122 replies to this topic

[Mason Khamvilay]

I think we win this game if we make our threes. 

24% from behind the arc tonight--8 for 33. We weren't driving and kicking enough this game, we were just blatantly settling for the three before any penetration. Harden was the main culprit, frequently stopping ball movement to over-dribble without going anywhere (literally just dribbled in the same spot for 10 seconds before taking a shot or making a bad pass) and failing to use screens. Harden would either call the screen away or simply wait for the screen to go away before attacking off the iso.

 

Sorry to say this fellow Rocket fans, but this team can only go as far as Harden takes us and it looks like he won't be taking us very far this year. Hopefully next season things will be different. We need to create floor spacing via lots of movement (like the Nuggets), or create floor spacing by getting PF who can shoot (like Millsap).

[miketheodio]

smh mchale

[pharmag]

smh mchale

Don't think you can blame this one entirely on McHale. I read his lips on one of the last play they drew up, and it wasn't followed at all. Team played lazy and sloppy the whole half...

[Rahat Huq]

Unbelievable.  

[Jason]

I blame this one on Harden. He played horrendously bad for the final 3 quarters of the game. He needs to develop a midrange game or a floater or something. It's not working just forcing the ball to the rim and missing layups.

[Mason Khamvilay]

I know everyone wants to give Harden credit when he plays well, but lets give him some criticism when he plays bad too. Harden lost our last two games, it's on him more than anyone else.

[Mario Peña]

Blaming this on McHale is easy for fans and many will do it. I think it's just a matter of numbers. If a few more three pointers go in the Rockets win this no problem. Lots of details can be nitpicked but this is a young team and those young team errors are unavoidable, simply it was a live by the three die by the three game.

[miketheodio]

Don't think you can blame this one entirely on McHale. I read his lips on one of the last play they drew up, and it wasn't followed at all. Team played lazy and sloppy the whole half...

main contributing factor. things slowed down toward the end of the 3rd. he put out terrible line ups then and 1/4-1/2 of the 4th. harden is second. the team stands around even when harden didn't have the ball (3rd). delfino didn't show up at all (4th). refs (5th).

i have defended mchale the whole season. this was an obvious failure.

[Jason]

I know everyone wants to give Harden credit when he plays well, but lets give him some criticism when he plays bad too. Harden lost our last two games, it's on him more than anyone else.

Totally agree. Harden has had some terrible games lately. He has work to do in the offseason. He needs to decrease his turnovers, develop a midrange shot, develop a floater, and improve his defense. He is only 23 yrs old so he should be able to improve in these areas. I just hope he puts in the work because his current game doesn't work if defenses clog the paint and his outside jumper is off. Especially in games like this when he isn't getting the foul calls.

[Mason Khamvilay]

Blaming this on McHale is easy for fans and many will do it. I think it's just a matter of numbers. If a few more three pointers go in the Rockets win this no problem. Lots of details can be nitpicked but this is a young team and those young team errors are unavoidable, simply it was a live by the three die by the three game.

I don't have the stats, but I know for a fact we make a much higher percentage of our threes if they are shot after a drive and kick out. We didn't do that this game.

[Mario Peña]

Harden is the Rockets and if he shoots 8 of 25 the Rockets will most likely lose. I agree this is mostly on Harden. It didn't help Lin was 4 of 14. Our backcourt starters should perform better against the Laker guards but they are still learning how to win I think.

[SDrake]

Someone needs to tell Hardin it's a team sport. 4-13 at 3-pointers? Why the heck did Hardin shoot 13 3-pointers? If anyone's going to shoot that many, it should be Parsons or Delfino who can shoot a better percentage.

The Rockets call timeouts late in the game and McHale doesn't set a play for them other than Hardin's hero-ball? Hardin holding the ball near mid-court then either shooting a 3-pointer or passing at the last second so someone else can take a low percentage shot isn't a good strategy. Hero-ball failed at the end of the 1st and 3rd quarters. It would have failed at the end of the 4th if Greg Smith didn't hustle to keep the ball alive that led to Parson's tying 3-pointer. All season, the Harden hero-ball play has been the least efficient play. Move the ball and get a better percentage shot.

Oh, there will be people singing Hardin's praises for scoring 30 points tonight, but with 8-25 shooting, he should have scored 40-45 points. Plus his 6 turnovers. Maybe he's been overused all season and is just tired, but after halftime, Hardin sucked. Remember he sucked after the 1st quarter Monday against the Suns. Hardin has serious liabilities when he's not making his shots.

