ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Lakers 4/18/2026 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 1)

Tilman is not going to eat up his salary. Everybody needs to get it through their thick head that Tilman is content with this.

 

Back in the day it was the Ritz-Carlton at Marina Del Rey. The lobby bar could be worth a look tonight

 

No big bench points, no Fast breaks, no offensive system to run. It is complete YMCA Iso Ball.

 

And that’s the biggest problem. Stone and Tilman either don’t know how or don’t care to fix this. Even if we somehow win this series, we’ll get obliterated in the next round.

 

Made the same amount of free throws. Made one more 3. Had seven less turnovers. Had 21 offensive rebounds to 3…and lost by 9.

Lakers shoot 61% for the GAME. Rockets 38%.

We may never see a stat line like that in the playoffs again.

 

this team tanked for years, yet are incredibly reliant on an ancient KD

the Lakers had the 20th ranked defense this season, and we couldn’t even muster up 100 points

 

Can't believe he got a six year extension just like I couldn't believe it when Dana Holgorsen got a contract extension at UH.

 

Sometimes it is, I think coaches make a pretty big impact on players. I don't ever get mad at Reed missing threes, thats what he should be doing. I get more upset when he has TOs or gets lost on defense.

My point is, with the gravity he creates the offense should look better with him in. With KD/Reed/Sengun, the offense should look better than it does. That's on the coach, not on the players. Everyone watches this team and has no idea what we are doing. Charles said it tonight, nearly every ex-player or coach that analysis the game says the same exact thing.

Therefore, with an ugly offense, you can't be surprised that players struggle to perform in it. They aren't getting easy shots or they are not getting shots in rhythm or shots where they expect to get them.

I bet you, go to the NBA subreddit or some NBA form, ask if they'd rather have Bari, Reed, Amen, Sengun, or Kennard...no one would have had Kennard with the night he had...but he got his shots, the shots he's used to getting in the spots he's used to getting them, and he had a good night because of it.

Good coaches put their players in spots where they can succeed, this coach simply doesn't. It's not just Reed that looked bad, I'd be with you if Reed was the only one, they all looked pretty bad tonight in a game that most thought they should win. That's been the thing all season hasn't it? They lose games against bad teams. That's on the coach.

 

Rockets are embarrassing to watch.

Sign

 

I know he had more assists than we had missed shots but I didn’t want to inflate it

 

The world is ending

 

Reed Sheppard is just not that guy. sucks

 

Sure, no KD tonight, but this performance was pathetic. Barkley said it well during halftime - that the Rockets didn't know what the hell they were doing, no flow, no identity.

If the Rockets lose this series, then Udoka needs to go. He is just too old school for the current NBA.

 

I don't love Ime but what counters do you want to see

 

Okay we lost. Now there will be no accountability and no adjustments.

 

KD has to come back next game, because I don’t even want to fathom us returning to Houston down 0-2

 

Ime will lead us to a sweep and hopefully join the unemployment line.

 

I wouldn't insult b**** ass coaches like that

 

Honestly. Trade fvv. Kd... see what we can get for sengun.
We need a star.
Missed out on scottie Barnes and Evan mobley. Organization no bueno
Get rid of stone
Keep ime
Bring in an offensive assistant coach

 

Last years playoff rotation

FVV
Amen
Green
Brooks
Sengun
Jabari
Adams
Eason

Tonight

Reed
Amen
Okogie
Jabari
Sengun
Eason
Capela
Tate
Holiday