ClutchFans Game Thread: Thunder @ Rockets 11/2/2015

From ESPN Marc Stein Power Rankings:

"In a week of stunners -- even by the unpredictable standards the NBA is known to deliver in the embryonic stages of its 82-game schedule -- Houston's 0-3 launch tops the list of hard-to-process developments. Worse than the results and the Rockets' various injuries, though, is the sense that team spirit is somehow already lacking."


W.T.F.

Lil B Curse? Kardashian Curse? Adidas new shoes don't feel right curse? NBA 2k Cover Curse?

How do you let a 42 pt swing occur in 22 minutes? How do you go 3 1/2 minutes without scoring and then a few minutes later go 5 minutes without scoring?

/crying>


Go Rockets.

 

David Thorpe had a few things to say.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">There's no escaping the horrid chemistry on Houston, its' lack of an understanding of their offense, and their inability to compete w pride.</p>&mdash; david b. thorpe (@coachthorpe) <a href="https://twitter.com/coachthorpe/status/660990958188806144">November 2, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">They are missing good to great players, but this is inexcusable. Can it be turned around? Of course. Will it? Hard to think so right now.</p>&mdash; david b. thorpe (@coachthorpe) <a href="https://twitter.com/coachthorpe/status/660991277975105536">November 2, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And here's a fact to consider-coaches can get fired when their team gets beat in epic ways. Rox were outscored by 39 pts in 24 mins.</p>&mdash; david b. thorpe (@coachthorpe) <a href="https://twitter.com/coachthorpe/status/660993213197586432">November 2, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Last comment-Harden worked hard on building his brand this summer. Thus far, it doesn't appear he worked on his game. At all.</p>&mdash; david b. thorpe (@coachthorpe) <a href="https://twitter.com/coachthorpe/status/660994177694638080">November 2, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Talking about being the MVP and doing things daily that MVP caliber guys do are very different. Curry seemed bent on being better. Harden?</p>&mdash; david b. thorpe (@coachthorpe) <a href="https://twitter.com/coachthorpe/status/660994402257629184">November 2, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rox fans-remember that Cleveland looked awful for awhile last November. Mets same thing until July.</p>&mdash; david b. thorpe (@coachthorpe) <a href="https://twitter.com/coachthorpe/status/660994728943570944">November 2, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

I'm actually expecting a win. I think we are more talented than OKC. We don't need Harden to score 40 points, we just need him to play off the ball, that's how good we are. There is definately some locker room issues but right now Harden is looking like the evil one. Unfortunately for Dwight, if we had to part ways, he's the first to go. This is kobe and shaq drama without the trophies or work ethic.

 

This. I wouldn't mind a lineup of DH, Capela, Harden, Thornton, Beverly. Harden would really have to play D though.

 

Biggest losing margin record will be broken. Roxs to create history yet again. God, make it stop. Please.

 

He is right.

Rockets don't have any sort of chemistry right now, probably due to the lack on continually in the preseason. But that doesn't explain the whole thing, something is happening behind the scenes that we don't know about and will probably find out later on.

I hate that we lack any sort of pride. This is a team that went to the WCF and could have won Game 1 and 2 against the Warriors on the road. This season they let the lowly Nuggets basically free stroke it to a 20 point lead? Losing to the Warriors is okay but they looked so hopeless and downright panicked when the Warriors started upping the intensity. The having a 40 point swing in a little over 20 minutes on the road? Where is the gut of this team? At least last year when we got embarrassed, we got at least a little chippy. This year, we are just get bend over like a used toy.

Really disappointed in Harden. Really thought he wanted to be great, an all time great. But its clear that he still has a lot of growing up to do even with the steps he took last season. Pretty sure the success last year has gotten to his head and he has become complacent. It would be one thing if he was actually trying out there but he plays with zero effort when his shot isn't falling. That Warriors' game, he probably gave up 20 points due to his laziness on defense and on transition defense, plus all the horrible shots he forced up when we needed good ones. It sucks to see that Harden and Curry were virtually neck and neck all of last season but it looks like Curry is lightyears ahead this time.

I think McHale is on the hot seat. He needs this team to respond to him soon because it doesn't look like they are right now.

I wish we could say, "Look at the Cavs! They struggled last year and made it to the Finals!" but they played in a very weak East. In the West, the games you lost in November will affect your positioning come playoff time.

That being said, this is still a very fixable problem. If the Rockets can win 12 of their next 15 and have a 12 - 6 record, we will be in the middle of it again. But this has been a very big mess.

 

really?

could take a closer look at the starting 5 and do a quick comparison, assuming dwight is playing tonight?

 

I hope Bev starts tonight.

I don't like/ have confidence in Bev but maybe this allows Lawson to get more aggressive. He is way too passive playing with Harden. You have to give Lawson the keys and let him operate. Good things will happen on the court.

Bev
Harden
Ariza
Harrell
Howard

 

Honestly, other than his piss poor shooting, Harden's other numbers have looked great/up to par.

18ppg, 6apg, 6rpg, 2spg and a block.

If he can shoot even 42% and 33% from 3, he would be around his 25ppg average lol

 

I agree Bev needs to start. Let Ty run the second unit. He doesn't seem like he wants to shoot. Maybe he will be more selfish without Harden out there with him.

James is struggling. I don't see why people are freaking out. I trust he will start getting shots to fall. He's our MVP.

 

I have noticed that Lawson has been very passive and even slow. I would expect him to push the ball more than he has been too.

 

This stat helps nobody. He looks bad out there.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets">@HoustonRockets</a> tonight against the Thunder. Don't sit at the bar like a chump! Take your drink to your seat &amp; be ready at 7pm tipoff!</p>&mdash; Bun B (@BunBTrillOG) <a href="https://twitter.com/BunBTrillOG/status/661310764951564288">November 2, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

We have an offensive system that is predicated on familiarity and feel of the personnel, when we lose that we have no fall back options and we look the way we have - confused.

 

The first mistake you made was saying we have an offensive system.

Giving the ball to Harden and hoping he does something is not an offensive system.

If you want to know what an offensive system is go watch the Spurs.

 

Except that he isn't and he has a 3:2 assist/turnover ratio. You can't put frosting on a turd man. The 3 games so far were stinkers. And 22% fg% , 9% 3pt% isn't the worst part. The worst part is the body language and lack of fire.

This is not the Harden we saw last year. He even made a point in interviews to say he would improve his body language and how he communicates in-game with his teammates to exude positivity, leadership, etc.

 

I said OKC will go for 98-0 this season, so far I am right. I don't expect Rockets to win tonight, you shouldn't either. We are playing the most talented team in the NBA. Our problem is not just the lack of wins, it's the way we lose. It's the way we shoot the ball, the way we move on offense, lack of movement I should say. Pathetic defense from guards is nothing new, but it only escalates the problem.
No one will fix Harden's and Lawson non existing defense, so we should start by fixing offense. McHale showed he can't run offense, he's showing it for years. He helps to bring in big names, but those names are not as big as LeBron, to let them improvise entire season. We need to run plays. Don't tell me we were running plays during McHale's era, if you call those plays then he should be coaching high school teams.

 

I hope we lose by 45 every game just to get a new coach

 

I hear a lot about how these 3 games will cost us in the west...that very may well be true.

Keep in mind though that we can still affect the records of teams we play. So while we may be down 3 to the Thunder for instance, we play them at least 3 times. We can still hand them 3 losses as unlikely as that may seem right now.

Basically, these 3 games could mean little if they turn up the quality of play as we expect them to.

 

Maybe he kicked something in the locker room. Should have hit Harden so he would come back to his senses