GAME THREAD: ROCKETS @ BLAZERS - 12/12/13, THURS, 7:30 PM (PST), TNT

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Didn't Houston have five days off? Maybe a little rusty but I will take it.

And I think there coach had a personal matter?

Mchale is not the greatest coach. Rockets fans not that pleased with him

hoop fam

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Kenny sticking up for the Blazers. I liked the analysis (yes already talked about here and to less depth) . . . but the breakdown of the Blazers is that it is all about the starters. They are a very strong starting 5 averaging 83 its a game. Webber doesn't think the starters can do that all season and Kenny asked a great question, so which one falls off. Webber thinks you can only count on LA and Lillard doing it all season and Kenny stuck up for Wes. Anyways Kenny gave some serious support to the Blazers saying with this starting 5, they are close (lack experience)

Problem is I think Webber is probably right. The starters were hot last year and eventually broke down. Bench is better, but not giving the starters enough rest.

CJ and one vet acquisition should round out this roster.

 

[magnifier661]

Didn't Houston have five days off? Maybe a little rusty but I will take it.

And I think there coach had a personal matter?

Anyways it seems mixum has your reverse jinx capacity. He called me and said we'd get blown out. We just blew them out.

Can you please say this team will have another 2-6, 7 game stretch?

 

[BlazerBeav]

Seriously, watching that game - did it not look as if we were the more talented team? I mean, this isn't just a product of playing well - we pass the eyeball test of a contender! We shot 30% in the first half and were within 1?!

 

[Strenuus]

Didn't Houston have five days off? Maybe a little rusty but I will take it.

And I think there coach had a personal matter?

You called it Mags!

Though, it is a nice effort on the rust part.

 

[B-Roy]

Aldridge walking off the court. Really glad the city is finally embracing him. Even when he first broke out a few years ago, It never felt like he had the same relationship with the city as Roy. Well, he certainly does now, and boy is it well deserved.

 

[TheBlueDoggy]

Didn't Houston have five days off? Maybe a little rusty but I will take it.

And I think there coach had a personal matter?

As I read this, all I could think of was a kid sitting in a dark room in his parents house, clicking submit and then fist pumping while yelling, "I'm keeping it real, son!"

 

[The_Lillard_King]

You know Houston wanted this win. 3 days off to practice, rest and prepare for the #1 team in the West. Blazers aren't sneaking up on anybody and teams like Houston are going to bring their best.

Both teams tight/rusty in the first half, but I thought 2nd half was more indicative of both teams. Blazers stood toe to toe with the rockets and pulled away at the end. Even with Howard's 32 and Harden's 25

 

[Pinwheel1]

Speaking of rust, ever notice how just two days off throws teams out of rhythm for 1-2 quarters. Both teams looked off their game tonight. But by the 3rd quarter things were back to normal.

It seems like an every other night scenario is best for most teams.

 

[Natebishop3]

Didn't Houston have five days off? Maybe a little rusty but I will take it.

And I think there coach had a personal matter?

So they were rested AND they had time to gameplan for us?

I'll take it too.

 

[TheBlueDoggy]

Mchale is not the greatest coach. Rockets fans not that pleased with him

hoop fam

True. McHale's best coaching strategy is to stand in front of the apposing team's best player to interfere with an inbounds pass. You know you're reaching deep down and finding nothing when you start playing Kidd games to get an edge.

 

[magnifier661]

You called it Mags!

Though, it is a nice effort on the rust part.

Hahaha I knew it

 

[Strenuus]

There's your thousands mags!

 

[magnifier661]

There's your thousands mags!

Yes!

 

[Pinwheel1]

It does worry me who Houston is going to get for Asik. They will be adding someone decent to their roster in another week.

 

[Strenuus]

It does worry me who Houston is going to get for Asik. They will be adding someone decent to their roster in another week.

In the beginning of the game, David Aldridge was saying he'll be traded no later than the 19th, and IIRC, Milwaukee and Philly were interested teams, along with Cleveland (Where Vareajo would come to Houston)

 

[magnifier661]

In the beginning of the game, David Aldridge was saying he'll be traded no later than the 19th, and IIRC, Milwaukee and Philly were interested teams, along with Cleveland (Where Vareajo would come to Houston)

We broke their back tonight. Even their best defender had no answer for Aldridge. It was a thing of beauty

 

[Drttimmy]

Aldridge was definitely the MVP of this game, BUT, serious fucking shout out to Robin Lopez.

16 points, 10 boards, 2 blocks, and some damn good defense on Howard in single coverage.

Lopez was beast. Maybe his acquisition is akin to the Buck Williams trade after all?

If there is one thing I take away from this game, it's our defense and how it's improving. We had many series where we played really solid halfcourt defense. There was one possession in particular around the 8:30 mark in the 4th. Harden and Howard working a two man game where Matthews was making it hell for Harden to enter into Howard and Lopez bodying Howard and Aldridge shading the key. It was great team defense with guys in sync truly anticipating what Houston wanted to do. I think they eventually found Parsons cutting down the middle, but he threw up a wild shot which we corral ed and away we went.

 

[illmatic99]

Our second half scoring is just ridiculous

vs HOU: 68-60
@ UTA: 54-49
vs DAL: 53-53
vs UTA: 63-43
vs OKC: 63-45
vs IND: 61-56
vs LAL: 61-58

Our defense seems to allow quite a few points as well, but we're consistently at or around 60 in the second half. Our pace seems much faster as well

 

[magnifier661]

Our second half scoring is just ridiculous

vs HOU: 68-60
@ UTA: 54-49
vs DAL: 53-53
vs UTA: 63-43
vs OKC: 63-45
vs IND: 61-56
vs LAL: 61-58

Our defense seems to allow quite a few points as well, but we're consistently at or around 60 in the second half. Our pace seems much faster as well

I've been saying we've been a second half team. Play defense when it matters. It's a thing of beauty

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

Awesome game! My throat is kind sore from shouting MVP starting on LA's 3pt play midway through the 3rd and several times in the 4th. No issue with typing though - MVP! MVP! MVP! Took a while for the crowd to get into the game cause the shooting was so bad in the 1st half, but the Rose Garden was rocking by the 4th.


