By chandlerparsonsAnd I don't get why Portland fans hate Houston so much. We practically gave you the easiest ride into the second round in the West last season.
Well Yao/Brooks did smack them.
I'd be scared too at the thought of accidentally touching his beard and catching whatever herp lives on there from the hookers he's had.
You just know that nasty motherfucker eats hooker vag and doesn't wash the beard after.
You just know that nasty motherfucker eats hooker vag and doesn't wash the beard after.
By SmokeyHe played well and you know it. Your team knew it too. Harden jumped on his back and Terry shoved him to the ground in the clutch.Brown on slowing down Harden, who leads the NBA in scoring: "I guess when you're scared out there it makes you be a little more aware of who you're guarding … I would never let the other player know I'm scared, but I think it's always a good thing to be scared sometimes."
Forever ya boy was shook
By RBKUgh, why would you post THAT again? WHY THE F IS HE RUNNING TOWARDS TJONES. AAAARRrhdlgsodijgoasfjoiasjfasoifjBy reiloOh look it's a Rockets fan asking if Lillard is clutch.The REAL reason why Morey didn't match:
You know. You know very well.
http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/4398543/portland.gif
By reiloI'd be scared too at the thought of accidentally touching his beard and catching whatever herp lives on there from the hookers he's had.Woah man , jeez.
You just know that nasty motherfucker eats hooker vag and doesn't wash the beard after.
Westbrook out of his goddamn mind. This guy has catapulted himself into top 3 nba player. Move the fuck over James Harden and Steph Curry Wow.
By VahagnWestbrook out of his goddamn mind. This guy has catapulted himself into top 3 nba player. Move the fuck over James Harden and Steph Curry Wow.Nope.
By HasphatsAntsWestbrook is doing the Gohan SSJ2 after Goku (KD) dies to Cell.So he need Goku back from afterlife to help him anyway?
Neat.
CELTICS 7 OF LAST 10............ SAME AS FUCK WARRIORS
THE FIGHT CURRY VS ISIAH WILL BE GOOD.
PACERS HAVE A CAKE WALK SHEDULE WILL BE 7TH SEED
8 SEED BOSTON
I DONT BELIEVE IN FUCK MIAMI NETS DETROIT HORNETS..........
WE ALREADY WON ATLANTA........... CELTICS CLEVELAND EAST FINALS.....
THE FIGHT CURRY VS ISIAH WILL BE GOOD.
PACERS HAVE A CAKE WALK SHEDULE WILL BE 7TH SEED
8 SEED BOSTON
I DONT BELIEVE IN FUCK MIAMI NETS DETROIT HORNETS..........
WE ALREADY WON ATLANTA........... CELTICS CLEVELAND EAST FINALS.....
By DiprosalicThat guy is something but Bestbrook cant win against good teams without Durant.That's says more about the level of talent on the team minus the two of them then it does about Westbrook. Also wtf at his face? Is he a terminator?
Edit: What? I thought Mase was getting better? Fuck.....
By masudThey still have that one backup guard, right? Jim Hardon or something?By DiprosalicThat guy is something but Bestbrook cant win against good teams without Durant.That's says more about the level of talent on the team minus the two of them then it does about Westbrook. Also wtf at his face? Is he a terminator?
Edit: What? I thought Mase was getting better? Fuck…..
By masudThat's says more about the level of talent on the team minus the two of them then it does about Westbrook..
sure, i wasn't implying otherwise.
By romreiCELTICS 7 OF LAST 10………… SAME AS FUCK WARRIORSreilo let you have an account?
THE FIGHT CURRY VS ISIAH WILL BE GOOD.
PACERS HAVE A CAKE WALK SHEDULE WILL BE 7TH SEED
8 SEED BOSTON
I DONT BELIEVE IN FUCK MIAMI NETS DETROIT HORNETS……….
WE ALREADY WON ATLANTA……….. CELTICS CLEVELAND EAST FINALS…..
By ForeverHe played well and you know it. Your team knew it too. Harden jumped on his back and Terry shoved him to the ground in the clutch.
whatever
never heard a professional player come out and say he was legit scared of another player lol
By MambaI'm not trying to argue the Rockets offense won't improve. I'm just saying to let more data come in before we start singing their praises (and of course, their current Off Rating is too low because it includes a lot of time Dwight missed). The Rockets have played shitty team after shitty team of late.So it's the last day of February, and I wanted to give you that call now before we get hammered next week.
