THE Z REPORT

Lance Zierlein: Rockets fan transcript for Game 4 win over the Warriors

Seth Livingston
Lance Zierlein
May 23, 2018, 10:25 am
Being a Rockets fan can be like riding a roller coaster. Revelry on Richmond / Facebook

Rockets fan at 3:30 PM: It sure would be nice to see this team show some guts, but they just got beat by 41 so I’m not sure why we are expecting anything tonight.

Rockets fan at: 6:30 PM: This team did win 65 games and they are a good team. They definitely have a chance if James and Chris play well.

RF at 7:20: I just want them to be competitive. Even if they lose tonight, I just want them to keep a close and be respectable. I just want them to win game 5 so we don’t get embarrassed.

RF at 8 PM: F*^K THE WARRIORS! LET’S GO!!!!

RF at 8:03 PM: Well starting off 5-0  wasn’t what I was hoping for. Come on, Rockets! Pick it up!

RF down 12-0: Fan-f^#*ing-tastic! 12-0 and we haven’t even scored in the first five minutes. Has anybody has ever beaten the Golden State Warriors when they haven’t scored in the first five minutes of the game?! WHERE IS HARDEN?! There is zero chance that anyone has ever beaten them down when they haven’t scored in the first five minutes.

RF after James doesn’t take wide-open 3 down 7-14: He’s point shaving.

RF down 21-12 with Harden scoring 9 quick points: Finally showing some heart!!! Never doubt The Beard!

RF with quarter ending down 28-19: I guess I’ll take it.

RF after Shaun Livingston dunk making it 21-30: I hate Livingston.

RF after Harden step-back 3 making it 28-34: I’ve been sitting on this seat cushion since the end of the first quarter so I’m not moving now.

RF dunks on Draymond Green making it 33-36: MVP! MVP! Eat a ****, Draymond!!!

 

RF Klay Thompson hits a 3 making it 37-41: Oh my GOOOODDDD! Are we going to do this, sh*t again? Just not going to guard Klay?!?!

RF Chris Paul hits a 3 making it 40-41: Chris Paul’s not playing with you boys! He’s got those big ones! Okay, Chris!!!

RF Chris Paul hits a 3 making it 44-43: BOOM! Down 12 and now what, b*tch?!?!

RF James Harden steals it and dunks it 50-43: He’s playing defense tonight! James is in a zone! Man, he has grown up as a player. This team feels unstoppable right now.

RF at halftime up 53-46 texting a friend: Let’s see what excuses the TNT guys make for the Warriors now. They have to give James his props now. James might get 50 tonight!

RF after Eric Gordon makes FT making it 60-55: Just keep going back and forth. That’s OK. I like it. James will get going soon and we can push it to double digits.

RF with 7:00 to go in the 3rd quarter: Is Capela even playing?

RF with Harden hitting floater 62-55: Yessir, Beard! Bout to run the Warriors off the court now!

RF Steph Curry hits 11 points in span of 1:36 making it 65-68: Oh sh*t.

RF with Rockets down 70-80 at end of the 3rd quarter: I told everyone the Warriors would beat us by double digits. This is who the Rockets are. No heart. Just settle for trash looks at the basket when things get bumpy. Let me see if the Astros are a final yet.

RF Livingston dunks on Capela 70-82: That was nasty. It’s a wrap.

RF Trevor Ariza hits 3 capping 15-2 run and taking 85-84 lead: Clutch AF! This team has so much heart!

RF with 5:30 left to go in the 4th: Harden looks scared. This is why we have Chris Paul! I’m fine with this being Chris Paul’s team to be honest.

RF Harden makes layup with 4:11 making it 89-86: Yes!! ATTACK THE RIM! He’s just different this year! Beard is back!

RF Gordon makes a 3 making it 94-89: Gordon has played great! He’s the key to this entire thing!

RF after Reggie Miller mentions Gordon has made 1 of 7 threes: Wait, that stat can’t be right. I remember one or two others. He’s got at least three of them.

RF after Harden misses step-back 3 with 15 seconds to go and 94-92 lead: WHY?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!

RF during with :06 to go: GUARD!!! GUARD!!! SWITCH!!! GUARD!!! REBOUND!!! GUARD!!! DON’T LET THOMPSON GET AN OPEN LOOK!!!

RF after Thompson miss: F*^K YEAH!!!!!!!! I HATE THE WARRIORS! THEY ARE SO SOFT!! SAY THAT, BARKLEY!!!

RF refs put time back on clock and Paul makes only 1 of 2 FTs: Oh my god. No.

RF after Curry misses last shot of game: I’m staying up just to see how sad Charles and Kenny are now!

 

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A WEEKLY REVIEW OF O'BRIEN'S COACHING

Not my job: Texans no match for the Ravens

Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

The Texans fell to the Ravens 33-16 in a game they had a shot at winning. Most of you reading this will probably think I'm crazy for saying that. I assure you, I meant what I said. One of the reasons they didn't was because Bill O'Brien made a few questionable decisions that cost this team.

The first was the 4th & 1 decision. Deciding to go for it was bad enough. They were down 3-0 near the end of the first quarter with the ball on their own 34-yard line. This is not a situation that calls for a gamble or statement play. The play call itself was okay I guess: a play action bootleg with two short options. It was read and played perfectly by the Ravens defense. Deshaun Watson had nowhere to go with the ball and had to throw it at Darren Fells' back before getting sacked. That led to a quick Ravens touchdown and an early 10-0 deficit. I seriously think he has PTSD after that playoff loss to the Chiefs when it comes to fourth down calls. Bumbling Bill strikes again!

When they got the ball back, they scored a touchdown thanks to more play action passes and pre-snap motion. It was as if Bumbling Bill realized his offensive line was outmatched by the front seven they're opposing. Sure Watson is mobile and looks like a magician escaping sacks, but misdirection helps throw the defense off and keeps Watson from breaking into 177,000,000 pieces. Oh, and the quick reads were a good idea as well. Too bad Bumbling Bill went away from that and opted for longer developing routes. Or will he blame it on Timid Tim Kelly? Or was Waiting Watson holding onto the ball too long? I blame all three.

Also, can we stop starting drives with the predictable run, run, pass combo please? First down should be play action rollout with Watson having the ability to choose to run if it's there. More run/pass/option plays need to be called as well. Incorporate more things that we saw when Watson was on his way to winning rookie of the year before his knee was sacrificed for the Astros.

Credit where it's due: the end of the first half to get a field goal with a minute and change left was good to see. Typically, these situations tend to make Bumbling Bill come out. I liked the quick slant to Cobb with no timeouts. They were able to spike the ball and get the field goal up.

The game was still within reach at 23-13 in the beginning of the fourth quarter. On a 4th & 1, they gave up a 30 yard touchdown run on a direct snap to Mark Ingram. I saw gaps on both sides of the defensive line pre-snap. Sure enough, Ingram got a lead block from the Ravens human plough of a fullback and that effectively put the nail in the coffin at 30-13. I know the tendency is to quarterback sneak or run up the middle, but don't leave gaps along the defensive line trying to stack the middle. First time defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver will take the L on this one.

Overall, I'll give O'Brien and his coaching staff a C- this game. Mistakes were made that could've cost them a legit shot at winning, but the Keke Coutee fumble return for a touchdown wasn't their fault. The play calling menu was brought to us this week by Craft Pita via the "What's Eric Eating" podcast. Tune in next week for another "Not my job!"

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