Game Thread: SERiES THREAD:HOUSTON ROCKETS VS PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS

[Lakers+USC=#1]

I would also be careful to not put some blame on Howard. What is Howard often criticized for? Being a bad closer, and lastnight, he only had 7 points in the second half if im not mistaken.

 

[bksballer89]

I would also be careful to not put some blame on Howard. What is Howard often criticized for? Being a bad closer, and lastnight, he only had 7 points in the second half if im not mistaken.

How many touches he had in the 2nd half compared to the 1st half? As a Center you can't do much about getting touches as the ball is always in the hand of the guards. The only way you can get the ball if your guards are not giving it to you is grabbing offensive rebounds

 

[starbigd]

It's not "superstar" calls so much as it is refs just being lazy. I don't blame him so much for exposing it since its more on the NBA to correct it. It's similar to how Durant would get 6 to 8 pts a game with the rake through gesture before the NBA finally said enough. Harden initiates most of the contact. He'll barrel into the defensive player, fall back, toss up a wild shot and get the call. He's done it for a couple of years now. Lebron could get the same calls but he's not as good a contorsionist as Harden. And that's what gets the calls. He initiates the contact and contorts his body in a weird way that looks like he got fouled in real time.

And not to derail the topic, but I have no sympathy for Lebron when it comes to foul calls. He embellishes his contact/how hurt he is quite a bit. Dude is like a soccer player. I know for a fact I have seen him act like he's torn ligaments in a leg and literally the next play he's throwing down a ferocious dunk off that same leg.


Back on topic, its too early to place blame. Series isn't over. But if you must look somewhere, it has to be at coaching. One of the reasons I don't take Houston as a serious title threat is their offense is too free. It's not really a system. It's mostly just free lance stuff based on 3s, transition scores, and other high efficiency shots (fouls, dunks). Defenses with time to scout and adjust (aka playoff teams) can stop that and the result is a lot of missed shots and confusion...sorta like the look on Harden (and Lin and Parsons) faces at the end of both games so far.

I understand you, especially on Lebron, but let's be real here......Lebron is getting HAMMERED and regardless of flopping the refs have to call obvious fouls when they see them. The man has had his nose broken with no call - getting hit in the face is NOT a part of the game. Last night's throat elbow wasn't even a play on the ball.....that HAS to be called. This is about the COMPETENCY of the refs. It's their job to be able to discern between a flop and an actual foul. It's time they did better. Now that Stern is gone, the new commish should focus on this part of the game. All Stern did was act like officiating was never an issue and fine you back to the stone age if you dared to criticize his very bad refs.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

How many touches he had in the 2nd half compared to the 1st half? As a Center you can't do much about getting touches as the ball is always in the hand of the guards. The only way you can get the ball if your guards are not giving it to you is grabbing offensive rebounds

This is true, but this been going on for years. Maybe he need to be more aggressive and demand the ball or try being in better position. He better learn from Shaq.

 

[OregonDucks]

This is amazing! Never would have thought Portland would be up 2-0. Great thing is they are coming to Portland and my guess is Blazers get at least 1 of the 2...Should be up 3-1 by the end of the weekend.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I would also be careful to not put some blame on Howard. What is Howard often criticized for? Being a bad closer, and lastnight, he only had 7 points in the second half if im not mistaken.

The common criticism I have heard - is that Howard isn't consistently dominating in the post like he could and should. If he dominated consistently - he would either be making shots or passing it out to the open man. The fact that Howard is not consistently double teamed kind of tells you they don't consider him a consistent thread.

In fairness, though - it really isn't Howard's fault that he is lacking a legitimate point guard and another elite player - I think Houston over-acheived in the regular season and only looked better than they actually were and since he dissed the Lakers last summer, I am going to enjoy seeing him lose in the first round again

 

[OregonDucks]

Portland has to win one of the next 2 games for me to feel comfortable about them winning round 1. But I am definitely hoping Dallas/San Antonio goes 7 games!

 

[trojanfan12]

How many touches he had in the 2nd half compared to the 1st half? As a Center you can't do much about getting touches as the ball is always in the hand of the guards. The only way you can get the ball if your guards are not giving it to you is grabbing offensive rebounds

It's hard to go to Dwight in the 2nd half (especially late) because he's a horrible free throw shooter. Teams could go to Shaq late in games because he had a much better offensive game than Dwight. So even if Shaq got fouled, it was often an "And 1" situation where his team still got points even though he really wasn't any better at the line than Dwight.

Dwight's offense is so limited and he takes so long to get into his shot (unless it's a dunk) that he can be fouled before he gets the shot off. Then he misses 1 or both free throws.

 

[shitsho]

D-Howard at this point in his career should be better offensively. I cant quite figure out why he is not especially after that performance last game where he showed he had some offensive moves. Where did all that come from and why was he hiding it? At this point I'm starting to think he lacks focus.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

D-Howard at this point in his career should be better offensively. I cant quite figure out why he is not especially after that performance last game where he showed he had some offensive moves. Where did all that come from and why was he hiding it? At this point I'm starting to think he lacks focus.

Here is what I saw from him last year in Los Angeles and then hearing him talk about why he went to Houston. Howard does not want that much pressure. He's not interested in being the man, but he doesn't want to be told what to do either. He wants to come and have a good time and then go home. Champions like Magic Johnson, Kareem, Bird, Shaq Oneal, Kobe, Lebron and Wade are willing to do everything it takes and press themselves to the limit in order to win.

HOWARD IS NOT WILLING AND NEVER WILL BE - AND THAT'S WHY HE WILL NEVER WIN A CHAMPION.

 

[trojanfan12]

D-Howard at this point in his career should be better offensively. I cant quite figure out why he is not especially after that performance last game where he showed he had some offensive moves. Where did all that come from and why was he hiding it? At this point I'm starting to think he lacks focus.

He lacks 2 things offensively, imo.

First, while he appears to have added a couple of moves, he hasn't mastered any of them which makes him very inconsistent. His moves will work sometimes because he is so gifted athletically. However, he hasn't developed the skill to use those moves consistently.

Second, he has no "go to/signature move". No shot that he can go to when he really needs to get a shot off and have a great chance of hitting it (i.e. Kareem's skyhook, Olajuwon's Dream Shake, etc.).

Imo, unless and until he develops in those 2 areas, he will always be a liability offensively late in games.

 

[lakersrule]

Even with Howard dominating the first half, it was a tie game at the break. Maybe the offense was a bit out of sync since typically they don't feed Howard the ball that much.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Los Angeles Times had an interesting take on Dwight Howard. They pointed out(correctly in my opinion) is that for one thing Howard has no signature moves like Kareem's sky hook or the twist and spin aka snake move of someone else I can't remember right now. As a result he isn't consistent and simply doesn't dominate. Working with Olajiwan last summer most likely has helped, but he has a long ways to go if he wants to win championships now that he is in the Western Conference. He should have stayed in the east if he wanted a better chance

 

[Superdonk]

Soooooo nervous right now!

Go Blazers!

 

[GunsUp_ShootinBlanks]

Nice and aggressive so far.

Finally the twin towers to start.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

I love Portland crowd. It brings back memories. No crowd do the "Beat LA" chant better than them.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I am hoping Portland sweeps those bums - GO PORTLAND

 

[Itsmytime]

Does Howard bitch and complain ABOUT everything?

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Does Howard bitch and complain ABOUT everything?

YEEEEEUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

 

[piss-tons]

Harden needs to stop trying to draw a foul and start trying to make in the basket.