Rockets win a close one with solid outside shooting tonight (95-91) and Mac brings his A game tonight with 25/8 boards/7 dimes. Battier and Rafer need to be solid tonight and both shot well in this game for us to get the W.
my questions are 1) who guards Walker and 2) who do we have that can exploit Shaq's defensive laziness using the screen and pop. I think the best combo is Battier to guard Walker. I say that because this guy likes to shoot the 3 way too much and that can take away from some of Hayes's rebounding potential. I think Battier has enough skill to play Walker tough when he tries to post up and on the other end, we all know walker is too damn lazy to fight through screens so i predict wide open corner 3pters all day long for Battier. Best combo to exploit Shaq would have to include Head. This guy is shooting incredible from the 3pt line and hes getting msot of his shots from the extended elbow area, which is where he'll be able to shoot from if he gets a screen.
a big win with 108-92. Yao will get 31 pts, 9rbs , 2 blocks ,5 asists; Macgrady will get 37pts, 7rbs, 4 asists
we need yao to play great but we will need great contribution from T-mac, if Rox can stop wade, Rox should get this big voctory
Maybe it's the game when Van Gundy should free Novak and let him guard Walker. Walker tries to post Novak up in preseason and pretty much got owned by the help D. I say the more the Rockets make Walker handle and shoot the ball, the better chance the Rockets have of winning. Walker = Crap
Two teams with two superstars at the same position. They have a younger and arguably better SG, but we have a younger and arguably better center, so who's gonna win?
Yao vs Shaq they will cancel each other. Wade vs Tmac, I don't know, wish our true Tmac comeback. Have to win.
I just hope Yao goes to his jumpshot early on, rather then try to bull his way through Shaq to the rim. If yao just faces up and shoots over shaq like he did curry to start that game, shaq will have to get up close on him and then Yao can go to the spin. Yao just seems so much more effective when he simply gets the ball 8-10 feet away and turns to the hoop and simply rises up and shoots. Its the spin moves and trying to force his way to the basket that usually results in his turnovers. If Yao is hitting that shot, he can not be stopped or even really double teamed.
Antoine Walker is seriously overrated, everytime I see him put up a three, I expect him to miss. But D-Wade is not overrated. He's lightning quick (more than people give him credit for) and T-Mac isn't, so let's just hope that Wade won't draw too many fouls from Yao (that might be Riley's plan, use Wade to put Yao into early foul trouble). If that happens, we are in serious trouble. But luckily, Wade's defense is not underrated, so T-Mac should have a nice game.
i think yao will have a decent game, but tracy should bounce back to challenge wade. He generally brings it on national tv against the "premier" players in the league. i am hoping to have a steve novak sighting in the game rockets 95-heat 88
It will be a good game. You know Shaq will rise for this game because he liked the spot light and knows everyone is saying Yao is the best center in the leauge. I expect a good game from Shaq,but even better game from Yao. This is his chance and the rockets real test on the road this season. Rockets win 98-92
Shaq is still recovering from a bruised knee and not in top form. In Friday night's Miami win over New Jersey, he fouled out in just 30 minutes, with 13 points on 5-13 shooting. I am a little wary of Mourning. If the guy is not a psycho, he has some serious issues. He would go nuts even in a preseason game. Rafer had him kicked out of court in that game by reminding the refs with the zero-tolerance policy (good job Rafer lol). Expect Mourning and Shaq guard Yao in turn in about equal minutes.
Rest of the Heat team are going to play like crap, the one Rockets should worry about is D-Wade... Double Team him and make him give up the ball..
