Went into series thinking 5 games Houston. Biggest worry was the forced switch, big man roll to basket slip screen I referred to as post up game (because it often turns into a gather the pass and then easy post up at the rim). Rockets made adjustments after initial shock they went after our Achilles Heel. Only thing is I said don't leave Ingles. Noticed they put Ingles in corner a lot weakside...if defender leaves to help interior, then Gobert looks for Ingles sitting pretty out there. Most interior help defense needs to come from other defenders. Other note: Jazz overplaying 3-pt line. & Mitchell favoring Harden left side at 3 point line made Harden uncomfortable with step back 3's. There are ways to free Hardens left side from defender. Still think 5 games.
I'm fighting a sinus infection, the first one in years. That's why I didn't post during the game. The way we played didn't help, either. Time to take the next game in Utah and get back home court. There's no reason we can't, either, if we play the way we can. Utah isn't going to shoot that well from Downtown again during the series, in my opinion, and we can play a far better game than we we uncorked last night. I'm still optimistic.
Still feeling good about the series. I usually avoid this place after losses. Some people don't understand basketball and their irrationality really shows after a loss. It's hard to read.
I'm tracking the shoddy play back to mid-March when the role player's / bench's collective shooting touch vanished without a trace (taking overall ball movement with it) and your Big Two reverted to 'iso left, iso right' ... if it weren't so late in the season with lesser teams slacking off(?) I don't think there would have been a closing 14-game streak to get these guys postseason homecourt, even with the stepped-up defense. I thought by now they would have shot themselves past the rough patch but it looks like confidence has taken a pretty big hit... now 33 is the poster child for gunners going trigger-shy in the moment. If they play more of the dark-alley defense they might be able to win a couple ugly with a steady diet of 'iso left, iso right'... but their variation on the GSW pandemonium offense that gave them such insane strings of wins during the regular season has been lost as illogically and inexplicably as Chuck Knoblauch's throw to first. Either it's all mental, or guys are more hurt than they let on (EGo and LMAM for sure)... whatever the case, it's taking on the stink of "Peaked Too Early and Couldn't Get it Back." But I'm still traumatized by events in the '93 playoffs so I'm probably not welcome in the Red Rowdies section (metaphorically speaking)...
This loss sucked. BUT.. Similar to Wolves game three. Jazzholes shot above their heads. I would say we shot below our head, but so far Gordon is not showing me anything except a talent at whining. Maybe someone should tell him the playoffs started. Also Tony Brothers can't officiate again. Gulp. But Kenny Mauer can.
Alright, I admit it was not a good look for me BUT, I just wanna say that dude is crazy, if you even read that whole thing, you would see how crazy he is. I put him on ignore so its pretty much over.
They'll be fine. If their first 1.75 quarters of that game could be described as an NBA player, it would be Eric Floyd.
Know why I'm not worried? Rockets still haven't played a complete game. Jazz are having to play their best basketball to win and it isn't sustainable IMO. Looking forward to HOU mashing on the gas next game.
