I'm going to do something I haven't done in a long time, and probably won't do for a while...start a thread in this forum. Last night was the first loss in a long time where I wasn't completely devastated afterwards. By all accounts, we should beat the Knicks nearly everytime we play them, but when you're playing your 6th game in 8 nights, I can understand why we let this one slip away. Not only have we played an absurd amount of games in the past week and one day, it's who we played against and where we played. In Los Angeles, a double OT thriller where we gave our all and came up bitterly disappointed. Next night, over to Phoenix were we fell behind early, but came back to demolish a great home team. A day off to travel back to Texas, then to take on the team with the best record. Play them hard early, but ultimately get beat. We get a couple of nights at home with a blowout win against Memphis, pretty much the only game in the week that didn't require as much effort. Then, up to Boston, the opposite coast than 6 days earlier, to take on a good Boston team. We play hard, make a courageous comeback to win in OT. Then travel that night to New York, where we kickass in the first quarter. I really believe that the second half of the game last night was just the week catching up to them. Without studying the schedule, I'm pretty sure this was the only time this year where we have back to back, night off, back to back, night off, back to back-all over the country. The way this team played last night, and pretty much most of the stretch, leaves me very optimistic for the rest of the season. Regardless of what I say in the chat room!
I'm TIRED of this team underachieving! We had the Knicks pinned to the ground, yet couldn't finish the job
Good post. Maybe you should start threads more often . I hadn't even realized this. I guess I'm usually so pleased with getting to see teh Rockets two nights in a row that I forget that it's also bad because it wears them out. Last night really would have been a tough win, against a physical Knicks team. A positive side though: If yao can play even reasonably well at the end of that stretch, maybe his endurance is better than some thought.
It really would've been unbelievable had the Rockets won. When I woke up and saw the final score, I kind of smiled, because it felt good to be able to lose and not drop below Phoenix. I think we have 2 more back-to-backs the rest of the way (correct me if I'm wrong). Also, I can't see Phoenix matching us win for win from here on out, barring a complete collapse by the Rockets. Right now, I'm proud of the way the team is playing, and confident we'll make the playoffs, against all odds (all the away games). Phoenix is playing Payton and the Bucks (must kep repeating to get comfortable, lol) so we may or may not get a break. What we do know is that they won't win easy, because Payton won't let Marbury take advantage of him, Anthony Mason will not get schooled by a rookie, and Cassell will/should dominate his matchup. We have Washington after 1 day's rest. It's not enough, but it's not a back-to-back. Then we have 4 to 5 days off before we face the Spurs at home. Then 2 days later we go to Detroit followed by Toronto (back 2 back). To put things into perspective, we need 2 of those 4 games. I think we can win @ Washigton even though MJ is lighting it up, and with 4 or 5 days off, we should be able to take the Spurs down at home, since it will draw a big crowd and our players will be well rested. Getting back to the topic, this is a good thread. I don't see a lot of "Trade Francis" threads after the loss, so I assume a lot of people feel the same way and aren' as devastated with the loss, especially after an OT game the previous night.
They were tired for sure. However, if they would have continued to play smart, they still could have won the game. Anyone think the Spurs were tired when they won their 8th straight game on the road? What? No excuses for that? Ah...maybe, just maybe, the team is not good enough right now to win consistently. Maybe they don't really have an identity, are they guard oriented, or are they a low post team? I watch this team and I see incredible individual talent with no direction. They get in clutch situations and panic, veteran teams don't, and that is why they win the close ones. The Rocks don't play hard, they don't play smart, and they make a lot of the same mistakes over and over. I hope they grow up soon, because us old fans are getting ulcers. DD
Last Sunday I saw the Mavs VS Wizards game, it was reported that it was also the sixth game in 8 days for the Mavs. They played Spurs and Rox back to back the other day and although they were tired, they still beat Wizards. I think that is the major difference between Elite team and others: even they are tired or play badly, they can still find a way to win most of the games. However, it is also something to do with experience and depth of bench which Rox lacks both right now.
Dirk entered the league one year earlier than SF. However, he already had 18 playoff game experiences and SF has Zero. The playoff experiences is huge and priceless. Please , Rox , make the playoff this year!!!!!
