ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Rockets @ Kings 10/14/2003 (PRESEASON)

man, boki getting facialed was the #1 play on sportscenter. that was quite nasty. however, that wasn't higher than VC on weis considering weis is 5" taller than boki and VC completely hurdled weis whereas wallace just delivered a solid teabagging.

 

I think Nachbar is starting to get more confident. But he really needs to start hitting those open shots! I'd say he should have a break out game by the end of the preseason.

Yao was great offensively, too bad he got into some foul trouble early. Also, Yao should be going after those rebounds... in some, it didn't even look like he was trying. Maybe JVG's plan for him to conserve his energy and let Cato, and the forwards take care of the rebounds?

Don't care what some of you say about Francis... Took to many shots, etc.. He played great! He and Yao carried the team today (offensively).

 

As a team, we played a good game for the most part.
The defense was good. We stopped them some and they stopped themselves some by missing shots, especially at the line. We made 27-30 FTs, 90% and Sac 17-28, 60%.

Our offense was good until the end. We lead 79-70 with 4 minutes to go. Did not score again until they fouled us intentionally with secs to go. Final score 82-78.

Steve played a great game, he carried us the whole night. There lies the good and the bad. He was determined to do everything by himself at the end and the last few minutes was not so great. I don't want to be real critical because he had little help but it might come back and bite us. Others need to step up and Steve needs to look for them. It's a 2-way street.

Yao played good, but not great. He was somewhat sluggish. Slow to the rebounds.

Cato was good on the board but did not dominate there either. The whole team could do better on the defensive board.

JJ and Boki played hard but still didn't have their shots.

A win still feels a lot better though!!

 

I just came back from the game. Here are some of my observation.

1. It's my first trip to ever watch an NBA game, with family and kids. I am pretty much excited. Too bad our tickets are the nosebleed last row standing room, but we did managed to find some empty seats in the upper deck to sit down. The arena is about 2/3 full. I brought a red "Ming Dynasty Begins" sign and were surrounded by mostly loud Kings fans. Didn't get to display the signs very prominently.

2. The first half the arena is dead quite. Rockets was leading most of the time. Yao played well, quite aggressive. When he got the ball near the paint, he chose mostly to go to the basket. The only way Kings can stop him is by fouling. And Yao just kept draining FTs. It was awesome! Then there are pockets of Yao Ming fans throughout the arena, but not much noise. I saw some Asian kids wering Yao's number 13 jersey in the Chinese NT. That was cool. Overall, Yao still need much improvement in his upper body strength, and Rockets need much improvement in low-post entry pass.

3. Steve Francis played well. His passing has improved, even thought it still has a lot of room for improvement. His crossovers are cool to watch in person, and Bibby got burned a couple of times. The kid sitting next to me is wearing a Francis jersey, so everytime Francis does the cross over, he would cheer in a small voice. Also, the Air Francis half-court dunk was a pleasure to watch.

4. Rockets are playing very hard-nosed defense. A lots of ball movement on offense. Too bad so many players keep missing open shots in the parimeter, mainly Boki and JJ. The only players can hit any shots are Yao and Francis.

5. Kato seems to be a perfect at PF to compliment Yao. He is aggressive on boards, can block shots, doesn't need ball in his hands to be effect, and put a lots of height and weight in the paint! I hope to see Yao and Cato play twin-towers more in the regular season.

6. Arco Arena gets very deafening in the second half, especially after the nasty Wallace dunk. Wallace looks like going to be great player. He get lots of boards and put backs, can hit three, can block, and dunk. No wonder the Kings dumped JJ.

7. Kings have lots of trouble scoring, when Webber is not in and Divac is essentially taken out of the offensive game when Yao is guarding him. When Rockets score 82 points and can still beat Kings, Kings are in lots of trouble. I don't think this year they are the top 4 anymore.

 

Wow... A win. Well, it's a start.

Let's hope they can do it 50 or 60 more times.

 

70 PLS

 

Lancet, thanks for your sharing. I think Yao is just conserving his energy for the regular games.

 

Oh, what the hell. Let's go for it!

 

Thanks for the coverage lancet!

 

I cant believe you guys forgot about Webber not playing,and Bibby sitting out the fourth and the rox nearly lost it. Its too bad rox won this because it gives fans and JVG a false sense that everything is okay now. Peja missing WIDE OPEN layups gives a false sense that Boki can play defense. Boki was burned so badly thats why Peja had open looks.

JJ and BOKI wissed tons of open shots that could have sealed it. If Webber played this would have been a blow out favor Kings. Im not worried though. Its a long season and things will balance out. Eventually JVG will weed through the fans love affairs and figure out that his main weaknesses are Boki and JJ and must be replaced. (pike and cat anyone?)

I really think Pike should start at sf. JJ and Boki have shown me nothing other than rebounding. Ming needs shooters to help him,not rebounders.Rebounding is nice,but this bad shooting will kill us. Even though I think Eddie sucks too,I think his three point shooting % might be better than Bokis(I havent looked it up,just memory). If it is then he should play sf not Boki.

 

Sweetie, don't forget that 1) we don't have Cat, Eddie, Pike, MoT, Adrian 2) we are playing at ARCO ARENA, not Toyota Center.

Though it is an ugly win, I'm already satisfied that we won't be 0-8 in preseason.

 

From a big picture standpoint, this win should settle a few of you down. The Rox win being just as or more short handed than the Kings. There are good signs all over the place. Sour-ie, I am looking at it differently if you do not mind.

 

This game was jacked up eventhough we won. Why did Yao only have 7 shots and boki, steve, and jackson combined had over 35 shots? Seems like same offense of last year to me.

 

Do you ever say anything positive about the Rockets? Every post of yours I've come across it always seems to be negative.

 

a win is a win. that's all.

 

I'm guessing you didn't watch the game, like me, and are reading the box score. Look at Yao's mins, and PFs. Seems to me he was in foul trouble.

 

STFU...

 

I finally got to see the dunk via ESPN Sportscenter. It was a great dunk, no question. Nasty in fact.

HOWEVER, Nachbar was OUTSIDE the dotted line which means it should have been called a CHARGE. Blown call. Dunk should not have counted. It means about as much to me as someone hitting a 3ptr after the horn sounded.