4/27 - [2013 PLAYOFFS: GAME 4] Rockets @ Blazers 9:30PM EST

[TMACFORMVP]

WOO 1-3.

[TMACFORMVP]

Why 1-3?

Let’s see.

1.) We still don't have an answer for LMA. He said Asik/Dwight starting caught him off guard, but he’s “good to go now.” This is supported by the fact LMA had a much better second half than first half.
2.) Expect the Blazers to start by attacking Haren defensively with Matthews. Wes has been frustrated in this series offensively and Portland will try to get him going w/ some easy buckets.
3.) On the flip side, expect Haren to think he’s “hot” after scoring 37 points and chuck up a bunch of iso-shots which are all bricks.
4.) Expect Haren to try to draw fouls, and much like how this series has gone, he won’t get the call b/c Portland will sag off and Haren will have no idea what to do since the whole point was to draw the foul.
5.) Expect Dwight to start out good early, and then get tired late which results in 5+ turnovers.
6.) Stotts will strategically employs Hack-a-Howard. Dwight will miss majority of his FT’s as he will return to the mean from his abnormally solid FT shooting this series.
7.) Wes Matthews is still due for a big game, and it’ll be at home in G4 where he drops 20+ and a bunch of threes.
8.) Portland will kill us on the glass. Expect to see lot more Lopez than the last game, who dominated us at the beginning of the 2nd quarter. 17+ offensive rebound night for the Blazers.
9.) If it’s close, expect some 1-2 pick and roll where Haren is isolated one on one at the top of the key where he takes a contested step back or kicks it to Jeremy or Chandler for a last second three. Or even worse, it takes 18 seconds to get him the ball resulting in an even worse shot.
10.) Lillard will build off his amazing G3 and continue to kill us regardless of who is on him, especially when we stupidly switch Haren onto him.
11.) We seriously only had 8 TOV’s in G3. Is that a season low? Expect one of those 18+ nights today as Portland will be frantic to take a 3-1 lead instead of being 2-2 and losing HC.
12.) Parsons will continue to miss all his perimeter shots. Lin had a decent game the last time around so expect a terrible one this time. And Asik/Howard will backfire this time b/c we’ll get off to a slow start offensively due to the lack of spacing. Daniels will be scouted for this game and won’t hit 3 threes to save us again….
13.) Mo Williams will continue to feast on our bench…he’s had two very good games in a row. Expect Dorrell to get in the action again too.
14.) We’ll grab two double digit leads in this game, but give it up within a couple minutes b/c we have a stretch where we don’t get back defensively in transition (there will be a guy open in the corner for three b/c we didn't get back) and get terrible shots offensively.
15.) McHale will get outcoached. Stotts wont succumb to small ball like he did last game. McHale will be bamboozled whether he should go small…so we’ll go small when we’re getting killed inside and on the boards and trot out the twin towers when Lopez isn't even in the game. Heck, expect anything, even a zone and we won’t know how to react.

I'm excited.

[Lorenzomax7]

In the Clutch-time:

Dwight went 10/12 from the FT stripe, Parsons' +/- was terrible:

Full size: http://ww2.sinaimg.cn/large/66a095b9gw1efu071vj4qj21470i1wh9.jpg

Jeremy Lin actually had been very good on the defensive part of the game when it went crazy:

Full size: http://ww4.sinaimg.cn/large/66a095b9gw1efu06zoj4lj21400b4acb.jpg

Conclusion: Dwight and Jeremy Lin apparently has been the only two two-way players that we have so far in the Clutch-time this series. Next game let's hope Parsons can get his **** together! He can be disappeared in the final moment on the offensive end but he CAN'T just play sheety defense again, otherwise, McHale should bench him and better let Daniels plays.

GO ROCKETS!!!!!

[BaYBaller]

Reverse jinx in full effect!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using RealGM Forums mobile app

[ChokeFasncists]

TL;DR but thx!

[victorhe]

While people are praising Troy Daniels so much, there are two bench players Asik and Lin have been the real key players to win the last game with their hustle play. Need to have them playing solid or more minutes for us to have a chance.

[MaxRider]

While people are praising Troy Daniels so much, there are two bench players Asik and Lin have been the real key players to win the last game with their hustle play. Need to have them playing solid or more minutes for us to have a chance.

huh...asik started in previous game
can you consider him as bench player?

[000001]

2-2 AFTER TONIGHT IN HARDEN I BELIEVE

THE BEARD

------------------

GAME 1 PARSONS PLAYS GREAT , GAME 2 HOWARD PLAYS GREAT , GAME 3 BEVERLY PLAYS GREAT

GAME 4 HARDEN PLAYS GREAT

[cw3k]

The key to win this game is do the unexpected. Instead of having Howard do the post early, he should go out and do the pick and roll with the guards. Then can do the last late in the game.

Predictable ISO is what got beaten.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

[bws94]

While people are praising Troy Daniels so much, there are two bench players Asik and Lin have been the real key players to win the last game with their hustle play. Need to have them playing solid or more minutes for us to have a chance.

Absolutely. Asik and Lin have big contracts and are big players that I think McHale has bungled in their playing times. Anyway, I'm a little tired of the national media not giving either of them props for their contributions. It's Harden, Howard have to do this, OK, but then Parsons, but little to no mention of Asik's rebounding and defense and all of the big plays Lin is involved in. And on top of that, Lin can drop 20 plus on them if he decides to shoot the ball. In the clutch, Lin has been a difference maker.

[Screwston]

I think Harden and Parsons will have big games tonight, n we win, hopefully

[zapatasblood]

Wonder which one shows up clutch city or choke city? My guess choke city

[Quartz888]

http://instagram.com/p/nTjjvFCEMY/

Shooting contest between Dwight and Troy.

[rocketsballin]

its all on harden. he shows up (along with dwight oc) rockets can survive a 40pt game from lma, assuming the team does what it needs to do that im too lazy to type out

[tha_rock220]

If the efficient Harden would show up for once the Rockets would blow the Blazers out.

[jetlife_]

Looking on the bright side, if we make it out of this round and the Thunder and Clippers are both eliminated (albeit extremely unlikely that all of that occurs), I like our chances

[inquisitive]

so bev is feeling kinda sick today? food poison?

[YoungMoney23]

3-1 book it, the way Portland are shooting I expect them to close out the series in 5 games! Especially with Harden putting up enough bricks for me to build a house with!

[rocketsballin]

oh thats just swell. starting pg playing sick along with his other injuries. cmon james, step the fk up and show the blazers why you torched them in the reg season! wesley matthews...CANNOT GUARD JAMES HARDEN!

[Hank7]

I am getting pumped....