Why do we subject ourselves to this? Maybe not out right rigged but more WWE than anything. Yes Westbrook sucked this game but he will be fine. Lakers came out with a sense of urgency and kept it up through out the 1st. Maybe they got relaxed with that time off in game 1 and Rockets were ready having just played. Hopefully we will make adjustments but hard to say with D'antoni. I expect Rockets to fight hard like they have been hopefully make better decisions and keep turnovers down. With the size, narratives, Lebron, AD, refs stacked our margin of error is literally zero. We will have to fight and grind for every win. We will see how much old man L.James has in the tank. I just want to say I never liked D'antoni's line up with this years roster or last years. I don't know why we are not seeing more of McLemore or Rivers, or even Luc. I'm sure there is some statistical reason. I use stats for keeping up with PER or shooting or defense %'s or what not but I'm definitely not a STAT head that it over takes logic. With that being said. This is just my opinion, and little rant. You don't have to like it. Also I just don't get why Tucker can't come off the bench? Why Roco can't play center? Why House can't start? Why Ben Mc and Rivers time declined as D'antoni gets more nervous as we creep depper into the playoff. Why have all our centers not named Capela been 6'6 I know he is a great defender. I just read somewhere AD has 0 points when Tucker guards him. I get that. I guess I just view small ball differently. If I had it my way. [P] Westbrook/Gordon/Rivers/ (all guards can break down defenses) [SG] Harden/Gordon/Rivers/McLemore (all guards can break down defenses & SHOOT) [SF] House/Gordon/McLemore/ (all forwards play solid minimal D and can hit the occasional 3) [PF] Green/Tucker/House/Mbah a Moute/ (all have solid D and can hit 3's decently, stretching the floor) [C] Covington/Green/Tucker/Tyson (all have solid D and can hit 3's decently, stretching the floor. This being the CENTER position able to hit 3's this will stretch the floor even further) Again this is just to start he could always through the lineup he runs now 4 minutes into the game. This team needs to decide who the point guard is. Yes it's Hardens team, yes he can play PG, of course. Things get tricky with Westbrook not being a good shooter. If Westbrook didn't have butter fingers then I would say let him bring it up. Westbrook is quick but has no crossover. James looks like he doesn't want to switch back to SG fulltime. Not a knock on Tucker, again he is awesome at what he does. Athleticism and height matters. I appreciate his THICKness though, and shoe game just want what best for the team. So with what we have to work with considering player feelings/personalities. My line up would be... [PG] Harden/Westbrook/Gordon/Rivers [SG] Gordon/Westbrook/Rivers/McLemore [SF] Westbrook/House/Tucker/Gordon [PF] Green/Tucker/House/Mbah a Moute/ [C] Covington/Green/Tucker/Tyson I don't know anymore..... MDA has to do something to keep our offense and D up, and wear these Lakers down with fresh bodies. Take some of the pressure off James from bringing up the ball up. They are pressing him all game. I would like James to start going to work off ball more. I enjoy watching my team but try not to get too invested anymore because I know the NBA doesn't want us to win, flat out. With Kobe's death, the hooorah they created for years luring AD and Lebron to LA. NBA analyst earlier today before game 2 were already looking ahead to LA vs LA like this series was over, wondering who's better Lebron or Kawhi. With the shady gambling refs it's hard to believe after all that the NBA is to let their NBA2k fantasy team lose to the Houston Rockets. I'm not saying Rockets can't do it but they will have to fight hard and take it out of the ref's hands by keeping the score high to where they can't change the games with multiple back to back bad calls.
Good I wasn't selling it. I'm not just talking about this game, I mean over the series. It has yet to be played out, we will see.
Mclemore is a defensive liability both one on one and help defense. Rivers has played poorly not shooting the long ball well. Covington cant play AD straight up. He defends wings and twos but not bigs. He is a great help defender getting big blocks.
we have this discussion after every playoff loss each year. it's time to just stop watching the nba. some of us have done so for a few years now and have gone on to live happier lives.
Look the lakers came in with a sense of urgency. We did not. Our lineup was fine until some ticky tack fouls got called early. The way they beat us is not sustainable. We just need to blow them out early and keep the foot on the gas pedal early. We need to wear lebron out. He can not play the way he did first quarter and last quarter without burning out. Look at all the rest he took. They had to ice him down.
It's just worse when it's the Lakers. Took them to game 7 like 10 years ago, and Kobe still elbowed Artest in the throat with no repercussion.
Rockets can win this series if they do 2 things: Harden needs to play better offense during double-team and as a playmaker need to find open shooters and Russ need to stop making knuckleheaded plays in the 4th and commit fewer turnovers. I can live with the fact if the Rockets lose because of poor shooting. It is not that the Lakers are playing fantastic, it is that the Rockets really stink under pressure. They need to finish the game strong.
Lol people here believe the nba is rigged But think Stephen A Smith and Max Kellerman are real @Reeko @Os Trigonum What a bunch of suckers
Did this dude really just ask why we’re not seeing Luc and why PJ can’t come off the bench? stopped reading this horrible thread immediately after seeing that people want to question MDA, but come up with suggestions like PJ off the bench...couch coaches make me sick
I'm not sure why Harden plays so surprised when they double him. They've done it all year and the team should be used 2 it by now.
100% nba is rigged....let me see, let an anti ccp team or the team and the whole nba that support the ccp....houston ain't winning this one.
You don't have to like it. PJ is short and breaking down. Gets tired quick. Can hit three's but is not at a high enough clip. Will need a new 6'5 center soon! lol
You can’t tell? One game he’s playing smart with zero turnovers the other game he looses his ability to dribble the basketball.
postgame WB said the turnovers were partly him, partly missed calls ie getting hacked ending up on his ass multiple times, but zebras saw nuffin
