OT OT: Rockets in free fall, Pistons on 4 game win streak since Josh Smith was waived

Smith is a -13 in 11 minutes right now.

 

Houston 3-4 with Josh Smith as they tumble down the standings.

 

Smith has not been the problem. People in the media and the fan not watching the Rockets every night will say this and he seems like the easy scapegoat but meh not really. The problem has been Beverly becoming sort of a ball hog. There were possessions where he simply didn't pass, dribbled around the court...chucked up a shot...past two games he's been back to old 3 and D Beverly. Smith was not the reason the Rockets lost tonight.

A lot is being made of this and really they just lost a close game to another great team. Lets not even mention that the Rockets scored 62 points (Season High for Rockets) in the paint last night and got sent to the FT line twice for whatever reason against the Bulls, 5 total fts (NBA season low...) to the Bulls 30. In the end they lost a close game that many felt they played well enough to win and it was just one of those nights.

3-4 sounds bad, until you see that the teams they have lost to are the Bulls, Pelicans, Spurs, Wizards. The Pelicans lost was terrible and inexcusable, the other games were close losses to good teams. Before that Spurs game the Rockets were unbeaten in OT games and undefeated in all games decided by 5 points. Personally I'm not all too worried about them, especially since Smith is on the bench now and D-Mo continues to get better and better. When they start dropping games to bad teams consistently then I'd be worried.

 

Rockets are tumbling down the standings. If they can't win a playoff series WITH home court advantage, how are they gonna win without it? Looks like another first round exit this year.

 

Also- Blazers have never gone 3-4 this season no matter who they are playing.

 

4 out of 6 losses now

 

Smith was shooting well but still a -19 for the game... How do you score 20+ and come out with a -19?

 

Well said. I think Smith is sort of like Jamal Crawford in that he'll win you one game and lose you the next two. They both love ISO ball and it's a risky style of play

 

What are Rockets going to do in playoffs as they won't have home court advantsge?

 

They won't? They are 1 game behind Dallas, 2 games behind Memphis, 3 games behind Portland...probably too early to be definite about that.

Actually, you guys should remember quite well that the Rockets had no problems winning on the road last playoffs, it was winning at home that was the issue. If you can't win games on the road in the playoffs any ways than you aren't going to make it very far as it suggests that your team only does well when things go their way. Every great team is forced to win a playoff game on the road.

 

Rockets only won 1 game on road on a Troy Dsniels 3. No problem? Yeah, right. There's no way Rockets get top 4 seed. I peg them at the 7th or 8th seed if they even make the playoffs.

 

Detroit was down 20+ to Spurs and now Detroit is up 7!! In San Antonio! Who knew Josh Smith was this level of a cancer? I did. 6-0 without him.

 

Detroit up 10!!!

 

Wow, Spurs up 3 with 10 seconds left. They purposely foul and Pistons make FTs. Then call timeout and advance ball. Duncan throws the ball to the Pistons. Brandon Jennings comes all the way down and scores at the buzzer!

With Josh Smith 5-23
Without Josh Smith 6-0 (5 by double figures, 1 vs Champs in their building)

 

Pistons gonna make the playoffs. Stan Van Gundy is a genius. He was right to make sure he was GM as well as coach. Gave him power to get rid of a cancer like Smith.

 

Apparently THAT is why you don't foul to get the ball back.