ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Blazers 4/21/2009 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 2)

I'm glad they didnt show up in game 1....It means that if Yao, brooks, artest is off, then they can pick up the slack....I know one of these games, Wafer is gonna act a ass out there.

 

definitely going to be a closer game, but i think we should pull it out.

i'm expecting about a 5-7 point win.

 

Eh, before the playoffs started they were saying Utah may be the only team to give them a run. And one game into that series now were the team? We just need to work on getting out of the first round, and when/if we meet the Lakers, it'll be a nother test, and obviously a more difficult one.

 

Blazers are coming up with strategies to defend Yao. Outlaw more playing time at PF is not good news. But interesting to see what Adelman will counter possible double team and fronting. Wish we play every other day

"It appears there will be at least one minor rotation change with the Trail Blazers for Game 2 of the best-of-seven series against Houston: Travis Outlaw will move back to power forward while Channing Frye heads back to the bench.

McMillan used Frye in Game 1 because he liked his 6-foot-11 frame against the physical Rockets, but Frye was largely ineffective in 20 minutes, finishing 2-for-5 with two rebounds. Outlaw played small forward in Game 1, but has spent large portions of this season playing power forward. Outlaw was 4-for-10 and scored nine points with two rebounds in 26 minutes.

One rotation change McMillan said he is contemplating is using centers Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla together. He used the twin-tower combination with some success earlier this season against Boston.

"I thought about that (in Game 1), but didn't get to it,'' McMillan said of using Oden and Przybilla. I think we may look at that. The thing is for our guys, we are not scoring against this team. I don't know if that gives us more scoring.''

Oden was efficient in Game 1, hitting 6-of-7 shots and finishing with 15 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes. All of his damage came when Rockets' veteran Dikembe Mutombo was on the court."

link: http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/04/could_the_twin_towers_emerge_i.html

 

I keep hearing that portland will use ways to stop yao... easier said than done, for Portland at least. They don't have the players to shut down Yao. It's not like they are going to pull a wand out and make him smaller. This is not Harry Potter.

 

I like some of their comments.

This is a classic: "Sometimes I dont think its fair to have an NBA player that is nearly as tall as the rim with legs the size of a telephone pole, but thats the NBA."

LOL

 

Damn, did anybody know that Battier played with a stomach virus???

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6381804.html


Battier over ailment
Rockets forward Shane Battier’s postseason began in a Portland hospital.

Battier was hit with either a stomach virus or food poisoning and went to a local hospital to have the problem diagnosed and receive fluids intravenously. He played in Game 1, but said he felt weak throughout the game.

“My first thought was last year I was in pain playing Utah,” Battier said. “I couldn’t even walk. It’s par for the course but was only a quick bug.”

Battier needed surgery on his left ankle last offseason, but got over this condition quickly.

“I feel like a new man,” Battier said. “I woke up this (Sunday) morning and felt wonderful. It was a glorious thing. It was terrible. I didn’t feel good yesterday. I was still sluggish. The adrenaline got me through the game. I didn’t feel great last night. But I woke up this morning and it was great.

“I’m glad it’s over. It was a rough one.”

A whole new game
The Rockets do not expect Game 2 to be the rout Game 1 was. Just as they expect the Trail Blazers to respond to the loss, the Rockets said they will have to respond to the tougher test they believe will come.

“A game like that usually happens in the playoffs, where we played extremely well, I mean we played very well offensively and we were very good defensively,” Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. “I think maybe we caught them by surprise. You can lose your confidence in a hurry in a playoff situation.

“The next game is totally different. We know that. We have to respond to the fact that they will play better, we may not play as well, but we’ve got to be ready to compete and stay in the game and see what we can do.”

Playing it cool
Ron Artest wrapped ice packs around both ankles, both knees and his right elbow, drawing the attention of coach Rick Adelman and a promise from Artest.

“I’m going to put one on my wrist,” he told Adelman, “so I won’t be taking any fadeaway shots.

“I’ve been doing this for seven years. Deke (Dikembe Mutombo) told me to do it when I was 19 years old and he’s playing to 42. I was a rookie and my knees were hurting. He said, ‘Ice it every day,’ and I’ve been doing it ever since. He was on Atlanta and I was on Chicago.”

That was not Artest’s only promise.

 

e-z win

 

i think this is a loss

109-98

 

If we win, it will be by less than 10 points.
If we lose, it will be by less than 5 points and hard-fought.

The Blazers have definitely made some adjustments, so watch out.

 

You heard the man.

IT IS THE ROCKETS' HOLY DUTY

 

Outlaw at PF? Ok...we gotta unleash the Landry.

 

They are not Arabs, they are a good family team.

 

anybody going to the Toyota Center for the viewing party to watch the game

 

Rockets 90
Blazers 108

 

If McMillan uses the "Portland Twin Towers" in Odem and Pryzbilla, where does his offence comes from? He won't play Aldredge and Outlaw together, plus there'll be an open Rocket when the "Towers" swarm Yao. If they tag team Yao, it's probable they'll use of their 12 fouls in a hurry. And RA just might bring in Deke with Yao as both a diversion and a protector.

 

Rockets sure get the win,but not much,may be 5 or 6 points.
10:30pm start time in U.S.
10:00am start time in our country,PRC
for this game, i have to cut class again.

 

it will be a loss for sure.

 

The Blazers are not ready. We should win this game and this Series in 4. Gameface

 

Deke and Yao play at the same time? our twin tower?