Houston Rockets 2017 Preseason Thread - Spurs MyPlayers Take Over

:lol: so thats who Bobby is

This would of been a easily winnable game but we kept missing free throws and then finally turned up with 3s in the 4th QT

Missed FTs plus two really bad stretches too us out the game. The one possession when Capela missed a lob layup, then made a bad pass led to a run of 9 points for the Cavs. Smith and Shump also hit those timely annoying threes. Even Lebron hit one that put them up 5 at 117-112. Sucks we let that one get away especially on a back to back.
 
defensive rebounding killed us

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We need someone to rebound damn it!

for those that missed the game:

 
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Nene out tonight (for real this time). So that should logically give Harrell the go-ahead.
 
Glad all this and adjustments are happening in the beginning but of the season with a new coach and players. DAntoni will be able to know what's what later in the season with lineups and bench
 
Harrell needs more pt, don't know why Pringles aint playing him…

Dekker with the shaqtin a fool nominee 
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looking good so far halfway thru 2nd quarter 

#rednation
 
gg fellas

now that was a beatdown as it should be 
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If its not obvious to Pringles by now, Mcdaniels and Harrell need some more playing time.. Loved the hustle from both guys

Harden balling as usual

EG, Ryno doing well 

#REDNATION
 
Said it in the NBA season thread already, but all those easy baskets Harrell and Capela for could easily have been Dwight if he would have just looked in the mirror and accepted what he is at this point.

Great game tonight and they pretty much kept their foot on the gas the entire game. Loved the played of Harrell, KJ, and Dekker. Gordon needs some love too. Great all around game and we need more of that type of play.
 
Best all-around offensive player in the league for sure. I think he might have surpassed LeBron this year. 3rd 30-15 game this year already

Didn't even know we had a thread. Checking in :pimp:

Welcome :pimp:. Yeah easily looking like it and if he has an off night offensively I think he'll put up like 20-25 assist if Gordon and them boys are hot in that offense.
 
Yea you can't just leave that type of production stranded on the bench. Capela is going to need breaks til his conditioning is up to par, so Harrell could be the perfect compliment. Hes undersized for the center position, but he plays bigger. Terrence Jones would be getting getting worked even though he's the better offensive player.
 
Harden looking like the best player in the league.

Westbrook, Durant and Harden are all off to MVP starts this season. The fact that they all once played together on the same team is :wow:!!!

Was listening to the radio earlier, and they were saying that the Rockets should attempt to find another bubbling 6th man that could be a star, and basically swindle him from another team to pair with Harden :lol: Based on the way the roster is right now, that's probably gonna be the only way to bring someone else reasonable here without having your team left with just 2 stars and scraps. For a top dude like Anthony Davis or Cousins (both either disgruntled or will be disgruntled), the only trade that works is Brewer, Ariza, and Beverley.

So as of right now with the 6th man turned into a star scenario, who would that be??
 
Speaking of the radio...

I really hate that Charlie Palilo got canned for Josh Innes. Palilo could be boring at times, but at least he intelligently talked about sports. Innes is basically just an entertainment show with sports mixed in, which isn't a bad thing, it's just different :lol:
 
ESPN sources say Houston's latest offer to Donatas Motiejunas is a multiyear deal that starts at a fully guaranteed $7 million in Year 1.
Motiejunas is still a restricted FA after letting his $4.4M qualifying offer expire. Incentives can take latest Houston offer into $8M range
Nov. 23 is an unofficial deadline for Houston to strike a deal with Donatas Motiejunas, since he's ineligible to be traded after that date.
 
Speaking of the radio...

I really hate that Charlie Palilo got canned for Josh Innes. Palilo could be boring at times, but at least he intelligently talked about sports. Innes is basically just an entertainment show with sports mixed in, which isn't a bad thing, it's just different :lol:

I noticed the same :lol: Innes would fit right in with ESPN
 
From ESPN:

ATLANTA -- Dwight Howard was an engaging figure during the bulk of his three seasons with the Houston Rockets. His smile, personality and overall caring nature were a joy for the organization.

But it came crashing down last season with his desire to get the ball more, leading to a bit of a power struggle with James Harden, the other star player.

