Being at the game there was a few things that worried me. Being a 7 games series I know it's going to be hard to sustain the way we played today. I hope im wrong and they bring that type of intesity each game. First, it looked like we couldn't penetrate their defense really well with any of our players and had to settle for outside shots. I know that our offense is based a lot on the outside shot complimenting Yao's inside game but tonight it seems like that was all we had. The Jazz did a great job in holding T-Mac to the outside and making sure he didn't drive on them. I dont know how long we can relying on only the outside. Yao got his down low but it was kind of worrisome that T-Mac was held to just outside shots. I really hope we continue the good shooting for the most part. We started really hot, then went cold and got hot again. Regardless, i hope T-Mac and the team adjust and give him some late to attack the rim. Second, we really are weak on the pick and roll defense, they ran it over and over with Boozer and we couldn't get back in time. Towards the end of the game we did a bit better job cloggin up the lanes and not letting the pass be as easy. I know this is a 7 game series and i expect them to make a lot of adjustments as well as the rockets. I just hope we can open it up and get to the basket a bit more than we did tonight and not only take outside jumpers becuase they are not always going to be falling like they were towards the end of the night. Other than that...it was a great game, i lost my voice and that's the way i wanted it...except the fact i didn't get a buzz....GO ROCKETS!
What worries me is that you made a separate thread to say this. Sorry man, I just got on a rookie for the same thing so I had to say it. Can't show biased treatment for Bus Stop Stalkers.
one, the reason tmac didn't get into the paint much was b/c they PACKED teh paint. everyone had their feet inside the paint basically. tmac was trapped hard on the pick and roll so he had to go over the pick and when he pass that guy, another guy was waiting for him. also, when tmac is isoed, besides his guy, 2 guys come over to shadow tmac and ready for the dribble. they played great defense on tmac. that's how u play tmac. think what we need to do is have tmac go off the screen more so they can't focus on him. when he catches the ball, pump fake and drive in right away or shoot. secondly, the reason our pick and roll got better was b/c hayes and howard were in instead of yao/deke. they're smaller so quicker and more adept to get back after trapping on the pick and roll. yao is too slow for that b/c of his size. again, tmac needs to go through screens more b/c the jazz D is keyed on stopping tmac's penetration. they just won't let him drive.
Yeah they always had guys right where they needed to be. Every time T-Mac seemed to round the corner there was someone that stepped up into that spot. If we keep shooting well i don't care, but i know that doesn't always happen and i hope adjustments can be made.
no worry.luther head hasnot started sending bloody trays yet... just kidding.. actually i agreed with you. T-mac was held so tight that he can barely ran toward the hoop..i know he dished out 5asts in the 1st quarter.but t-mac's power is on his penetrations and dishing... btw,its good to have his jackup back in 3rd quarter..too bad i was having dinner at that time....damn.. anyway.i know there will be some real stuff t-mac is gonna show to us..and tonight is the beginning....
I wanted one DUNK just one dunk on the team to set the place on fire. I guess ill have to wait on that. But the defense they played on him was great and im glad he found his groove in the 3rd.
my main concerns from the game: offensive boards... WHAT THE HELL! 14 to 6, thats outrageously bad considering teh rockets are konwn for their good defensive rebounding + defense, it was so ridiculous the amount of 2nd chance oppurtunities they got, we definitely have to fix that, and our 6 off boards were made up of mostly one play where we kept getting the ball over and over but failing to finish. deron smoked rafer in my eyes, rafer simply cannot guard him, especially when his shot is falling, and tmac's 2nd half was definitely impressive and im glad he came thru in the end, (after talking himself up so much) but kept me nervous for a while, yao hit his free throws and made some shots, but whenever his under .500 FGP i think he could have done better, and whenever yao puts the ball to the floor, just like luther, i start feeling anxious.. basically without tmac turning into superman in the 2nd half we would have lost, and i dont want to have to rely on that EVERY single game, role players should have done more, luther had an off night but i have faith in him and am sure he will step up as he has done time and time again, battier i have faith in also, i expect those two to take a decent amount of 3s and hit a decent amount also, which didnt happen tonight, but luckily cuz of tmac we still got thru with the win, rafer i expect to take alot of 3s also, and i expect him to miss a bunch too.... but once in a while he'll surprise me with crazy numbers. Tmac was terrible 1st half, SUPERMAN 2nd half, = good game overall, yao had a good game too, other then i that i really dont think anyone else played as well as they should of, oh wait, maybe chucky and deke did their bit(but the offensive rebounds we let... ). everyone else needs to step up !! sure im whining after a win, im so happy we won, but if we wanna be true contenders... gotta fix up these things. hopefully see a turnaround and sweept the jazzholes
the adjustment is let him go off screens. he started out doing that for like 2 times and never did it again.
Chonox, the only problem about the offensive boards is that Utah is number 1 in the league in that category if i am not mistaken. We definitley need to do a better job of boxing them out. There were a few where we were completly out of position.
