ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Spurs 10/18/2023 (Preseason)

Rage quitting a preseason game is wild lol

 

I don't put too much into pre-season games when coaches are trying different lineups and whatnot, but to ignore the fact that in the first game the Spurs didn't have Wemby, Vassell, or Jones is kind of ... wrong. Despite that, they were doing whatever they wanted to us with their remaining starters in the first half of that game. When it was a bunch of backups going at it in the 3rd or 4th is when we "blew them out" in that first game.

I usually just care about when the starters are playing in these type of games, but tbh, there are so many lineups we probably won't see as the season goes along as well as players sitting out for both sides, I don't know if you can take away a ton from these games about individual team match-ups. The only thing I did see is no matter who started, the Spurs starters looked pretty good against us and, in that 2nd game, it was a joke in that regard. But like I said, starters missing on both sides, goofy lineups, etc. We'll find out how good we are in less than a week when the games and lineups are for real.

 

So it doesn't matter we blew out both Pells and Sacramento cuz it's just preseason but if Spurs scrubs have the game of their lives oh now we're in trouble? Who is 3-1 in preseason and who is 2-2?

Look either preseason games mean something or they don't. You cant discount the good preseason games and then throw a fit over the bad preseason games. Makes zero sense unless you think Sengun is always gonna shoot below 30% in the regular season.

Like who you think is the better team, Sacramento and Pelicans or Spurs without Wemby, Vassell and Jones? So why should we pay attention to the Rockets starters getting beat by Wemby less spurs (even if they won in the end) but then ignore the 20 and 30 pts beat downs of playoff teams? That's just negatively selective and chicken little behavior.

Personally I don't put much stock in preseason I don't expect Rockets to walk all over Pelicans and Sacramento in the regular season but that's why I also don't think Spurs without Wemby, Jones and Vasell are gonna blow out the team.

 

From post to post, you're the only one throwing a fit in these threads. Do you just make up arguments as you go along? Do you just want to be offended from post to post? Who's discounting individual games?

Since you're obviously reading-challenged : I never said the Spurs or the Rockets were better based upon what I see in the pre-season. Re-read what I said. Get help from you neighbor's kid if you're having difficulties.

You'll also have to tell me where we blew out Sacramento. Is this the Sacramento team dressed as the Pacers where they didn't play 2 of their best players and starters as well as another player who is in their rotation?

Who was 3-1 last pre-season? Tag - you're it.
Since you put so much into pre-season records - what is the Pelicans' record this pre-season? What is the Pacers' record? Now what?

Good, now go re-read what I wrote and try to "deduce" where I stand without throwing a fit like you claim everyone else is doing. It shouldn't be too hard, since I damn-near spell it out and have stated it in multiple posts and threads on this forum in the pre-season, including this one.

 

The Thunder aren't better than those teams listed. Nor are the Timberpups.

 

You are right that any team can go on a run and end up overachieving in the West.

• Not on paper but I have researched their playing. Thunder because I have faith in Daigneault and Timberwolves because I believe in Ant and Jaden McDaniels.....might be a crapshoot.
• And I think KAT is on a secretive mission.
• Both play good enough Defense for me and they have huge upside on Offense.

 

The only two teams in the West that are locks are the Suns and Nuggets. Everything else is a crapshoot outside of the Spurs being the worst team which is also a lock. Wemby trick yall (at least as a rookie). Dudes going to put up 22 PPG on terrible efficiency and win RotY while Scoot averaged 20/5/7 and has the Blazers near the play-in.

 

I am not a guy to bet but we could bet on it, I prefer privately.. each one on his own

Not imposing, could be playing for a bag of chips.

 

Tillman and Rockets fans prayed for Victor. Stone ended up blessing us with a reunion with Victor (Oladipo).

 

I'm done. Not a single cent they're getting out of me like dd.

 

I know you're just joking around and it's preseason, but /36, Victor Wembanyama is putting up 33-9 & 3 on 60-40-84 shooting.

He is the Truth

 

You literally said Spurs starters have had their way with us without Wemby and Vassell and it would be wrong to ignore that.

 

You said : We're 1-1 with them and the time we lost we didn't have Green, Brooks, Unc Jeff and Tari.
So I responded with : I don't put too much into pre-season games when coaches are trying different lineups and whatnot, but to ignore the fact that in the first game the Spurs didn't have Wemby, Vassell, or Jones is kind of ... wrong.

All I said was if you want to say we were missing players in the game we lost, then the Spurs were missing players in the game they lost.
Or are you ok with saying we lost the game we didn't have Jalen, Brooks, Jeff Green, and Tari, but it's not ok to say "well, hey, you know the Spurs didn't have Wemby, Vassell, and Jones in that first game they lost"? Should we just put blinders on and pretend the Spurs starters all played in that first game and we won? We didn't play well with whatever starters we had in either game, no matter who the Spurs had. It took the 2nd and 3rd stringers to help bring us back because we started out so flat. Ime even alluded to this.

This is why I've said I really don't care about pre-season other than I get to see some basketball and some individual play because half of these lineups aren't going to be seen much in the regular season unless there are some injuries. Not to mention most starters will be playing more than 20 minute games.

 

Some thoughts, even if late, starting with positives:
- we showed some serious hustle and effort, again. It's very encouraging to see, since under Silas we really would've folded in these type of games. And this is pre-season we're talking about! Shows you that Udoka is setting higher standards and not even John Lucas or Hollins could get this type of effort out of these guys.
- Cam finally showed why he could potentially become a serious star. Playing the passing lanes, passing up shots, actually looking to pass, making smart decisions overall, hustling on defense, staying with his man. I might have been hard on him, but if he can consistently show this, then we really have a T-Mac type guy on our hands.
- Williams is a serious hustle player who is smart, he knows where to be, which gets him offensive rebounds and to scare around the basket with ease. At this point, I'd have him battle with Aaron Holiday & Cam for the back-up guard / wing spot.

Negatives
- people might think this is silly, but when you have all these bigs abuse us, why the hell are we not playing Boban?! I know we're looking at how guys respond, but come on, a few minutes of Boban could've at least given us more of a chance. We looked freaking small out there and need Sengun, Jabari and Landale to buff up and stand their ground. Unacceptable the way we allow ourselves to be bullied.
- 3pt shooting! How are we this bad?! Bullock is playing catch up, Sengun has lost all his confidence and or legs, the rookies are inconsistent and our spacing is suffering because of it. Landale's shot looked the most proficient and I had the most confidence in to get it in the hoop. Jabari from time to time as well, but there's something still about his whole body, how he jumps, puts the elbow out, that makes me not believe he will makes shots and it is something he needs to work on.
- it's a negative for us, but man Wemby is the real freaking deal!

To end on a positive note, with all our outside shots not falling and our spacing being off, we still find ways to score.