Unless it was Durant, who the Suns didn't want to move for some last ditch playoff run, I don't see anyone out there that would make the difference? The bench wasn't the problem tonight, in fact, it was the reason we got back in the game.
Great points. No panic is right. But if we don't find our half court offense, FAST...then we will be in trouble.
What has been true the whole season is that when we play full size lineups with at least a legit 4 and a legit 5 on the court, we are dominant. We defend + we can't shoot but we get all the rebounds to make up for it, and we win. When we go any smaller than that, we suck. We still can't shoot and we don't get any rebounds. That makes you lose. Tonight this came exactly true, again. The small starting lineup and the Jabari at the 5 lineup got killed. Those smaller lineups were close to a -30 net rating. Anytime we had a real 4 and 5 on the court we were roughly a +10. We have the tools to win this series, we just have to lean into our strengths and stop playing units that are drawing dead. Unfortunately that includes our current starting lineup.
If the Rockets get swept in the first round or lose in 5, I think that makes us a lot less appealing.
Part of me thinks the Warriors actually did not play their best ball today, they didn't figure out how to get Curry free until the 2nd quarter and once they did it was over from there. They will make adjustments sooner next game.
I do not think Adams is a solution long term even with his rebounding, dude was heavily injured on 1 knee.
Where did I specify Adams? We are dominant in any lineup configuration where we play a true 5 + a true 4 (or two centers). These lineups have a +9.4 net rating this season in a giant sample. That’s a 60 win pace. We won those 30 minutes in game 1 vs the Warriors. Any time we are smaller, like Jabari at the 5 or Dillon at the 4, we get smoked. If we can’t outrebound we have no advantages. -5 net rating on the season. -14 in 18 minutes last night.
Alpi needs to calm down and not throw up his arms to complain every time something goes wrong. Draymond, on the other hand, was locked in and toned down his emotions in a good way. Win the mental side of the game.
A star pickup for this team would be an actual offensive coach in the sideline. They have the talent. They don’t run anything.
I actually anticipated Udoka and the young goons to blow this wide open and for the Old Warriors to climb out of that hole and take that to 7.....but I am surprised.
Fox demanded to go to San Antonio and only San Antonio. That's why they got him for peanuts. He wasn't an option.
I think this depends on how far the warriors go. If the warriors end up making the finals I don't think it looks too bad for Houston. They're clearly not a real 7 seed, they made a mid season trade and played at the same level of OKC post trade. We got screwed with this matchup. It's not like we're losing to memphis or something.
We aren't beating GS with only defensive players.......Ime needs to fix it, this is all on him. IMHO, because of Ime it will be GS in 6.....and we have the more talented roster, but we don't play the right players, nor do we have any actual offensive plan to take advantage of GS weaknesses. DD
Only ones panicking are those who actually thought the Rockets were going to do something this post season other than gain experience.
Booker would have same issues vs GS that JG is having … folks don’t watch games they just call out names I want FVV gone and a PG who can actually be a threat in paint - at this point give me Young / Maxey to pair with JG and Alpi …
I dont even think we need a superstar pg, just someone who can playmake and not shoot 1/12 or w/e FVV has lol Jalen I will give him a pass for this year since this is his first time. Next year I will start judging him.
It wasn't though. We got it to within 3 after he "figured it out". The Warriors have their own sets of issues. They have no answer for Sengun and if either of Fred or Jalen find a shooting stroke we're going to even this series.
The famous young Dikembe Nuggets series upset over the Sonics, Nuggets actually lost the first 2 games badly. Then swept next 3, in best of 5 series. Yes that is a rare exception of #8 over #1 seed. But consider that those Nuggets didnt have home court adv. Started in a deeper hole. And technically the Rockets arent the underdog, they're the better team and should play like it. And 7 game series is lot more basketball to play than 5, they can adjust
