ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Lakers 12/25/2003

if they win, i will forgive them for all the mistakes they have made this year

 

i don't think they care if you forgive them or not

 

homer

 

blow out
125-75 rockets lose

i have lost all faith that i had after last nights game

 

69: 117 Lakers.

Don't watch this game if you are not a lakers fan.

 

Rockets: 106
Lakers: 101

 

I hope we can win! We will need a miracle!!!..actually we just need to make our darn shots!

Or trade Cato and Taylor for Rasheed Wallace, Mobley and Padgett for Rashard Lewis, and Jim Jackson and Eric Piatkowski for Corey Maggette. Then we can actually compete against the Lakers.

We are so gonna lose..but I just hope the Rockets play well and show they are good on national tv...PLEASE SANTA!

I think we are gonna lose by 5-10 points.

 

It's going to take a Christmas mircale. Beating the Lakers coming off a tough loss to Golden State is an almost impossible task.

 

i hope the whole team shows up late so they can all have 20pts/20 board just like Yao did

 

And rainbows will shoot out of my backside.

 

If I could see one Rockets game, this would be it... Or, even better, the one at home.

 

I think this will be a make it or break it type of game.. im worried everyones confidence is low and people are losing faith in the system and the coach. Did you hear SF "Its not the system, its not the system" its like hes trying to convince himself he believes that.

Of course I could be overreacting.. so are alot of other people.

Im tired of this ugly ball.. tired of seeing our guards make bad passes, our Center falling on the floor, tired of seeing SF get called for travelling every game.. Cat not passing the ball, Yao not shooting the ball, I have enough blame to go around. JVG should play his bench when his starts cant make their shots..

But most of all im sick of watching UGLY STUPID BASKETBALL!

like someone else said "Ugly Stupid Basketball Must Die!"

hahaha ok enough ranting.. im just discouraged by the Rox play lately.. im disappointed no one can make a shot, that no one has stepped up as the leader of this team and carried them on their back..

This team has no leader.. SF and Cat are the captain but there not leaders. Now im worried Yao wont develop into one.

J

 

Contrary to most of your predictions, I sensed a win. Say,

92 : 85 Rockets.

Yao - 21pts, 12rbs, 3blks, 3pfs

 

I seriously want to see steve take over a game. It should be a tough game, and maybe we get a breather with the PF postitions. Cato hopefully wont get anally raped by the backups. But putting Amaechi on the IL right before playing Shaq doesnt seem such a good idea. I mean he was 6 fouls that we could have thrown at them. O well, well see what happnes.

Go rockets

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1693866

Rockets aim for playoffs, Lakers a crown

By Doc Rivers
Special to ESPN.com


The fortunes of these four Western Conference teams intersect neatly at this juncture of the season. The Kings and Lakers are tied for first place in the Pacific Division (with identical 20-6 records). The Mavs and Rockets are tied for fourth in the Midwest Division (with identical 15-12 records).

Rockets-Lakers Matchup | Thursday, ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
The Lakers are 14-1 at home, while Rockets are 6-9 on the road (clear advantage: LA). Here are two other elements to consider regarding this contest:

What's the intangible key to this game?
Style of play is the key intangible.

The Lakers want to push the ball in an up-tempo game, while the Rockets focus on half-court sets and defensive pressure. The Catch-22 for the Rockets is that it's tough to beat the Lakers, in my opinion, by playing a slow-tempo game. The Lakers are so tough either playing up-tempo or half-court (think Shaq).

Matchup to watch (the matchup within the matchup)?
Most fans will be watching the Yao Ming-Shaquille O'Neal showdown inside, but the Rockets were able to split with the Lakers last season (2-2) because guard Steve Francis dominated. So watch the performances of Francis and LA guard Kobe Bryant.


A Look at the Rockets

What's at the top of their holiday wish list?

Points! The Rockets are 27th in the NBA in points per game (86.7). I understand why Houston is struggling in the scoring department. New coach Jeff Van Gundy's emphasis on defense is a good thing. He knows that when the playoffs begin, the game slows and you need to be a great defensive team to win. He believes the offense will catch up.

Story line to watch as the season unfolds?

The biggest change for the Rockets this season is that their offense goes from the inside-out now, rather than from the outside-in. Van Gundy runs his offense through center Yao Ming a ton. The better the Rockets get at it, the more solid they'll be overall. The Rockets must continue to grow accustomed to Van Gundy, who has changed their style from an open-court offensive team to a defensive team with a set offense. The question is this: How well will guards Cuttino Mobley and Steve Francis adapt to Van Gundy's system as the season moves along?

Long-term forecast?

Houston's No. 1 objective is to get into the playoffs. Last season, the Rockets (at 43-39) just missed, finishing one game behind the Phoenix Suns (who earned the last Western Conference spot). If Van Gundy can get the Rockets there, the next step would be to see how far they can go. I don't think any Western Conference team wants to see Yao Ming and Steve Francis in the first round of the playoffs.


A Look at the Lakers

What's at the top of their holiday wish list?
Santa already visited the Lakers last summer when he delivered Karl Malone and Gary Payton. If you asked coach Phil Jackson about the one gift he'd like, I'm sure he'd say defense. The Lakers have struggled some defensively this year, to the surprise of everyone. Malone, Payton, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant all have been on the All-Defensive Team -- but LA has struggled on D more than anything else.

Story line to watch as the season unfolds?

Can a collection of great individuals become a great team in time for the playoffs? The Lakers have shown signs of being a cohesive, unbeatable unit. But they've also shown signs of not having played much with each other. This season represents one of Phil Jackson's tougher jobs. Jackson doesn't get enough credit for the job he does. Lots of people assume that a coach with talented players can just roll the ball out there, but it doesn't work that way. Jackson has to sell star players on roles that are different than the roles they've had their entire careers.

Long-term forecast?

The Lakers are the clear favorites to win the NBA title because of their personnel -- but not because they've won anything as a group yet. On paper, they're definitely the favorites. The question marks are health and endurance for Malone and Payton as the season wears on.



Doc Rivers, an NBA analyst for ABC, played 13 seasons in the NBA and was the league's Coach of the Year in 2000.

 

Yao may get a chance to go 1 on 1 with Shaq because Shaq doesn't need help and he usually don't front. I look for easy entry passes to Yao to start the game every times down the court. It should be interesting. If it works, Yao may have 25 by half time and a 10 point lead.

 

I think Van Gundy needs to just let Steve have the reigns this game.

 

You are dreaming.

Yes, Yao will get his entry pass easily because Shaq is too arrogant to front him or even push him out of the position.

Then again, Yao will pass every entry pass back to perimeter after he miss a couple shots under Shaq's defense. He is too sissy to challenge Shaq and afraid of taking his responsiblity to carry the team.

Of course he and some of the Yao fans will all agree that it is just his second year in NBA and he still need time to develop and Rox is still Steve Francis' team, etc. The BS will continue throughout his career with Rox

 

i look for yao to dominate. i think tomorrow we will finally see the aggresive side of yao.

rox 102
lakers 95

yao 28pts 14rebs 5 blks
steve 19pts 6 rebs 9asts

 

Of course you could be right, but the beginning of the game is must see TV.