ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Blazers 11/21/2003

If teams are not afraid of Yao, why do they aggressively double team him then? That is a lot of respect to show someone who no one is afraid of. As much as Yao needs to improve his ball handling while under tight coverage, the other Rockets need to recognize traps and help their big man out. Often, they just stand around and watch Yao get trapped instead of trying to get into position for a pass before the double team closes.

Pike could really help open things up if he is as effective shooting the 3 as he was in LA. Don't forget that he was also a pretty decent passer as well. However, for the long term, there is no question that the Rockets need a true point guard to dictate and control the offensive flow.

 

Yao played well, but he's yet to cross that threshold where he DOMINATES!

While it's great that he has the finesse to do all the little things 5 ft out, I'd seriously like to see him add more power to his game. There were at least two or three occasions, when he was 2 feet under that I thought he should/could have just taken it right to the rim. I'm unclear on what the rules on "backing down" an opponent are today, but the harder the defender is leaning on him (which seems to happen more and more), the easier, I would imagine for Yao to create space for his finesse game. Alternatively, if the defender is playing him close, he has spin moves and hop skips to get into the paint and finish.

There was one sequence in the 4th quarter - block, drawing a charge and a bucket - where I thought Yao was getting ready to explode. That was a very encouraging sign. Those are momentum shifting events whereby Yao has the potential to do it at both ends of the court.

On double teams, Yao was a bit slow today on spinning AWAY from the doubles. He got caught a few times dribbling into the corners and having no cutters to pass to. I think the Rox need to send cutters and Yao needs to go back to his "hook passes" in those instances. The double teams will be a fact of life for Yao, and the better he can handle those situations, the better for the Rox.

Lastly, the Rox need to respond better to the full court press. Maurice Cheeks was smart in pressing after a timecourt to really put the squeeze on the Rox. One turnover is one turnover too many, late in the game, off the full court press.



theSAGE

 

I think this is the most difficult time for Steve. He has been given the ball ever since he entered the league, now someone is telling him to change. It's hard, very hard.

Apparently, he was trying very hard to become a pass first PG tonight, but it's clear he was very hesitated out there. At times, he didn't look like someone who knows how to play basketball. He had ZERO FT for the entire game. That just shows you how out of game he was.

Steve is trying to change his game to fit the new direction the coach wants. This is not an easy transition, and he is trying hard. So, let's give the guy some time to make the transformation.


--daoshi

 

You're definitely not a master of the obvious are you? LOL. Ok, let me spell it out for you...

When you're 7'6" and giving up 1-2 offensive rebounds on SEVERAL POSSESSIONS for the other team throughout the game, it's pathetic.

Did you watch the game? Ok, then shut up.

 

I don't even need to dignify you with an answer.

 

Am I out of line right now If I highly suggest tradeing Steve? Yes in all seriousness. I dont feel like getting into details, but a quick summary is that he is a tweener both on defense and offense. He bascially is a guy without a position or a job. He free ranges. He basically is a street ball type player and doesnt have CONTROL. CAnt psychically play defense,and lacks pg skills and sg hieght.

Please I hope to god,that steve,moochie,cato are all traded soon before the deadline. Just off the top of my head,but Id trade those three players right now for Rashard lewis and Luke Ridnour. Sad thing though is I dount Seattle would actually want steve and cato now after the back to back horrid displays on national tv against dallas and portland.

 

1. Agree with Rockets' pathetic bench.
2. Damon Stoudamire during the half time interview, he said it was probably because due to the absence of to the bench that initiated that huge Portland run. The guy was damn right.

 

The gap between Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis is now more blatantly obvious before. To compare these two players is almost blasphemy. In all seriousness, Stephon is the true all-star. He can score at will, pass, and turns the ball over half as much as francis.

 

1.Most of Stoudamire's points came off Moochie.

2.Agree

3.They are not a smart team down the stretch. It'll come along soon though.

4.At least he only took 5 shots. But we all know Cato is not a big offensive threat.

5.??

6.Jackson played good, Randolph wasn't his assignment.

7.Agree, he really needs to learn how to get rebounds.

 

Hehe, after reading this "silentfan" message, I come to the full understanding of the word "drivel".

 

Looking at it from the outside...

Our D was still good - keeping them to 85 points. The number that stands out the most was the free throws: they went to the line 28 times (made 23) to our 17 times (made 12), and we got whistled for 23 fouls to their 17.

Reasons we lost:
- Steve and Cato couldn't score
- Taylor is the only bench player who helped
- Rockets got more whistles than the Blazers

We coulda won this one.

-- droxford

 

Center comparison, L average:

score 6.5 Leader 21.4
Rebound 5.2 Leader 14.1
block 1 Leader 3

 

I love Cato, but tonite, he was totally out of it

1. Timing was off
2. Concentration was off
3. Even his energy was a bit lacking
4. Ticky Tack fouls

I can't remember who was on him, defensively, but maybe, he had a long day battling with his defender.

Boki
That one Ruben Patterson dunk really irritated me. And by the replay, I noticed that Patterson should have been boxed out by Boki, but wasn't. I think it was all these little things that made tonite's game somewhat irritating to watch.


Mobley
I'm surprised people are unhappy with Mobley tonite. I thought he did his job very well. That charge call late in the game was total BS, IMHO. Even in real-time, I noticed how Quintyl Woods was inside the half moon. That's not only a bad call but potentially very DANGEROUS for Mobley. The half moon rule is just as much about helping refs call offensive vs. defensive fouls on transition as it is to PROTECT THE OFFENSIVE player from seriously injury off drives. I was impressed by the courage of Mobley to take it strong in such an instance knowing that his legs might get clipped underneath him.



theSAGE

 

Nice observation and well said.

Now since we are almost in December and with 12 games left behind, I say it the 13th time:

We need a true PG. Steve is a great athlete but not the so-called "Franchinese".

So don't ever give me the reason that it's just one loss. Face it, whether it's a win or loss in the past 12 games, some of us have said so consistently.

 

In my original post about the rebounding, I compared him to Shaq's, David Robinson's, and Hakeem's ROOKIE rebounding numbers. Unless you want to compare Yao ming to any other center, like say, Lorenzen Wright, then yeah those league averages actually mean something. And all this time I thought members of this board held Yao with such high esteem!

 

Bravo

 

Dude, there is so much middle ground between MOst Dominant and Pathetic.

 

There's No Need for Steve Bashing

Too much negativity is being placed on him being "out of position" or a "free roamer" as some would call it. Even I have been guilty of saying such things in the past. But again, no weakness is ever absolute, and no strength is ever absolute. They are but two sides to the same coin. Francis has exceptional athletic prowess -- but only if channelled correctly. In the new schema, Francis has had to curb his dribbling tendencies and impatience, but that is all well and good. The problems we see are not one's of lack of ability (which is uncurable) but rather a growing process. Becoming a good on-court decision-maker takes time. And as Francis has, and continues to understand the abilities/rhythm/and strengths of his teammates, the better HE too will become as a player.

All this Stephon Marbury vs. Steve Francis talk is pure BS. Anyone who's ever followed Stephon Marbury's career KNOWS that he not only has a pair of painfully weak ankles (which speaks volumes about Marbury's courage in playing through pain), but also his score-first pass second tendencies (which is similar to Francis). But Francis is in excellent health IMO, and arguably more blessed with athleticism than Marbury. Francis also has grit, which sometimes overshadows his better senses, but he plays with passion and courage which is always a plus. Lost in all the stats is Francis' rebounding and near-blocks tonite. Can his decision-making improve? Sure. But I still love his effort night in night out.



theSAGE

 

Is this even logical?

What warrants the rude attitude here?