[ESPN] Fact or Fiction: The Rockets can come back against the Thunder

It is annoying how everyone just seems to assume that OKC can close this out whenever the heck they get serious enough about doing it....I still don't discount the possibility of us coming back and winning this thing. I'm like JLin, tho. I believe in miracles.

 

Well they're just being realists. OKC should win this game tonight, and not merely by 2 or 3 points. The Rockets have to do a lot of things right to beat them on their home floor whereas the Thunder really only need Durant to have another monster game.

 

They should have asked this question after tonight's game.

 

You mean beat them 3 more times in a row. Sure why not.

 

We really can't blame anyone for saying fiction. I mean come on, it's never happened before...

 

I think it's a toss up. There's too many factors to consider. For example, Durant pretty much has to have a monster game every night. James Harden has to not suck, and if he does, someone else (like Parsons) has to have an extraordinary game.

 

Of course they can't. Especially with referees included in the game.

 

The one guy who picks us points out that Derek Fisher is getting 30 minutes a game, and yet fails to mention we're not completely destroying Fisher when he's on the court... as a matter of fact, he's killing us instead.

Our guards should be using him as a turnstile...

 

Someone is going to win a series after being down 3-0, someday in the future. Why not this team? Harden has to get on a roll for us to have any chance at all of that happening. He's way overdue for a big game.

 

This team doesn't have the tools to get it done. The inability to close out games has proven to be our undoing all playoffs long. But, that comes with experience, and I think this process is going to be TREMENDOUS for players like Harden and Parsons. They are understanding what it takes to win basketball games, and in order to appreciate success, you must first feel the pain of defeat.

 

I understand what you are saying, but what is frustrating to me is that the 'formula' for closing out games, especially with this team, isn't all that complicated to figure out. Harden ISOs have been hugely unsuccessful which became incredibly apparent the last game when 3 consecutively ISos ended in 3 consecutive failures. Harden is 'mentally' thinking he is Kobe/Durant/Lebron etc but not hitting those big game shots. So, if that is the case, then the team should change it up and play team ball/fast ball at the end like they do during the game to close out the game.

Why is this such a mystery? Why does the team have to 'lose' to figure it out? Why can't the team take lessons learned from past experience, game experience, and their 4 games of playoffs and say, 'hmm...changing up our style of play in the last 2 minutes doesn't seem to work..lets learn from that and try something different.' ESPECIALLY until Harden can prove he has the inclination for the big shot, and I don't think he has shown that--not a knock on our best player but that just isn't his game. Ok, so THEN you find the best open look and pass the ball to get the shot you want, not try to go Kobe style at the end--that isn't the ROckets and that is ok. (THe SPurs figured this out a long time ago).

The Rockets don't have to reinvent the wheel..just learn from the mechanics. Why ignore a plethora of evidence and do the opposite? Just doesn't make sense. I get that this is the 'experience' factor but a coach who has played in numerous playoffs should know better....just sayin.

 

30% chance of winning Game 5. HCA.
50% chance of winning Game 6. HCA.
50% chance of winning Game 7. When it's Game 7, if Rockets come down to that, it's a 50/50, and home court means little on the deciding game.

I give Rockets .3 x .5 x .5 = 7.5% of winning this series.

 

I would say fact until proven fiction.

 

Unless Durant gets seriously injured, Rocket's last game is tonight.

 

If we end up winning today the rockets will have a lot of the momentum game 6 and the pressure on thunder the rest of the series would be unbearable, it is a must win game for the Thunder. Rockets win by 7.

 

Coach Thorpe thinks we could pull it out.

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I wouldn't go that far. If the Rockets take care of the basketball, make at least 40% of their 3s, and get a good game out of Harden, they can win tonight.

 

Lin needs to become linsanity for us to win this series

 

I hope so,,,,,would be sweet if they did pimpn..