[ClutchFans] Podcast: Trying to make sense of the Game 1 debacle

Thanks

 

Thanks Clutch!

 

Sweet, thanks clutch

 

Thanks Clutch.

You touched on it shortly, but I'd like to raise the question again... What is up with Josh Smith always demanding the ball from Prigioni? Seems like this happens every time they are both on the floor. I personally enjoy the way Prigioni sets up the offense and passes the ball into the post, but sometimes Josh Smith seems to go 'Hero' mode and demands the ball so he can run a play from the top.

 

Too bad Morey's statistics can't measure heart or leadership.

Still searching for someone who can be our emotional team leader. The closest maybe is Patrick Beverley. They rise to the top particularly in times of adversity, rallying the team back to focus on what needs to be done. On the team, on the bench--anyone?

 

thanks for clutch, ur their for the good/bad times.

last game was one of the most disappointing and significant losses in my memory

 

Hated this game, loved the pod cast - thanks guys.

DD

 

Thanks!, Clutch much needed after the lost. Hoping for a better outcome tomorrow.

 

Clutch, MK, thanks for the podcast. I know that must have been really tough to do after that performance.

I couldn't be more disappointed in the Rockets after that game. It is one thing to lose in a tough, hard fought game (see Spurs/Clippers series), but for the Rockets to totally ROLL OVER is just head shaking.

I honestly thought from last season's playoff loss, to this regular season, the team had progressed mentally to be in a place to be prepared for high level playoff basketball.

On the day of Steph Curry getting the MVP...while all of us Clutch fans posting and supporting our guy James Harden...for Harden to lay a stinker that night is just a tough pill to swallow.

Enough with this "dummy ball." Show some FIGHT, please!

 

Yes, agree. I don't know if I could have done it.

 

Effort can change. And it should or McHale should be fired for it.

Terrence's size cannot be changed. Terrence's mentality cannot be changed. Terrence's skill set cannot be changed in time to make a difference this season.

JET's age cannot be changed. JET's skill set cannot be changed.

But.......both these men can be moved out of the starting lineup and played when they have more favorable matchups.

Everybody knows Terrence can't check Blake or DeAndre. We need to find out if he can check Big Baby. And we need to make sure Dwight and Smoove are matched up against DeAndre and Blake.

JET was let off the hook somewhat with Paul being out. But he was still a non-factor.

Since DMo and Bev are gone it is clear that the best 5 guys we got left are Harden, Dwight, Ariza, JSmoove, and Brewer. That should be the starting 5 and the finishing defensive 5. So those guys should be playing 32 or more minutes with Terrence, JET, Pablo, and Capela filing in the edges. (It's so obvious that we've got at best the 8th and 9th best players on the roster starting.)

We will not win a championship with both Terrence and JET starting and finishing games.

JET wasn't a starter 5 years ago. He sure ain't getting younger. And Terrence is much too mentally fragile and skills-limited to be starting and playing major minutes against top playoff contenders.

I'm not understanding what you guys expect from Terrence. Looking like a total stud while playing against Carl Landry doesn't mean anything when he's up against guys like Blake and DeAndre. Nothing has changed since Portland last year and it's been obvious all season.

 

Like they said in that podcast, after Terrence got his shot blocked by DeAndre, he just shriveled up and we didn't hear from him again. He is who he is and that is a wildly inconsistent player. When he is "engaged" and playing well he looks to have promise but too often he just disappears. It is obvious we just can't count on him for significant playoff minutes. Frustrating!

 

The problems last night were numerous, but the most concerning was the play of James Harden. On many instances, not just committing a lazy turnover, but sitting there pouting and not getting back on D.

 

I'll chalk it up as an anomaly. He's been consistently good all year in those regards.

If the same thing happens again tomorrow, then we'll have a problem.

 

I want to see more of the "scoring Harden" instead of the "passing Harden." Strange to say advocating Harden's scoring over getting his teammates involved, but when the Harden engine gets going the team follows. The assists will come.

Too often I see Harden "over analyzing" the "shoot or pass" decision when driving the lane. He just doesn't look as confident on what to do. Attack the pain with the goal in mind to score and only pass if something opens at the last minute. I feel he is attacking the paint with the "pass" in mind first and the Clips are just sagging making it more difficult. DeAndre back there also doesn't help. This just completely stalls our offense and is leading to turnovers.

Attack the basket, get the defense on their heels, and force the refs to make the calls.

 

Terrence only plays well when he has a favorable matchup. He is not a quality starter on a championship contender. He is a role player that is best coming off the bench against the opponents second team where he can match up better size-wise and be a more legit defender and finisher going against guys who aren't as big and talented as most of the starting 4/5's in the WC playoffs.

 

Harden is going to fart away a game now and then. Yes he was bad. But we all know he's going to pop back just fine. It's the 4 and 1 spots we have to worry about.

 

This.

Bev is missed big time. That perimeter defensive intensity was underestimated by many, including yours truly. How many 115+ points have given up in these playoffs? Please play some defense!

 

6 games played
3 games they have given up 115 or more
1-2 record

That said, Los Angeles scored 102 in 6 of the 7 games against San Antonio.

Safe to say Houston has the worst defense of the remaining playoff teams?