1st Round LA vs Hou: Who is starting in this series?

I think it's Tari. I hope he plays well.

 

You could say start Reed, but Ime will have him on such a short leash I don't think it matters. Tari can be awful for 2 straight months and still get 25+ minutes a night, but Reed can't be awful for 2 straight minutes.

 

Amen should be on Lebron as much as possible if/until Luka returns. The Lakers will use picks and every other possible strategy to keep that from happening.

 

The dumbest possible lineup with the dumbest possible rotations... because Ime.

 

Okogie’s issue is that it takes him too long to get his shot off. Teams don’t even have to fully guard him at the 3-point line—they can just play an active, disciplined defense and still take those looks away.

That wasn’t always a problem in the regular season, but it showed up more in certain games. There were stretches where defenses basically played a Cover 2-style scheme—clogging the paint while still being able to stay tight on two perimeter shooters. With Okogie and Amen on the floor, their defenders could sit in that in-between space—helping inside first and still recovering out without really getting punished.

Okogie might still go 2-of-5 from three, but the impact on the rest of the offense—shrinking driving lanes and stalling possessions—makes that tradeoff hard to justify. Okogie just is not good enough to get up 15 threes if he's not guarded.

My guess is that the Lakers just don't guard the 5th starter unless the 5th starter forces them to.

 

Need to get way ahead in the series before the possibility of him coming back luka, first 4 games are critical..

 

I don't care who starts. I don't think I've ever been as disinterested in a Rockets playoff series in my life. I'm usually at a 8-10 for Rockets playoffs...This is a cool 6....

 

Use Clint CaCurry as a stretch 4...
Newton run the point...
Start DFS as equipment manager & rotate him as towel boy....
Ban Sengun from doing the Flamingo shot....
Put Ime @ assistant Coach, then Give Greg Popovich court side seats & walkie-talkie, and make the team do everything he says .....
Go to Korin's look out tower, get 1 Sensu bean, heal steven Adams....

 

I get it, there's no chance this team does anything this year....or any year until they get rid of Ime....so what's the point?

They have a solid chance to beat LA so long as Luka is out and Ime doesn't go full Ime too frequently....but then what? 2nd round sweep for sure.

 

Start

Sengun
Smith
Durant
Okogie
Amen

If Josh can’t provide enough spacing early in the series swap in Reed. I would let DFS play a little bit to see if he can’t regain his form magically.

 

Yeah this is definitely one of the worst rockets teams to make the playoffs. Too many problems. Even with Luka and Reaves out, I can see this going to 7

 

The more important question is who finishes

what is our death lineup?

 

Tate, Okogie, Tari, Amen, KD

That's the death of any Rockets lead.

 

We need a good bench unit to score when LeBron is off the court. Reed would be perfect for that.

 

OKC sweep after this Series.

 

Thank you! Finally someone brings some sanity to the GARM. Good point about Clint. He’s shooting .500 from beyond the arc. That’s better than Reed Sheppard.

 

Okogie or Reed. Tari stinks, definitely not him

 

My big concern this series is how many games Lakers playoff MVP Scott Foster is allowed to work.

 

My guess is the Core Four plus Okogie. Ime definitely doesn't want to start Reed, but he knows he cannot go back to Tari.

 

Okogie will start, but Ime will swap him out at about the 5 min mark for Tari or Reed - and the other will come in about 2 minutes later...

more important is who closes... if Reed or Tari are shooting 50%+ it will be one of them - otherwise Ime will opt for the Okogie d...

and if none of 3 are looking impressive - then Holiday will get thrown in hoping for a spark...