ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Knicks 1/8/2004

[Clutch]

Game Information, Potential Radio Links, Rockets History vs. Knicks
http://www.clutchfans.net/nextgame.cfm?NextGameID=2627

Game Chat Starts At 6:00pm
http://www.clutchfans.net/chat.cfm

ClutchFans Box Score: Pistons 85, Rockets 66
http://www.clutchfans.net/game.cfm?GameID=2626

Thanks,
Clutch

[mirror_image]

Though we have to play at Detroit tonight, I can't keep thinking about the Knicks game. I think this will be the second-most anticipating game for this season. (The 1st is Lakers)

I am so excited because:

1) JVG back to Madison Square Garden (MSG) for the first time.
2) Starbury home debut at MSG.
3) Starbury plays against Francis as a New Yorker.
4) Moochie will prove us wrong for trading him. :D
5) Weatherspoon may make his Rockets debut against his former team.
6) Yao vs Mutombo. Mutombo has 19 blocks in his last 3 games. Can this streak continue?
7) I can watch this game LIVE on Star Sports! This is the 3rd Rockets LIVE game in Hong Kong!

How about you? :eek:

[sums41]

Moochie had eitght assists tonight at cleveland, he is doing better in NYC, so it will be exiting to see him play against the rockets tonight.

[oldman]

should be a good game.

[mirror_image]

Originally posted by sums41
Moochie had eitght assists tonight at cleveland, he is doing better in NYC, so it will be exiting to see him play against the rockets tonight.

Moochie has 17 assists in the last 2 games. He will get at least 5 assists by passing the ball to Yao. :D

[Tonaaayyyy]

Moochie Norris? OMG :eek: :D

[Asspirin]

and 2 TOs in the last 2 games!

[London'sBurning]

I dunno, I'm more worried about the game then anything. We seem to struggle against the Knicks pretty bad. I know we did last year, especially as MSG. And with Marbury on their team, I worry about how effective Francis is going to be. But they're not exactly great at the PF position and when we face a team that's not the good at PF position we usually win, so it's up in the air. Plus it's on a back to back and while we usually play well on back to backs, I'd still much rather this team have a day off between games to prepare for the Knicks then getting no rest at all. I think there will be just too much hype surrounding this game and that our team may be too mentally exhausted late in the 4th that we might crumble then like we have done in the past. Man I hope we cream Detroit and the Knicks and keep this streak alive.

[GATER]

Forget Francis and Starbury...I'll be keeping a close watch on Wilks vs Moochie. :D

[JamesC]

I really dont see how this game is much different than any other game. I do think Francis will be up for playing Marbury though. Cat always seems to like playing in NY too.

[ZRB]

I was looking forward to this game as an easy win. Then the trade happened. Knicks by 30 plus.

[mirror_image]

If we get Charlie Ward and he is able to play on Thursday, this game is even more exciting!

[Sane]

If we sign Charlie Ward, we'll look more like the Former Eastern Champions Knicks than the Knicks themselves.

[mirror_image]

Originally posted by Sane
If we sign Charlie Ward, we'll look more like the Former Eastern Champions Knicks than the Knicks themselves.

Exactly! LOL!

[haven]

Even with Marbury, the Knicks are a bad team. I always look forward to playing bad teams, since I know the Rockets probably won't beat a good one

*dose of realism

[Rocketsfan03]

knicks aren't a bad team with marbury

[Rocket River]

Marbury v Francis
Houston v Mobley
Van Horn v. JJ
Kurt Thomas v Cato
Mutombo v Yao


I think Mobley and Houston Cancel each other out
[Mobs plays FAR SUPERIOR D]
Van horn and JJ is interesting. . . . similar to Mobs and Houston

Kurt Thomas is what we want from Cato
Only thin Cato lacks is the shot . . but i think Cato is the better defender

Mutombo maybe one of the few centers Yao can Out Quick

and of course the PRIZE
Stephon v Steve

Rocket River

[haven]

Originally posted by Rocketsfan03
knicks aren't a bad team with marbury

Right :rolleyes:

The same Marbury who's been on one winning team in his life. That's fewer than Francis, incidentally.

And outside of him? A decrepit Mutombo. A one-dimensional Allan Houston. Van Horn? Woo freakin' hoo. Kurt Thomas? Errrp.

Hardly the stuff dreams are made of. If it wasn't the NEW YORK Knicks, but rather... Charlotte... with the same squad, people wouldn't be talking.

Forget the hype. They're a lousy team that got a little better.

[haven]

I'm not saying that Marbury isn't a good player. He obviously is. But there are very few players good enough to turn around a team single-handedly. Shaq could. Tim Duncan for. Perhaps Garnett, Nowitski, or Kidd.

But not Marbury. They were awful before. Now they'll merely be bad.

[bottlerocket]

I'm excited about every Rockets' game.

Bring it on sucka!:mad:

[A-Train]

It's hard to get excited about a game that will most likely end up being in the 75-67 range, a Rockets loss on the second night of a back to back, and Marbury torching us for 35 like he always does...

[ricerocket]

It's just hard to get excited about a team that puts up 6 points in the first 7 minutes, and then the other team only puts up 4. This whole NBA thing is getting ugly. I would think there will be some rule changes next year, especially if college hoops takes away a lot this spring.

[Gummi Clutch]

Im excited!
We get to see the Rockets OWN Moochie Norris like they did in practice.
We get to see JVG get Boo'd at his first return to the Garden.
We get to see the look on the NYK fans faces thinking about how close they were to getting Yao Ming.
Also we get to see the the Rocks pull away another win.
:D

[munco]

I'm going to be at the game! I was psyched to see the Rox/JVG, but now that the Knicks have Starbury and Moochie is on the Knicks there are some major headlines. Originally we were all going to root for the Rox, but one of my friends that is going with me is the world's bigger Stephon Marbury fan. I mean the kid's been following Marbury since his days as a high school phenom. Anyways, MSG is going to be nuts with the home debut of the Marbury in addition to all the Yao/Houston fans in attendance. Wooo hooo!

btw Moochie has been playing quite well as a Knick and seems really quick out there

[ricerocket]

It will be the most exciting paint drying session the MSG has ever seen.... ;)

[markman]

I am looking forward to the Rox/Knicks game because it is my birthday....... cmon Rox give me a win...........:D

[leroy]

I am looking foward to it because I actually get to watch a game. Living in Austin, we don't get to see too many unless they are national tv, NBAtv or playing the Spurs.

[count_dough-ku]

We get to see JVG get Boo'd at his first return to the Garden.

Van Gundy got a huge ovation last season during Patrick Eunuch's retirement ceremony. I don't know why Knicks fans would suddenly turn on him less than a year later.

[BigRay]

Originally posted by Tonaaayyyy
Moochie Norris? OMG :eek: :D

WOW!! Moochie was the backup to FRANCHISE and we know they were CLOSE friends now he his backing up FRANCHISE's rival STARBURY thats gonna be fun to watch!! It' sort of a reiuoion Pat Ewing/JVG/Spoon/Ward back to NYC Moochie/Shandon Anderson/Harrington/Don Cheany going against their old team. and Starbury back home in the BIG APPLE on TNT should be a HUGE GAME!!! I KAN'T wait for it... I have a feeling that Moochie will hit a last second shot to win the game:(

[pgabriel]

Originally posted by haven
Right :rolleyes:

The same Marbury who's been on one winning team in his life. That's fewer than Francis, incidentally.



Marbury's been on a couple of winning teams with Minnesota.

[lancet]

Don't get too typed up about this game. As you can tell from Knicks loss to Cleveland yesterday, Knicks aren't ready to play with Marbury yet. Remember the preseason Rockets?
A blowout Rockets by 20!

[Tonaaayyyy]

Yao will be BIG in the BIG APPLE... ill put my money on it..


get back on this thread after the game :D :cool:

[WNBA]

Moochie will revenge , going for 20 pts,15 assists.

Predict a lose for Rockets.

79:92 NY.

[The_Yoyo]

I dont wanna look too far ahead, we have a game tonight against a hot detroit team. But for the NY game yeah its gonna be electric, but i think Pike will be the hero in the game for some reason, i gotta support my homeboy from the clips. He is gonna be the X factor in that game. And the marbury/francis matchup is nice but its not gonna be living up to the hype



incidently how will the votes for Steph in the all-star game work now? they all just swing to the east? the ballots if u vote for him still say west?

[Tonaaayyyy]

Originally posted by The_Yoyo
I dont wanna look too far ahead, we have a game tonight against a hot detroit team. But for the NY game yeah its gonna be electric, but i think Pike will be the hero in the game for some reason, i gotta support my homeboy from the clips. He is gonna be the X factor in that game. And the marbury/francis matchup is nice but its not gonna be living up to the hype



incidently how will the votes for Steph in the all-star game work now? they all just swing to the east? the ballots if u vote for him still say west?

since you mentioned about "electric" im going to predict that there will be a slight power outage in the second quarter.

