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

Oh yeahhhhhhh

 

Is there going to be a virtual clutchfans watch party?

 

In the 1985-86 Western Conference Championship playoff series, we beat the defending world champion Lakers in 5 games. It was considered a huge upset. While we might be favored this time, the network will be praying for an upset. They won’t get it. Rockets in 5.

 

need to bring back the clutchcity mIRC chat.

@tinman

 

Rockets are 37-9 (80% wins) when they make 35% or more of their 3s.

This is the key for our entire postseason.

 

This is a key and very important reference for the playoffs. However, I hope Ime is aware of this and understands the importance of it. His rotations seem averse to playing the best three-point shooters for reasonable periods on the court. Jabari is the only real threat but even he is on and off as a long-range shooter. Sadly, Tari seems to have lost his touch, but I am crossing my fingers that he had time during the break to make corrections to his shooting and that he would regain his early season shooting.

Reed should play more and, since Ime is inept at offense, the players themselves should take it upon themselves to set up plays like the Warriors do for Steph, to give him more shots from three. That would give them better chances of winning and more open spaces for the others to operate. Holiday should also be given that opportunity because he can be a reliable three-point shooter when he takes those shots within the flow of the offense. If only the team had a better offensive coach or assistant. But it is what it is, and the playoffs will need to be played.

 

They also win a 100% of the games where they score moar points than their opponents*

*Summer league, G-league, Practice-scrimmages, preseason, regular season, playins, playoffs.

 

Since our last game…..
























frfr

 

Back in my day, they played back to back playoff games with no water or food, fasting. All while praying to Allah every timeout so that the little men pass bol to big man and to hear Marv Albert say "Yes" in more ways than 1.

Playing back to back games was as crazy as 3 days between games.

 

Example 4,349,093,593 of players fabricating the truth about their coach.

 

7-man, 44 minutes confirmed (not that we have a bench anyways)

“I mean, you can, and I think we've had enough guys in and out of the rotation this year that we are comfortable with it. The only part is you're going to increase guys' minutes in general, and I think that obviously takes away from some of the other options.”

 

Last year we lost in part due to our short rotation, we should have ran the damn Warriors out of the building.

 

They're going to active Foster or Brothers game 2

 

Sissy league rules mean nothing

 

Yes. But the NBA will make more money if the Lakers beat the Rockets, so Silver is giving more time for Luka and Reeves to recover from their injuries and play early on in the series. After all, the NBA is an entertainment business. Even with Luka and Reeves, the Rockets can beat the Lakers if only Ime would not screw it up with his questionable rotations.