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ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Lakers 2/21/2019

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Clutch, Feb 18, 2019.

  1. SemisolidSnake

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    :(
     
  2. joshuaao

    joshuaao Member

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    Some positives in this mess of a game:

    1. CP looked great! Abused bigs on the iso, facilitated like a point god, and hit those patented mid-range shots

    2. Capela and Faried look like they can play together. Allows us to compete on the boards and have two rim-running threats. If he can stay above 30% at 3s, Faried can get run at the 4

    3. Capela showed a solid ability to corral the ball and lay it in. Glad to see that he’s largely recovered from the thumb injury

    4. Some new plays (at least in the first half)! Lot of backdoor cuts for Harden to counter tight off-ball defenses, and that Capela-Faried sandwich pick seemed to really fluster LA. Faried even showed some passing ability.
     
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  3. solid

    solid Contributing Member

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    Obviously not a good way to start off a 25 game stretch. Capella will knock off the rust and get up to speed. This team simply does not have the supporting cast to go deep in the playoffs. Last year's team was the best Rocket's team in decades. This year's team is a mere shadow of last year. I see an early exit IF we make the playoffs at all. I will continue to cheer for them to the end. I am disappointed though. I blame Morey for some really poor decisions and without "lockdown" defense, the "pound the ball" approach just doesn't work.
     
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  4. Will

    Will Clutch Crew
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    I know I shouldn't make too much of one game. But for whatever reason, this is the game that made me stop thinking of us as a potential championship team.

    I better go to the fridge.
     
  5. Deuce

    Deuce Context & Nuance

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    Yep, this is the game that made me adjust my expectations. It has been building for some time now and this was the tipping point.

    All that aside, I thought CP3 played great. Enjoyed watching him work.
     
  6. Deuce

    Deuce Context & Nuance

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    We have @The Cat to count on for our twitter rage posting....thank you very much! ;)
     
  7. JW86

    JW86 Member

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    Eric Gordon was great by the way, he defended Lebron pretty well and Lebron was a bit frustrated by him. That's why he really wanted to dunk on him.
     
  8. Will

    Will Clutch Crew
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    His dribble worries me. Losing his handle. Maybe just rust, but he seems to be having more trouble with it this year.
     
  9. Deuce

    Deuce Context & Nuance

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    I am not too worried about it in the larger scheme of things. I think with CP what we know now is that he is not going to ISO and take his man off the dribble and get to the basket like Harden or even EG can. CP can ISO to create a step back or snake dribble for a medium range jumper.

    But CP brings a lot to the table with rebounding and setting the table offensively. He was PUSHING the pace a lot last night and it was refreshing.

    CP can still do a lot. Just need to maximize his minutes and not over extend him.
     
  10. deb4rockets

    deb4rockets Contributing Member
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    I only watched the first half, but actually enjoyed the game most when Harden and Gordon were on the bench.
     
  11. Will

    Will Clutch Crew
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    Too late, we already over-extended him. :D

    But, seriously: that play where he hurt LeBron's elbow? I was like, THANK YOU, somebody in red, for at least trying to box out.
     
  12. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

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    The only way I can explain this (as we never saw it happen with Nash, Stockton, Kidd when in their late 30s) is that his ELITE handles (high risk-taking--e.g., spinning the ball) require constant practice, and because of the playoff injury (and recurring injury), he didn't log his normal hours in the Summer, and he isn't practicing much throughout the season. He doesn't just do fancy things with the ball; he's basically dancing while doing it....not dancing at the level of Kyrie, but enough to say, "Hey, maybe I should tone it down this Summer and in Practice."

    Think of jugglers. If you don't practice all the time, you start losing ability to keep 8 balls in the air. Or just "dribbling" a soccer ball/hacky sack in the air. In Paul's case, he starts losing ability to do the fancy spinning bounces while on the move, or doing instinctive change-of direction.​

    Just a theory of mine I've been tossing around in the head: Constant practice requires maintaining the elite level.
     
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  13. Remlap

    Remlap Member

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    And your point is???
    Latent Lakers fan are you?
     
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  14. Remlap

    Remlap Member

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    I'm disappointed in this game for a number of reasons
    1) We once had a 19pt lead and squandered it
    2) Now what we have Clint back we need to be making a statement by running the table
    Blowing a 20 pt lead doesn't do it
    3) We've kept LBJ and the Lakers in the playoff hunt and gave them hope
    while we embarrassed ourselves on a national TV game

    We could very well start off 0-2 out of the All Star Break while in the middle of a tight WC playoff race.
    I was hoping to get the W and hype us up for tomorrow's matchup with GSW. But now I'm really concerned
     
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  15. HP3

    HP3 Member

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    I have no idea why he does that man. Your on a Rockets board bro.
     
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  16. RasaqBoi

    RasaqBoi Member

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    Can't stand his cocky ****

     
  17. Andy Sheets

    Andy Sheets Contributing Member

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    What's the Rockets' record in national television games? I feel like most of the time they're on ESPN, ABC, or TNT, they're probably going to look like crap but maybe that's just recency bias or something.
     
  18. plates300

    plates300 Member

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    Watching last night's game, CP got whatever he wanted out of the high screen/pick and roll. The double pick set by Faried and Capela in the second quarter or so got CP an open shot every time. Not sure why they strayed away from that towards the end when they were struggling to score. I despise jacking up threes when the other team is on a run, especially when it seems like everyone was cold as ice in the fourth quarter. Yes, Scott Foster was a POS last night but the game was there for the taking and the Rockets did not execute down the stretch - and it seems to be an ongoing issue that still hasn't changed throughout the season.

    Make no mistake, this game was not an aberration - the Rockets have continually blown double digit leads due to lack of execution down the stretch. Blame D'Antoni all you want but with CP3 and Harden out there on the floor, there's no excuse for that. At this point in the season, the Rockets are what they are - a team that has had multiple injuries to multiple key players, and their execution or lack there of shows it. Let's hope that there are no more injuries and the key players can start forming some good chemistry because they're going to need every game the rest of the way.
     
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  19. smoothie_king

    smoothie_king Member

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    Capaela was late on the screen play that harden fouled out. Look at the play closely to see capaela with a slow jog up court.

    Harden looks to his left for a pick and he takes off before the play has time to develop because capaela half assed his way up court!

    If it was Daniel house, you can bet the pick would have been set especially since house is a three point threat.

    Obviously LeBron gets the charging play at home especially after returning from injury.
     
  20. Andy Sheets

    Andy Sheets Contributing Member

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    I feel like Harden and Paul, and probably most of the rest of the team, are in a state of denial about how the season has gone ("No one beating us 4 out of 7!") and the injuries have given them a convenient excuse to overlook stuff like their inability to play good defense or run a cohesive offense. It probably won't click with them until they're losing late in an elimination game in the playoffs and by then it'll be too late.
     
    Htownballer38 likes this.

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