NBAP Rd 2/Gm 4: Rockets Mowed Down By Clippers 128-95

You know what?

I just feel like I’ve been punched in the gut and all of the wind has been knocked out of me.

Why?

These Houston Rockets are mind-boggling at times!

I just can’t believe what I saw last night in regard to the Rockets’ performance.

Or maybe I can…

I think this team has been exposed by a better one which, at the moment, is the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers are a beatable team, they’ve done so already have done so in the season.

But the sad part about this series is that the Rockets could’ve lost all of these games.

They’re not playing their best basketball and it’s showing.

They’re settling for the position that they’re in now and that’s completely unacceptable.

To be quite honest, the only Rocket that has brought his lunch pail and come to ready to work is Dwight Howard.

This shouldn’t be a surprise because D12 usually brings it during the playoffs.

He was feisty, gave some attitude and gave it all he had which was still not enough.

Where’s our MVP?

James Harden has been the master of the disappearing act, not being there when he’s most needed in this series.

Where are the role players?

We’d see one show up here and there but not in a concerted effort as I expected.

All these variables mixed together for the perfect storm for the Rockets to fail miserably in this series.

The Clippers have the momentum now and I just don’t see a way the Rockets can dig themselves out of this hole.

Maybe they can but it’s going to take one of the best playoff comebacks in history to get it done.

Let’s talk for a bit how the unraveling transpired…

The game stayed quite close early-in as Kevin McHale decided to employ the strategy of hacking DeAndre Jordan sending him to the line repeatedly.

Any chance of the Clippers gaining some momentum were stymied as it kept the Rockets within striking distance.

It caused the 1st quarter to drag quite a bit and the Rockets led the Clips 33-30 at the end of the first.

It frustrated Jordan to a point to where he was displaying his displeasure not only toward his teammates but to his opponents and the referees at well.

I hate this strategy because it makes the game quite boring but it was working at the time so understood that McHale had to stick with it.

The Rockets did take a brief seven-point lead after a Howard putback dunk with 10:23 left in the 2nd quarter but the Clippers would eventually pull away a bit and lead at the end of the first half 60-54.

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By that point, Jordan had attempted 28 free throws which was a record for a half that was last held by Shaquille O’Neal during his playing days.

The Rockets were only down six and I felt that there was plenty of optimism with another half to play.

But the unthinkable happened…

The Clippers start to get red-hot from the field led by J.J Redick and they started to dump the ball to Jordan in the post.

Most of his points the rest of the way were off alley-oop dunks!

There was nothing the Rockets could to stop that momentum no matter what they tried.

Redick had 15 points in the 3rd quarter alone after just scoring three points in the first half.

And just like that, the Rockets were staring at a 103-79 deficit and only 16 points in the 3rd quarter to show for their efforts.

That’s not a good look!

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It got even worse for the 4th quarter as D12 got so frustrated after not getting any calls, he picked up 6th foul and then got ejected from the game by Ron Garretson with 9:52 left.

After that, our deep bench was emptied and the dejected look of the Rockets were as if they were at a funeral — which could be true.

They’re likely witnesses of the death their playoff run and it’s becoming imminent.

By the way, the Rockets ended getting blown out 128-95 and were outscored 68-41 in the 2nd half.

Pitiful.

For what it’s worth, Harden had 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists but he wasn’t a factor at all.

Trevor Ariza did what he could by throwing in 18 points, 8 rebounds and three steals but it just wasn’t enough.

D12 had seven points and six rebounds before fouling out but he was playing defense and doing everything he could to stop the domination of the paint but it just wasn’t enough as well.

For the Clippers, Jordan had 26 points, 17 rebounds and he eventually went 14-for-34 from the charity stripe for just six attempts in the 2nd half.

Blake Griffin had 21/8 and Chris Paul had 15 points/12 assists.

I’m hoping the Rockets can pull of a miracle but likely the end is near.

I just hope they go down fighting and not continue to get their butts kicked like they have been!

NBA Playoffs Rd 2/Game 4: Houston Rockets Mowed Down By LA Clippers 128-95

By Brian K. Patterson | May 11, 2015

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