Round 2: Rockets vs Spurs

I'll still take our roster over theirs since I think LMA is hugely overrated... but Pop always seems to turn lead into gold. How he managed to develop a roleplayer like Kawhi into a star player I'll never know.

This is going to be tough but gotta keep the faith. Rockets in 7.

 

I'm really curious if Troy Wiliams could give us 5 minutes a game. I think it's ridiculous to have Gordon try to cover Kawhi. While the footspeed is there, Kawhi will just destroy him. And there's no real way for Harden to contest his shot. Decker might be a possibility but Troy can get off the ground and at least contest Kawhi's jumper. He has a huge problem with fouls though.

I'd like to see what Decker could do with Aldridge. Yes, he would get killed on the glass sometimes, but again he's got the size to test his shot. Anderson is well-intentioned but not a threat.

To me, this is one of the big opening storylines: how do the Rockets challenge the Spurs shooters. We are a lot better at not having total busts in our rotations, but once your there, can you actually pressure the shooter?

 

Rockets in ONE

Rockets blow them out 160-70 in Game 1 and the Spurs just forfeit the series

 

Gordon hasn't worked as a starter. Gordon is better off the bench. Switching that up hurts Gordon and probably Ariza.

Plus most importantly Ariza is likely to be guarding Kawhi

 

Ariza will not be benched. I could see Anderson getting pulled from the starting lineup though if he plays like dogsh-t in Games 1 and 2 and the Rockets return to Toyota Center down 0-2.

 

Road-only Ryan would be better than what we got last series. I will take that. Lets steal one on the road.

 

Houston leads 16 and 6 in 4th quarter. Houston loses finally, they should have lesson learn.

 

I saw this recently:

I wish there was a real documentary of that game.

 

damn, the vast majority is picking Rockets in 6 or 7...y'all seem pretty confident

Harden must shoot a decent percentage from the field in this series, SA won't be sending him to the line 15x a game like OKC did...barely shooting 40% from the field and shooting a horrific percentage from 3 while taking 10 of them a game just won't cut it

Bev has to continue doing what he's been doing, bring that energy defensively and make a few plays offensively...I think he's been fine in these playoffs

Ariza and Ryno must be better offensively, there's nothing else to say about those 2. Ryno is the 2nd highest paid player on the team, he needs to stop playing like an end of bench scrub.

If Capela could play like he did in the 4th quarter of 5 game on a consistent basis then that would be great, but that's not gonna happen so thank God we have Nene

Rockets must avoid making stupid mistakes in the 4th because the Spurs will capitalize

 

I'm just glad the Westbrook love fest is over!

Bring on the Spurs!!

 

I know many of us are cautiously optimistic about the Rockets' chances against the Spurs due to their pedigree, coaching, system etc. However, I for one am just disappointed the Rockets didn't win their regular season 3-1 opposed to 1-3. Rockets shot themselves in the foot multiple times during those losses. Yes, that's part of the mark that characterizes a "great" team. Rockets have enough talent to overtake the Spurs. It just comes down to maturity and discipline against a poster team of those attributes.

I don't think I'm blinded by homerism in thinking the Rockets can take this series in 6. My concern is for them to not shoot themselves in the foot.....which remains to be seen.

 

When you look at Ls and Ws, Y'all saw how Russell Westbrook Triple Double is code for

L-L-W-L-L

Well, Kawhi Leonard Right-Way Basketball Player is code for

W-L-W-L-L-L

Which is EXACTLY how they lost to OKC last year

 

This is paramount in my opinion. Even if 3s don't fall....DON'T SHOOT YOURSELVES IN THE FOOT. The Rockets' "coulda woulda shouldas" always derive from shooting themselves in the foot. They should have smoked the Spurs in their regular season meetings smh.

 

it's really a catch-22 for the hardcore bball fans who want to watch the game at its highest level. the best players go to the nba largely in part because that's where the big money is. and in many cases, the big money there dictates the show.

 

You almost have to play a perfect game in order to beat the Spurs. I could easily see this being a series that we lose in 6, but we'll look back and say that the Rockets could've won if they didn't do all of these stupid things in the 4th.

Harden can't have any quarters where he's having 4-5 turnovers. We can't needlessly foul them. We can't take stupid shots. We can't give them a barrage of easy baskets. You have to be as mistake free as possible.

 

Nothing will change, starting line-up or player rotation. We're going to rely on luck instead, and we need a lot of it.

 

Yep, Memphis actually defended the Spurs really well. Spurs had a lot of iso plays go their way. They didn't look like the well-oiled passing offense that I've known them to be. Problem is Memphis really struggles to hit shots.

It is incredibly frustrating at times to watch the Rockets. It's infuriating that all the Spurs players year after year have discipline and play smart (regardless of new additions). Rockets have quite a few tested veterans but are just plain stupid at times. How can a the former be infused into the Rockets' culture? I don't believe D'Antoni is an idiot. In fact the opposite. What the heck is POP telling/teaching his players that's so radically different from another good seasoned coach like D'Antoni that their respective teams have IQ disparities late in games?

 

Harden's ankle needs to be at least 85-90 %.

Rockets in 6.

 

Rockets in 5! tbh we may give them one in first two games, after that those spurs can't hang with us! see u guys again in the west final!!

 

Speaking of which has there been an update on Harden's ankle?