ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Timberwolves 1/19/2013

Foul trouble I believe.

Wolves floppers got him good.

 

Well said, Akim.

 

Because when people are angry and frustrated, they tend to say things on a whim. It was a dumb statement, but you people need to stop acting like I'm the only one who has ever knee-jerked. I'm sure you've done a share too. Almost everyone does.

 

Im really trying to see this your way but its not easy.would you say that the bobacts have a bright future? What about the wizards? Suns? All these teams are at the bottom of the standings every year, excluding the suns- they just recently started playing bad.

Ultimately, I dont want the rockets to make trades, give up their picks and be at the bott8m of the standing like these other teams. That is bad management. Help me seewhat you see, explain that bright future you speak about.

 

The coach should have played TD a bit and he doesn't make dumb fouls like Beverly.

 

Out of frustration, just like you. Lets call it a day, gotta start drinking because I'm so friggin depressed right now.

 

Looking back at the game, setting aside Fatigue which has been an ongoing issue and heavily discussed in previous threads, I had a LOT of problems with the substitutions.

The Douglas/Lin/Smith/Delfino/Parsons line up was actually playing well and closing the lead in the 4th. I saw much better ball movement.

Given Harden has shot horribly for the last 3 games, I have NO idea why McHale subbed him in so quickly in the 4th given his poor shooting all night.

Harden has a lot of talents, but when he's clearly exhausted he not only kills ball movement, but he's not making shots on his ISO's and he's sloppy with the ball.

From 2:42 left in the 3rd to when Harden came back in at 9:26 in the 4th, the lead closed from 11 points down (49-60) to a 7 point game (though at one point got within 3 points).

From that point Harden did the following...

9:18 Foul (2/2 for Minn)
8:53 Out of bounds turn over
7:26 Foul (1/2 for Minn)
6:48 Foul (2/2 for Minn)
5:39 Missed 23 foot jumper
4:41 Foul (2/2 for Minn)
3:05 5 foot shot (2 points)
1:23 Missed 24 foot jumper
0:23 Foul (2/2 for Minn)

In 9 minutes of play, Harden had 5 fouls costing the Rockets 9 points, 2 TO's, and shot 1/3 for 2 points.

This is aside from NOT covering the corner man and leaving him WIDE open twice, both resulting in long range jumpers.

Also, given how well Smith was playing, I don't know why they subbed him out so quickly in the 4th at 7:16 for Patterson. I can sort of see why he brought in Parsons as Parsons is one of the better facilitators on the team, despite his poor shooting.

As for Beverly, the guy hustles but he missed all 4 of his shots tonight, AND he drew 5 fouls (3 personal fouls in 33 SECONDS PLUS a technical), which put Minnesota in the Bonus VERY early.

9:26 Foul
9:18 Foul (2/2 FT's by Rubio)
9:07 Offensive Foul (Foul PLUS Turnover)
9:04 Technical Foul (1/1 FT)

So directly Beverly created a TO, put himself on his 5th foul, and cost the Rockets 3 points off FT's.

Once in the Bonus, Minnesota recieved 2 more non-shooting foul calls for 4/4 FT's... so indirectly that put Minnesota in the Bonus 4 points earlier than they should have.

Honestly, tonight's substitutions didn't make a lot of sense.

When the bench was playing well in the 2nd quarter, McHale pulled them early.

When our line up in the late 3rd and early 4th quarter were playing well, McHale subbed Harden back in when he was clearly playing poorly for at least 3 games.

It really didn't make all that much sense to me.

Lin and Parsons didn't have very good games, but given the choices with Beverly at 5 fouls and Harden playing horribly, I think Lin/Douglas/Smith/Parsons/Delfino was the best line up we had in the game as the 4th quarter went.

 

For those that don't know how to use BR play log index, here's the Rocket's 3PT% for the month of Jan.

Note, this does not include tonight's game against the Wolves since BR takes awhile to update.

For those too lazy to click on the link:

-Beverly is obviously not 100% anymore from beyond the arc.
-Lin is shooting better than Harden
-Morris is the worst at 26%
-Carlos is really the only 3PT threat at the moment at 43%

 

It's times like these that will show if they indeed are a team or not. If they lose to the Bobcats, they should just quit.

 

Why are you surprised? They are extremely dependent on one player (Harden) with no consistent second scorer and nothing in the post, literally nothing. They are coming off a brutal schedule games/days wise and are slumping.

I made $500 off this game, will donate it to Planned Parenthood. The Rockets need to hit rock bottom and get some rest. They were not beating anyone tonight.

McHale is not Red Aurbach but this isn't all on him or his staff (some is). The team is new together and basically a bunch of spare parts surrounding Harden. Lin is fine and is Parsons if they are the 3-5 options, but right now they have to be #2 and #2a.

Morey won't say it, but he knows this team just doesn't fit together. If nothing else we have the worst frontcourt in the NBA and one of the worst benches. Yet we play a frantic pace with an 8 man rotation.

You think THIS is bad, just wait if Harden, Lin or Asik miss a long time. We would be lucky to win 20% of our games.

 

Haha, go for it man.

 

Woah, I think I've missed something here... are some of you actually saying that the players have lost faith in the coach? Was there a quote, an interview, a tweet?

 

i dont really know how we can trade anyone because unless you give up picks we have no one to trade. Prior to the last 3 gaems out back court was the best in the NBA. Lin and Harden are not going anywhere......Parsons, are we willing to give him up? so it just leaves picks....be patient and build through the draft....proble is you never get that great player drafting in the middle

 

sameissue happend in these 2 season.we need new coach.

 

Awesome analysis. I saw the run too in the 4th, and it immedietely went back up w/ odd subs. This was Mchale's fault, not the team. I think Mchale lost the locker room.

 

He looks like D-Mo.

Coach forgot that we have a 7'ter on the bench.

He likes Delfino at the 4, Pat at the 5.

We needed rebounding so he threw in PatPat.

Foul trouble.

All of the above.

 

They haven't said anything, but after 7 losses and McHale literally running them into the ground during this road trip, I wouldn't be surprised if there was some mumbling around beer and the dinner tables.

These players KNOW they know how to play. Players are also smart enough to know when they're playing poorly, playing well, and when they're tired.

I suspect all of them are WAY too classy to say anything or even go against their coach, but I wouldn't be shocked if there were murmurs amongst themselves.

 

Oooh, there's a thought . . .

 

Agreed, I saw more ball movements with the line up that you mentioned there. I can't understand all of a sudden the coach starts to play Beverly more and let TD out of the line up. If anything, TD's defence is better than PB, I'm not knocking the kid down but why let TD out?

 

I know the Rockets will have another run at some point. I am somewhat concerned that we will be pointing back to this losing streak as the reason we miss the playoffs. What went wrong?