Yao Ming's defense on Weatherspoon was a major contributor to losing that game. He definitely either looked tired, or worse, simply is not fast enough to react to quicker, smaller centers. RM95, take solace in the fact that it took an absolutely red hot Knicks team to pull that out ... (Eisley, Anderson, Thomas, Weatherspoon) all contributing to what? 10 of their last 11 fgs made. I'll take that in a back-to-back away game any time. We had them, and they shot their way over the top. And this was not all Rice's defense. That only produced two shots. Yao's poor defense on Weatherspoon contributed more (the baseline slam over Yao and1, and the junk ass low post move where Yao just watched him turn and shoot from 5 feet.
Also, maybe we should start looking at how many times Yao has to leave his man and help Eddie with his backing-it-in, soft, useless defense. Yao is quoted in windandsea's thread saying that he is being instructed to leave his man and help Eddie. Teams have obviously figured that out, because Shawn Bradley did it, Battie had a 10-15 night, Doleac/Thomas/Weatherspoon, Lorenzen Wright 10-17 did it. That's 4 games in a row where the opposing team attacks Eddie to draw Yao and Yao's man gets too many points. Eddie is not NBA starter worthy, and his Eggie defense is hurting us more than many on this BBS are willing to admit.
Now this I Totally agree with, although HP won't be able to see it since I am on his ignore list. (Sigh) DD
Interesting observation HP. Since I can't watch the games this is something I wasn't aware of. I have noticed that the opponsing team's centers seem to be shooting a lot of jumpers as of late and I wasn't sure if it was Yao not being quick enough to get out on his man or if his defensive assignment prevented him from going out there. It appears that Rudy doesn't want him going on there. Funny, remember this summer before we drafted Yao when we were looking into getting Yao we all were talking about bringing Yao in here to lure Shaq away from the paint to open the middle? HA! Now teams are doing that to US, trying to bring YAO away from the paint! It isn't working, yet the centers for the other teams are hitting jumpers. Perhaps we should try more zone defense? The Rockets play the Wiz next, while Brandon Heywood plays center for them I would not be surprised if they put Laettner at center to try to bring Yao outside of the paint and hit those jumpers. Something to watch for. Chris
HP, hate to say this, I agree with you! Ming's defense was bit questionable late in the 4th. Although he said he wasnt tired, but you could see he wasnt defending hard and hustle for the loose ball. Fatique gotta be the factor. Still I think to put Rice in at the end was a mistake, either Posey or Tmo would've produced better defense.
Speaking of tired, and our playoff hopes: Jordan sits out practice, may miss Rockets game February 26, 2003 WASHINGTON (AP) -- Michael Jordan sat out practice with a stiff right thigh and could miss Thursday's game between the Washington Wizards and the Houston Rockets. Jordan was kneed in the leg after colliding with Reggie Miller in the fourth quarter of Tuesday night's 83-78 victory at Indiana. The injury is just above the knee that required surgery last season. ``He's going to come in here and have treatment today and tomorrow,'' coach Doug Collins said Wednesday. ``Hopefully, he'll loosen up and be able to play, but he was very stiff today.'' Jordan was not available for comment. Collins also said the Wizards will activate center Jahidi White for the first time this season. White replaces Etan Thomas, who has a bruised left eye socket after taking an elbow in the face against the New Jersey Nets last week. Collins said Thomas has double vision and could miss the rest of the season if surgery is needed. White has spent the season recovering from knee surgery. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I've said it before, I'll say it again. Eddie may very well turn out to be a great player, but his style is not best fit for the PF alongside Ming.
Interestingly the Rockets seems to bring out the best in certain teams and players these days. We are begging to creat a niche for ourselves - to this point teams want to better Steve, Dunk and Yao and hopefully best us. This is a good thing because it means that we have our opponenst respect. On the other hand it is ultimately up to us (from the coaches to the players) to have an answer to nullify opponents extra zeal to beat. This is what made Michael Jordan and the great teams Celtics teams of the 60s, 80s as well well as the Lakers great - they were always able to match the intensity and fight of their opponents with letting fartigue and complacency take over.
I think Rox should mix zone and man-to-man together. Just give teams different looks and confuse them. I would say starting with man-to-man, then in the second half, mix zone defense because that's when our players are getting tired a little bit. Zone defense can mitigate some players' weakness in defense.