ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Pelicans 12/29/2018

I believe it's because James WANTS to be back out there.
Look at the consecutive 35 pt games and the numbers he's been able to achieve.
James is a gamer, he's shaken off injury to keep playing and wants to be there when the game is on the line.
Sure, we were up, but if the MVP wants to play, you let him play.

Reminds me of the old joke:
Q: Where does a 600lb gorilla sleep?
A: ANYWHERE he wants to

I'm sure if it was a total blowout he may have rested. But he's in the throes of making history
with consecutive 35pt games. Let the man have his chance at history.
How often will that chance come around?

 

So, what did I miss? Should we start tanking or what?

 

I was almost spot on.

 

Career: 45.7% fg, 38.7% 3 pt %

This year: 12.7 pts per game, 48.3% fg, 40.5% 3 pt %

He's not a scrub

 

Racist

Or are you being facetious

 

Some observations from the game's highlights (yeah, I know):

1) You guys are giving Rivers a lot of credit, but I saw him get beat off the dribble plenty of times in the highlights

2) Capela is still finding himself out on the perimeter way too much. Not sure what's being adjusted there

3) House is the one bright spot in today's win for me. Beast-mode Harden is unsustainable even though I'm loving it. Tucker and Capela have got to be more consistent, offensively (or at least with rebounds).

 

You like when the Rockets' starters play extended minutes and have to unnecessarily exert too much energy?? Yeah, okay...

 

does not this season remind you of 2015/2016?

 

AD really have a decent supporting cast hes the real scrub

 

AD has decent talent around him I mean Julius Randle and Jrue Holiday are not world beaters but Pelicans now the 2nd worst team in the West just above Suns.

If he was really MVP material his team wouldn't suck so badly.

 

AD has decent talent around him I mean Julius Randle and Jrue Holiday are not world beaters but Pelicans now the 2nd worst team in the West just above Suns.

If he was really MVP material his team wouldn't suck so badly.

 

Picking nits w Rivers. Dude is far exceeding what most people anticipated. Exactly what we needed, he’s the 4th guard I’m alright if he gets beat off the dribble from time to time.

 

capela, 3 picks, 2 pick swaps and how many souls?

 

Would be a Dwertmare if he said: 'Yo, Anthony, what r ur future plans? If you join LA, I'll follow later.'

 

Jrue Holiday’s been better than CP3 this year

everyone here would love to have a Mirotic, Randle, or even an E’twaun Moore who is averaging 13 ppg on 48% from the field and 41% from 3

yet here’s AD leading his team to a 16-21 record and yet another appearance in the lottery

This is who many will place above Harden?? OVERRATED

Harden and AD are in 2 completely different tiers. HOU would say no to a Harden-AD swap. NOP would say yes and thank God for the blessing.

 

Jared Dudley really follows our team closely.

 

Rockets hold on down the stretch to top Pelicans for 9th win in 10 games





Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) passes the ball around New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
NEW ORLEANS – With the Rockets stumbling to the finish line, protecting the last bits of a shaky lead, a match up of two of the NBA’s most unstoppable offensive teams would come down stops, free throws and a jump ball.

Teams on a roll tend to find ways. The Rockets found their way past the Pelicans when, after a James Harden shot was stuck between the rim and backboard, Clint Capela won a last-minute jump ball, giving the Rockets the extra possession they needed. With free throws from Harden, Danuel House Jr., P.J. Tucker, the Rockets finished off the Pelicans, 108-104, their ninth win in 10 games.

The Rockets, the NBA’s top-ranked offensive team, had struggled through nearly six scoreless minutes in the fourth quarter before making seven of eight free throws in the final 69 seconds, winning without a field goal for nearly seven minutes to close the game.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: A 'totally different' Rockets team is on the rise again

With 41 points and six assists, James Harden joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history with at least 35 points and five assists in seven-consecutive games, getting 40 points in a third-consecutive game for the first time in his career. His nine-game streak with at least 30 points is the longest in the NBA since Kevin Durant did it for Oklahoma City in January, 2014.

The Rockets had briefly led by as much as 13 in the second quarter, but were moving without the usual offensive energy, relying even more than usual on their 3-point shooting. When that failed them, the Pelicans rallied, taking a 10-0 run in the third quarter to the lead.


The Rockets had made just 4 of 23 3-pointers since two minutes remained in the first quarter. Harden had gone from making 4 of his first 5 3s to just 1 of his next eight from deep. The rest of the Rockets were just 5 of 21 on 3s.


Yet, when Harden took a seat, the Rockets put together another run.

House Jr. knocked down a corner 3 to put the Rockets back in front. Eric Gordon, who had 21 points in 27 minutes finished a drive over Davis then cut to the rim to take a Nene pass to a slam, giving the Rockets a 77-76 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

When House and Gordon completed drives before House knocked down another 3, the Rockets had a 7-0 start to the fourth quarter, rapidly rebuilding an eight-point lead with buckets on six-consecutive possessions after Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni took the unusual step of calling for a time out with less than a minute left in the third quarter.


Gordon continued his run for several minutes, but then seemed to bump knees with about five minutes left, limping away from one of his better games of the season.

By then, Harden returned, and put in a pair of 3s before finding Capela inside for a slam that gave the Rockets an 11-point lead with nearly seven minutes left. It was the Rockets final field goal.

Anthony Davis put in a 3-pointer, Jrue Holiday drove to a slam and Julius Randle added layup to bring the Pelicans within five.

PODCAST ON TEXAS SPORTS NATION: Will heavy usage of James Harden hurt Rockets in long run?

Finally, after nearly six scoreless minutes and eight-consecutive missed shots, the Rockets broke through. Holiday fouled Harden for the second time in the final two minutes and Harden pushed the lead back to five with 1:09 remaining.

With Harden rolling from the start, the Rockets had grabbed some early control, especially with Davis not getting touches in the Pelicans offense. Harden had 17 first-quarter points for the second-consecutive game, staking the Rockets to a 10-point lead by the time he sat at the end of the first quarter.

The Rockets, however, struggled to get the same sort of ball movement and good looks when he sat, and again when Harden returned. Davis did not carry the Pelicans as he normally does, or especially as he had the night before when he hit the Mavericks for a season-high 48 points. But with the Rockets misfiring, the Pelicans pushed the pace, cut the lead to two and were within 53-50 at halftime.

With the Rockets content to walk the ball up and work entirely in the halfcourt, they became increasingly reliant on their 3-point shooting. The Rockets had just 10 points in the paint in the first half. That was fine when the 3s were falling. When they didn’t, things got tight and they found another way.

 

Crap, I meant Mirotic.....all those white guys look alike.

He was on fire in the opener - we had no answer for him at the 3pt line?

DD

 

I dun get it either. Yep, sure the media is riding AD's tail but why should we hate on AD though?

We are supposed to hate the media outlets, AD is innocent, he is not as good as Harden, we should know and move on.

 

morayy do your thang!