Houston Rockets 2017 Preseason Thread - Spurs MyPlayers Take Over

[Peep Game]

Effort wasn't all there tonight. Bad games from a lot of guys other that Ryno and Beverley. Basically the total opposite of game 1, not getting boards, 3s not falling, lucky bounces going the Spurs way, and general lack of awareness. Need to win that first home game

 

[sole searchin]

Effort wasn't all there tonight. Bad games from a lot of guys other that Ryno and Beverley. Basically the total opposite of game 1, not getting boards, 3s not falling, lucky bounces going the Spurs way, and general lack of awareness. Need to win that first home game

Agreed. Can't get too high, can't get too low. Even after the game 1 blowout, you're only up 1-0 still no matter how much you won by. Spurs adjusted and played 4 quarters of solid basketball while the Rockets didn't.

Refs or not, this lost was on intensity and effort. We didn't bring it and it showed all game. Capela got sucked out by Gasol and ended up with 3, THREE rebounds for the game. Hell, rewatching some of the game, the Rockets lucked out on alot of those shots by Gasol cause he was OPEN.

Kawhi picking up Harden from the half court line the entire game and we couldn't adjust. We couldn't find a way to get him off of him and when we did it worked (Bev sets an early screen, Parker switches off, Harden gets 3 FTs), so MDA will have to adjust and find ways to get our guys going.

Friday will be the key game in this series and hopefully the Rockets bring the energy and intensity as does Toyota Center.

 

[jewbacca2]

Seemed like every 50/50 ball went to the Spurs tonight.

No idea what the final rebounding numbers were, but it felt like we gave up way too many second chance points.

 

[Peep Game]

^at one point, it was 39-28 for rebounds, but it felt like an even larger disparity

 

[puglife]

yeah definitely felt like they had way more second chance points than us. we'd be within a basket of tying the game and get a stop, but then they'd get the offensive rebound and end up scoring. kept us from gaining momentum and taking the lead.

looks like tony parker is done. hope beverley gives patty mills hell now.

i also feel like it's so obvious when kawhi is about to shoot, but ariza and everyone else are just standing there letting him shoot. when he's finally about to release they go and half heartedly contest the shot, but at that point it's too late. can't keep playing lazy like that.

 

[Peep Game]

There were multiple times where even Spurs players were shocked the Rockets didn't contest. Mills, Kawhi, and Green all were able to take deep breaths, dribble three times and get off shots, and most of the time, Ariza was supposed to be the one on then at the time.

 

[hardens beard]

The rebounding was pathetic. But in defense, the refs gave Gasol free reign to be over the back of our players.

 

[do work son]

they just worked harder than we did. kawhi had his best game, harden had his worst game, and for most of the game we were within 3-10 points. the same way game 1 couldn't be replicated, game 2 won't happen again. we stole homecourt. that's all that matters.

 

[puglife]

yeah i'm trying not to get too down about the game. we were in it for 3 quarters and in position to steal another one. we just didn't come out to play in the 4th and it cost us. winning game 3 at home will be huge so i hope they come out ready to play.

 

[hardens beard]

If Harden is still favoring his hip we in trouble. As bad as he was on offense he was even worse defensively. Multiple times Danny green beat him off the dribble.

 

[Peep Game]

If Harden is still favoring his hip we in trouble. As bad as he was on offense he was even worse defensively. Multiple times Danny green beat him off the dribble.

And even with that, I still think he was playing better D than Ariza :x Kawhi casually walked by him every play

 

[Peep Game]

Rebounds, second efforts, and contesting is key tonight. Effort all around. Can't have guys just standing around like they're an audience.

 

[Peep Game]

That was such a Rockets end to the 3rd. Put all this effort in to get to 3, then give up a 3 at the buzzer. I hate every one of these Spurs players, I don't care if they have the personality​ of s piece of paper

 

[Retroballer]

Seasons over. It was fun.

 

[Peep Game]

Disgusting. If it was only through Houston's doing, I'd be only a little less pissed, but this truly feels like 8v5

 

[Peep Game]

:x :x Nene, Anderson, and Lou provided not a single thing tonight. If you're battling refs along with another team, the least the supporting cast could do is show up at home. Series will be over fast if they continue this

 

[hardens beard]

Disgusting. If it was only through Houston's doing, I'd be only a little less pissed, but this truly feels like 8v5

What's crazy is, it really was just one ref that was screwing us. The other two really stayed outta the way.

The bench was atrocious tonight.

 

[Peep Game]

^that was probably 1 of only a handful of times Harden felt like Westbrook. Sucks that had to happen in the playoffs though. I'm just puzzled that nothing came from Ryno, Lou, and Nene, especially Nene. Ariza, Harden, and Capela were the only ones that came to okay, and Bev somewhat.

 

[sole searchin]

Have to open up the rotation. I know MDA likes a short bench, 8 players, but you cannot have Ariza logging 45+ minutes. We pretty much have no forward backup with Ego, Lou, and Nene being our bench.

 

[rbk93]

Dekker getting minutes?

 

[Peep Game]

Definitely time to open up the rotation. Couldn't believe it when I checked and saw Ariza played 46 minutes :x :x :x If SA can play 10 guys, 2 of which barely see playing time, then Houston very well can have Dekker/Harrell/Williams out there here and there. The Rockets are supposed to be the faster uptempo team, yet on top and LMA/Pau being giraffes, they're getting beat by speed/athletics.

 

[50inchvert]

Pop clearly playing the odds on the 3 ball. He's willing to let that beat him if that's what it comes to, but for obvious reasons doesn't feel threatened that the Rockets will have those career nights from the arc to consistently beat them. Adjustments by D'Antoni and crew are definitely needed.

 

[hardens beard]

The adjustment is gonna be Ryno at the 5 and him doubling down on the small ball

 

[statis22]

If Dantoni is willing to die on that sword then I guess I can't be too upset but it's the same sword he fell on in Phoenix. And that would be more disappointing than anything.

The lack of a 2nd guy or even a secondary offense is doing us in.

 

[puglife]

i doubt our bench gives us absolutely nothing again. that might have been one of our worst performances of the year and we still were in it. we definitely weren't getting calls that were legitimate fouls, but we've been through playoffs enough...we know what to expect by now with harden and company. we can't start crying and let it effect our game. got to keep playing our game and dictate things our way.

hope we can keep aldridge in check game 4 and do a good job on kawhi again. can't afford to let this slip away from us.