejected anywhere but LA....and proceeds to complain to the ref about it who just said "you elbowed his throat" over and over. I even heard the ref I think his name is Kennedy give an exasperated "I'M SORRY" to CP3. Doc never shuts up, I mean, his voice is constantly hoarse. Baby Austin acts like he's offended the refs even have whistles. There's almost no amount of hyperbole to how much they b**** and moan because it's pretty much just truth.

I think that's it. I think the Clippers are officially my most hated franchise now.

Congrats gentlemen. I'd still take Jordan for the hometown team though. Probably the least talented and hardest worker on that squad.

 

I get this feeling as well. I somehow feel more confident if the Rockets are playing on the road, whether it be SA, GSW, CLE whoever. Has anyone else noticed that the Rockets just play better on the road?

I'll even go as far to say the Rockets are actually a very good back to back team. I know they've done well this season, but I'm thinking the Rockets just don't do well with more than a couple of days off, even if it means "more rest". It just seems this team will almost always kill it on the 2nd night of a back to back and playing on the Road in general.

They need that "edge", whether it's on the road in a hostile environment...on a big stage, or just on a "tough" back to back.

Anyone else feel the Rockets are just head and shoulders a more potent team on the road?

 

To be fair to Doc, he's recognizes that defense is their main weakness. He's been complaining about it for years. He just can't get them to be good at it. In Boston he had an elite defensive club despite Allen and Pierce not being great defenders, so it's not like he's incapable of coaching a team that way. The Clippers just haven't responded. Maybe that's on him. It reminds of JVG literally yelling at the players on the court to push the pace, yet we were one of the slowest and worst offensive teams in the league. Bring in Adelman and suddenly we're a good offensive team that can run.