[Charvo]

Originally posted by WNBA
Moochie will revenge , going for 20 pts,15 assists.

Predict a lose for Rockets.

79:92 NY.

Steve is guarding his nemesis in Stephon. Moochie will go hard at Steve because he knows Steve is a matador. Knick guards should do well. It's up to the frontcourt to bail out the Rockets.

[smoothie]

yao will be a nonfactor. he allways is against physical defenders.

mo will get a lot of playing time instead of yao. he is too quick for any of ny's post players to guard. i expect another big game from him.

kvh has been hot lately. and big s's allways hurt us.

our guards will be in a scoring contest with thier guards. they are deeper, so i can only assume that they win.


overall the advantage goes to them...on paper only!

[room4rentsf]

I feel like im on a NYK BBS or something..

I predict a big win for the Rox to keep their winning streak going to 5 games.

Rox 101 Knicks 74

The way the Rox are playing is awesome I think they can take almost any team in the league right now. Yao seems to do well against Dikembe and Cato will lock down the opposing PF.

This may become a guard battle but our front court of Yao/ Mo and Cato will win it for us in the end.

J

[HillBoy]

No. I expect it to be unwatchable...

[Charvo]

No.

[disney]

Originally posted by HillBoy
No. I expect it to be unwatchable...


uh,ur dream come has come ture!!!


:(

[mishii]

I bought tickets for this game back when they were first sold to the public. Back then I thought I would be paying for the overpriced privilege of watching a 65-60 basketball game with one of the teams winning (tossup at that point). Hey I do anything to support the Rockets.

Now, I kinda like the matchups and sideplots.

Francis vs Marbury in his first game as a Knick at MSG (should be an emotional one for Marbury, who practically was begging to be a Knick since he joined the league).

JVG returns to coach against a former NBA Coach of the Year for the Rockets in Chaney (yeah, I know he hasn't done much since then).

Moochie payback time?!

Spoon gets off the bench? and hopefully grabs a lot of boards in front of the NY bench...

Yao finally having a breakout game??? He seems to like playing in the NY area.

Who knows. It now has some interesting zing to it. Although, it still might end as a 65-60 game. I just hope the Rockets win it!

We shall see.

[Rule0001]

well if we play anything like we did in detroit

should be a great one

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[ckfol]

33-23 Rockets. Depression through out the cluthch BBS. We need Prodzac.

[London'sBurning]

Rockets win.

[Alirules]

i 2nd that

[CompaqC]

3rd!!

Rockets bounce back on National TV!

[qpx]

Uuuuugly game:D :D :D

[orbb]

Rox win....steve torches marbury:D
i wonder if we can stop those van Horn 3s tho

[mirror_image]

We always win the 2nd back-to-back game!

88-78. Rockets win.

[sup123]

yao comes back strong; steve still plays like crap, marbary and ill go out on a limb and say even moochie will tourch him. And we will probably win. I had to add my favorite line: Mabye we will trade steve after his bad performance.

[mirror_image]

Houston (19-15) at New York (14-22)

Preview - Box Score - Recap

Jeff Van Gundy spent six seasons coaching the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Stephon Marbury always hoped to play there for his hometown team.
Van Gundy makes his first appearance at the Garden as a visiting coach and Marbury makes his home debut with his new team when the Houston Rockets visit the Knicks.

Marbury, acquired from the Phoenix Suns along with Penny Hardaway in an eight-player deal on Monday, grew up as a Knicks fan in Brooklyn. He said he does not know what to expect in his Garden debut.

``I'm just hoping I don't cry,'' Marbury said. ``I'm going to try to hold it in.''

He's also hoping to turn in a better performance than he did in his first game with the Knicks. Marbury had eight points on 3-of-9 shooting Tuesday in a 107-96 loss at Cleveland. He also had eight assists, five rebounds and three turnovers.

``Our guys will just have to get used to playing with him and understand that he can pass the ball, he can score and he's super quick,'' Knicks coach Don Chaney said.

Marbury admitted that he was on an emotional high to be playing for his hometown team and that he will be more under control in future games.

``I didn't really play like I normally do because I was so excited,'' Marbury said. ``I was trying to learn the guys -- that will come.''

Hardaway also struggled in his Knicks debut, scoring six points in 24 minutes. The Knicks have lost three straight following a four-game winning streak.

While his former team may have hit a skid, Van Gundy -- who resigned from the Knicks 19 games into the 2001-02 season -- is more concerned with his new one.

Houston had won three straight before falling to the Detroit Pistons 85-66 on Wednesday. The Rockets shot 33.3 percent and tied the mark for the fewest points in franchise history.

``This was a lack of intensity,'' Houston guard Steve Francis said. ``A couple guys played hard, but that won't do it. You need eight or nine guys -- your whole rotation -- to play hard. I don't think they did anything to take us out of this game. We did that to ourselves.''

Francis and Jim Jackson each scored 15 points, but center Yao Ming finished with just four. He scored the game's first two baskets, but was held scoreless for the rest of his 22 minutes. Yao played only five minutes in the second half.

``I played players that I thought deserved to play,'' Van Gundy said.

Yao said there was no excuse for his poor play.

``I just didn't play well,'' he said through an interpreter. I got too hesitant.''

[hooroo]

another easy win for the rox. last year the rox kept on losing to the non-contenders. this year it's the reverse they're whooping them but losing big to the real contenders.

rox by 10 points.

[mirror_image]

Thomas Comments on Norris Acquisition

New York, December 30, 2003 - Just prior to the start of the Knicks-Miami Heat game, Knicks President of Basketball Operations Isiah Thomas announced the trade of veteran power forward Clarence Weatherspoon to the Houston Rockets for point guard Moochie Norris and forward-center John Amaechi. The Knicks expect to waive Amaechi once the trade is completed. "If we are to improve as a team, the roster has got to be improved," said Thomas. "Moochie Norris is a very serviceable player. He's not a player you acquire just to patch a hole. He's had some success in this league."
Norris, a 6-1, 175-pound aggressor who attended Auburn and West Florida, has career averages of 6.2 points and 3.5 assists for Seattle, Vancouver and Houston. He currently owns the second-longest active playing streak in the NBA -- 304 consecutive games -- behind the Knicks' Shandon Anderson (531).

When asked how the acquisition of Norris -- a ultraquick quarterback who particularly excels in the open court -- might impact the situation of the team's incumbent veteran point guards, Thomas said "we have not contemplated, or had any conversations, about that." Norris has "three or four years left on his contract," according to Thomas.

Thomas compared his first few days on the job to the executive of a corporation. "You go in, exercise due diligence, and look at your assets," he said. "You talk to the supervisors, you get yourself up to speed. Right now, I'm still finding my way around. However, our main product is the product out there on the floor -- and, due diligence or no due diligence, we can not afford to take our time in solving our problems if we are to improve."

Of the team's markedly improved play since his arrival -- the Knicks have four out of five games -- Thomas said: "The players have responded. They are playing at a very high level."

"There are different ways to motivate people," added Thomas. "I have always tried to inspire rather than motivate through fear."

"I can tell you one thing, James Dolan is an owner who really wants to win," said Thomas. "The practice facilities here are the best, the arena is the best, the plane we are flying on is the best."

"Here in New York, we have to be the best. I have nothing but great respect for Mr. Dolan. He's about as good an owner as you'll find in the NBA."

[mirror_image]

I have a question. Do Knicks fans have a forum similar to clutchfans.net? I want to know how they think about this game.

[mirror_image]

DIME PREVIEW: Rockets at Knicks
By Peter Hamby / Dime Magazine

How did the Rockets end up in the GOTD two days in a row, you ask?

Well, the reason is that Stephon Marbury is making his Madison Square Garden debut with the Knicks tonight, and the Rockets just happen to be the visiting sideshow. Sorry, Van Gundy.

Ever since Starbury was drafted out of Georgia Tech in 1996, he's wanted to play in New York. He's made no secret of it. He comes back to Coney Island all the time, balls there, and loves it. The stint in New Jersey just didn't do it for him, but honestly, would anybody dig coming that close to NYC and not actually being there? As you might have read in Dime a few months back, player is a New Yorker for life. So, when Steph heard the news he would be traded, he liked it well enough. After all, Phoenix was a sinking ship. But as he told reporters, when he was informed he was traded to the Knicks, he lit up. It's about time. Though new GM Isiah Thomas gave up a lot to get Steph and Penny Hardaway ¡X perhaps too much in the long term ¡X the addition of the two star guards gives the Knicks a short term punch that will both bolster a playoff run and sell tickets. And jerseys. Lots of jerseys. You know you want one.

Marbury's debut wasn't spectacular, but it was only his first game in a new system with new teammates. Against Cleveland on Tuesday night, Marbury played 29 minutes with eight points and eight dimes. Ultimately, Shandon Anderson got more minutes at guard than Steph, playing 33 minutes, but don't think that'll happen too often. Penny only played half the game, notching six points. Once the backcourt gels, though, the trio of Steph, Penny, and Allan Houston might be the best guard threat in the East along with Detroit and Philly.

