WCSF Game 5: HOU @ GSW

[LeonGenesis]

Rockets fans are now like let's do what they did to us last season with KD out - injuries suck - no excuse.



Same people who have been whining for a full year that they would have won't without CP3's injury.

Rocket fans are stupid.... I can say "If Iggy wasn't injured, then it would have been a 5 game series last year". Their fan base needs to

[likashing]

They are now saying they might give Bogut a few minutes to start when Capela is in. Sorts of give Looney more energy when Tucker moves to C.

I’m not against it but we need to pull the plug fast if it doesn’t work.

[DAWill1128]

I think we can still win it all. Bogut needs to get some minutes on the floor for depth purposes. Just win one of two.

Next round are the Blazers and Nuggets, the Blazers have never been able to beat us. We destroyed Denver this year. Neither team is on our level or Houstons. We may even get Cousins back at some point in the series, enough to push us over the top in a series.

The finals you never know where Durant or Cousins are at physically but with either one I like our chances.

[wco81]

Will be reevaluated next week, which sounds like he won't play in a game 7 on Sunday either.

Could be back for the next series.

Well he was playing a lot of minutes, getting knocked down a lot. So if nothing else, he gets rest, assuming the Warriors advance.

[HiRez]

Not the worst news, our guys just need to man up. Don’t leave it to Game 7, punch them in the face in Houston (with Draymond, perhaps literally ) and keep the boot on the throat until they stop breathing. Don’t give them a shred of hope.

If KD wants to go elsewhere to prove he can win without Steph, Klay, and Draymond, now is their chance to prove they can win without KD. Hopefully they take it as a challenge and motivation.

[Muscles]

This will be biggest challenge of Curry, Klay and Draymonds career. Winning with zero bench and no KD to bail them out if they go cold. KD is confirmed out for rest of this series so those 3 will have to account for majority of points. Need a triple double out of Draymond as well if they are to win game 6 or 7.

[shza]

John Wall, Blake Griffin, and Wiggins

I think I might rather have Blake’s contract than Paul’s. Definitely add Hayward’s to the list though.

[Money_]

I like Bogut in there for a bit, especially starting. Set a few picks, get Klay and Steph feeling loose with their 3s, maybe a put back or two, a couple of blocks at the rim, solid...Sure Harden might take him on a switch but if they sag him off, keep him low and keep doubling Harden with perimeter players, it might just work. Sit Bogs when Capela sits... Bring on the Loonster...

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Sixers fan here just dropping by to lend my personal support. I'm a big Warrior fan, can't stand Houston....Good luck the rest of the way. I hope you guys make it back to the finals. As for my Sixers....Game 6 tonight....We might be done, hopefully not.

[tasball]

Sixers fan here just dropping by to lend my personal support. I'm a big Warrior fan, can't stand Houston....Good luck the rest of the way. I hope you guys make it back to the finals. As for my Sixers....Game 6 tonight....We might be done, hopefully not.

Bogut needs to shoot more, even mid-range if Dubs are a chance of a positive +/- when he's on the floor... a bit like Ben.

[Money_]

Rockets may start Capela, but the will go small, with PJ at the 5 very quickly. They have a plethora of guards and we are not deep at that position. I see them trying to out Warriors us, and just RUN... If we are hitting shots and they are not, that just plays into our game. Our guys will eat that up. But they need to know when to put the brakes on that ****. We only go so deep, so pace yourself, take a full 24 seconds every 4rth time down the floor even more often if we have a big lead.

[cpower]

The problem with g6 is....our energy...if we spend everything we have, g7 will be tough since our lack of depth. if we dont give everything, it will be a slaughter..

[Samurai]

I could see Bogut starting since a) Capella typically starts for Houston and b) Kerr has shown a preference for not drastically changing Looney's routine. For example, when Cousins got hurt, he started Bogut instead of Looney since Kevon was already used to coming in as a sub for Cousins. One of our keys is to win the rebounding battle, which should be easier with more minutes having Bogut or Looney in the game.

