Game Thread GAME# 25: ROCKETS @ BLAZERS - DECEMBER 9, 2017 - SATURDAY, 7:00 PM (PST), NBCSNW

The Adelaide 36ers lead by 11 at the end of the 3rd, which is nothing to brag about when you have a 36-man team.

 

Australian rules are weird. I like 36 on 5, but the 7-quarter standard wears on me. It's only 4 in America.

 

1:03 left, half of the NZ players have fouled out, and they're behind only 3.

Later...All 36 sneak out of the building with a 3-point win to some boos.

Actually, the home team won. They do the entertainment well--like American commentators, one with a strong black accent using black expressions. American music at timeouts, like Elvis' Hound Dog. Many foul outs, each with "Hit the Road, Jack," another strong American song.

 

Sigh

 

Sigh

 

And Adam Morrison has 2 championship rings. Your point being?

 

Just as the Philadelphia 76ers are named after the Declaration of Independence, the Adelaide 36ers are named after the Proclaimation of South Australia in 1836.

In the late 90's the 76ers threatened to sue the 36ers, but withdrew their complaint after the origin of the name was explained. The LA Lakers also threatened to sue the South Melbourne Lakers FC, and forced them to change their name.

 

And the refs all falling for the Kiwi flopping.

The boos were for the refs. We boo the refs/umpires more than the opposition here (in all sports).

The American commentators are former NBL players; former Arizona State PF Shawn Redhage, and former Alabama State PG Corey "Homicide" Williams.

 

The NBA should be ashamed. This sounds David Sternian.

It was acting befitting a 7th-grade stage. No, worse. 4th-grade. Really. I mean, it was laughable even BEFORE you saw it in slow motion.

 

Meyers was a sieve on defense

 

Strangely, I see us beating the warriors. We may have lost this game, but the offense showed something for the first time in weeks. The defense was swarming up until the final 9 minutes of the game. I love Stotts, but I think he fucked up by not putting some lengthy defenders in at the end. I hope he realizes that. Guys like Noah and Collins are "bigs" that have length and theoretically can hit a jump shot (so the offensive spacing isn't off). I think finishing the game with those two guys could have made a difference, especially after the Lillard ankle sprain. If they aren't ready to hit an outside jumper during clutch time, we would find out pretty quick. But, I would have felt great about having their length on defense out there.

I hate moral victories, but, we played pretty damned great against a top 4 team in the league. We could have won it, but didn't. Shit happens.

 

It's the 4 losses in a row at home where two of those team were without their best player. Oh yeah, and the abject refusal to double-team a one man wrecking crew.

 

I agree with you on playing Noah and Collins in the 4th quarter. Their length bothered Harden earlier in the game. If I have one gripe against Stotts it’s that he always adjusts by trying to match what the opposing coach is doing. Guess what: when Houston goes small, their small lineup is better than our small lineup. Stick with our strengths and punish them for playing small.

The best defense against Harden is pretty simple: don’t foul him. 14 free throws last night for 12 points vs. Dame’s 4 for 4 is the difference in the game. When Harden goes to the hoop and beats you, keep your fricking hands straight up. He’s going to make the basket anyway, so don’t give him the and 1. And, if you’re going to foul him, make it a hard one instead of a touch foul. Lay that sucker out a few times and make him a little wary of driving to the hoop.

 

Three big mistakes by Stotts: playing Layman, not playing Collins in fourth quarter and not putting Napier in when Lillard went down.

 

This. All of this. If you're going to foul Harden at the hoop, FOUL him.

 

I thought some of the calls were a little ticky-tack in favor of the Rockets, but there's a reason they got more than the Blazers; Paul and Harden get in the lane repeatedly and force the officials to make a call. Only Damian does that, and last night it was bombs away from deep. It's tough to get foul calls when you pull up 20+ feet from the hoop.

This game was lost when Damian had to sit out with the ankle and the offense died, and then Stott's let Harden isolate Dame and Vonleh repeatedly to ice the game with gimme layups.

 

Rockets 42 free throws
Blazers 12 free throws......that's the game...

 

well Dame better be ready and h have a game like this one where he was hot as hell from 3 land, because if he doesn't and his ankle is bad then we have little to no chance IMO