Alright, guess we have to talk about the Rockets, too. After all, tonight marks the return of Jeff Van Gundy to the Garden as the head coach of Houston. Most in New York love what Van Gundy did in the post-Riley era, so don't expect any boos. What is true, though, is that Van Gundy, like any other returning coach, wants to win badly. Yet the signing of Marbury is such a huge deal in New York that an appearance of Van Gundy will quickly become an afterthought following the opening tip. Also, another reunion of sorts will take place with former Rockets guard Moochie Norris. He's on the Knicks now thanks to Thomas, and through one game he saw a lot more minutes than he ever did in Houston. Moochie fans will be definitely be watching, but most won't pay attention.

Eyes will instead be on the guard showdown between Marbury and Steve Francis, and people will also be watching New York head coach Don Chaney. He'll be under pressure to work Marbury fully into the lineup in spite of the fact that he just arrived. Not only that, but Chaney will also be under pressure from here on out. Thomas has invested much in making this a winning team, and if the Knicks continue towards mediocrity, then Isiah will fire Chaney faster than you can say Dikembe Mutombo. A new era of Knicks basketball begins tonight on national television, and if you're not watching, then you don't like hoops. Ball in.

[Uprising]

Ugh...I don't know about this one. We were killed last night in Detroit. Our offense sucks.

Terrible game by the Rockets last night.

Yao was a non-factor 4 turnovers 4 points, and Cat and MO shot a combined 4-24?!

JJ and SF were the only scorers....man.


I hope the game against the Knicks isn't as painful to watch. It's on TNT so make us proud Rockets.
New York sucks, we better win this one. Then again this makes me doubt a win. We need the win. PLEASE.

[mirror_image]

NYPOST:STEPH BACK WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
By MARC BERMAN

January 8, 2004 -- Stephon Marbury comes home tonight, bringing his often-turbulent journey full circle as the Knicks face the Rockets at Madison Square Garden. Marbury, nine years after lifting Lincoln to the PSAL championship in this arena, has bubbled with emotion since his idol Isiah Thomas allowed him to fulfill his boyhood dream of being a Knick.
Although former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy will receive a loud ovation, it's not going to come close to the expected earsplitter the Coney Island Kid should receive.

"I'm going to try to keep everything in me," Marbury said, referring to his emotions.

Marbury spent two controversial years across the Hudson with the Nets, highlighted by run-ins with coaches and teammates. He said his lackluster Knick debut Tuesday in Cleveland was "awkward." Working against Marbury, however, was the fact he didn't know his playing status until 25 minutes before tip-off. He didn't know any of the plays. He hadn't practiced with the team and his travels from Phoenix to Chicago to New York to Cleveland in a 40-hour span left him under the weather.

Marbury still handed out eight assists in 29 minutes, would've hit double figures had Allan Houston shot better during the Knicks' 107-96 loss. "Allan told me [Tuesday] night when we were on the back of the bus, I was like man you had some shots I know you knock down," Marbury said. "He was like, I'm not used to being open for that long. I know I got five assists coming to him, three or four to Kurt Thomas, four to Keith [Van Horn]. It's so much easier to play."

Marbury believes he's never been surrounded by more talent than he is now the Knicks.

"This is definitely the most talented team I've been on," Marbury said. "I don't want to put any predictions, but I know we can be a really good team if we play on the defensive end."

The players said they need time to adjust to Marbury's quick passes. Marbury said he's ready to put on more of a scoring show tonight.

"[Tuesday], I really was just trying to distribute but [tonight] I'm going to be a lot more aggressive attacking the basket and making plays," he said. "I was so open getting into the middle of the paint it was odd to me. I'm used to guys stepping up and making me kick the ball out. With [Houston], they don't leave him. They sit there on him. For me to get right in the paint and getting [a chance] at an easy layup was kind of mind-boggling to me."

Marbury wants more minutes tonight. Chaney held him to just 29 in his debut because the point guard didn't know enough of the plays or defensive system.

"I really couldn't get into the game like I wanted to," Marbury said. "I'm used to playing 40. I want to be on the basketball court playing. I don't want to be on the bench."

[mirror_image]

NYPOST:JEFF BACK ON B'WAY

January 8, 2004 -- AUBURN HILLS - Everyman returns from exile tonight, and he walks in the door as a footnote, an afterthought, a sidebar. Jeff Van Gundy wouldn't have it any other way, of course.
Maybe back when the schedule was drawn up, when this seemed certain to be his unofficial "night" at Madison Square Garden, a chance for the same fans who once filled the place chanting his name to shower him with one last echo of thanks, he might have felt differently.

No more. It won't happen that way now, and Van Gundy knows it. Isiah Thomas' hiring took a lot of the anticipatory starch out of Latrell Sprewell's homecoming 16 days ago, and now Thomas' first blockbuster deal will do the same thing to Van Gundy's. The distraction ruined Sprewell's Christmas. It made Van Gundy's year.

"Nobody's going to be thinking about Jeff Van Gundy," the subject of that third-person observation said late yesterday morning, a few hours before his new team, the Rockets, were beaten, 85-66, by the Pistons at The Palace, the warm-up act for what promises to be an emotional ringer tonight. "Nor should they. They got Stephon Marbury. That's a big-time acquisition."

Van Gundy isn't likely to engage in any of the theatrics that accompanied past Garden homecomings, anyway. Pat Riley came back to boos his first night back in '95, then waved his arms to encourage more. Patrick Ewing choked back tears, wearing the odd color scheme of the Seattle SuperSonics, and Clyde Frazier did, too, the night he came in wearing a burgundy-and-gold Cavaliers uniform. All Sprewell wanted to do was pull a Carlesimo on James Dolan when he came back.

Van Gundy won't do any of that when he reports to work tonight, the first game he'll coach at the Garden since Dec. 3, 2001. The Knicks rallied from 17 down in the third quarter that night, eked out an 89-86 win over - yes, life certainly does have a sense of humor sometimes - the Houston Rockets. He was miserable that night, of course, griping about how the Knicks "have lost our way . . . you can tell. Many times, we're not as passionate as we should be. A bit lifeless."

Lifeless? He should have seen the corpse he left behind.

"That's about to change, with Marbury," Van Gundy said, still far more comfortable talking about the other guy who will share the bill tonight. "I believe he gives them as good a chance as anybody to win the East."

Throughout the 13 season Van Gundy worked in the employ of Madison Square Garden, he heard endlessly about the Knicks' fabled glory days. He grew to understand how instrumental the great Red Holzman was in making those glories real. And this may be the funniest turn of all: given how dreadful the product has been inside the Garden in the 761 days since he walked away from a 10-9 team, suddenly the people recall Van Gundy's teams with a similar wistfulness.

And the people recall this self-proclaimed "no-name" with the same regard as the pillars, the Ewings and the Oakleys, the Starks, Sprewells and LJs.

"Go figure," Van Gundy said.

Before tonight, there were only two other ventures back to the Garden, last winter, when he'd taken the old familiar route first to take in a Manhattan-Yale college game, later to take part in the ceremony retiring Ewing's number.

Everyman remembered every little thing about the trip before one of his players, Kelvin Cato, began chirping about the media hog coach.

In an instant the smile was gone, and the chat was over. Business was at hand. The Pistons and the Knicks, just another back-to-back, just another road trip, just another season. Everyman seemed to like it that way.

[Life2Def]

The Rockets should win this won because for the most part of the season we have beaten the teams we're supposed to beat and we're suppose to beat the knicks but with the rockets...you'll never know.

[Life2Def]

one*...sorry for the double post.

[mirror_image]

NYTimes:Rockets Seek to Uncover Yao's 7-Foot-6 Mean Streak
By CHRIS BROUSSARD

When Carroll Dawson, the general manager of the Houston Rockets, met Yao Ming two years ago, one of the first questions he asked him was, "Why don't you dunk the ball?"

"He told me he had been taught not to embarrass his opponents," Dawson said yesterday, recalling the conversation. "I said, `Well, that's something that's going to have to change, because if you don't dunk in our league, 6-foot-6 guys will block your shot.' Yao said, `I'm ready for the change.' "

Yao, the Rockets' 7-6 center from China, has kept his word, dunking regularly while establishing himself as a force and an N.B.A. All-Star for years to come.

But Yao, who will make his first appearance of the season at Madison Square Garden tonight when the Rockets (19-15) and their coach, Jeff Van Gundy, visit the Knicks, has yet to develop the aggression that the game's most powerful play, the slam dunk, has come to symbolize.

Many observers believe his ability to do so will determine whether he becomes an all-time great center, which was part of the expectation when the Rockets made him the first pick of the 2002 draft, or just a very good player in his era.

"If he ever gets a mean streak in him, look out," said an Eastern Conference official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "But his culture and his background might not allow that. If he can get that, wow! If he gets that mean streak, he's fighting Shaq in there."