After the Magic game, Rockets will be somewhere like 7th easiest schedule in the league. Their schedule is going to pick up soon. From after the Magic game til March, there's 5 total below .500 teams (one being the surging Pistons) on the schedule. If the offense is dominating and Houston is winning and still in 3rd place, then give me a call. My guess is that stretch will lose them HCA in the 1st round. Their defensive numbers will also come down (offense again will still go up at least for a while cuz Dwight is playing).
In that stretch with only 5 games against sub-.500 teams, we played 14 games (15, if you count the game he got injured and only played 8 minutes) without Howard and went 13-6 (68.4%). Regardless of the results tonight, we'll still hold on to HCA and surprisingly the 3rd seed. In spite of that difficult stretch, our offensive efficiency has remained 7th since our first trades. The only thing you were right about was our defense, which has unfortunately fallen off a cliff.
There have now been more games post-trade than pre-trade, and I figured it'd be a good time to revisit the question: What's caused our improvement on offense? With Howard out in two significant stretches, and our schedule evening out to the 7th 'hardest' (based on SOS), is it possible that somebody who actually watches the majority of Rockets games knows what he's talking about?
Our bench went from from having a Net Rating of -5.5 (24th in the league) to +5.5 (2nd). The uplift from not having to play our 3rd-string players due to injury and bolstering our roster through trades (and good luck) has been immense. I feel a need to quote these stats because I assume nobody outside of Houston fans bother to watch our games. They really shouldn't be needed, though, to convince someone that a bench consisting of Smith, Jones, Brewer and Terry is much better than relying on Dorsey, Garcia, Daniels and Johnson. From Black/Dorsey to Howard/Motiejunas
From Motiejunas/Papanikolaou to Jones/Smith
From Ariza/Garcia to Ariza/Brewer
From Harden/Daniels to Harden/Terry
From Terry/Johnson to Beverley/Prigioni
With Jones fit enough to play starting minutes, and the addition of Prigioni, I'm curious to see how this team goes.
By reiloThe faster attitudes change about mental health the better."I get put in certain situations now that I never did before – we all do – and we have to learn how to maneuver in those situations. There's no book. There are no guidelines. There's really not much guidance," Sanders said. "Everything at once – family, home … life. Then, being a professional who has to perform on the court. It's intense: The minute something happens, it's on the Web. A million people are talking about it. Privacy is completely taken away. It's almost like that privacy is exchanged for money. But you can't buy peace."
What an amazing fucking quote.
I feel bad for bestbrook. He's a beast. Maybe he'll get more rest now since the division title is pretty much not going to happen.
Dan Feldman @DanFeldmanNBA 47s47 seconds ago
"Take James Harden off our team, and we're nowhere, basically" -Daryl Morey
By reiloSo disgusting."We don't do a very good job with mental health," said an NBA team executive as he looked down at the sad contents of his boxed lunch and sighed. "We don't have any answers, and we're not doing a good job looking for them."
This was three years ago at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics conference in Boston. I'd asked about the status of a player who had had some early success but had fallen off the NBA map after a short stint with the exec's team.
He lamented that, too often, he and his head coach were charged with the job of evaluating and counseling guys who, in his estimation, were likely suffering from mental health conditions that professionals should be diagnosing, then treating. The exec said that he had taken it upon himself to read up on current trends in brain research but that he was in far over his head.
About 15 months later, a general manager from a different team called and vented about his helplessness with a recent signee who, he suspected, was grappling with mental health issues. The player was visiting an independent psychologist not associated with the team, but his problems persisted. The league offered mentorship from player-development specialists who were well-versed in advising players on how to handle their newfound wealth and family issues, but the GM said it probably wasn't enough. Hunting for a solution, he approached the team owner about investing in a mental health program for his new signee.
"I just gave him $30 million worth of mental health," the owner said.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12354422/larry-sanders-battle-anxiety-depression
By etiolationDan Feldman @DanFeldmanNBA 47s47 seconds ago
"Take James Harden off our team, and we're nowhere, basically" -Daryl Morey
This is common sense.
