Out coached. For example when Doc Rivers was loosing, by 15 points. He was as cool as a cucumber and called for a time out. Made a few adjustments and some good play calling(it was a work of art) sat back down, yawned and won the game.
The Rox are the youngest team in the league and this is the first year HnH are together. In contrast, the Clipps and OKC have been together for 2+ years now, and tbh both CP3 and Durant are a cut higher than Dwight and Harden right now. You can't expect miracles from day 1 building a championship team takes time, and it is time we have because Dwight is only 28 and harden is only 23. Caring about 1 season at a time is stupid do you mean if someone offers you Granger for 3 first rounders you do it? You need to look at things from a long term perspective.
You have to wonder what goes through McHale's mind. Stretch out a double digit lead after running pick and roll after pick and roll after pick and roll after pick and roll COMPLETELY bamboozling their interior defence. Hey guy's that's too successful. Stop running it for the majority of the next 3 quarters.
To respond to the OP, its simply corporate experience. Our lineup changes since 2012 has been very colorful to the point everyone gets a chance to play starter/bench and yoyo minutes for everyone not named Harden or Howard. Either we rough out the season remaining with the existing team or we make changes again. Then again its not our call, thats what the FO is for.
Dwight has been more consistent against the Clippers than Harden. Harden has disappeared for multiple games against the Clippers in the last 2 years. And OKC has been hit or miss.
In addition to what's already been said, the Rockets need to execute smarter and more consistently than what they've shown. It's true that their pace is conducive to more turnovers, but as Mike Fratello said after the game they just flat out make a lot of stupid plays, lazy and ill-advised passes, don't even get shots at the basket while the other team is running at them, etc. The Clippers and Thunder love to make them pay for that silly crap. To overcome their match-up and experience deficiencies, the Rockets need to play as close to perfect as they possibly can and do it over the course of a playoff series.
We struggle because we only have 1 position (Beard) that dominates the opposition. D12 doesn't dominate in the post against either team. As a result, our starters and bench get abused. Bottom line, both teams have significantly better athletes than we do, especially the 2nd unit. Also, Doc simply out coaches McFail against the Clippers, he let's Harden do his thing and shuts down everyone else. I can't understand why we don't trap C Paul or run a double team to get the ball out of his hands. He murders us in the half court game.
Both teams are our new Seattle Supersonics, it took the Rockets bring Barkley aboard to finally defeat them. That's why selling our soul for Kevin Love is the only way to ever defeat this team. A stretch 4 would put pressure on Griffin and Serge! Chandler, Asik, Lin, and Jones plus 1st round picks for Love!
Don't the Clippers lead the league in points off turnovers? Aren't we last in the league in turnover efficiency? There, that's the problem.