Though Yao has had some of his stronger performances against Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers' center, he is nowhere near the dominant force that O'Neal is or was during a similar stage in his career. Yao entered last night's game at Detroit with solid but not standout averages: 15.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.88 blocks.

With his size, soft hands, great passing ability and varied arsenal of shots, Yao could do much more. And while Van Gundy and his assistants understand that Yao, 23, is still a work in progress, they are sometimes frustrated by his tender nature on the court.

One of Patrick Ewing's main responsibilities as a Rockets assistant coach is to work with Yao, and Van Gundy referred all questions about Yao's development to Ewing.

"He just needs to become more aggressive," said Ewing, who is in his first season with Houston. "Right now, he's too gentle. He's like a gentle giant. He's got to be more physical and aggressive. Instead of waiting, he needs to just take it. Show his dominance. Use his size, and just take it."

Though Yao needs to incorporate that mentality at both ends of the floor, the Rockets have mainly focused on his view toward offense. Instead of settling for a fadeaway jumper, they want him to pound the ball toward the basket for a layup or a dunk. Instead of submitting meekly to double teams, in which defenders have been getting incredibly physical with Yao, they want him to throw an elbow that will discourage opponents from going at him so hard.

And despite Van Gundy's desire to feature him more, Yao, a 51 percent shooter, is averaging only 11 shots a game. Part of that is because of Houston's shoot-first guards, Steve Francis (15 shots a game) and Cuttino Mobley (13), but Yao must also be more demanding for the ball.

"I haven't reached Coach's expectations yet," Yao, through his interpreter Colin Pine, said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "I just have to keep working at being more aggressive and being nastier."

But Yao is somewhat confused. Asked how to go about doing that, he said: "I don't know. If I knew the answer to that, I think I would've already met Coach's expectations."

Donnie Nelson, the Dallas Mavericks' president of basketball operations and an expert on international basketball, said Yao was being asked to embrace an entirely different way of thinking from what he is accustomed to.

"If you think of how community-oriented most young people growing up in China are, it's just a different way of being brought up," Nelson, who has been to China several times, said. "There's a lot more unity, and it seems like it's a culture that promotes a more unselfish, `what's best for everyone is what's best for you' mentality.

[dn1282]

rox sink into laughingstock land as they fail to score 60 points in an pathetic and ugly loss to the knicks.

[mirror_image]

Tommorow's game is going to be the biggest game of the season...and it also will be the turning point to our season.

Stephon Marbury and Penny have gone through their first days of practice today and they will be more comfortable on the court.

Marbury is going to drop 30 in his homecoming....mark it down.

Keith Van Horn might have another sick game as well.....

Knicks win this one.

To cap it all off...Jeff Van Gundy returns to NY. He's the best coach in the league and we really miss the guy.

Link:
http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=198267&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=12

[ckahlich001]

rockets 48 (4 X 12)
knicks 80

[ArtV]

Rockets lose: 84 - 69

[qrui]

a win thats all i ask for.

[luckystrikes]

Rockets lose 62-90.

[tony959]

:( Why can,t Norris play so good In Hou?

[acrophobia98]

Marbury shows his money worth; and we all know why.

Rocket 63
New York 85

:(

[saviorlh]

Rockets win by a point 75-74
I think this will be a close game and but low scoring ofcourse.
It will be in the 70's.............I hope that the Rockets win....I think if they dont somebody needs to make some real changes on this team.............a shock and awww trade................

[saviorlh]

Rockets lose 55-110

[Gummi Clutch]

...MUST...WIN...THIS...GAME!!!

[ivanyy2000]

Marbury will have his MSG debut tonight, and he will try his best to show he worth the trade and luckily this time it is his bi*ch Steve Francis coming to town.

Not looks good.


Knicks 98

Rox 76

Marbury 32pts 8 Asts 5stls

[scotia]

lose by 4 pts.

BTW, 2nd night back to back, they always put up a Win!

[Deuce]

Lately the Rockets seem to do well on the 2nd game of back to backs. It is odd, but nevertheless.

The Rockets players feel they really did not put much effort out last night. My guess is they will come out and play well tonight.

Not sure if we will win, but the effort and play will be better I bet.

[ima_drummer2k]

First team to 60 points wins...

[coma]

Franchise tries to one up Starbury thus disrupting team offense.

Rockets 81
Kinicks 88

[lost_elephant]

i dont think the rox will display 2 unmotivated performances back to back, they need to save some for mavs games. rox win 87-78

yao 17 pts 9 boards 3 blks
stevie 15 pts 5 boards 6 assists
cat 24 pts 3 boards 3 assists.

[rockHEAD]

Gametime: 6:00pm CST!

damn I hate early games

[ivanyy2000]

Interesting pregame quote from Steve Francis:

"If coach feels like it will be special for him, that's fine, but for us, it is just a game against a good team," Rockets guard Steve Francis said. "I've been playing against Moochie my whole life - he knows my game and I know his - so I'm really looking forward to it. It should be a lot of fun."

SF is avoiding talking about his master Marbury right now:p . Playing against Moochie, nice. :D ;)

[nyquil82]

brother calls me up, "you free tomorrow night?"
"yeah"
"want to see the knicks game? i got tix"
"sure, who are they playing again?"
"rockets, it'll be starbury's first game in new york. arena will be full, meet me at 630"

christmas came late for me! :D

[ckahlich001]

First team to 60 points wins...

interesting...


i'll say first team to reach 40 will win...but if its actually neck to neck in the 4th...we may see marbury turn into the clutch maestro

doesnt marbury always whoop up on steve francis?

this is probably going to be a high scoring night for marbury

[Charvo]

Originally posted by coma
Franchise tries to one up Starbury thus disrupting team offense.

Rockets 81
Kinicks 88

When was the last time Steve put up better numbers than Stephon? If Steve is going to try to outscore Stephon, he'll be eaten up. Stephon is just a better player now than Steve.

[Sleepy]

Hope the Rockets lose by 20 and score 70 so somebody will figure out this team needs HELP. They dont deserve to be in the playoffs. Shooting poorly they are horrible. They need new jobs.

[MFW2310]

Originally posted by Sane
If we sign Charlie Ward, we'll look more like the Former Eastern Champions Knicks than the Knicks themselves.

Wrong. The Knicks were an average talent team (at best) that overperformed. The Rockets are a decent talent team that blows. On the Knicks everybody played their part, knew exactly what they were doing and played as a team. On the Rockets everybody turn the ball over, can't play together and ISOs unless we're hitting prayers from 25 feet.

[DreamWeaver]

Originally posted by MFW2310
Wrong. The Knicks were an average talent team (at best) that overperformed. The Rockets are a decent talent team that blows.

How did the Knicks "overperform"? Since JVG left them, did the Knicks even make it into the postseason once?

Knicks are overrated and we should destroy them tonight.

[Rocketsfan03]

^not with marbury now there...

[Tonaaayyyy]

Yao plays big and gets a good game.

power outage in second quarter. Game resumes 3 minutes later

rocekts win

[Charvo]

I'd go with the same exact gameplan that the Rockets used against the Lakers in the 1st quarter. There should be a lot of pick and roll to get Dikembe out of the paint. Marbury is a really good defender though. I've seen him go into lockdown mode against Steve. He'll probably give Steve the jumpshot rather than have him drive to the bucket after the pick and roll.

[Charvo]

Originally posted by DreamWeaver
How did the Knicks "overperform"? Since JVG left them, did the Knicks even make it into the postseason once?

Knicks are overrated and we should destroy them tonight.

Marbury is better than Steve
Allan Houston is better than Cuttino
Keith Van Horn is better than JJ
Kurt Thomas and Maurice are a wash
Yao is probably better than Dikembe

Why do you think the Rockets should destroy the Knicks?

[droxford]

could someone who has access to ESPN insider please post the article that says that NY is "looking to make another megadeal (http://insider.espn.go.com/insider/story?id=1703072)"?

-- droxford

[Q]

Big game.
Rockets play well on TV, but this is a home opener for Marbury.

In overtime:

Rockets 87 : 93 Knicks

Allan Houston lights us up, many will blame officiating in this game.

[ricerocket]

Steve will call out Moochie and go 1 on 5....

Knicks 88
Knickets 70

[ArtV]

Originally posted by ricerocket
Steve will call out Moochie and go 1 on 5....

Knicks 88
Knickets 70

Sad - but funny :p

[sun12]

Rox will win. Cato's defense, Mot's hook shot, and Yao won't be called much fouls because it is a televised game.

[Aemon]

I am so sick of watching ugly basketball yall. Just hope that tonight's game will be about real basketball, you know that fun game that we used to watch during the explosive offense era, a game that gets us us all excited about basketball -- yeah right.:rolleyes:

[Charvo]

Watch when Yao goes out of the game in the 1st quarter around the 4 minute mark. Stephon will immediately go to the basket against Steve. He did it when the Suns played against the Rockets last time. If I were Stephon, I'd relax for 8 minutes. Then I would turn on the afterburners when Yao goes out.