Looks like YNB might have suffered a zygomatic arch fracture. Guys have played through it before with a mask for protection, but we don't know his status yet.
If he isn't able to play the playoff situation could get dicey.
If he isn't able to play the playoff situation could get dicey.
Damn spurs vs suns tonight and the suns dont have a single player left from the rivalry days. And pop and duncan are still at it. Crazy
By romreimade this claim on Twitter and 140 characters is not enough so here’s my blog post on why Russell Westbrook is better than the reigning MVP.wtf, this is some multiple personality disorder if i ever saw one. o_0
Kevin Durant can be game planned around. He might end up with a 10-25 shooting game with 30 points but that’s what you’d hope for. Let him take a lot of shots and make him into an inefficient shooter. In 5 out of the 7 games in this year’s playoffs against the Grizzlies he shot under 43%.
The primary reason I think Westbrook is better is because you can’t stop him from having a good game. The only person that stops Westbrook is himself. And sometimes he does just that with bad shot selection but overall you can’t game plan around him.
Think about it as a coach: How can you stop Russell Westbrook? You can’t. For example, in Game 4 of Clippers vs. Thunder, Westbrook was able to score just about anytime he wanted to in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant was being bottled up by Chris Paul and while he scored, the points didn’t come as easy as they did for Russ.
Russell Westbrook is why OKC is so dangerous in the playoffs, not Kevin Durant.
When defenses set against OKC, they know they have to focus first on getting the ball out of Westbrook’s hands and then they rely on defending KD to the best of their ability. They know if they make Durant take a tough, low percentage shot, they’ve done their job.
Durant’s so good, he’s still going to hit a bunch of tough shots. The difference for me is even if you try to bottle up Westbrook, he can still find a way to get a layup or just rise above for an uncontested jumper.
Without Westbrook in the 2013 playoffs, the Thunder were out in 5 games to pretty much the same Grizzlies team as they just beat in 7. Kevin Durant couldn’t carry them to even a competitive series (I bet Lebron could have). Westbrook couldn’t have carried them past the Grizzlies either but I make this point to show Kevin Durant is very much stoppable.
Westbrook and Durant need each other to advance in the playoffs. Despite Scott Brooks, they’re a championship caliber team. I think Westbrook is more dynamic (a lot like a bigger Derrick Rose) and because of that creates all sorts of matchup problems that other teams can’t solve.
If the Thunder and Spurs advance, watch who gives San Antonio fits. It’s going to be Russell Westbrook physically dominating the Spurs backcourt and carving up their interior defense.
On the defensive end, despite being 7 foot, Durant is more of a liability than Westbrook. He’s easier for opponents to muscle and maneuver around. While Westbrook isn’t a defensive stalwart himself, I’d argue he’s less of a liability.
To sum up, I think Westbrook is more important to the Thunder than Durant. He takes defensive pressure off the rest of his teammates because of quickness, strength, and overall athleticism. He’s roundly criticized when things go south because he’s hyper aggressive and is very susceptible to taking bad shots but if he’s not there to put pressure on the defense, Durant turns into a taller, more efficient Carmelo Anthony.
This is not to say Durant isn’t a fantastic player. He’s an amazing talent. But if I were to start a team, I’d pick Russell Westbrook before him. He’s the best point guard in the league because he’s a dynamic force that can’t be stopped and he can become even better with the right coaching. I think he’s the #2 player in the league behind Lebron.
from now on, post like this.
By chandlerparsonsBy VahagnCould you rewrite your question? I'm having a hard time trying to comprehend whatever it is you're trying to say.By chandlerparsonsAgain, it sounds good, but with our roster, it wasn't hard to accomplish. I don't know if he helps alleviate the defensive pressure on Harden in the starting lineup, but I liked what I saw of him leading the bench (particularly in that 4th against the Clips).You mean advanced stats that don't tell you who can actually run a team other than ONE guy might end up biting you in the ass?
Advanced stats.. ONE guy.. biting in the ass.
