ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Kings @ Rockets 10/16/2003 (PRESEASON)

No, that's not me. And s/he has quite diifferent characters.

 

Gentlemen,

I haven't posted in awhile, but am thrilled with what I saw from the Rockets tonight. Alot of positives to draw from even though it was just a preseason game.

Boki looked great tonight, he was shooting with confidence, and that dunk was filthy. The Franchise was his usual self in the first quarter dropping 15 in. Ming was dominate, he ate Miller's lunch and his defensive presence was huge in the paint.

I just want to add that Jeff Van Gundy is a breath of fresh air. His defensive first philosophy is great. He has those kid playing defense hard. I loved the Ming Cato combo on the floor at the sametime. Great interior presence, its like having the twin towers out there. Tough task for the other team to score on those big fella's.

I look forward to the Rockets gelling this year and making big strides. With or without Griffin. Until that kid takes basketball as a job and matures. I would rather players that want to play hard even with less talent get the minutes on the floor.

I can't wait to get Eric P. back out there and Adrian Griffin brings a much needed defensity intensity and attitude.

P.S. the new uni's look great!

 

This picture clearly shows the true value of height in basketball. The no. 34 is jumping at full stretch while Yao is just on his toes, and yet Yao can still block that shot nicely.

 

Here's another positive observation folks.

Rox had 22 turnovers tonite. Imagine what would happen if we could even cut our turnover down to the teens!!!

Even at a 45% FG percentage, we'd get an extra 4 - 6 points off more possessions from less turnovers. That's easily the margin by which we could have won an extra 4, 5, 6, who knows? maybe even 8 close games from last year. Hopefully, the training with Ewing will help Yao read defenses and double teams better and thus, help Yao protect the ball better. I would imagine our guards have the capacity to protect the ball better. Less physcially talented guards like Charlie Ward and Travis Best seem to be capable of maintaining high assist/turnover ratios.

Nevertheless, i was very encouraged with last nite's game. I think it's fair to say that what we saw (last nite) is what we'll probably get night in night out. I am SOOOO looking forward when this team hits its stride (my guess, Dec/Jan) and really start to gel.

Rox Rule!!!!



theSAGE

 

More Anecdotes,

Boki was truly awesome tonite!

I sincerely hope he's fully recovered from, what I remember to be, that herniated disc injury. That could explain why he didn't perform to par last year. But this year, if he has that little explosive move into the paint, he will be dangerous.

Also, consistent with JVG's days of yore with the Knicks, expect JVG to give more license to Francis, Mooch, Boki, and Mobley to jack up more threes... when they are in transition. We'll see how the 3 pt FG%'s play out this year. But unlike other teams that rely on some given 3 point specialist who becomes all to predictable and limited as the season wears on, look for JVG to empower an array of people with the license to shoot.

Also. with the way Boki is playing, I say, give him time at the 3 and the 2. The man reminds me a bit of Doug Christie, a swingman of sorts. If Boki can keep this FG% high, vis-a-vis good shot selection and obviously making his shots, he can and will be a big contributor this team.



theSAGE

 

if boki is any example, i think the rox should let someone teabag eddie in a game. it sure as hell lit a fire under boki's as*....

nice payback dunk by boki. how did it rate on sports center? if so did they mention the payback factor?

 

hate no eedit!

on second thoughts i doubt they would've said anything on SC as that would count as positive rockets news and that goes agaist their editorial policies.

 

If we lose the next game, I am sure alot of the idiots on here will want to trade steve francis agian. like I said in my other posts, steve is a super star and it's just preseason.

 

Dude, for your info, Boki shot 6-13 from the field for 15 points. It's neither good nor bad performance, evaluating a perimeter shooter. It's still under 50% and overall for Boki is in the 30s percent. So don't get too excited about that game. Boki supporters ought to celebrate because "good" games like that don't happen very often. Boki also got 5 turnovers.

 

Fellas, it is all good. Real good. Two of our left-for-dead players, Boki and Mooch, shows they will contribute. From the highlight I saw one of those threes, from Boki, was a crazy one. No hesitation, wide open, he goes up and all net. He will do it again because he did it before. He does alot of things good - things that you need when you are playing with Yao and Francis.

For those who did not believe me when I said I cannot nonchalantly put Kings above us in the West, I am sure you have seen it for yourself. Our frontcourt is just too good and they do not have a Shaq or even a Duncan, that can neutralize that. Ditto for the Wolves. So I am saying you can pencil in SPurs, Mavs and Lakers and then the rest is open.

If this rocket team is not a deep one, then I do not know what is a deep team. Just based on Codell's stellar performances on the chat, I can tell there is endless ball movement. Ball movement is as critical an area of the game as any for us, especially with Yao and Francis.

Speaking about Yao and Francis, don't for one second think that it ends there. I do believe Mobes, MoT, JJ and Pike are going to be super. I am only talking offense here. Defensively the lane is appearing, already, to be a difficult place for the opposition. Yes Yao and Cato have done wonders, but it would be a serious mistake to forget that Yao and MoT and Yao and EG are also going to do wonders. Yes JVG will get MoT to play like a PF.

 

IIRC, it was an actual hernia operation that he had. and I believe it was a lower abdomen hernia, since it was the groin that was mentioned.
As anyone that has had that type of operation can tell you, it takes time to get back to 100% after that....much more so for someone who depends on being able to physically go all out.

While I have no explanation for his shooting problems, it seems that he is getting his confidence back based on his performance last night. The threes he hit looked so good, sweet release...nuttin but net.

The two shots he made in the first were also swishers iirc..the dunk in the forth shows his slashing ability when he is confident.

Combine that with his passing, rebounding and in general hustle play...I think we can expect him to make some more believers from here on out.

 

I have already forgotten how we defended the lane last year but I like the way we do it this year.

When opp cuts thru the lane, Yao always leaves his man for a second, steps back and shadows the cutter thru the lane until our guy catches up. That allows our outside people to play up to their men without fear of back door play. It helps that their C are stiffs that can't do anything from 15 ft out !!

 

That's just my point. The mood of fans here swings like a pendulum.

 

Neat to read all the positive posts. I didn't get to see or hear the game. Win or lose, if the team PLAYS WELL, I believe the BBS will be relatively upbeat. Thank you JVG!

 

The game was great. Steve and Yao were exceptional.

It is great to see Steve and the team respond so positively to JVG's complaints at the beginning of the week.

 

Vunny 1408. The reason there weren't alot of assists. were because Yao and Cato would get fouled when posting up and moving around the basket. Free throws,..and the assists would get crossed off.

 

I love to admit it that the Rockets are looking pretty damn good. Steve Francis is becoming the player I always thought he could be and Yao is impressing the hell out of me. Cato is easily the most improved player on the court so far - who would of thought he would of been a JVG guy. wow.

 

Hear, hear!!
In long stretches when nobody else played worth a lick, those 3 kept the Rockets in the game. Once the others chipped in, we blew the game open!!