[darin1998]

I just got some tickets to the game tonight. Does anyone want to get together before or after the game. I will check this for the next hour (until 6:15 EST).

[rvpals]

Yao lights up Madison Square Garden if JVG thinks he's deserved to play. SF lights up Marbury

[ROXTXIA]

Tough one to call, isn't it?

One team hasn't had the time to develop chemistry.

The other team never really had it.

Two point guards, one in his homecoming debut, the other proud enough to show up for the big games and save the "if-that-doesn't-get-Van-Gumble-to-trade-me-nothing-will!" games for Detroit, Toronto, et al.

Keys to the game: Defense. And Cato has to bring it. And Yao has to actually, you know, show up.

[Rule0001]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Rockets : 82

Knicks: 79

Yao with 22 points , 10 rebs

^^^

wishful thinking :D

[MattM]

I predicted last night that Yao will would have a stellar night versus Detroit and we all know what happened.

I'm going to stick with my optimism and say that he is going to be fired up for the game.

Yao is going to cheapshot Mutombo in the back of the head and will be ejected and fined and suspended for 5 games. When he returns he will play to his potential and finish the season averaging 25 points 13 rebs 4 blks per game.

Steve is going to score 40 points and will have 15 assists. Mo will be perfect from the line. Cato hit a 5 ft shot from the paint. Jackson and Cat will just have average nights though.

Tomorrow there will be threads all over the forums talking about how JVG is a genius and how Francis our savior.

Houston 126
NY 65

[benchmoochie]

New York 75
Rockets 57

[Tom Archer]

NY 83
HOU 68

[DreamWeaver]

Originally posted by Charvo
Marbury is better than Steve
Allan Houston is better than Cuttino
Keith Van Horn is better than JJ
Kurt Thomas and Maurice are a wash
Yao is probably better than Dikembe

Why do you think the Rockets should destroy the Knicks?

Stephon > Steve
Houston = Mobley
Van Horn > JJ
Thomas < Cato/MoT
Dikembi < Yao

Recordwise, Rox >> Knicks.

Rox will destroy Knicks tonight

[London'sBurning]

Regardless of tonights outcome, I can and will always remember the Rockets vs Knicks NBA Finals and will take every single opportunity to point that out to any Knicks fan.

NYer: Hey did you hear about our broadway. It kicks ass.

Me: We kicked your ass in the Finals. Rockets bitch!

[DreamWeaver]

I am watching this game on TNT and I wish Rox could draw as well at home as the Knicks. :(

[WNBA]

DANG, Yao scored first 4 pts again:mad:
.....
This will be another embarassing lose

[ahbuchen]

Originally posted by WNBA
DANG, Yao scored first 4 pts again:mad:
.....
This will be another embarassing lose


Relax, he's scored 6 already

[WNBA]

Originally posted by ahbuchen
Relax, he's scored 6 already

What a freaking team rockets r.
They are hitting everything right now.
reminds me the laker game

[ahbuchen]

Originally posted by ahbuchen
Relax, he's scored 6 already

10/10 shooting......

[SmeggySmeg]

wow

[DreamWeaver]

Where was this Rox team last night? :confused:

7 for 7 from the field. Dang.

[ahbuchen]

Originally posted by ahbuchen
10/10 shooting......

No edit.

It is 7/7....

[MattM]

WHAT ROCKETS TEAM IS THIS?


17-2


!?!??!?!?!?!?!????????????????????!?!?!??!!:confused: :confused: :confused:

[SmeggySmeg]

from the Yahoo scoreboard thingy

7:24 HOU - K. Cato makes a 19-foot jumper from the left wing. Assist: S. Francis

Tell which part of this is soooooooooooooooooooooooo wrong

[WNBA]

even Cato can hit his super 19 ft jumper:D

let's see what our guards can do

[room4rentsf]

HAHAHA I bet JVG lit into this team after the last game and for some reason the Rox do better in the second of a back to back set. Also this game is nationally televised meaning no one wants to look stupid on national TV. This is how the Rox could play every night if they wanted.. if they could keep up their intensity.

J

[WNBA]

feel sorry for Knicks. i thought this would be a game:D

[WNBA]

finally missed one after 13/13 (including ft)

[Quakes]

Francis you idiot! The team was shooting 100% until you missed! Aargh!!! Trade him!

:D

[beyao]

I still just cannot stand our guards. Everyone else has it rolling and they still insist on dribbling down the clock and jacking up crap.

[WNBA]

Originally posted by Quakes
Francis you idiot! The team was shooting 100% until you missed! Aargh!!! Trade him!

:D

Yao ming returns to his normal by one miss,one TO....
2 fouls will follow.

[slinslin]

Feels strange rooting for the Rockets.

Well the Knicks draftpick will be enough consolation.

[SmeggySmeg]

Originally posted by WNBA
Yao ming returns to his normal by one miss,one TO....
2 fouls will follow.

why watch at all then

[sup123]

Francis continues his dribble dribble. Ill say it again trade him.

[gotoloveit2]

Originally posted by WNBA
Yao ming returns to his normal by one miss,one TO....
2 fouls will follow.

JVG returns to his normal. Yao IMMEDIATELY got benched, and the Rox is losing its lead once again.

[DreamWeaver]

Originally posted by WNBA
feel sorry for Knicks.

Why? I wish Rox could do this to every team, especially the Knicks.

[mrdave543]

man got booted for saying god damn francis as a joke cause he missed the 100% shot....sorry DoD was just jokin around...how longs my punishment

[SamFisher]

Dear lord, a 31 point quarter? Isn't that what we score in a half these days?:confused:

[MattM]

Originally posted by SmeggySmeg
from the Yahoo scoreboard thingy

7:24 HOU - K. Cato makes a 19-foot jumper from the left wing. Assist: S. Francis

Tell which part of this is soooooooooooooooooooooooo wrong

LOL, i came up out of my seat when he hit that...


I predicted he would hit a 5 footer...i was way off.

[Easy]

They were perfect the first 6 minutes. Then it kinda slipped.

[room4rentsf]

all I have to say is DAYUMMMM!!

This is what Rox BB should be every night! We give our shooters wide open shots and they hit them. haaha

Wow everyone is contributing and I was hoping to keep NY at 8 pts but oh well. I hope the Rox can keep up the efficiency and intensity..

Go Yao! Go Rox! Go Super DUper Backup Bench Brigade!

J

[WNBA]

The 23:2 start made my day. That's so perfect basketball.

[derrock]

A Pike who can't shoot is worthless.

At least he's getting open looks.

[WNBA]

after 6/6, they went 6/20.........

[Easy]

Back to Rockets ball in the 2nd Q, 3-5 after 5 minutes of play. :(

[WNBA]

Originally posted by Easy
Back to Rockets ball in the 2nd Q, 3-5 after 5 minutes of play. :(

Rocketsball is 3 to 9 as what is right now.
Time to turn off TV .

[teknokid]

Wow.. Steve looks like a scrub out there. He hasnt taken an open jumper except that one easy dunk he had. His shot selections are just ridiculous. He hasnt gotten double teamed once in this game yet. What is he doing???

[London'sBurning]

They went away from Yao again. The guy has 8 points easily in the first 6 minutes of the 1st quarter, gets benched only to get cold while sitting. JVG throws him in when the Knicks are making a run, and the Rockets don't pass to him unless he's a last second resort. I don't understand it. I also don't understand why JVG benched JJ when he's hot on the floor as well. Run plays where JJ and kicking the ball into Yao, and either force the double team where JJ is open, or let Yao do his thing. Why do they go away from an approach that was working so well at the start? Also they look hesitant out there when taking shots again, and I think the lack of confidence in their shot is now is causing all the misses. This team is so bi-polar it's driving me insane.

[Charvo]

Originally posted by London'sBurning
They went away from Yao again.

Knicks going to a cloud defense around Yao. It's tough to pass to Yao.

[Beck]

Wow.. Steve looks like a scrub out there.

I totally disagree. He has been very active on defense and in the second quarter he has made some great passes. Found Pike for 2 or 3 wide open looks, and Mo Taylor cutting for an easy dunk before Mo got stripped. Yeah, he has had a couple of bad shots, but he has been very active.

[Tom Archer]

This is unreal. First the game against LA and then this. Too bad we don't play every game on national TV!!!

[HAYJON02]

i cant say this game is really fair but then again i didnt think it would be. it is beautiful to be having such a good game with such an audience.

as "great" as new york fans are, selling out games and all, they sure are boo happy

[HAYJON02]

Originally posted by teknokid
Wow.. Steve looks like a scrub out there. He hasnt taken an open jumper except that one easy dunk he had. His shot selections are just ridiculous. He hasnt gotten double teamed once in this game yet. What is he doing???

uhhhh getting his team involved, snatching rebounds and dishing assists.... :rolleyes:

[tigernet]

Rockets didn't get the respect by the commenters. See what he said:" rockets got 28 right now in the first quarter, that's the number they normally got at half time...".

