Like many of you, I was emotionally spent after the game. After the cooling off period, here are my 2 cents: 1. What does that tell you when our toughest player is also one of the smallest guy in the team? For the longest time, I have thought that our bigs were soft and yesterday's game just another confirmation of that notion. If you are going to allow Lillard to drive at will, you need to make sure he is going to FEEL IT when he does. A Ron Artest type of player is sorely needed, one that will think twice before driving into the lane. Against the old Pistons team, Lillard would be flying into the stands. That needs to be addressed in the offseason. 2. Howard did his part, other than the fts and some turnovers in the first half. It is Harden, whom I think was the third best player in the entire NBA this season, who deeply disappointed with poor defensive effort and just a poor night offensively, by repeatedly missing some wide open 3s that he usually makes with his eyes closed. He needs to wake the hell up. 3. Our role players showed up, including the much maligned Jeremy Lin. Other than a very few turnovers, he was very good, especially guarding Mo Wlliams. The play of the role players give us hope, only if our superstars decide to show up. 4. Patrick Bev, I love that guy, but he need to be shelved for the rest of the season. He does not look right. This may be a blessing in disguise in that the someone or/and the whole team will step in his absence. We will see. 5. This is far from over, but give some credit to the Blazers. They did not win 54 wins by being mediocre. Fire away. Go Rockets.
