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2025-26 Houston Rockets Thread - Back to Contention?

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This is my first Amazon game-Candace Parker is pretty awesome, she should be calling the game.  

I met her when she was still in college. I can honestly describe her physically as an Amazonian-Goddess.
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  • Went to first game of season last night. Good times. Reed Sheppard seems kinda dumb. Holiday needs more minutes still. KD "off" night and still drilled 2 of the biggest shots As we all know..

  • TonyTexas
    TonyTexas

    Lulz  

  • Went tonight. Good to pull that one out...tough win.

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Parker is maybe my favorite analyst male or female. She's brilliant. 

Oh please. Your starters are not all equal. Jokic on the Wizards would win 40 games.
(I agree that missing Gordon and Braun is huge, though)
Houston also has $25M in dead cap with FVV out.
The point was that saying this is Denver at their peak is not close to reality.
15 hours ago, ztejas said:

Parker is maybe my favorite analyst male or female. She's brilliant. 

I didn’t realize that she’s been broadcasting since 2018, which helps explain her polish better.  She’s a rockstar and sitting her next to Dirk makes him look baboso.

7 minutes ago, LCHorn said:

I didn’t realize that she’s been broadcasting since 2018, which helps explain her polish better.  She’s a rockstar and sitting her next to Dirk makes him look baboso.

Dirk is baboso... He's next to Parker because he wants to smash.

 

So do I.

Not sure what is going on in his personal life but Durant could use a couple games off. 

1 minute ago, ztejas said:

Not sure what is going on in his personal life but Durant could use a couple games off. 

Agreed. He’s averaging 36 minutes a game. Need to push that down to around 30. 

6 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Agreed. He’s averaging 36 minutes a game. Need to push that down to around 30. 

I don't think mpg is the problem - and y'all have played 3 OTs this season. 

I would just circle games that he can take off. 

Hope his family is okay - not sure who else would warrant him missing two games besides his mom or brother. 

That said - getting KD to play less basketball is like getting your wife to spend less money at target. 

Honestly, I’d take a split. Suns are playing well, unfortunately, and GSW on the road is a Rockets black hole.

Jazz are also playing well. Playing them in bizarre back to back in SLC on Sunday and Monday. 

15 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Tate starting vs the Warriors? 
 

Nope. Assigned to RGV

13 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Suns are playing well, unfortunately,

I just looked them up and you’re right-though a lot of that appears unsustainable (and once Green comes back he’ll hopefully downgrade their performance). 

8 hours ago, TonyTexas said:

Nope. Assigned to RGV

What? Durant and Tari are out, who the hell is going to play wing? Surely they’re just going to call him right back up.

I was just thinking this would be a typical game Dillon Brooks would get tossed from. 

4 minutes ago, ztejas said:

I was just thinking this would be a typical game Dillon Brooks would get tossed from. 

Nah. He's just going to end up trying too hard at some point. I like Dillon. 

I am torn on IRS.

On ball half court defense is a problem. A big problem. No lateral quickness (as Dream would say). Easily put out of position.

Hustle defense is really good. Scramble actually helps him, which is weird (and does not help the rest of the team).

Offense is good and improving every game.

Regular season, tis is good. In the playoffs, this is not good... Especially if he is the main PG defender like tonight. 

He's improving, so I'll take it.

Spurs will take him if you don't want him.

18 minutes ago, Slacks said:

I am torn on IRS.

On ball half court defense is a problem. A big problem. No lateral quickness (as Dream would say). Easily put out of position.

Hustle defense is really good. Scramble actually helps him, which is weird (and does not help the rest of the team).

Offense is good and improving every game.

Regular season, tis is good. In the playoffs, this is not good... Especially if he is the main PG defender like tonight. 

He's improving, so I'll take it.

With so many guys out they can’t hide him on defense. 
 

I’d match him up with 3 and D guys. They’re just standing in the corner jacking 3’s. Deny the ball, stay in the passing lanes. Asking him to stay in front Booker or Gillespie isn’t going to work. That said he’s smaller so he can get away with a ton of the grabs and holds. I’m not comparing him to Stockon, but he could learn quite a bit from him especially on defense. Crafty defender with active hands is about all we can hope for. 