Obviously the biggest key is we need Curry and Klay to play very well, particularly shooting the 3-ball. In the 2 games we lost, Houston made more 3's than us by a 18-14 margin in game 3 and a whopping 17-8 margin in game 4. We actually made one more than the Rockets last night, 13-12. If we can hold our own against them in making 3's, we have a good chance of winning. To me, that means that the Splash Brothers need to combine for 12 3's and hope the combination of Dray, Andre, McKinnie and Jerebko can contribute at least 4, we can beat them. This year, Steph has made 6 or more 3's in a game 25 times and Klay did it 9 times. Is it likely to happen tomorrow night in the same game? No, of course not, particularly given their playoff performance thus far. But everyone needs to step up to fill the giant shoes that KD wears, especially the Splash Brothers. And we will need Houston to cooperate; they may not miss 27 straight but if they are hot then we likely cannot match them. It doesn't appear that we are able to both shut down their 3-point shooting and their penetration. We may need to focus on eliminating the layups and just pray that their outside shooting is cold.

[ILOVEIT]

Warriors need to go strength in numbers....I think it would be a bold move to essentially out last Houston...wear Harden and Paul down with constant harrasment from bench guys....Macinni...Jerebko....Looney...Bogut...let's go 9 deep and just play a super intense defensive game.

Start Bogut...limit offensive posessions (get the defensive boards).

Curry, Klay, Iggy, Green, Bogut....then give some run to Looney, Jerebko and Macinni.

[ILOVEIT]

The problem with g6 is....our energy...if we spend everything we have, g7 will be tough since our lack of depth. if we dont give everything, it will be a slaughter..

That's why I think Kerr should go deep into the bench for game 6....give Curry and Klay some legs for game 7....and give Warriors at aleast a chance at game 6.

And if Warriors go deep and attempt to exhaust Harden and Paul...maybe you get that helps in game 7.

[wco81]

So some talk that the Rockets will just trap Curry and stay at home with Klay and dare the other players on the floor to make shots.

[and1GS]

Yeh but that didn't work so great before we got KD so I think it's easier said than done. The whole offense built around Steph/Klay will have a lot of fighting around screens and motion - that's tough to stop. They need to combine for at least 50-60, but let's remember that this was a foregone conclusion before KD and happened p often even with him.

Supporting cast is really, really bad from an offensive standpoint. If Dray doesn't also go for 15-20 we might be sunk. Margin for error is razor thin. But keep in mind HOU went 0-27 from 3 last year at home in a game 7 sooooo......

[LeonGenesis]

GSW is +7 for Friday's game. I guess Houston is favorite to win at home. I hope the world bet on Houston...and then we might have a chance.

Key to Friday's game....get the REBOUND

And run at Harden at every possession!!! The guy won't defend and he'll become fatigue like last game in 4th quarter. So far, the most rebound wins the game in the series.

And Draymond needs to stop shooting 3s....it's like a turnover. I rather he makes a play instead of shooting the 3s.

And Hack-A-Capella!

And I hope we have one game where we stop fouling Harden shooting a 3s. Just 1 game...no foul from the 3s please.

[superunknown]

So some talk that the Rockets will just trap Curry and stay at home with Klay and dare the other players on the floor to make shots.

but, at this point, can we not do the same?
trap/blitz harden everytime (and when he's not on the floor, to the same to paul), stay at home with gordon, and dare the other players on the floor to make shots?
at the end of the day, who would you rather take a shot? harden or shumpert, rivers, tucker?
on offence, we need to constantly attack harden and gordon to wear them down and impair their energy level on the other hand.

[TinoDubs]

Rockets may start Capela, but the will go small, with PJ at the 5 very quickly. They have a plethora of guards and we are not deep at that position. I see them trying to out Warriors us, and just RUN... If we are hitting shots and they are not, that just plays into our game. Our guys will eat that up. But they need to know when to put the brakes on that ****. We only go so deep, so pace yourself, take a full 24 seconds every 4rth time down the floor even more often if we have a big lead.

The problem with this is that Houston is playing slow iso style. They don't pass the ball like we do, the more they pass, more chance for them to make mistake.