[gotoloveit2]

Damn you Yao, stop taking those 20 footers. I dont care if you makes 'em. You gotta go inside and keep banging, and banging, and banging..... :rolleyes:

[Tom Archer]

Originally posted by tigernet
Rockets didn't get the respect by the commenters. See what he said:" rockets got 28 right now in the first quarter, that's the number they normally got at half time...".

That's what the Christmas day announcers were saying, but who cares as long as we do what's necessary to take this game.

[SamFisher]

Originally posted by Charvo
Marbury is better than Steve
Allan Houston is better than Cuttino
Keith Van Horn is better than JJ
Kurt Thomas and Maurice are a wash
Yao is probably better than Dikembe

Why do you think the Rockets should destroy the Knicks?


What awful analysis. There's reason why they play the games.

Christ the Knicks were sub .500 playing in the East minus Marbury from that awesome starting lineup you just posted.

[derrock]

Anyone else notice the Craig Sager bit with Marbury's parents next to him. It was obvious he wanted to give them an interview and they refused. Marbury's mom looked like she was gonna hit him with her purse while he was doing his bit.

[idlel]

Originally posted by tigernet
Rockets didn't get the respect by the commenters. See what he said:" rockets got 28 right now in the first quarter, that's the number they normally got at half time...".

But they were saying the truth. Respect is not handed over. You should earn it. :rolleyes:

[derrock]

Originally posted by SamFisher
What awful analysis. There's reason why they play the games.

Christ the Knicks were sub .500 playing in the East minus Marbury from that awesome starting lineup you just posted.

On the money Sam but it sure makes Knicks fans wonder why they underachieve this much.

[Charvo]

Originally posted by gotoloveit2
Damn you Yao, stop taking those 20 footers. I dont care if you makes 'em. You gotta go inside and keep banging, and banging, and banging..... :rolleyes:

This is where his physical conditioning comes into play. You don't notice that Yao plays like gangbusters at the beginning of games but slowly tails off? Don Chaney then started to use a cloud defense around Yao with defenders cheating and helping with Yao's primary defender. If Van Gundy uses him in the post a lot at the beginning of the 2nd half, he'll go into shutdown mode. Then he'll play like a POS, then everyone will complain like usual about how Yao doesn't have that aggressive attitude. Yao should be used primarily on defense with the occasional post up in the 2nd half. Yao's presence in the paint has forced the Knicks to jack up jumpers almost all the time.

[sup123]

moochie trying to put on a show, lol

[adeelsiddiqui]

Originally posted by idlel
But they were saying the truth. Respect is not handed over. You should earn it. :rolleyes:

Who are the Knicks to talk. :rolleyes:

[Charvo]

Originally posted by SamFisher
What awful analysis. There's reason why they play the games.

Christ the Knicks were sub .500 playing in the East minus Marbury from that awesome starting lineup you just posted.

Let me correct that. Yao is much better than Dikembe.

[London'sBurning]

Hmm immediately after that timeout they put JJ in there to dump the ball into Yao. They ended up going on a 10-1 run after that. Steve is having a good game so far, but he's still forcing some terrible shots out there. That baseline move where he dribbled to the other side of the basket to jack up a shot behind the backboard while fading away was a ridiculous attempt. He's putting up some impressive numbers so far though, on pace for perhaps a triple double, but I dunno, he's still frustrating to watch sometimes. His defense was suspect especially since the man he was supposed to be guarding was Moochie, and even he got 5 points off of him in the final 3 closing minutes at the half. Wish they didn't go a 3 point splurge at the end and we could of kept the lead a bit further away from them than 17, but that's me just being greedy :D

[Beck]

Steve is having a good game so far, but he's still forcing some terrible shots out there. That baseline move where he dribbled to the other side of the basket to jack up a shot behind the backboard while fading away was a ridiculous attempt.

Yes, almost as bad as Yao spinning baseline and throwing the ball right to Keith Van Horn in the 1st quarter.

[jelanit]

So far so good. Hopefully JJ will get to bring the ball down some more. He gets the O started a whole lot quicker than Franchise. Other than that. Pretty good 1st half. National TV is good to us this year. Whats up with that?

[London'sBurning]

Originally posted by Beck
Yes, almost as bad as Yao spinning baseline and throwing the ball right to Keith Van Horn in the 1st quarter.

Yeah that was painful to watch too. Posting up and bangin isn't Yao's game. I've come to accept that. It can be, but not on every play. The team can't give up on him after he misses a couple of shots though either. Most of the time his shot selection is good though, so it's harder to get mad at him. Yao did frustrate me with another one of his tips for a rebound when he could of just as easily grabbed the damn board.

[Charvo]

Steve's playing a good game. Cuttino is also playing well. I think they should dominate the offense in the 2nd half. Keep Yao fresh at the end of the game, so that he can be available for a final shot if necessary.

[Beck]

good to see Yao come out aggressive in the first couple of trips in the 2nd half...

[HAYJON02]

ok its quite obvious to me now that fratello really hates gundy. its annoying listening to his analysis of the gameplan. it stinks and so does he

[Charvo]

Originally posted by HAYJON02
ok its quite obvious to me now that fratello really hates gundy. its annoying listening to his analysis of the gameplan. it stinks and so does he

Fratello and Van Gundy were like Abbot and Costello with everyone thinking Van Gundy was Abbot and Fratello being the bumbling Costello. Fratello got shown up by Van Gundy a lot during those final TNT telecasts.

[derrock]

I like Fratello. For some of the games I've seen this year, we should have just hired him.

Anyways, how 'bout Cuttino throwing up a three on a one on four. Guess which team had the one.

[Beck]

i agree, there is not a lot of love for the rockets. they keep saying that the knicks need to pressure and play uptempo. sorry, van horn, allan houston, mutombo, and kurt thomas are not guys you can run with.

[Beck]

Anyways, how 'bout Cuttino throwing up a three on a one on four. Guess which team had the one.

yeah, that was bad. Franchise makes the block and Cuttino gives the ball right back.

[DreamWeaver]

Originally posted by derrock
Anyways, how 'bout Cuttino throwing up a three on a one on four. Guess which team had the one.

And with Yao running all the way trailing him too. :(

[Charvo]

Knicks are just a bunch of jumpshooters with Yao in the paint. Van Gundy needs to keep Yao fresh. No more low post.

[idlel]

Waa! Moochie is really playing great! b

[WNBA]

Did you see Moochie??

[DreamWeaver]

Why couldn't you play like that while you were here, Moochie? :mad:

[SmeggySmeg]

Originally posted by WNBA
Rocketsball is 3 to 9 as what is right now.
Time to turn off TV .

I thought you were going, turn the computer off too and don't let the door hit ya

[WNBA]

Originally posted by DreamWeaver
Why couldn't you play like that while you were here, Moochie? :mad:

Confidence. He got a lot more confidence from Marbury's crapy play:p

[sup123]

moochie is playing good but please no one start a thread saying we should have not traded moochie.he was garbage over here.

[Tom Archer]

We're the only team in the league that can't finish a 3 on 1 break :rolleyes:

[Xenogears]

Wow don't blow them up too much, I want to see Yao in the 4th.:p

[beyao]

Originally posted by DreamWeaver
Why couldn't you play like that while you were here, Moochie? :mad:

He was never guarded by Francis before.:eek:

[Drewdog]

WTF?!?!? Could the announcers maybe just maybe talk about the Rockets for 2 seconds?

The entire game has been The Knicks this Stephon that Don Chaney this Isaiah Thomas that..... :mad:

Jock the freaking Rockets who are playing a great game for chrissake!!!

[ivanyy2000]

Yeah, Moochie plays great.

But since he came to NY, Knicks lost all games.

That's why we sent Moochie to them, bad luck Moochie:D :p :o

[Xenogears]

Originally posted by beyao
He was never guarded by Francis before.:eek:

Haha that's classic! Moochie would be an all-star if he played against Francis's defense every night!:D

[SamFisher]

Originally posted by A-Train
It's hard to get excited about a game that will most likely end up being in the 75-67 range, a Rockets loss on the second night of a back to back, and Marbury torching us for 35 like he always does...

Lay off the fortune cookies A-Train...In other news, Marbury on pace for the "quadruple single," benched in favor of more effective Moochie Norris:eek:

[mrdave543]

lets try and see some praise here guys....this is by far the best Rox have played all season.....shows they have the ability to score points....i udnerstand NY is regrouping but we are really hitting our shots!!! 86 points after 3 period??!? that has to be a record for us......go Rox and let me back in chat!!!

[DreamWeaver]

Originally posted by beyao
He was never guarded by Francis before.:eek:

LOL and we are supposed to be one of the best defensive team in the league.