I almost pity Tate. 2 wings out and the Rockets front office says nah we’re good. We’ll play 3 small guards at once and send his ass down to The Valley. 

Thompson needs to play more like this when Durant is playing. They haven't quite figured it out yet. Sengun and Durant have.

Welp hes gonna be out with concussion

Pretty sure FVV said "He's a freak" when the camera cut to him after a sick Amen bucket. 

 

52 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

With so many guys out they can’t hide him on defense. 
 

I’d match him up with 3 and D guys. They’re just standing in the corner jacking 3’s. Deny the ball, stay in the passing lanes. Asking him to stay in front Booker or Gillespie isn’t going to work. That said he’s smaller so he can get away with a ton of the grabs and holds. I’m not comparing him to Stockon, but he could learn quite a bit from him especially on defense. Crafty defender with active hands is about all we can hope for. 

I literally said to myself today, "he's going to have to play like Stockton, which is ok if he isn't expected to be a lockdown stopper, but just a disruptive player."

I didn't know why I thought about it at all, but that was the thought.

31 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Thompson needs to play more like this when Durant is playing. They haven't quite figured it out yet. Sengun and Durant have.

They occupy the same space on the court.

Durant wants to pull up just as he crosses the FT line... Which is about where Amen does his Euro. They both pressure the lane from the same area, but differently.

Amen is going to get a 3 ball... He's going to be a problem.

10 minutes ago, Slacks said:

I literally said to myself today, "he's going to have to play like Stockton, which is ok if he isn't expected to be a lockdown stopper, but just a disruptive player."

I didn't know why I thought about it at all, but that was the thought.

Stockon made 5 All NBA Defense teams, and his steals record is widely regarded as the most untouchable record in pro basketball. So again not making the comparison. One of the hoops head podcasts suggested Reed devour hours  of Stockon tape of him just be a dirty son of a bitch. That’s why I thought of it.

I don’t think it’s out of the question Reed can lead the league in steals 1 season, and he’s an elite shot blocker for his size. Quick leaper and he times it well. 

I think the Rockets are figuring it out. Amen should take it to the basket more, but he’d probably prefer Alpie to facilitate the offense and catch back door cuts all game. I’d like Ime to explore Amen with the ball in his hands more when Alpie sits. There’s something possibly elite there and Amen needs to flesh it out before he can integrate it with Alpie. 
 

I assume KD wants the ball more. Right now he’s the closer and bails out the offense with iso buckets when it stalls out. Given the offensive systems he’s excelled in, he probably wants to see more movement and flow.

A win at GSW without Durant would certainly be a good barometer. 

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by far the best Amen Thompson game of the season.  Love to see it with KD out.  Phoenix isn't terrible and the Rockets controlled that game from beginning to end without Sengun and Sheppard playing all that well offensively.  Let's whip some Warrior ass next.

9 hours ago, Uncle Boobs said:

This is a major league ass whipping.

impressive defense 

Amen always shows such a chill sense of humor in these videos.  

15 hours ago, Slacks said:

Nah. He's just going to end up trying too hard at some point. I like Dillon. 

I'm glad Dillon Brooks is no longer on the team. Sure, he can score and he can defend. He doesn't play team ball well and he picks up stupid flagrant/tech fouls. 

The Rockets were smart to jettison Brooks along with Green to Phoenix which is yet another reason they won that trade.

23 minutes ago, UDontKnow said:

I'm glad Dillon Brooks is no longer on the team. Sure, he can score and he can defend. He doesn't play team ball well and he picks up stupid flagrant/tech fouls. 

The Rockets were smart to jettison Brooks along with Green to Phoenix which is yet another reason they won that trade.

Agreed. Brooks isn’t a winning player. He had a nice game statistically, but he ball hogged, chucked, and took the rest of the team including their best player Booker completely out of the game offensively.
 

Also I’m not sure he’s a B+ or better defender. He’s a cheap shot artist, and essentially has to foul to defend effectively. 

He plays hard and gets others around him to do the same. That’s valuable on a young team, but the Rockets outgrew him.

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