Yup. The only bright moment was the Troy Daniels 3, who only played because Chandler Parsons sucked the entire series.
Look, the Rockets have been excellent for about 7 years now. They've been a top 5 team in the league most of those years, and have the poor luck of playing in the West with probably the first or second best NBA team ever in the Warriors. They've had bad luck and disappointments, but they've been darn good. I'd rather have the team we've had the last few years than some mediocre first round and out team every year...or some back end lottery team fighting for the 8th spot.
As far as confidence, some of the nervousness is more to do with the way rockets lost to Knicks (a bad team). Small ball is giving Rockets a new life. The critics stressed about what if team gets out rebounded. During the earlier wins, the discrepancy didn't matter, we won most those games; 9-2 stretch. Now the knicks loss, where rebound was the reason. If Rocketd lost another way, the reaction may be different. In order for small ball to work for this team does it have to do it 100%? Why can't it be 95%? Why does Rockets always have to take certain things to the extreme. When Boston played Rockets the second time, Brad Stevens didn't play Kanter, well because ya know ... adjustments based on opponent. I like yogurt but I don't have it every meal. With the Knicks, it was evident their lineup was lighting it up and ours wasn't working by end mid Q1- mid Q2. The coaches have to figure out between when to do adjustments (this includes lineup), vs only "well once the three's fall, we'll be back in with a miracle run". If I could rewind time for the Knicks game, our defense was so ineffective in stretches. I may have gone even smaller; maybe Clemons would have hit his shots or played BMac more. If defense not cutting it, do you double down to outscore them, or heaven forbid play Thabo, Chandler or iHart in short stretches to stop the bleeding. If it is the reason that people say Rockets took the Knicks too lightly didn't put in effort until large deficit, then play the bench DMC, Bruno more, at least you know they're trying to prove something in those rare playing time. I'm for small ball, but I also don't want us to be so rigid, when it makes sense to adjust, Rockets choose not to because of pride.
so you also feel Tilman is right not to pay the LT when its a rigged league anyway? why throw away money when you cant win anyway, right?
