I know that this is a dissapointing loss but I am amazed at how many of you are so shocked. I try to look at these games in a different way. More specifically, I am more SHOCKED when we play well. It seems that playing smart is definitely alot more rare than our normal bone headed games. The fact is, our team still does not know how to play around Yao. Some can even argue that we do not have the proper personel surrounding Yao. Ex. Eddie G and Posey plays as our 3 pt threat when teams double or triple Yao. Other teams must be quivering just thinking about all the line drives that Eddie will bury. Our defense is essentially Yao and 4 guards. Eddie is in no shape or form able to guard any PF in the West. Period!!! Some may bring up Eddies block shots but for every block he gets, I can give you 3 instances where he was out of position completely and scored easily upon. Isn't it amazing that we can not figure out how to get good shots when one of our players is consistantly double teamed? This is no fad. Yao will continue to get double teamed. All the top players do. But how is it that the Lakers and Spurs get good shots? Lastly, is it me or does it seem like EVERY other team in the NBA moves the ball around better than us??? It also seems that 90% of the other teams have better spot shooters than us as well. Enough ranting for me for today. Hope our Rox can suprise me by playing well tonight...
Yes. Okay. It does surprise me. Cuz we were doing so well and we are supposed to beat them. I am surprised when we beat the Kings. I am surprised when we lose to the Cavs. It's tough to watch. And yes. We need Rudy when Yao is in trouble. He knows how to change things up and adjust and all that. And I think we are one of the worse teams at moving the ball around. It was getting better.....and Francis has been doing much better, but when a team like Seattle scouts us so well and prevents us from getting any open looks, we're screwed. First....Francis is an all right passer. But he is usually the initiator. Mobley is only aware of himself. Only when he is in serious danger....he finally passes out. Whenever he's open....he takes the shot. That's good. He's the shooting guard..he is confident in his shot. But he like never passes to wide open Yao Mings. But he has given up a wide open 3 point attempt to Glen Rice for a wide open 3. Posey is all right.....but runs too fast for the rest of our players. He has made SOME nice passes. But is too inconsistent. Griffin only makes those passes to Yao in the paint. Which he does pretty well. But other than that......he cannot find anything. And when he gets the ball...he usually shoots it. It's good for him to be a little selfish... Yao is a good passer....but not when he is being scratched and pushed and held by 3 people and then gets called for travelling. He is a good passer.....but yeah. Our team just can't move the ball normally. When we do though....it looks great. But we just can't always do it.
Last night, I was disturbed (not surprised) with the lack of effort the Rockets put out, especially considering Rudy's health situation. The Rox made a lot of bad passes, and they were not going after loose balls. These Rox have a LOT of growing up to do.
Stevie did fine yesterday. I just wish we gave RIce more PT, when they doubled Yao, there was no spotup shooter that could make a shot. That is why RIce mustbe in. He has a nice touch from beyond. And he has been on target as of lately.
It doesn't surprise me, but... It still pisses me off... Seattle is a team we should have beat and not played catch up with... I wish we would have pick RLewis....
I had them pegged during pre-season as a 3 or 4 game over .500 team. 46-36 or 45-37. That still looks like an accurate assement. What concerns me (or what I find disheartening) is the rate at which they are improving. Surely, they have come a long, long way since the start of the season but there are many areas which lag - defensive intensity on a nightly basis is a big one. Even for a highly skilled pro, the shot can come and go from game to game or night to night but a lapse of defensive intensity is inexcusable IMO. Also, we are seeing improved ball and player movement. I even saw a back screen set for Yao by one of the guards against the Bulls. But never saw it again since. We too easily revert back to some form of 1on1...Yao or MoT strongside & everyone else weakside and planted....Cuttino on a clear out at the arc. One other concern is how poorly we run a fastbreak. In the WC, we are 9th of 14 in FB Pts and dead last in Pts off TO's. This from a very young and athletic team is disappointing. Closely related to the FB issue is how long it takes us to get into a half court offense. I tape almost every game and to save tape I just stop the tape until the half court set begins. There is a noticable difference in the time it takes an opponent and the time it takes the Rockets to start an offense even after made FG's. While there is much to feel good about, there are some lingering issues IMHO.
No, it doesn't surprise me because I predicted that the Rockets would go 1-4 on this road trip. What does surprise me is that people think that the Rockets are underachieving. I don't think that true. The Rockets are not very talented. They certainly do not have the talent that the top 6 teams of the Western Conference have. I think that at best, the Rockets are equal to the Jazz and Suns, in terms of talent.
Oh come on now!! You're telling me the Spurs and Lakers and T'Wolves have more talent than the Rockets...Duncan, Shaq/Kobe and Garnett carry those teams. I'll give you the Mavs and Kings...but, shoot, the Rockets have more talent than the Spurs, Lakers and Wolves...they just haven't learned to play as effectively as a team as SA, LA and Minn can.
i would expect them not to panic and turn the ball over..i mean i love yao but he just dont no how to handle a double team yet
IMO,all our guys played well in last lost two games especially Steve.We had chance to win,but we need a experienced coach at closeup time.Let's pray for Rudi.
