now starring in Dumb and Dumber, the official lowlight video of the 2000-2001 Rockets season. the foul on smith was atrocious, but Rudy going with the Gizzard over Shanderson??? Reminiscent of the painful Scott Brooks fourth quarter days, with Kenny and Sam riding the pine. What a joke. Rant over. Carry on. ------------------
Walt was a perfect 4 for 4 and 2 for 2 (3 pointers) against his former team when Rudy made that decision. Tough call. Of course, Dale Robertson suggests benching Mobley and playing Shandon and Wizard. Do these editorial writers at the Chronicle not know anything about basketball? You can tell Dale and Fran only go see the big games, because that is the only time they speak. Leave the basketball breakdowns to the beat writers like Feigan, Michael Murphy, and McTaggart Uh, Dale, you don't take a playmaker off the court who forces double teams, especially when the only other playmaker (Francis) goes out with 5 fouls. Going with Walt and Shandon in the 4th, who must have playmakers on the court to be effective, at the expense of a playmaker is about as stupid a comment a paid sportswriter can make. Oh, we all want to second guess Rudy. Walt for Shandon is a tough call given the fact Walt hadn't missed, yet, against his teammates. Rudy's offense got Mo' some excellent looks, and Walt. You bench Mobley, and that goes away resulting in Mo' having to create his own shots. Basically, your 4th quarter offensive system sits on the bench with Mobley. [This message has been edited by heypartner (edited February 27, 2001).]
Holly ****! I couldn't agree with Heypartner more! Rudy shares no blame in this one. Cat had to be on the floor and you always go with the hot hand and Walt had it last night. Just see the stats. ------------------ [This message has been edited by crash5179 (edited February 27, 2001).]
Yeah, those writers make it look easy since they already know the outcome of the game. But if they were there in front of the bench during game time, I don't think any Chronicle editorial writer would sit Mobley on the bench. Give me a break. However, poor Mo Taylor just couldn't get his shots to fall in. He had great looks, but I dunno what happened. Seemed like maybe he was rushing his shot ... but that's just my opinion, and I was watching all the way from my couch, so what do I know? ------------------ Founding Father of the Refs Suck Club
Cat may be forcing double teams...but they're at freaking HALF COURT. What good does that do us at all? Seems to me it only serves to start the real offense with the shot clock at 10 and the ball in the hands of Moochie, Shandon or KT. How many times are they going to pull this crap? ------------------ "He said hop on his back and he was goin' ta take us to the promise land...and that's what he done." -- Robert Horry '95
agreed that, even given Mobley's poor play last night, benching him in the 4th would have been moronic. And on a more typical Shandon night, when he is a non-factor on offense, I could see an argument for playing Walt if Walt were on fire. But the way Shandon was playing last night on both ends of the floor, and with Steve rocket killah Smith out there, he has to be on the court, regardless of what Walt (very occasionally) brings on the offensive end. ------------------
Yeah, and the Rockets won championships during those days. Cat and Rudy didn't cost the Rocks that game, the team self-destructed. Blaming someone is just a weak copout. It's easy to say "You should have done this and you should have done that" a day after the game is over. I should have played those lotto numbers that fell yesterday now that I know what they were! ------------------ Dream a deadly Dream. . .
The team didn't really self-destruct. They missed shots and Portland didn't. Maybe that is self destruction or maybe it is just tough luck. Whatever it was, it was a loss to a very good Portland team in what was basically a very close game. I can't fault the Rockets or Rudy for that. heyp: Good post. ------------------ "You know what they say about the music business. Here today, gone TODAY! - Chris Rock at the MTV Music Video Awards
Does Rudy have a play for Cat that does not start with him bringing the ball up the court or an isolation? It would have been nice to have him come off a pick, a back screen, anything. That one trick pony (ISO) has been exposed. ------------------ Respect Hakeem's legacy. A championship in the hand is worth two in the bush!!
Jeff: When a team scores only 14 in a quarter - after winning 3 quarters straight - that's a LOSS. If there's a better way to piss a game away than giving up defensively in a quarter, I don't know it. I used to be scared of the 3rd, but now I'm scared in the 4th... Where did everyone go? ------------------
Been outdoors lately HP? If that play doesn't end up with exactly the scenario I described >50% of the time I would be highly surprised. Cat will force the double team on the wing and pass to someone about 15 feet inside the half court line. Shot clock somewhere in the vicinity of 10 seconds. Track it tonight if you've got so much time on your hands... ------------------ "He said hop on his back and he was goin' ta take us to the promise land...and that's what he done." -- Robert Horry '95
I don't understand why people say they're tired of a play that guards do, and then name Mobley by name and pile on him. If all our guards are doing it, maybe it's designed. There are times it looks bad, maybe the play just gets broken, it happens to ALL teams! Yes even Utah. Look at the Jazz, they go games where they only score 69 points because of the play. I don't know if people just need something to complain about, or are just frustrated, but we didn't hear all of this complaining when we were winning. But after one tough loss, it's all Rudy and Cat's fault. The Rockets just lost to a team with a player playing out of his mind who happens to be on a title contender. Stuff like that happens! ------------------ Dream a deadly Dream. . .
You said HALF COURT, not the wing. That was you exaggeration I was commenting on. Plus AT, 2 Shakes (the play you describe) is not being run as much as 24 High (the pick n roll). Besides, 10 seconds is perfectly fine for swinging to the weak side. The defense generally dictates that, not Mobley. Also, explain to me how Francis runs 2 Shakes differently than Mobley. It is all the same. Effective, but giving way to the better set of the 2 man game (24 High). If you don't like the ISO set for Francis and Mobley, I can't argue with that. The best I can do is explain that it is giving way to more mature sets, and you were exaggerating about HALF COURT.
I have no beef with the plays. I just hate it when Mobley (and yes, the other guards do it too) dribbles the shot clock down to about 5 seconds and then we're forced to take a prayer shot. I think sometimes he's waiting for the double team instead of beating his man to the basket. ------------------ Founding Father of the Refs Suck Club