[Mr. Mooch]

WOW


The amazing thing about this game is that Houston isn't really playing that great. Sure they are hitting A LOT more shots than other games, but the Knicks are just playing that bad.

This has got to be the greatest defense to come in a while.

It's a great rebound from last night, but just hope it doesn't get to their heads (they better keep up the momentum; final score should be at least a 15-point win). Great game so far, especially on the national level.

Now I wonder if Spoon, Boki, Wilks, Padgett, and Pike will be in the game at the same time.

[B-Bob]

Originally posted by DreamWeaver
Why couldn't you play like that while you were here, Moochie? :mad:
He did for a while, hence the horrendous contract. New York can have his ass.

Wonderful game so far for the Rocks. Nice ball movement, for the most part. Would be nice to break 20 assists and end up with fewer than 10 turnovers.

[Charvo]

JJ's shooting like Steve Kerr. I think Pike better get that shooting charm back from JJ because he's the guy who needs it now.

[mirror_image]

We scored 86 through 3 quarters! Why can't Rockets do this at Toyota Centre? They owe the fans a lot of Big Macs.

[scv_rockets]

Originally posted by mrdave543
lets try and see some praise here guys....this is by far the best Rox have played all season.....shows they have the ability to score points....i udnerstand NY is regrouping but we are really hitting our shots!!! 86 points after 3 period??!? that has to be a record for us......go Rox and let me back in chat!!!

Ehh, probably not the best game of the season. Best way to start a game....heck yes.

I still the think Lakers game on Christmas day was the best by the Rockets so far.

[UTweezer]

sorry to say this if there any VAN HORN fans out there (do they even exist?)

Keith Van Horn sucks. Knicks need to ship him out fast. waste of air.

[mirror_image]

Will Yao get back to the game? He is just one rebound shy of a double double.

[sup123]

Originally posted by Charvo
JJ's shooting like Steve Kerr. I think Pike better get that shooting charm back from JJ because he's the guy who needs it now.

i remeber in preseason and those few games he did play he was shooting well. But ever since coming back from injury pike never been the same. Anyone else notice?

[derrock]

Originally posted by Drewdog
WTF?!?!? Could the announcers maybe just maybe talk about the Rockets for 2 seconds?

The entire game has been The Knicks this Stephon that Don Chaney this Isaiah Thomas that..... :mad:

Jock the freaking Rockets who are playing a great game for chrissake!!!

Just talked about the Roxs:

Fratello: Van Gundy experienced the lowest of lows yesterday and the highest of highs today

Kerr: 76ers tried to make Iverson a PG. Brought in a big guard like Snow who could play the 1 but guard 2s. Hmmm...they must read this board :D

And they should talk about the Knicks. They're getting killed...

[room4rentsf]

Is it me or is Moochie playing like an All Star! hahaha damn!

well I guess Yao is done for the game.. he did his job .

Wow great game by the Rox

J

[room4rentsf]

Come on they should put in Pike/ Boki/ Padgett/ Wilks and Weatherspoon at Center! hahah

J

[acrophobia98]

Originally posted by mirror_image
Will Yao get back to the game? He is just one rebound shy of a double double.

The game is out of reach. It is better to rest Yao, who has a lot of mileage in the court in these three years.

[room4rentsf]

HAHAHA Mooch is the Knicks second leading scorer.. WTH happened to him.

J

[fanwq]

Look the Stats:
3 pfg Rockets: 11/21
Great!

[Xenogears]

Damn, no Yao in the 4th. He needs to up his stats. 2 games in a row he barely played now.

[hooroo]

padgett with 12 minutes and heading into foul trouble. i hoe he's getting the minutes because the rox are shopping him.

[acrophobia98]

Originally posted by derrock
Just talked about the Roxs:

Fratello: Van Gundy experienced the lowest of lows yesterday and the highest of highs today

Kerr: 76ers tried to make Iverson a PG. Brought in a big guard like Snow who could play the 1 but guard 2s. Hmmm...they must read this board :D

And they should talk about the Knicks. They're getting killed...

That Marbury trade realy hurt New York, at least for now.

[Charvo]

Originally posted by sup123
i remeber in preseason and those few games he did play he was shooting well. But ever since coming back from injury pike never been the same. Anyone else notice?

I believe Calvin Murphy's policy for any ace marksman in a slump is to keep shooting. I don't know if this is possible for Pike though. There was one really bad miss from a wide open shot in the 2nd quarter that caused Van Gundy to immediately tell JJ to go to the scorer's table to get in the game. Pike is going to lose more and more playing time to JJ. I think he has to get his shooting touch back in the gym. I wonder if Calvin Murphy can help him out.

[derrock]

Originally posted by hooroo
padgett with 12 minutes and heading into foul trouble. i hoe he's getting the minutes because the rox are shopping him.

Yeah, we'd never play Padgett when we are up by 25 if we weren't shopping him :rolleyes:

But what's up with Boki?!?! This is just like last night. Is there a 3min cap on his playing time.

[windandsea]

http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/k/2004-01-09/U366P6T12D728502F44DT20040109095347.jpg

[mrdave543]

Originally posted by windandsea
http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/k/2004-01-09/U366P6T12D728502F44DT20040109095347.jpg




how cute.....

[windandsea]

http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/k/2004-01-09/U329P6T12D728333F44DT20040109085701.jpg

[SmeggySmeg]

Originally posted by DreamWeaver
Why couldn't you play like that while you were here, Moochie?

Originally posted by beyao
He was never guarded by Francis before.:eek:

Top 5 Classic BBS quote of All-time

ROFLMAO

[acrophobia98]

Originally posted by Charvo
JJ's shooting like Steve Kerr. I think Pike better get that shooting charm back from JJ because he's the guy who needs it now.

Yes, JJ has been a streak shooter. Pike should be as well but after the injury, he seems to often streak toward the wrong side.

[DreamWeaver]

And we got who for Moochie again.....

[Stack24]

it took all the way till 1 minute before they bring in Nachbar, we were up by 30 with 5 minutes left and they wouldn't bring him in what's up with that

[Charvo]

Originally posted by room4rentsf
Is it me or is Moochie playing like an All Star! hahaha damn!


He got a taste of playing against Steve's defense. However, he did have his outside shot going today. Don Chaney is going to have a false impression of Moochie tonight. He might give Moochie more playing time vs Stephon because of his numbers tonight. Stephon is just getting adjusted to his new team. He'll get going when he's more used to his teammates.

[adeelsiddiqui]

BOKI !!!!! gots to love him

[steddinotayto]

Originally posted by windandsea
http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/k/2004-01-09/U366P6T12D728502F44DT20040109095347.jpg

brother..can you spare some skills?

[SmeggySmeg]

Originally posted by Stack24
it took all the way till 1 minute before they bring in Nachbar, we were up by 30 with 5 minutes left and they wouldn't bring him in what's up with that

i am dumbfounded by this move, the way tonights game planned out Boki should have got at least 15 minutes easy

[ima_drummer2k]

Well, game over. Did the announcers mention anything about the Rockets? All they talked about were the knicks...even while we were up by 30. :rolleyes:

[Stack24]

Originally posted by ima_drummer2k
Well, game over. Did the announcers mention anything about the Rockets? All they talked about were the knicks...even while we were up by 30. :rolleyes:

That's what i hate...they did that during the lakers game too all night about kobe this lakers this fab 4 this.....and the rockets were beating the hell out of it......but nooo mention of rockets great play....

All they talked about was Marbury.

[derrock]

"Pat-trick Eww-ing"

Usually hate it when the Yankee fans do it but classy by the New York fans.

And how about this Marv Albert quote:

"The final score does not indicate how bad this really was"

Good job Roxs :D

[London'sBurning]

As impressive as this game was, it only counts for one win. But it's a damn good win! :D Francis nailing his shots and getting respect from the refs really opens up our offense. I think the fact that he hasn't been hitting his shots with consistency this season has really messed up our approach on offense. Having 3 scoring threats from the perimeter instead of two really opens up the offense. But from the get go this was the Rockets win. When I saw Cato hit that long jumper, I knew we had the game in the bag. That was Steve Kerr smooth the way he stroked that 20 foot jumper.

[acrophobia98]

Originally posted by Charvo
He got a taste of playing against Steve's defense. However, he did have his outside shot going today. Don Chaney is going to have a false impression of Moochie tonight. He might give Moochie more playing time vs Stephon because of his numbers tonight. Stephon is just getting adjusted to his new team. He'll get going when he's more used to his teammates.

Maybe you're right. It wasn't the Marbury that hurts New York. It's the Moochie that hurts them. As since getting Moochie, they have never won a game. Not even close. :D

[Charvo]

Originally posted by derrock

But what's up with Boki?!?! This is just like last night. Is there a 3min cap on his playing time.

It goes to show how much value Van Gundy puts on Boki. I don't see how Boki can grow as an NBA player unless he gets PT on the court.

