ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Lakers 4/17/2004 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 1)

My question is just about the confidence. Whether this was a one-time rush of adrenaline or not. They're not a "Young Team", but they are an immature team with respect to the playoffs, this game will either boost their confidence immensely, or it will kill their confidence completely. We won't know this until Monday, but after Monday we'll know how this team is mentally, if they play more great D like they did tonight they should win, or at least be in position to win again. A single hard-fought loss on your opponents floor can just be a random good effort. Two hard-fought losses on your opponents floor means that you're ready to win and have the confidence that you can protect the home court. Sometimes I get a bit too caught up in the moment to realize that we do have more to think about here than just tonights game Things like the future makeup of the team, and their confidence level. Taking the Lakers to 6/7 (or even to just 4 or 5 but with all of those games being very close ) would do wonders for this team as far as their understanding of how to play in big games.

 

Ok ya'll. You can stay up all night debating why and the answer will still be the same. Fate was determined to not let the winning shot go in. Mull that over until game 2. I'm going to bed so good night all.

 

Another point to make... the refs are going to watch the tapes of the game and probably ratchet up the foul calls for the rest of the series to clean things up a bit. Steve needs to take full advantage of this and drive.

The refs did a great job tonight, and as long as they don't start calling Malone's flops I will be happy.

 

This constant finding someone to blame is getting old... blaming yao.. blaming francis... blaming JJ.. . cat... van gundy.

Like someone just said... Basketball is a TEAm game.. you win and lose as a team. It is the camaraderie of a team that makes the game beautiful and FUN.

This is the playoff. WE have the whole friggin season to play the blame game. It is time to just friggin support the team. If they make mistakes, you encourage them and comfort them. If they do a good job.. you cheer your lung out for them. That's what teammate do.. and that's what fans do.

NO team can win in the playoff without a team attitude and fans who support them.

Stop this madness... somebody!

 

I agree it was a team loss

 

Adrenaline at 1:51 AM ....Sucks

Boss not letting you out of work 2 hours early on a Saturday when you have a chance to go to a Lakers Rockets game....
r
eally sucks

 

Moochie would've hit that.

 

The Rockets played a great defensive game by their standards, but it was not their night 3-point shooting wise. They played with tremendous heart especially Steve Francis who consistently drove to the right lane whenever he saw the opening. He took it right to the basket and wasn't afraid of the big yellow shirts down low. We also did great on the boards but was unlucky in a couple of possesions when Kobe shot an airball only for Shaq to catch it and dunk it inside.

One VERY critical play that I didn't like was that when we were up 71-69(we didn't score after that) with about 50 seconds left, we had possession of the ball or Steve Francis did. The right lane was pretty much open for him to make his move. The Lakers' D was concentraed on the other side of the paint and when Steve Francis refused to take it to the basket like he had been doing, he struggled to pass it to Jim Jackson which I felt that he rushed that shot with two defenders right close by and with still about 8 or 9 seconds left on the shot clock on that possesion, we could've gotten a better shot than that. Steve Francis should've made that move to the basket like he had been doing all day and since he always got the call, an extra made free throw or two would've meant that after Shaq made that dunk off the Kobe airball, we would've been tied or up 1 WITH the ball. We were down after that possession and we felt that extra pressure to have to score real quickly and the pressure was off the Lakers on that last regulation play because they were up. I felt like we would've been psychologically been more prepared with our last possesion on what we really wanted to do IF we were tied or up. That last Jim Jackson shot was a good try, but I felt like him rushing the shot before that one cost us here. This should still be a good series and this will live up to the hype.

 

I feel you on this one.. My heart is still ebating so fast.. I am so sad tht we lost.. for a minute there, i thought we were going to win!!

now all i can think about is how I am going to miss the game monday!!! this is horriblle..

if you are fotunate enough to be going to the games in houston... MAKE SO MUCH NOISE.. staples center really got the lakers going there.. and i hope all you houston fans can do the same!

 

I give props to the ref, I think they did a good job tonight

 

Steve also seemed to take notice of the fact that he can burn Gary Payton pretty much at will, he's simply younger, faster, and has more moves. Gary had a LOT of trouble staying with Steve when he would break to the basket. If Steve can take advantage of that we'll be seeing a lot of Steve Frances at the free throw line because of fouls on the big guys after having burned Payton.

 

The Rockets played great. Man! some of you guys really think
we can win the series?

 

STFU!!! You are an idiot. The team fought hard and played a decent game. No one expected the game was so close.

 

I'm proud of them tonight. A lot of people thought they would roll over and die, and they played hard. This was a tough loss, but they showed that they belong. Give JJ that shot at the end 10 times and he'll make 9 of them.

 

I think ill opt to stay up all night debating

 

I'm disappointed in the result, but the entire gave it everything they had, and that makes me proud to be a Rocket fan. I still believe, but I have a bad feeling that we lost our chance at the advancing, what are the chances that Kobe and Karla are going to shoot a combined 7 for 33 again? But like I said, I still believe, who's with me?

 

how can you say that?

Being a Rockets fan is amazing. We have had some of the best teams and not to mention, we have tons of talent.. We are young and we fought our hearts out. This is a great team to be a fan of!

 

I'm inconsolable, but game 2 is ours...

 

If anyone is wondering why we shot so bad from the 3 point line it is because we didnt get all the good looks we usually get when yao gets doubled. So if anyone hoping our 3pt shot will win it for us, it wont.

The officiating was not that great, it was way too physical even for a playoff game, but they called it consistantly on both ends. The physical play attributed to many of the turn overs and missed shots. Look next game for the officiating to be a lil tighter.

 

It was very confidence inspiring. It was just that it was SOOOOOOOOOO CLOOOOOOOOOOOOSE to a win