31/25/2/2/2 and just 1 turnover. Simply amazing!

Batum's turnovers seem to always end up being a 4pt swing. Really want him to clean that up, but 15/6/6 and 2 blocks did the trick.

Was SO happy to see Wright hit some threes.

Lopez with a pedestrian 16/10 He and LA played really solid defense all night, and didn't have any serious foul trouble till the game was decided. Freeland finally got dunked on, but watching top 3 plays on ESPN when I got home, they said it was Lopez who got dunked on. So, I'm gonna pretend it didn't happen.

That scene between Howard and Parsons, where they were fighting over a rebound reminded my of Hickson last season without the overt attitude. LA got an offensive rebound and lay in. We were all laughing. Houston coach needed time. That's the kind chemistry issues that separates good teams from the best of teams.

Asik in a suit made me happy inside. Idk why, but it felt like a metaphor for why Houston and Howard aren't leading the West in wins. A team of babies.

Lillard struggled, and I think Beverly had everything to do with that. He's so annoying on D. They both got into it at the end of the game. Dame's gotta find a way to be effective. I think he's seen the best the NBA has to offer so far, and it's time to learn from it and adjust.

Great TEAM win! 19-4 GO BLAZERS! LA FOR MVP!!!!

 

[THE HCP]

About to read the game thread. Curious how negative people were about Dame's night. One thing I want to point out is he was an amazing +20!!!

 

[Strenuus]

About to read the game thread. Curious how negative people were about Dame's night. One thing I want to point out is he was an amazing +20!!!

It was suprisingly not that bad. More concern than anything.

 

[KingSpeed]

I think that was Houston's game plan. They wanted to take away the perimeter and allow dame to get in the paint. Dame has been poor down there and they have one of the best shot blockers.

I think the plan was let Aldridge get his and take away Dame

They we fronting and doubling Aldridge. They did not want Aldridge to get his and their plan worked in the first half.

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

SlyPokerDog passed on a lot of good info from Blazer PR.

Only the 3rd 30/20 game this season in the NBA, and LA has 2 of them.
LA with career high 25 boards.
Only the 4th Blazer to have 4 or more 20/20 games.
Lopez with a career high 10 double doubles in a season... after 24 games!

Not mentioned was team Rebounding: Portland out rebounded the #1 rebounding team in the NBA tonight. Silly Dave Decker and his pre-season opinions.

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

They we fronting and doubling Aldridge. They did not want Aldridge to get his and their plan worked in the first half.

This was key. And Portland refused to double Houston. Stotts played the percentages, and even on a poor shooting night, it still smelled like victory in the Rose Garden after the game.

 

[KingSpeed]

Shockingly, in 15 games, Robin's brother Brook hasn't had a single double double at all this year. I think we have the better Lopez.

 

[blue32]

Awesome game! My throat is kind sore from shouting MVP starting on LA's 3pt play midway through the 3rd and several times in the 4th. No issue with typing though - MVP! MVP! MVP! Took a while for the crowd to get into the game cause the shooting was so bad in the 1st half, but the Rose Garden was rocking by the 4th.


31/25/2/2/2 and just 1 turnover. Simply amazing!

Batum's turnovers seem to always end up being a 4pt swing. Really want him to clean that up, but 15/6/6 and 2 blocks did the trick.

Was SO happy to see Wright hit some threes.

Lopez with a pedestrian 16/10 He and LA played really solid defense all night, and didn't have any serious foul trouble till the game was decided. Freeland finally got dunked on, but watching top 3 plays on ESPN when I got home, they said it was Lopez who got dunked on. So, I'm gonna pretend it didn't happen.

That scene between Howard and Parsons, where they were fighting over a rebound reminded my of Hickson last season without the overt attitude. LA got an offensive rebound and lay in. We were all laughing. Houston coach needed time. That's the kind chemistry issues that separates good teams from the best of teams.

Asik in a suit made me happy inside. Idk why, but it felt like a metaphor for why Houston and Howard aren't leading the West in wins. A team of babies.

Lillard struggled, and I think Beverly had everything to do with that. He's so annoying on D. They both got into it at the end of the game. Dame's gotta find a way to be effective. I think he's seen the best the NBA has to offer so far, and it's time to learn from it and adjust.

Great TEAM win! 19-4 GO BLAZERS! LA FOR MVP!!!!

Yeah, I agree as well, but its a little disheartening to see him get abused that badly by an average PG. Also needs to develop a drive+step back

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Yeah, I agree as well, but its a little disheartening to see him get abused that badly by an average PG. Also needs to develop a drive+step back

Physical point guards give him trouble; Beverly is the platonic ideal of a physical point guard (and is imho better than his reputation), and it's something Lillard does have to work through. I hope that, during every practice, Earl Watson just lays into him, is allowed to foul without whistles, and just forces Lillard to adapt.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Also, is it just me, or did we really get the benefit of the whistles last night? Houston is used to flopping around and getting any whistle they want. Usually the game plays to their reputation. But our reputation is that we play defense correctly and don't foul often (see Joel Freeland). Last night, the refs played the game to our reputation, and it really paid off for us. This is just an eye test, not based on stats.