ClutchFans Game Thread: Mavericks @ Rockets 4/30/2005 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 4)

This is too funny. All of the role players on the Rockets were good enough to win two games at Dallas, keep it close this past game, and now they're not good enough because the Rockets are losing? News flash. It's not up to them to win games for T-Mac, it's up to T-Mac to win games for them, that's what super stars do. Even Dirk, who didn't have a good shooting night, did the right things in the fourth quarter by getting his teammates open shots. Did that dude even take a shot in the fourth?

Yao Ming can create shots for others. Mike James and Bob Sura are good ball handlers, those guys did fine through out the regular season. David Wesley has made a living coming off of screens, followed by a catch and shoot. Yao Ming can consistently finish. Those guys have been more than enough all season long for the Rockets and T-Mac to win, and they were even enough in this game, but he has to finish games, that's his role.

I'm not worried though, I'm sure he and JVG will review the first two games and he'll see that he let his teammates carry him in games one and two, only to have him finish the games.

 

There is no way to say that Howard "smacked" McGrady. Looking at the replay, it was completely legitimate. Howard hit the ball when McGrady wasn't looking, and it bounced off of his hands out of bounds. There is no other way to look at it.

Best of three series here on out, homecourt to the Mavs. May the best team win.

 

That totally sucked..

 

Actually the Rockets are one of the most talented teams in the league, the problem with this series is that the Mavs are one of the few teams who have more.

 

"Regardless of what happens this series, we need better players."

Most accurate thing on this thread. It's not about the refs. Too many guys on this squad who do the same thing. Its no wonder McGrady might get fatigued in the 4th. He has to bring the ball up, he has to guard Dirk, he has to create shots for others....He has to do too much. They need someone else on the team who can create a shot.

 

Sometime before the next game I'd like JVG to explain the Mavericks' screen-and-roll play to the Rockets. It's as if the Rockets have never seen it's like before...

 

You are a freakin' idiot

Let's see: he is asked to handle the ball, shut down Dirk (which he did), score (which he more than did), and then score at the end of every game at the clutch to win the game for the Rockets or he is a "loser".

You guys are such haters it ain't even funny. Pathetic fans, indeed.

How sad.

And yes, Steve Francis is loving this watching from the comfort of his home and seeing others playing the playoffs while he's resting at home

We would NOT even be in this game (let alone the series) without McGrady stepping up. As I have said a thousand times before: if the role players don't step up, and they play this crappy, and Yao is this bad throughout the game, you better believe that it is a miracle we were even in this game.

Pathetic fans! I understand needing to vent your anger at someone, but if the numbers this guy is putting up (including his passing/defense) is not enough for the Rockets to win, while at the same time Dirk can afford to stink it up ALL series long, and yet his team hang around enough to win games, then that just tells you how much better Dallas is than Houston.

I know you guys are in a denial about the abilities/limit of this team, but I am not. The only reason they are even in this series and aren't down 3-1 or something is because they have been playing on pure heart. But even heart will only get you so far.

This is why none of us wanted to play the Mavs in the first round, remember? And now you see why. They COMPLETELY out-talent us out there, with Terry going for thirty one night, Finely going for 20 on others, and Stackhouse for going for 20+ on others. All along, Dirk is not even showing up, and his team is winning. Now imagine if Dirk did show up to the series, this would not be even close.

Ahh, it is funny how everyone's tone changes overnight, on one play, on one game.

 

still 2-2 we it's 50-50 game. MAVS might run out of gas!!!

 

Actually, I have nothing to complain. Our guys have tried their best. This has been a very good series. Both teams are playing under tremendous pressure and produced some very good games for fans to enjoy. We can't treat our players like machines that can execute with precision and efficiency. They make mistakes, that's what's fun about professional sports. Human Beings are unpredictable, even they have been trained not to.

I still believe we can win this one. Just take one quarter at a time!!!

 

What would you call the 94 rockets?

 

Rockets win next two games.

These two losses might not be as bad as they look. They are the price that Rockets need to pay in their development.

I want to see three things in the next two games:

1. Yao stops to be stupid in games. He is dragging T-Mac down. Some one said before that the reason Kobe dominating in the 4th previously is that Shaq carried the lakers in the first three. T-Mac had to spend too much energy to carry the team in the early part of those games, and I don't think he could have done as much as we hope. I don't blame T-Mac on those lapses in the fourth. T-Mac is our consistent force in every game, but the key to win is in Yao's hands.