[acrophobia98]

Originally posted by London'sBurning
As impressive as this game was, it only counts for one win. But it's a damn good win! :D Francis nailing his shots and getting respect from the refs really opens up our offense. I think the fact that he hasn't been hitting his shots with consistency this season has really messed up our approach on offense. Having 3 scoring threats from the perimeter instead of two really opens up the offense. But from the get go this was the Rockets win. When I saw Cato hit that long jumper, I knew we had the game in the bag. That was Steve Kerr smooth the way he stroked that 20 foot jumper.

Yes, that was amazing. Cato has practised his mid-range shot quite a bit this year. That seems to be working even for a long bomb. :)

[room4rentsf]

Hahaha but the same could be said about Marbury! hes 0 - 2 now and I think Sf looks/feels more confident about his shot.. I hope his shooting touch is back and Yao played a solid game. I hope this helps him build some confidence moving forward.

J

[MattM]

Originally posted by acrophobia98
Yes, that was amazing. Cato has practised his mid-range shot quite a bit this year. That seems to be working even for a long bomb. :)

Cato is going to become our 3 point specialist. Cut Pike.

[Stack24]

Originally posted by Charvo
It goes to show how much value Van Gundy puts on Boki. I don't see how Boki can grow as an NBA player unless he gets PT on the court.

I don't want to loose him and he get a chance somehwere and shine and we look like morons again not giving him playing time.

[Hippieloser]

From the lowest point total of the season last night to the highest total tonight... what a bizarre team.

Awesome win! :cool: Anytime you can get New Yorkers to boo their own team, you've done your job.

Eat it, Marbury.

[HAYJON02]

i hope theres not too much overreacting after next game. no matter how they play, win or lose, it wont be as good as this game. this is as good as it gets. when was the last time we blew out an opponent???? we should do it more often :)

400

[Dallas Rocket]

Originally posted by ima_drummer2k
Well, game over. Did the announcers mention anything about the Rockets? All they talked about were the knicks...even while we were up by 30. :rolleyes:

Right on......Rockets were ignored all nite by announcers..even Kenny and Charles ignored them when they were up 17 at half.

I LOVED THE MARBURY/NY CORONATION THAT NEVER OCCURRED:D :D

Great bounce back win for Rox. Total domination under "setup for a loss" conditions.

D R

[sup123]

Originally posted by Stack24
I don't want to loose him and he get a chance somehwere and shine and we look like morons again not giving him playing time.

i bet he will get more playing time next year so the rockets will know to either use the option on his contract or not.

[Stack24]

Originally posted by sup123
i bet he will get more playing time next year so the rockets will know to either use the option on his contract or not.

As long as he is not packaged off for nothing before that.

[derrock]

Originally posted by HAYJON02
i hope theres not too much overreacting after next game. no matter how they play, win or lose, it wont be as good as this game. this is as good as it gets. when was the last time we blew out an opponent???? we should do it more often :)

400

Well, on Monday, we beat GS 83-65. And on Sunday, we beat Utah 84-63. I guess it depends on your definition of 'blowout" :D

[GATER]

Originally posted by Charvo
Marbury is better than Steve
Allan Houston is better than Cuttino
Keith Van Horn is better than JJ
Kurt Thomas and Maurice are a wash
Yao is probably better than Dikembe

Why do you think the Rockets should destroy the Knicks?

Primarily because it's a TEAM game played on a court instead of on paper. :D

[Jeff]

Originally posted by Charvo
Marbury is better than Steve
Allan Houston is better than Cuttino
Keith Van Horn is better than JJ
Kurt Thomas and Maurice are a wash
Yao is probably better than Dikembe

Why do you think the Rockets should destroy the Knicks?

So much for this prediction. :D

[room4rentsf]

Come on we have to admit Yao had a great game. If the game was any closer Yao would have had big stats but since he did well in the beginning we didnt need him. This team lives and dies with Yao in the middle. Notice when he starts off strong opposing teams need to focus on him opening up the court for everyone else. The def started to sag on him and left everyone else wide open. I liked SF's production today.. 6 assists 2 TO's I can live with. He looked like he found his shooting touch and we moved the ball around well and got Yao involved alot more.

I dont know why Boki doesnt get more playing time? maybe JVG wanted to keep the NYK score lower to keep us at the top defensively?

Look at the trend.. Yao plays well we win he struggles we lose. I think its as simple as that. When people have to worry about Yao scoring inside it opens up the game. Teams are not doubling SF as much as before but Yao is still attracting alot of attention. Funny though since he has been struggling..

Well I dont want to get my hopes up but I am pretty happy with this game.. Made my night.

J

[Jeff]

Originally posted by GATER
Primarily because it's a TEAM game played on a court instead of on paper. :D

LOL!!! :)

Great minds think alike!

[windandsea]

http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/k/2004-01-09/U338P6T12D728649F44DT20040109105201.jpg

[Dubious]

The Rockets have always owned the Knicks.

[ima_drummer2k]

Originally posted by MattM
Cut Pike.
Yeah, that makes sense...

[acrophobia98]

It's a great win. We need in the middle of all those published controveries among the coach and the players. Do you think this win will prove those rumours are not as negative as it sounds? One can say this win is for the coach - back to old town! :D

[Charvo]

Originally posted by Hippieloser
Awesome win! :cool: Anytime you can get New Yorkers to boo their own team, you've done your job.


Booing basically started when the Rockets took around a 15 point lead in the 1st quarter and never stopped. At least the fans have passion.

[HAYJON02]

Originally posted by derrock
Well, on Monday, we beat GS 83-65. And on Sunday, we beat Utah 84-63. I guess it depends on your definition of 'blowout" :D

ha there was so much anticipation for those games. if new york couldve been halfway into it or organized, this game couldve had a playoff feel to it. thats why i suppose i feels so elated to be where we are.

you have to wonder whats going on inside patrick ewings head during the game. the whole situation is so ironic

[HAYJON02]

Originally posted by Stack24
That's what i hate...they did that during the lakers game too all night about kobe this lakers this fab 4 this.....and the rockets were beating the hell out of it......but nooo mention of rockets great play....

All they talked about was Marbury.

this has gone on as long as i have watched the rockets. houston gets no respect.

even at the beginning of the game when kurt thomas hit a halfway decent shot that putz marv albert was yelling "YES!" like it was MJ shooting in the last seconds of a final

[Rule0001]

fantastic game on both ends for the rockets

although the 100 pt plateau won't be in sight for a while longer I suspect :D; we still played a helluva ball game.

we saw VINTAGE francis with the sweet crossover and the jumper.

wish we could see more of that with the offensive scheme we currently have, who knows..... maybe we will.

solid win for the rockets and nice to pick up one before we play boston on sunday.

[tigernet]

We had only 16 assists for 111 points... A lot of individual works and a win.

[GATER]

Originally posted by Jeff
LOL!!! :)

Great minds think alike!

Probably just a musician thang..... ;)

[saleem]

I never expected us to win this big. I think whenever teams are defensively ready against us,we can't score from the inside or from the outside but when teams don't defend well we can score fairly easily and have a good chance of winning.
I don't expect this to change but I'm glad that we came out as the aggressors and that is what we need to do much more often and execute. I don't want to take anything away from our guys but part of the reason for winning is because the Knicks haven't played together since the trade but I'm very glad to see us bounce back tonight.

[Charvo]

Originally posted by room4rentsf
Look at the trend.. Yao plays well we win he struggles we lose. I think its as simple as that. When people have to worry about Yao scoring inside it opens up the game. Teams are not doubling SF as much as before but Yao is still attracting alot of attention. Funny though since he has been struggling..


Yao sets the tone for the entire game right in the first few minutes. If Yao is turning the ball over and missing shots, it's almost always a loss. I've yet to see the Rockets win one with Yao playing as badly as he played against the Pistons.

[Life2Def]

Good win for the Rockets, But I expected them to win. Now we need to get more consistant with our offense then we'll be straight. Defense is always there but we need to put the ball in the basket like we did tonight for the rest of the season. Did ya'll notice how Steve was gaining confidence as the game wore on?

[acrophobia98]

Originally posted by Rule0001
fantastic game on both ends for the rockets

although the 100 pt plateau won't be in sight for a while longer I suspect :D; we still played a helluva ball game.

we saw VINTAGE francis with the sweet crossover and the jumper.

wish we could see more of that with the offensive scheme we currently have, who knows..... maybe we will.

solid win for the rockets and nice to pick up one before we play boston on sunday.

Yes, I noticed that too. The offensive schemes tonight allows for a little bit more flexibility to the players. Francis did a few nice cross-over; but he had wonderful passes at the beginning. Yao was also allowed to play outside games and hit a couple long range. Even Cato did that too.

The nice set up was at the beginning of the games when our Francis passed around, the big guys scored, and JJ hit his treys. That pretty much open up everything for the whole game. Even with the NY mini-run in the second quarter, we still managed to re-adjust to take over.

Good game. :)

[KaiSeR SoZe]

GO BOKI!!!

Great game by the Rockets and the Franchise!