Houston 'advanced' stats:
AST/TO: 1.28 (27th)
TO Ratio: 17.0 (27th)
AST%: 59.2 (11th)
That last one surprised me to be honest, but even statistically it's been clear that this team has needed a secondary playmaker. Rockets fans have been calling out for a secondary playmaker and Morey has traded for two guards this season.
So advanced stats do tell you that you need more than one competent ballhandler, my team's fans have repeatedly made posts lamenting our playmaking situation, and our management have made multiple moves this season to try and improve in that area. So what exactly is your point?
Also, if you actually bothered to respond to that other post, I will get back to it. I just honestly haven't had the time to write something that long again.
Those numbers are meaningless. Your team is built around James Harden and Dwight and a bunch of spot up 3 point shooters. You're going to have a bunch of assists because most the players on your team just catch and shoot. Whether it's off one pass, or swinging it around, same thing.
Let's start with a basic premise I hope we can both agree on: Morey makes personnel decisions based on data. He's not interested in traditional team building methods. I'm saying, whatever data Daryl Morey has been using that's told him he can jettison multiple PG's who can actually create for themselves and others and replace them with catch and shoot one dimensional offensive players is leading him astray. Even his dream summer acquisitions of Parsons and Bosh would still leave him with one guy who can create for others as neither Bosh nor Parsons are really point forwards.
Contrast that with Pop, who uses metrics but still has made the decision he'd rather have 3 or 4 guys that can create off the dribble for themselves and teammates instead of one. Morey has attempted to reconstruct 2006 Suns with Raja Bell/Nash switching places with Beverly and Harden, a bunch of outside shooters and Dwight.
This all goes back to my original premise. When you don't have good amounts of experience, you can be lead on wild goose chases by over-reacting to data points that other more experienced guys might just shrug off.
Morey has unequivocally built a team without a second guy who can create for others. This has been on purpose. To maximize Harden's usage rate and surround him with 3 point threats and Dwight.
RT @DarnellMayberry: Westbrook underwent a surgical procedure on a fracture to his zygomatic arch bone. He will miss Sunday's game. Will be reevaluated this week
By RBKVahagn, please.
Speak on something you know, not this.
Other than blindly defending Morey and Harden, you don't really contribute anything of substance.
Houston (Obviously Pablo doesn't count - he was brought in when it became apparent they had glaring holes)
Contrasted with
Spurs
Dallas
The numbers reinforce the eye test and a basic understanding of different players skillsets. Dallas and SA have built teams around multiple playmakers, Houston has built a team around one.
http://www.fireerniegrunfeld.com/p/blog-page_27.html
2/28/2015
The time is 5:06 PM.
Ernie Grunfeld is still employed. That is all.
2/28/2015
The time is 5:06 PM.
Ernie Grunfeld is still employed. That is all.
Yeah sorry Vahagn. Pointing out the most obvious doesn't automatically make you knowledgeable. You don't even need stats to show that.
Morey's a top GM, Harden's the best 2 guard. Anything going against those two is simply denying the truth.
Morey's a top GM, Harden's the best 2 guard. Anything going against those two is simply denying the truth.
By viakadowtf, this is some multiple personality disorder if i ever saw one. o_0Is that what they call alt accounts now?
from now on, post like this.
By RBKYeah sorry Vahagn. Pointing out the most obvious doesn't automatically make you knowledgeable. You don't even need stats to show that.
Morey's a top GM, Harden's the best 2 guard. Anything going against those two is simply denying the truth.
Step aside from your incessant persecution complex for 5 seconds and engage in some nuanced arguments. You can say "Morey's a top GM" all you want it doesn't make it true.
The guy came in decrying superstars and talking about finding undervalued assets as the name of the game. After a few years he changed his tune to "you need superstars to win". Then he built a team around a single playmaker, realizing now that unlike the team that RC Buford built or the team that the Mavs built, Harden is the only person on that team that can make that offense run.
You can gloss over all of these things all you want, but what I see is someone who has no idea what he's doing from a basketball standpoint, and is constantly changing course (something like 47 trades in 7 years) because he's either too impatient, or he's building bad teams.
He made one franchise changing deal. Got Harden. Because OKC was too cheap to fork over the extra 5 million. You take that deal away and Howard never goes to Houston, Bosh never considers it, you're a middling 9th seed at best.
