ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Nuggets 12/28/2020

I'm shocked there is no James Harden news this morning! I guess the media only want to push the negatively about the Rockets or they trying to come up with another rumor that Harden want to be traded to Europe

 

Nuggets are soft. They have always been soft. They will always be soft. Boring win. Go Rockets!

 

7 1/2 pt underdog again? I guess they didn't get the memo.

 

Windshart at it again.

 

Houston @ Denver Ken Mauer (#41) Bill Spooner (#22) Derek Richardson (#63)

 

If Stone watched the 76ers v Cavs last night and thinks Simmons + 76ers pieces + picks is worth it for Harden, then he's not evaluating talent correctly.

Everyone on that team had a chance to not only artificially inflate their statline (because Embiid was out), but you were going against the Cavs - any inflated statline should be further expanded.

Simmons should have gotten like, 26/12/10 or something. Instead, he went 15/6/4 as the primary option and primary playmaker. Tobias Harris outperformed him, but his contract is too ridiculous.

 

Vs Bol Bol

 

ken mauer again wtf

 

I think it's likely Stone and the Rockets are not as infatuated with Simmons as the media are.

If they were, it's hard to believe Morey wouldn't have already traded Ben to the Rockets. Also, the whole '3rd team' rumor kind of hints that the Rockets are not that interested in Simmons.

I guess we'll see but I think if the Rockets were that in love with him then he'd be on the Rockets. Especially considering reports that the Rockets want to trade Harden sooner rather than later...that would mean they have no reason to just sit on a Simmon's trade if they really wanted him.

And Simmon's start to the season should cement that opinion that he's no future elite player.

 

Simmons has not improved at all since his rookie year. I'm not convinced you can build around him. You'd need two dominant scorers/shooters around him to make up for his spacing issues. Wood could be a big beneficiary of playing next to Simmons, but we'd still need a heck of a lot more.

 

Boring Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Let's see if the feeling is mutual!

 

Harden got this FTs and I didn’t notice any egregiously bad calls in the Blazers game.

 

Jokic was a defensive liability against the Harden - Capela PNR, so he is likely going to suffer the same fate, plus Wood has handles and should roast him a few times and score some 3's if they lock up one on one. Problem will be defensively, Capela is a superior rim protector and also stronger at holding his own against Jokic. Tucker/Nwaba is going to have to be a help defender at times for Wood because Jokic is all about bully ball and rolling to the basket. Should still be a plus for Rockets. Iam sure Silas has a good plan to hold Jokic cause that is where they need to win this game, in the paint.

 

Harden is just amazing in most ways on court. Now with Wood’s magnetic hands and ability to finish; the sky in the ground for these two. Look for Harden to lead the league in assets again. Wall will get his share, too.

I am just wowed by the potential of this TEAM!

 

So any word on what’s going on with the whole Melo in isolation thing? Are we playing tonight?