Howard declined his player option last summer, opting to seek better fortunes elsewhere. He eventually signed a three-year, $70.5 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks, his hometown team.

On Saturday night at Phillips Arena, Howard will face off against Harden and the Rockets for the first time since he left. While their relationship isn't dissected with the intensity of the Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant split, Howard made an impact on the Rockets, especially with young players Clint Capela, Montrezl Harrell and Sam Dekker.

"Dwight was a great guy; nobody gets to really see the type of person he is off the court," said Harrell, 22, a power forward in his second season with the Rockets. "Everybody sees him on the court and thinks he's childish or he's a big kid. He's a great guy with the time I spent with Dwight. He cares about everybody on and off the court. He has a heart that's so big. Whenever I came out of a game, we were always communicating."

Howard's personality can also rub some teammates the wrong way on the court. He smiles when he plays and jokes with fans during games. In road games, particularly in Los Angeles, where he played with the Lakers during the disappointing 2012-13 season, he's booed with contempt.

During his time in Houston, Howard would even smile at the fans who booed him. At times he would playfully encourage it.

But he also worked to develop bonds with teammates such as Harrell and Dekker, a 22-year-old forward who played in just three regular-season games as a rookie last season due to back surgery. He spent his time rehabbing, watching and learning how to become a professional.

During a playful moment, Dekker found a picture on Howard's iPad of the big man posing in front of mountains during the All-Star break. Dekker posted the picture on Twitter. Howard's cheesy smile, while wearing his Rockets' warm-up suit, bore a look that made it seem he was taking a high school picture.

Howard thought the picture was funny and rolled with it.

"That's the type of guy I am; I don't take things too seriously," Dekker said. "Dwight has kinda the same personality, too, so he didn't mind I put that on. It's the type of thing a team needs. Our lives are so absorbed with basketball, you got to get away from it a little bit, have some fun."

Aside from the playful banter away from the court, Howard's play was dominant at times.

In three seasons, Howard averaged 16 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. In the 2014 postseason, Howard was the Rockets' best player, averaging 26 points and a postseason-leading 13.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.

With Howard and Harden, the Rockets reached the Western Conference finals once and were eliminated from postseason play in the opening round twice. To say Howard's impact on the court was a failure isn't fully accurate.

Howard wanted the basketball more and his usage rate with the Rockets fell to a drastic 21.7 average during his three seasons. In eight seasons in Orlando, Howard's usage rate was 23.5 percent. Even in his one season with the Lakers, Howard's usage rate was 22.2, and he was playing with a torn labrum for most of that season.

Yet the Rockets moved away from Howard's post game, instead going with more 3-point shooters, led by Harden. Howard told ESPN he went to Rockets management asking to be more involved in the offense but GM Daryl Morey rebuffed the request.

Last season, sources have told ESPN, the Rockets wanted to develop Capela, preparing him as the future starting center. In just two seasons, the 6-foot-10 Capela put on 50 pounds and has developed good on-the-court chemistry with Harden. Under new coach Mike D'Antoni, not a favorite of Howard's, the Rockets run more pick-and-roll plays.

"I've always played like that," Capela said. "For me it's always worked out, the pick-and-roll plays. I like to sprint up the court; everything was positive."

Capela watched closely how Howard handled reporters and teammates. While Howard is talkative and playful, Capela is quiet and friendly.

"I really had a chance to see a superstar on our team and how the pressure was on him and how to focus for every game," Capela said. "I learned from that, and I'm really glad to [have seen] that every single day."


Learning how to become a professional is not easy for anyone, especially someone in his early 20s. Dekker said he leaned on several players besides Howard, such as Trevor Ariza and Harden. Capela also talked to other veteran players and currently is under the tutelage of backup center Nene.

"I want to do it my own way, and I'm really glad I had a chance to practice against him," Capela said of Howard. "If I got an offensive rebound or a basket against him, I'd say if I could do it against Dwight, I can do it in a game. It gave me the confidence."

When Howard plays host to his former team on Saturday, handshakes and hugs are expected. Nobody anticipates this one to play out like the frosty meeting between Westbrook and Durant in Oakland.

"It was great having him around," Harrell said. "He was a big help for me and I think he'll have a great career in Atlanta."
 
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