ClutchFans Game Thread: Thunder @ Rockets 4/16/2017 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 1)

Roberson is what Brewer was for the Rockets. A sub-30% 3-pt shooter. Heck... he shot 24% for the season! I have no problems with the way the Rockets defended him.. let him shoot.

Even if Roberson goes off every game like he did last night, and even if Westbrook were to go off for say - 50 points, they still would have lost last night.

 

Last night showed the Rockets coasted during the regular season.

 

Chris Smoove said Westbrook already won regular season MVP

 

Man...I slept like a baby last night!

 

This argument would carry better if Westbrook had been even the 2nd best player on the floor last night...he wasn't. Bev outplayed him and Harden certainly did.

 

Honestly I'm kinda conflicted as to whether I want them to shoot better or not..... to me it's seem like they get really cocky and lazy on defense when they're hitting everything.... last night they played great defense in the second half because they knew they had to.....

 

no, you're right, I'll admit I was wrong. Toyota fans suck. Might as well move the team to Seattle.

 

I think they play great defense when they're motivated. Even teams like the Warriors and Spurs let their foot off the gas all the time during the regular season and allowed opponents to get back in games. Granted, they only did this in spurts. The Rockets would do it for entire halves. But now that it's the playoffs and they know they never have to worry about B2Bs or crazy travel schedules, they can exert a lot more energy at the defensive end.

 

Anyone hear Mike Greenberg spin that WBs poor performance and 30pt loss is why he's MVP? My brother just texted me that. Didn't hear it myself.

Logic must be a new way of spinning OKC can't win without WB, yeah when he sucks out there, while having no other way to win.

 

asked early in the westbrook interview too. even OKC reporters game is terrible tonight.

 

It's like people are even watching the game..... regardless of whether Harden is making shots are not, he's still controlling the game..... when Westbrook is not not scoring he really has a minimal impact on his teammates.... he just doesn't help them.... and it's sooo obvious

 

Harden last night was the following
.495 ws/48
20.4 obpm
3.1 dbpm
23.5 bpm
.563 ts%

Beverley last night was
.467 ws/48
15.2 obpm
2.8 dbpm
18.0 bpm
With a .756 ts%!

Just amazing play from both players last night.

Edit:
Westbrook last night
-0.374 ws/48
-7.0 obpm
3.8 dbpm
-3.3 bpm
.415 ts%

 

Yeah I saw that. Honestly though, in a game that important I always feel sorry for the losers when they sit there asking them those kind of questions. It's like when they interview the losing quarterback of the Super Bowl. They just want to rub it in even more.

 

The spin has started to justify their MVP vote in the event they are proven wrong (e.g. bad series by OKC with Harden clearly out playing Westbrook). These guys are distorting the spirit of the MVP award by giving it to Westbrook. Harden, by his magnificent play elevates all his teammates. Westbrook with stats elevates himself only.

 

Did anyone else love the fact Harden looked for his shot mostly early on even when he couldn't hit anything from outside? I think that's why led to his low TO's last night.

Point Beard is cool & all but I feel James is at his most dangerous when he's very aggressive. And I wish he took more midrange shots he's absolutely deadly at it.

 

Really impressive effort overall. The scary thing is we still have a lot of room for improvement given how bad we shot the three ball . Defense really went up a few notches in the third. The only things I am worried about is Williams terrible output right now. Once we meet the Spurs he has to find his groove because he needs to match the likes of Mills and Forbes off the bench because you know those guards are quick fire points so he and Eric need to raise their collective outputs.

 

You aint **** for this comment. LOL

 

This article is a joke
If THIS was a valid argument, then ALL MVP's would come from lower tier teams.
Historically, it's been just the opposite. They've all come from upper tier teams
Last night simply showed how 'ineffective' and 'un-valuable' WB is to his team
He's a chucker, and that inefficient chucking cost his team the game. How valuable is THAT?
Did Steph Curry not have any other players around him when HE won MVP TWICE!?
Everyone wants to make the GSW the starting West All-Star team. Yet he won 2X
Did Lebron have any other decent players on the Heat when he won 2X? He's trying to say Bosh and Wade were scrubs?
That argument of playing with a 'weaker' cast just doesn't wash when you look at recent MVP winners

 

The funny thing is the exact opposite arguments were being used against Harden in '15 in Curry's favor.
Now the tables have flipped for Westbrook.

There's no winning the MVP argument for Harden.

 

Great win, love how aggressive James was even when his shot wasn't falling, helped him get into a rhythm later on. Obviously Beverley played outstanding, possibly the best game of his career. Capela and Nene were outstanding. Other guys like Anderson, Gordon, Ariza will hopefully play better in the next games.

But I'm most impressed with how good we were defensively. We seemed to actually have a game plan and executed it on that end. Great defensive effort tonight, keep it up and this series will be over in 5.