2. Role players should know their role. IF James held the ball and T-Mac was on the other side, James always dribbled and shot the ball in the end. If he keeps doing that and JVG still allows him to do that, I put the blame on the coach. The same thing happened to Sura in the third game. Those two are our 2nd and 3rd ball handlers, so if they keep forcing their shots, I don't expect Rockets to win the series.

3. Defense adjustment. I was surprised that the person guarding Terry always went to double other people not just Dirk. It happened to Daniel, Starkhouse and Finley. I don't get it, JVG still allowed Terry wide open, even when he was that hot.

I can see that we adjust #2 and #3 in the next two games. For the most important change in #1, well, we have spend three years to talk about it, let's pray that the next three games become Yao's ritual to grow from good to great.


Go Rockets!!!

 

As much as this game sucked in the ass, there were 2 luckyass plays that went the Mavericks way:

I have been following the Rockets for close to 20 years now - they have always favored to do things the HARD way. Why would they change that philosophy now?

I am not ready to do a ZRB and say that this series is over....yet - will wait to see what happens in Game 5 first.

 

He doesn't have to handle the ball all game long, he wants to do that! You saw him wave James off, you see him call to bring the ball up, he doesn't have to do that. You act like he's done that all season long. Shutting down Dirk is fine, but he doesn't do it alone that's why Dirk had some big assists, the biggest in the game to Terry. He does have score at then end of games, so? We should expect that from him. I never called him a loser, he'll bounce back, but that was the old McGrady, the one who runs out of gas in the fourth quarter. I want the McGrady that elped Yao get 35 points and then had enough on him to finish the Mavs off. You can be happy with the guy we saw today and blame everyone else when we lose if you want.

 

Down the strech, keys to the loss

1. James, Barry bad bad bad shot selections. I can understand these guys have heart to win, but you gotta play smart.

2. Tmac obviously was exhausted. We should look for Yao more.

3. Lack of foucs and concentration.

These things have been the weakness of this team throughout the season. We are just not quite there this year. Imagine, next year we get rid of the bags of Rudy's era, sign some FA. We will be contending year in and year out. Barring from injuries of course.

 

The sanest thing on this board so far.

The sooner everyone accepts that Dallas is twice as talented as we are, and that EVEN when Dirk stinks (the 3rd guy on the MVP lis, remember?) you have Finely, Terry, and Stackhouse (and sometimes even KVH) who step up and score (all former 20 pppg scorers).

Barkley always says that "In a 7-game series, the best team ALWAYS wins". Now you know what he meant. You can win a few games on pure adrenaline, but the best team will eventually assert itself and win.

The funny thing is the Rockets have stretched themselves beyond their limit, and have been in every game, but at the end...lo and behold...Dallas puts on an offensive show and the Rockets show how handicapped they are offensively when compared to a team like Dallas.

Get over it! Wesley, Barry, Padgett, and Sura are combined less talented than Terry alone!

Depth is always HUGE in the playoffs. That is why if Dallas wins this series, they will only have to worry about the Spurs, and even then they will probably finally overcome the Spurs. They are soo freaking talented it is not even fair That is why I hate Cuban more than anything else, he loses money on the team but he doesn't care, he is in it to win.

 

How many thought that Dirk's strip from Yao was a foul? They were calling tic tac fouls on Houston, and that wasnt a foul! JVG need to take a page out of Rick Adelman on how to work the refs.

 

That is true in two of the games. For the other two games the same can be said about the Rockets. It was the Rocket's poise that responded and put on an offensive show, that exposed the Mav's handicap when compared to Houston. The tables have been turned the past two games along with some fortunate bounces going the Mavs way.

 

Depth is not necessarily HUGE in the playoffs. Most coaches tighten up their rosters and give huge minutes to their rotation or 7-8 maybe 9 players.

 

During that period, did you see any chance that James would have given the ball back ???? James ignored the whole team in previous two possessions when the ball got into his hand. Blame T-Mac's lack of trust on James, because James was the reason.

 

"It's not up to them to win games for T-Mac, it's up to T-Mac to win games for them, that's what super stars do. Even Dirk, who didn't have a good shooting night, did the right things in the fourth quarter by getting his teammates open shots. Did that dude even take a shot in the fourth"

That's exactly the point. Dirk doesn't have to have monster games for the mavs to win. If they want to win a championship, then yes, Dirk must elevate his game, but for purposes of this series, they're all of a sudden fine now that it's tied.

All the McGrady bashing is truly unbelievable, he's been terrific........If this team is gonna elevate itself to a championship level, it must upgrade with regard to the role players. Carroll Dawson did well molding the team for this year and making some very good deals, but Im sure even he realizes they need upgrading. And if anyone can't see this team needs more talented role players, then go back about 10 years.