ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Thunder 11/28/2012

You skipped primary school didn't you?

 

To preface, I'm a Rox fan on the west coast and (as usual) just finished watching the game via DVR...

By disclosing said context, and not reading a single post in this game thread, I'd like to add my drunken-stoned commentary on this game... A.) Harden was defended well, but should of grinded his way into making this a contest. B.) Asik might be the brightest spot so far this year. C.) Chandler Parsons would of made this game tight. D.) Patterson had another fine scoring contest, but homie is still a reserve.

Stay nice,
Metta

 

You probably have IQ below my shoe size, but what's your point.

 

At least I can spell.
You can't.

 

I am watching the game right now. Goodness James was a problem. You could tell that he was flustered.

 

Tough loss tonight. The Thunder suffocated Harden and the entire night. They were not going to let the Rockets backcourt beat them at all. Its crazy how Harden was double team even when he doesn't have the ball.

You can tell clearly the Thunder was locked on Harden and Lin tonight. They had 2 players shadowing Harden the entire time. Overall, the Rockets looked gassed tonight. They looked really out of it tonight and I can't blame any of them either. They had an emotional long day. Played a hard fought game last night and then having to fly to Minnesota and attend an emotional funeral and then having to fly back to OKC...

Just a tough overall day for the Rockets in general. Plus, with Parsons out tonight made the game much tougher. I think if Parsons was in the game, it would give Harden and Lin more breathing room. Some people can probably say the scoring between Patrick and Cook more than cover Parsons scoring but I think with Parsons and his presence on the court, the Thunder would respect him more and have to focus on him also. Plus his defense is needed tonight. Without Parsons, other team's best wings will kill us night in and night out.

Tonight show just how valuable Parsons is to this team. Durant went for 37 points and I believe that if Parsons was playing tonight, Durant would have a tougher time scoring. KD would still get his numbers but it won't be easy with Parsons guarding him. It was tough for Harden to go against Durant who has so much more inches over him... But its time to flip the page and go on.

 

U can tell whoever says "on to the next 1" .... has NBA2k13

 

I don't understand why Harden was defending KD my goodness. What a moronic decision by Sampson. I don't know if Harden asked for the matchup or if Sampson gave it to him but that was bound to be a disaster a we saw. If Parsons was there KD wouldn't have scored like that at all. In fact it would have likely been a much different game with Parsons there. They wouldn't have been as aggressive on Lin/Harden. And if they had been Parsons would have punished them for it.

 

I mean, I realize Dequan Cook had a good game and all, but 38 minutes? 38 minutes of Dequan Cook?

 

Unfathomable. Was something wrong with Mook at very least?

This coaching staff's obsession with seniority is really starting to irk me. I'm growing more convinced by the game that they're not the right staff to coach a young team like this.

 

The offense is so ****ty. The reason why Harden's moves look so similar is because of how terrible the offense is. No imagination no diversity nothing. It is just the same **** over & over. BBallBreakdown is going to do a breakdown of the HOU vs Utah game on saturday I am going to post it when the guy makes it for everyone to see how rudimentary the offense is. I get that we don't have the right personell but my goodness we have high BBIQ players.

And you can't even sneeze on Durant in OKC. Some of these calls leave a lot be desired.

 

Gerald's Lin highlights are up, obviously not many since they would hardly let him breathe but still nice to watch
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Based off the box score and looking at the bench minutes, why was Sampson so stubborn to play the youngsters?? We were on a back-to-back and Morris is the only one with serious minutes, are you kidding me?

 

Proud of these Rockets!! Flying to memorial services and then down to OKC in the same day. They did not give up against one of the best, most athletic & experienced teams in the league that shot 54% for the game. Durant is a given, but Ibaka had a huge game and the Rox had no answer for him. I think three of his 6 blocks were on Harden.

KMart really had no pressure to be a star player, he mainly had to move and find the right spots and shoot. In that regard, OKC didn't miss a beat by the player exchange. Expectations for Harden on the other hand likely played a part in his forcing too many bad shots from trying to get fouls by drives to the basket. He needs some plays that give him a few open set shots, and to play off the other players too.

Sampson kept Lin in most of the game and he did fine controlling the floor. Patterson & Cook benefitted from this by contributing half the team's points. Lin focused on, and did a good job defending Westbrook! He got around picks and got back on transition. Westbrook had 5 TOs and at least two or three were forced by Lin. It was interesting to see the contrast in PG styles…Westbrook is so much more athletic, and Lin so much more cerebral.

If Asik can develop a hook shot and short range jumper, he would likely become the team's most valuable and complete player, allow the team to exploit more offensive strategies, and force other teams to defend differently.

Hopefully nothing serious with Parsons' shoulder. With him in the game, the final result may have been the same, but the dynamics would have been different. It may have given the team a better chance.

 

Wow, I didn't realize Asik was a good-looking dude. Handsome team the Rockets.

 

The defense was the problem tonight. I think Durant scored his season high tonight.

 

....no homo.

 

It would have been nice to have Parsons, but the Rox would still lose the game. Thunder is a better team and its not close. Set your expectation right people.

 

On that 3 on 1 fast break that Lin scored on nobody else ran back but Harden. That pretty much somes up the game. Guys had no legs. Lin & Harden missing FT's. Cook doing his best black mamba impersonation. Harden forcing ****. Lin passing to people who weren't even there. Guys standing around watching Lin while he is being double teamed & Lin throwing passes to strong. Harden getting his shots blocked by everyone & there mother. Parsons would have been nice to have at least we would have been somewhat competitive & worked on our chemistry. Can't wait until the Utah game I think we win that one. At least Lin had that same bounce in the second half he showed in the Raptors game & he still had those nifty passes. Akim did Lin & Harden ever figure out how to handle the traps?

 

OKC doubled Harden and trapped him hard. They don't care if anyone else on the team scores but as long as it not Harden. They much rather have Asik, Patterson, and Cook beat them instead of Harden and Lin. That's why they were constantly suffocating our backcourt. You see how Ibaka and Perkins constantly standing next to Harden the entire time he's on the court...

The Thunders doubled Harden even when he doesn't have the ball! I hope the coaching staff does something about this. Like make the other team pay for that when they double Harden like that.

Even though Patrick scored well tonight, it doesn't feel like he really impacts the game at all. When Harden or Parsons score more than 25 points, you can see how much they impacts the game. Patterson needs to be more aggressive and grab more rebounds. He just doesn't demand a lot of attention on the floor to take pressure off from Harden.

That's why I was hoping Morey can add a PF that can take pressure off from Harden. Asik is a monster off the glass. But sometimes he frustrates me because he turns an easy shot into a tough shot. He needs to be more aggressive and just dunk the ball instead of trying to float it in. Right now, teams still think that Asik is an offensive liability so they just leave him alone and they don't know much about Patterson so they just ignores him also. So our frontcourt needs to be more aggressive on the offensive end and help take pressure from our backcourt.