May 09--They watched the film at practice Saturday and got to relive the nightmare they all participated in Friday night.
The Houston Rockets were horrible on defense in their 124-99 loss to the Clippers in Game 3 of the teams' second-round NBA playoff series.
If they are to have an opportunity to even the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series in Game 4 on Sunday at Staples Center, the Rockets all agreed that their defense must be improved.
"We're gambling at half court, so that allows them to get easy points once again," Rockets guard James Harden said after Houston practiced at the Lakers' training facility in El Segundo.
"I think if we make them play against our set defense for 90% of the game, the game will be a lot different. But when we reach and gamble, then guys go around us. They get lobs, they get threes and their crowd gets into the game."
From the start of Game 3, the Rockets didn't really guard anyone.
They gave up 33 points in the first quarter, during which the Clippers shot 53.8%. They gave up 64 points in the first half, stood by when the Clippers blitzed them for an 18-0 run in the third quarter and offered no resistance as the Clippers went up by 32 in the fourth.
"It's 100% our fault," Harden said. "Obviously like I said, they are a really good team. But I think if we make them play against our set defense, which I think they are making us do, this series should be a lot different. But like I said, it's basically on us. We can control what we've got to go out there and do."
