ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Grizzlies 11/17/2014

these 3's will start falling soon and the lane clogging defenses we are seeing will get torched. No way we shoot this bad the rest of the year.

The team was in a groove through training camp with a new focus, the first several games came fast and everyone stayed in rhythm. Then Mexico came and shut all of that focus and work down.

 

He's a walking turnover lately.

 

I think an offensive spark will be available for Morey to trade for if he is willing to do so.

I really wish they would do whatever it takes to get Jermaine O'Neal out of retirement. He can play the 4-5 at a high level and wouldn't cost any assets.

 

Toney Douglas might be available when the Chinese season is over

IDK if he qualifies as a spark off the bench

The backup big guy should pose a problem

 

Can't expect Harden to do everything on his own and Howard is just not a dominant center in the sense you can throw him the ball when you need a score.

This team is incomplete. We can win games with our defense and be competitive, but the offense is the issue. Ariza isn't Parsons and that's ok. But we need some players with a bit more offensive punch from the 1 & 4 in a bad bad way.

 

Harden holding the ball, Terry leading the fast break, Ariza throws it right to opponent, Howard cannot get control of the ball, early threes - this is just the 1st quarter. I fast forwarded this game because I just knew what it was going to be and we got exposed. We went from a great offensive team to a terrible one, in months... if we play like this against everybody great team, we will fall fast to the bottom of the playoff ladder.

 

We miss Chandler, Jeremy, Omer and Jeff. Especially Jeff.

 

I'm not one to panic over one game. I'm actually proud of the Rockets up to this point. But one thing I am thinking with everyone talking about our roster is how great we could've been if Morey simply aimed for better role players instead of chasing Chris Bosh.

 

Nah.... Howard is a dominant roll guy but he does not see it. He is an average NBA post scorer. That is true.

This will probably continue because the Dream is probably telling him to work more on his post game

 

I had to watch live score updates at work...

Not happy with losing, but The Grizzlies have something that we don't: Depth.

They also have veteran leadership, continuity & did I mention depth?

I hope that we can trade the Lun exemption for Brewer & then package him to New Orleans with Dorsey, D-Mo or TJ & 2nd Round picks for Ryan Anderson & either Ajinca or Babbitt.

I'm just upset & angry, not only that we lost, but I can see that we don't have the depth to compete deep into the playoffs.

Harden is obviously playing with a niggling injury...& our shooters have become ICE COLD since Mexico.

 

is this like the texans? Cant win against the good teams?

Something is off that is for sure. I can't put a finger on it either. Weird part about this game was it was over the second it started in some ways. They didnt seem to try all the way.

I am not sure what to do about dwight still. He is not the offensive answer we were looking for.

I also am worried about being a fouls/ free throw shooting, and threes team. Seems a little weird. Like not built for long term - weird. I dont know about that being enough for playoffs. Cant rely on fouls in playoffs... 3s can be wishy washy too. I mean thats the plan?

as for the team I am wondering where the pick and roll howard and harden has gone? wtf.

we saw it in 2 games against portland last year playoffs, a few times here and there this year.. and it seemingly works everytime. Why are we not just doing that play every time down?

I think overall we are fine but yeah we do need some more defensive presence inside. tonight was tough and if anything proved that. I am disappoint about dmo this year so far. this was supposed to be his coming out year finally. he makes me barf a little in my mauf

 

No bruh, they didn't.

 

True, can you imagine if the Wiz had locked up Ariza, Terry not getting dealt by the Kings at the last minute and Papa not coming over..Morey got lucky with these role players, he should've just focused on getting ones!!

 

You know nothing about the Texans. They just beat a division leader on the road, in a game 9/10 "experts" picked them to lose. Leave the Texans out of your mouth.

 

The texans suck. Their name sucks. And the emblem on the helmet looks stupid. Did I forget to mention how much their QB sucks? Yah he does suck

 

We need one more bench player.

 

umm okay call me back when they beat someone.

I am in houston so kinda stuck with them but doesnt mean I have to love every second. calm down sensitive bbser.

 

Dwight won't be the offensive answer until we get a 4 that can spread the floor for him so he can play one-on-one and see the double coming for the pass out to the wide-open spot up shooter. How many times do we have to go over this? Watch the games. Our offensive paint is cluttered with defenders all the time. Why? Because they don't have to defend a shooter out on the floor.

Pick and roll won't be effective against playoff teams because they throw 2 bigs in the paint and leave DMo or Terrence open up top or in the corner. We can get by playing the lottery teams that aren't playing to win. But when we play legit playoff teams, just like last season, we are going to struggle as long as we don't have either:

1. A stellar 3-point shooting PF.

or

2. A legit big man that can defend and run the floor next to Dwight and can take over and dominate the defensive paint when Dwight sits down.

 

Do you remember what our offense use to look like when we had Tmac + Yao and nobody else on the team? Remember the first Utah series? Remember watching Tmac dribbling the air out of the basketball, waiting till 16 seconds into the shot clock before deciding what to do with it?

That's basically what our team looks like right now, only with Harden and Howard. Two stars and a bunch of D-League scrubs for a supporting cast.

Morey has seen this before and knows this recipe isn't going to get it done, that's why he wanted the 3rd star so badly.