ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Spurs 5/9/2017 (Playoffs Round 2, Game 5)

Harden's overtime performance was bizarre. Not sure I've ever seen that before from the star of a team. Maybe that Kobe playoff game vs. the Suns like ten years ago? Harden's slow walk up the court with the ball, the dejected three point attempt when no one set a screen, the turnovers, etc. Almost made me think he had suffered some sort of head injury.

 

kyle anderson has played in all 5 games of this series

i get the whole 7 man rotation thing and what you're trying to say. that's not something i would advocate in the long run but as far as this series coming down to the best of 3, off of a game where they did very good things. at this point that's what mda committed himself to doing for now. He put the team in very good position to win last night at the end of the game and that's all you can ask for in your head coach.

Question is now, will MDA let a player or two come into the rotation tomorrow night in game 6, even though they all seem to have acknowledged that they let one slip away? Do you keep doing what got them to this point as a team or change it up a bit in a game 6. Those decisions are tough man.

 

This series has a Portland 2014 feel

 

I'm so sad. I actually feel like the series is over... I can't watch the highlights, or espn or even read any Rockets stuff...

 

Kyle Anderson has played in all 5 games because every game before this one has been a blowout. I'm talking about real minutes. Kyle Anderson didn't play any until last night.

These decisions are tough, but that's what it takes to win at this point. Pop is over there starting a guy who barely played at all for him after he loses Parker and in a crucial game 3. Last night he sat Kawhi in clutch time, despite him wanting to play clearly. He doesn't hesitate making these decisions. I think you have to trust your guys more.

I get that it is a tough decision, but man I don't see us lasting with this rotation against the Spurs. I thought we had a punchers shot against GSW, since we play their style, we played them close all season (more than the spurs, they will run them out of the building for the entire game) but not with that rotation...and the thing about it is...Dekker is one of our best Fastbreak players. Not a good 3 point shooter, but if you get a stop and get out on the break he runs the court extremely well and will finish with a dunk at the other end. We needed a bit of that I think, especially during all those cold stretches the Spurs had during the game, we could have feasted off of points off TOs but we didn't.

That's the biggest thing here, we should have had way more points off TOs but we just didn't push the pace.

 

feel the exact same way. tomorrow's game can't come soon enough.

 

so jay what do you think for tomorrow? He definitely needs to let one of dekker or harrell in the game at some point without question?

 

Same here. The way we controlled the game from the second quarter on, really got my hopes up. Harden was playing sooooooo well in the first half that i had supreme confidence. And then he went full r****d in OT. And my God, we missed so many open threes in the second half

 

Early. First half only.

 

It depends really, the Rockets are capable of blowing them out but that's unlikely at this point. I think they do need to play Dekker, I think he works with the 2nd lineup and playing the 4 and keeping Ryno in at the 5.

I think we should give him a shot, depending on how the game is going. I dunno man, I trush him. He's played in huge games in NCAA and when you think about it, that's even more pressure for him because he's playing for his entire basketball career in a single elimination game.

I don't know about Trez...Trez is on and off. Another player is Troy Williams...but that's a complete question mark right there. To me, Dekker should definitely play and his defense is pretty good at times.

 

We played hard and could easily won last night. It was one of those classic playoff heavy weight fight. Playing away from home and less Nene was the difference to me. The key was game 3 lost at home and now it will take an amazing team effort and heart for the team to win this series. It starts with winning game 6 at home.

 

I'm still mad about that OT last night. MDA should have benched Harden and played Lou/Gordon together. I am pretty sure that we would have won if Lou/Gordon were initiating the offense rather than Harden.

 

Aldridge committed a big time offensive foul to allow Ginobli to tie the game in regulation.

Capela was trailing Ginobli for the block and Aldridge impeded him. Moving screen.

 

at this point and this late in the series, if given a chance I hope Dek can trusted man. So we'll see how mda and the staff responds to what happened last night. Good thing is we have an opportunity here to get back on track and force one final game

 

I am so depressed today. Like "day after Clippers game 4" depressed.

 

the problem is you can not bench the owner...you know morey said they treat harden as the owner

 

man you gotta have multiple passions/hobbies in life

 

Harden's TO were the main reason we lost, I'm sure what game you watched sir. To simplify, overtime is extended period where you only get 5 minutes of play. Every possession is key. Harden turned the ball over 3 times in that period, one of those lead to the game winning shot. Fatigue is not a excuse. If he was that tired he should've allowed MDA to call a timeout and get Lou in the game. No excuses

Translation= Harden's lack of focus lost us this game.

 

I beg to disagree, beverley, gordon, lou absolutely could make big plays but you should of empowered them by allowing them to do that consistently throughout season, even now, had harden shared the ball more during OT i am sure they would have shoot better or made at least something that would produce a couple more points than harden on absolutely ridiculous 35 footers over the hand of defenders pull up 3s

 

Question.... didn't get to watch the game last night but followed it on yahoo.... at the end of the the fourth quarter last night when harden was hit with an offensive foul with like 11 seconds left was an obvious blatant foul or was it more on the refs making the wrong call???