When Hardin is making shots, he's much more a team player. When he's not making shots, he becomes more of an individual player like he needs another shot to make up for the one he's just missed. It snowballs and he's 8-25 like tonight.

Now against OKC... You know Hardin will be playing the individual game again. All the attention will be on him playing against his old team. OKC in 4 games.

[trickymess]

Dude. Harden had a TERRIBLE game. He keeps on getting a free pass becuase he's the max player, but my god his D and the habit of giving up the ball with 4 secs or less on the shot clock is pretty damn annoying.

 

I did not know that McHale was such a bad coach. Why did Lin get pulled in the 3rd. They were ahead and holding a 5-7 pt lead throughout the game with him playing. So Blake is hot, so what? We were matching them possession for possession. So Lin's shooting poorly? So what, he's distributing the ball to Asik and Parsons. Frankly he was 4/9 at one point and I think if he wasn't iced, he would've had a good game.

 

I like Beverley but aside from one pretty bucket, he wasn't THAT much more effective on D.

 

Need a new coach!!!

[Mason Khamvilay]

Totally agree. Harden has had some terrible games lately. He has work to do in the offseason. He needs to decrease his turnovers, develop a midrange shot, develop a floater, and improve his defense. He is only 23 yrs old so he should be able to improve in these areas. I just hope he puts in the work because his current game doesn't work if defenses clog the paint and his outside jumper is off. Especially in games like this when he isn't getting the foul calls.

Agree 100%. I know McHale doesn't want us to take mid-range shots, but a mid-range shot or a floater would have been very handy in games like these.

[Jason]

Dude. Harden had a TERRIBLE game. He keeps on getting a free pass becuase he's the max player, but my god his D and the habit of giving up the ball with 4 secs or less on the shot clock is pretty damn annoying.

I did not know that McHale was such a bad coach. Why did Lin get pulled in the 3rd. They were ahead and holding a 5-7 pt lead throughout the game with him playing. So Blake is hot, so what? We were matching them possession for possession. So Lin's shooting poorly? So what, he's distributing the ball to Asik and Parsons. Frankly he was 4/9 at one point and I think if he wasn't iced, he would've had a good game.

I like Beverley but aside from one pretty bucket, he wasn't THAT much more effective on D.

Need a new coach!!!

Lol. Calm down dude, this loss was not on the coach it was on Harden. And Beverley

[Jason]

Dude. Harden had a TERRIBLE game. He keeps on getting a free pass becuase he's the max player, but my god his D and the habit of giving up the ball with 4 secs or less on the shot clock is pretty damn annoying.

I did not know that McHale was such a bad coach. Why did Lin get pulled in the 3rd. They were ahead and holding a 5-7 pt lead throughout the game with him playing. So Blake is hot, so what? We were matching them possession for possession. So Lin's shooting poorly? So what, he's distributing the ball to Asik and Parsons. Frankly he was 4/9 at one point and I think if he wasn't iced, he would've had a good game.

I like Beverley but aside from one pretty bucket, he wasn't THAT much more effective on D.

Need a new coach!!!

Lol. Calm down dude, this loss was not on the coach it was on Harden. And Beverley is a much better defensive player than Lin.

[pharmag]

Tricky, agree with first point, but second is off based. If he doesn't get Lin a rest, then he is gassed in the fourth. Lineup he threw out there was odd but can't fault him for getting his starters rest for the fourth. Also, I think it is hilarious that people ripped McHale for matching up with the Suns last game when they went small, claiming he should have played big and pounded it. Now they are ripping it because he tried a small ball lineup against a LA team packing the paint most likely to pull the big men out and open some lanes and potentially draw some fouls on Howard & Gasol as they try to recover to stop driver. Didn't work and he got rid of it pretty quickly, but McHale just can't win...

[Mason Khamvilay]

I've seen Lin play some really good defense this season, so this isn't a knock on Lin but Beverley is definately better at pestering the ball handler.

[Rahat Huq]

it's too late now but they're going to have to get this figured out in the offseason.  you cannot run an offense like that down the stretch.  that was absolutely downright inexplicable.  

[Mason Khamvilay]

We actually looked alot like the Heat in the 2011 finals against the Mavs, lots of standing around and predictable pick and rolls that don't work. Hopefully we look like they did in the 2012 finals next year lol