ClutchFans Game Thread: Timberwolves @ Rockets 3/29/2004

still need couple of WINs to secure the 7TH seed

 

rofl, is kinda ironic isn't it.

I mean a game is a game, and a win is a win.

However, I wasn't necessarily expecting us to win under the circumstances of our last wins, particularly the many games in OT we played even before the Milwaukee game.

And then to play back to back including 1 OT game to come into the Toyota Center and lose a close one to the T'Wolves has my respect.

Frankly, my mind wasn't on the game tonight so much as it was on Calvin Murphy.

Some of my friends at my high school have gone to his camps for years running and love the guy both as a former player and as the Rockets broadcaster.

Sigh, anything but the Rockets seems important to me right now.

It'll be a long while I'd imagine before any reputable evidence is presented in these damn cases that drag out forever.

 

We Lost, but I Feel Really Good!

The Rox showed heart today. The game could've gone either way and we just hung in there throughout the match. I'll have Yao take that open 20 footer everyday. Today, it just didn't fall. The only sour spots tonite were Cat and his not-too-smart heroics off breaks and maybe some sub-par passing again. Otherwise, you've got to feel good about our chances against Minny first round.



theSAGE

 

Why do we always have distraction in March & April? Last season Rudy stepped down because of cancer and Rockets miss playoff by 1 game. I hope the Rockets players wouldn't affect by Calvin Murphy case and give out their best efforts.

BTW, if we can't get out of the 1st round, Rockets may make an excuse that they can't concentrate because of Murphy case.

 

Didn't see the game, just noticed on the box scores that Yao didn't get a single free throw. How can this be? Did the refs screw Yao again or was it just really clean defense? What kind of defense on Yao did the wolves play?

 

dang.. the crowd was really into it in the 4th quarter. For a moment, I really thought we were gonna push them over. At any rate, I can't say I'm upset about the game... maybe the results. They gave an all out effort

 

ervin johson was holding yao every time he tried to get the ball and the didnt call a single thing

 

remember kobe in his first (or second) year in the play-off?

 

Didn't get to watch this, sounds like it was a tough well played game. This loss doesn't bother me, it's the other ones we gave up like the Golden State game.

 

i dont know if you guys saw it on TV but i was in row 8 (and moved down lower) at the game and Yao was just being mugged the whole game, always had 2 hands on his back which was is an automatic call and was being pushed in the back repeatedly, I mean he had no free throw attempts tonight thats sad

 

C'mon. MJ has missed dozens of game-winners too. So what?

 

Tough loss, but was one of the more acceptable losses of the season. We didn't beat ourselves. The crowd was great to listen to on TV with all the chants. First time I ever heard the crowd so into the game in a long while. Also the bowl section of the game looked to be filled up pretty well which was another surprise seeing as it tends to look empty even during sellouts.

 

Well, they gave it their all and KG just came through in Crunch time. The refs were still calling us for ticky tack fouls but the T-wolves got it done down the stretch. We played a pretty nice game and Francis had a good game as well. I think though the main reason that we're glad we loss was because that we gave it our all despite the game yesterday in OT (they need to really bury these lottery teams and not toy with them), and we didn't tank on purpose just to make the Wolves have a solid grip on the #2 seed. I really think we can match up with them in the first round IF we can keep KG under control, especially in the closing minutes. History isn't on the Wolves side either and that may help us to play with all we got despite the lack of playoff experience.

 

Yes, especially when Cato's back. Rox recent struggle largely due to Cato absent. We need Cato to backup Yao.

 

Since this game is so important for both teams, I don't understand why it is not a sellout. Only 16270 spectators? I can't believe it. I wish I am living in Houston and have attended the game.

 

I believe it really shows that we have more faith in this team, and more comfortable with their plays. More importantly, the Rockets have more confidence in themselves, not those early empty promises or tough talking like "We are talented enough to beat any team". But the confidence is real now, and it goes to another level, such as "We can pull this one out" or "We can play better next time", the attitude you can definitely see in recent games. I would say that their confidence also boost ours. I don't what a minny fan should think if they see so many Rockets fans are cheering that we might face them in the first round, while they are holding second position and being one of the excellent stories of the season. Now I am worried whether that would creat extra motivation for them. When it comes down to playoffs, what it really matters in close games or series, is how bad you want to win. Hope the Rockets can keep the poise and give us some nice surprises.

 

thegame_2234 - A little early but thanks

franchise403 & SmeggySmeg - Thanks for letting me know.

With the recent death of a few links I was getting worried that i would have to throw my list away.

 

No kidding. As usual, I was about to throw my shoe at the TV. I like that fact that the ref's let the team's play, but man, I would have also liked to see Mo push Garnett in the back, just to make a point that they have to be fair. Yao still has not gained the "superstar" ref calls.

I'm friggin' irritated that he needs to gain this mythical level of notoriety, but that's the way the game is played nowadays.

--rhad

 

I might venture to say that had the ref's not let johnson have two hands on Yao's back all game, it might have made an impact as well. The weird thing is that they seemed to have started calling it later in the game again, just like at Portland. Anyone else notice this? What the heck is going on?

 

That was terrible...this team will be swimming in medocrity forever...