ClutchFans Game Thread: Sonics @ Rockets 1/21/2008

Need to finish this before I go back to office.

First some photos at the pre-game shoot-out practice.

As usual Big Yao came earlier than every Rockets and started practicing his jumpers and free throws. He had come back to Toyota Centre as early as 09:30am to practice his free throws. He was p!$$ed about missing 3 free throws consecutively; so he came back early to practice 200 more free throws.

 

I don't even care about how tracy or yao performance in pass games. how yao choked the last two games and or how we're better without tmac. they both did great during THIS game. i think this thread's for the current game (unless i'm senile)... not the last past month games thread.

 

No one said we are better or worse with T-Mac, and no one dissed either of our 2 stars. All I said in my original post was that the reason someone brought up that "without T-mac we wouldn't have won this game" and didn't bring up the same for Yao was because Yao didn't miss the last month of the season like T-mac, and he wasn't the star that was gone when we collapsed multiple times in the 4th quarter.

 

So, you've made 3 posts in this thread related to you being first and not one about the game. Just in case you don't already know, you didn't win s***.


A win is a win. It wasn't pretty at times, but at least this wasn't another loss to a team they should never lose to. Yes, they should have blown them out, but believe it or not, the Sonics are an NBA team with real NBA talent. They have just as much ability to beat any one on any given night as the next team. The Rockets did well not to have a total let down after beating the Spurs...which is what this game looked like it might be early on.

It's good to see McGrady get back into the flow and to see Yao dominate like he should against these much smaller centers. If Mr. Hayes isn't careful, Landry is going to steal more of his playing time. It's hard to argue with 12 points in 14 minutes. Intangibles are great, but so are numbers. 0 points and 4 rebounds is not good. I'm not sure why Brooks wasn't used more. You'd have to think that he would match up well with Watson.

 

Michael Rafer Jordan needs his knuckles caned and reminded that his last name is Allston and not Jordan! He should also be punished and reminded that he is the team's main Point Guard and that it is his responsibility to set up others not set himself up. He should be reminded that his shot leaves something to be desired and that he is only a role player not one of the main scorers of the team.

 

Yeah well, the collapses came with a 20 million dollar hole in the lineup. And when both stars were playing, some **** games happened too.

Anyway, enough of the crap about Yao and Tracy. Both played great. Thank god we won the freaking game. I am actually saving a few glares for some of the other players (Rafer for one.....)

 

1/12 for the 3p. what the hell is that?
That's why this win is ugly.

 

I feel Yao tends to make a lot of FTs on high % for a stretch, then it will turn bad for quite a few consecutive FTs, and then it turns good again.

My impression from several of his games, not sure if it applies overral.

 

Make a few 3's and FT's and this should've been a 15-20+ pt blowout

 

Cons:
None outside shooting. Only Bonzi could make some. We made only one three pointer.

Bad bad transition defense. We gave up too many easy baskets.

Bonzi was still black hole in defense. So whose defense is worse, Bonzi or Luther?

Rafer, please, do NOT shoot those fast break jumpers if you are not hot. You know, you usually are not, so just stop shooting them.

Scola couldn't make any shots. Hitting the rookie wall?

Yao missed some free throws, fortunately not the critical ones.

TMac still seemed to be bothered by his legs. He basically walked through the court when his man didn't have the ball.


Pros:
Landry, landry, landry. I just hope he could develop fast enough to get some serious minutes in the playoffs, if we could make it.

Yao dominated them. Good to see Yao crushed them on the rebounds.

Tmac helped us in the final minutes.

Scola's hustle at the end.

We kind of picked up our defense in the third quarter.

Low turnovers. We played in control.

 

Damn it, I didn't even know it was an early game...oh well, at least I don't have to worry about whether or not we'll lose when I'm at work.

 

Now to the game photos.......

BOX SCORES

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR TONS OF GAME PHOTOS

 

So.. Yao was p!$$ed about missing 3 free throws consecutively last game.
And he missed 3 more today. Yao needs to come early practice for 1000
free throws next game.

 

Just wanted to check when the game would start and found that it had finished.

Some people intentionally set the bar high. Maybe they are looking for 40/25 from Yao.

 

Bonzi in the same time with Yao just just not working out. I'd rather have Head in. Notice Head's minutes reduced tremendously after Tmac is back. I think Head should play more and Bonzi plays less. Not saying Bonzi had a bad game.

When Rafter yoyo in the middle and opponents entice him to take the bite, it's really an adventure. Also what's up with those early shots, I can understand either there is rebounder under the basket or Rafer are able to sink them. This is on Adelman, because he must be giving the green light.

No doubt we struggled against the worst team in the entire league. Their atheleticism bothered us. We are still a low scoring team that relies on defense, and it wont cut it in current NBA.

 

Tracy McGrady...........

 

It could be a loss without any single one of them:
Alston (12)
Wells (16)
T-Mac (17)
Yao (30)
Landry (12)

There is ONE and ONLY one team....

 

so? i am 1st you are not.

suck my balls

 

Why you always want to set up a line to seperate those two? Even when you are clearing up things, it is so obvious..... Let me help u with your incomplete statement," Yao was the 'star' when we collapsed multiple times in the 4q, when forever-only-star-of-you T-mac is absent", let me remind u this, so was T-mac in our badest turnover games, and our Rox team.

It does not matter who was on the court when we lost, it is the lost of the whole TEAM, if u really want to tag those losts to individual player, stop being a rox fan!!!

Really feel sorry for you.................

 

Don't forget we're also looking for 12blks and 10asts...... as his average.