ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Hornets 1/9/2013

Horrible rebounding and defense by morris

 

Harden bringing ball around his waste and getting stripped in the paint over and over

 

Dallas has been crap lately

 

They got Dirk back and expect a run

 

this is where a lack of a mid-range threat can hurt a team. When a team focuses all it's energies on pressuring the perimeter and collapsing on drives and the refs aren't calling ticky tack stuff - you need a mid-range scoring option to keep defenses off-kilter.

The drive wasn't working for either Harden or Lin.

People are going to say it's because they are tired. That's silly. They are 23 and 24.

 

Austin Rivers, need I say more?

 

If the Hornets were smart, that's exactly what they would have tried to do. Its obvious that the faster-tempo, high scoring game favors the Rockets. Both previous match up were won by Hou scoring 100+ points

 

Thats a major issue that has been plaguing the Rox all season.

Morris is undersized for his position.

Patterson is too soft or his position.

Asik can't grab all the rebounds.

 

Refs only allow the Hornets to be physical. There were several times in the first half when Smith or Patterson got called for holding.

Another effective way to avoid traps is to play screens at the top followed by rolls, kicks and layups. We got trapped in this game because we were always passing the the sides. In the games we have lost, the opposing guards use of screening is the major reason, like the one to a weaker Raptors.

 

The ref's were all around terrible throughout the length of the game. You could hear McHale repeatedly asking for explanations of bad calls over the broadcast.. Most of which the refs were ignoring him.

 

Morey doesn't make the game plan, thus having little if input in what kind of shots they are going to take.

I agree with your point on the 3's. As a team, you sometimes have to take what the defense is giving you rather then trying to do too much. It woulsnt make much sense to turn down open 3's for contested 2's. Our shots were just not falling for us tonight.

 

Couldn't catch the game but I'm not too worried about. You can't win 'em all and this was a B2B on the road.

The way some people are reacting here you think they expect us to go undefeated!

Tough stretch of games coming up, but if we want to prove we belong in the playoffs, this is our chance.

Go Rockets!

 

It looked like the teams was still rattled from the tumultuous flight over to N.O. haha

 

It was a hard game to watch. Lots of poor or inconsistent play and officiating, but also flashes of what this team can accomplish. For me, the Rockets are exciting for lots of reasons, and among them is that we're capable of erasing a 15 point deficit at any given time.

Yesterday's game was disappointing, but I also think it was character building. Poor play can be improved, and poor officiating will happen from time to time. It's nice to get star calls, or even decent calls, but even better if we're able to win without them. So, the way I see it, both aspects from yesterday's loss are within the control of each player to address, by stepping up and demonstrating that they belong on a winning team. And these players and coaches definitely want to win.

As we approach the mid-way point of the season, the Rockets have already given me a ton of fun and excitement. This is way better than I imagined after the roster shakeup happened. Go, go, Rockets!

And, kudos to all of you who have refrained from the Lin flame wars after yesterday's game. I hallucinate that all members of CF are developing some chemistry too

 

Lack of ball movement, no rebounding help from morris, low jumper% from harden,lin and delfino and to much standing around on perimeter when harden iso at top of key is why we lost. Its amazing how easily opposing teams rack up blocked shots on us.

I think its time for a rotation change, move morris to sf,delfino to sg , bring in jones to backup patterson while TD backs up lin. Anderson needs to hurry and learn the system so he can get a chance to play

 

Lin had the worst +\- of any player on either team and totally lost this game.

-18

Earlier in the season, the coach would have replaced Lin with Douglas in the 4th and the Rockets win the ball game.

Very disappointed in McHale last night. That was a winable game.

 

Dirk isn't the same sad to say, he is slower than gasol now and publically is questioning the teams direction. OJ is back to his normal average self and they have only won 1 game since dirk returned. Don't expect much this year

 

I think we need a legit PF like Millsap or Josh Smith, any thoughts?

 

It doesn't matter if you're 23 or 30, a back to back on the road leaves a player's body fatigued and performance will drop off. Jet lag, change of time zones, disruption to sleep patterns from late night flights all impact physical performance and mental acuity.

You just aren't as mentally sharp when you're tired.

Also, last night wasn't about "ticky tack" fouls not being called, it was about ticky tack fouls being called against the Rockets but NOT being called for the Rockets. Blatant hacks, push offs, moving screens, and then the two most obviously egregious... Harden being pushed out of bounds and Lin being called for a charging foul with the defender in the restricted area were just plain wrong.

If the Refs had simply NOT called ticky tacks against both teams, the Rockets would have adjusted. Or if they had called all ticky tacks, the Rockets would have adjusted. When one side gets the ticky tack calls and the Rockets don't, it makes it really hard to get into a offensive rhythm AND very hard to play defense OR get rebounds.

This wasn't a mid-range game shooting issue. Fatigue plus disruptive officiating was more than sufficient to cost the Rockets the game.

 

why is any of this sad?