ClutchFans Game Thread: Bulls @ Rockets 11/26/2005

hey....then maybe it won't be so bad if rockets lose again....then maybe something drastic will happen to fix things.

 

We should send a memo to Yao:

Do NOT ever again grab a guard who blows by you! Don't even think about it! And don't try to chase after him and attempt a block! Nine out of ten times, it doesn't achieve anything except getting a foul. Once a guard is past you, let him go! Let Howard or Swift rotate over for blocks and you rotate to their guys. When are you gonna learn to play within your capability?

 

Maybe some change will do good. We clearly need a couple of trades. And why isn't Baxter playing?

 

OK, perhaps this is a dumb question...I re-installed my Dish Network and tried to find the game. It was listed under Alternate 2 but when I selected it all I got was a Dish logo. Not an "unavailable" and not a "you must subscribe" message.

So, am I missing something? From when I had it before I remember not having a problem - FSN SW would always show Rockets games.

 

hmm got me

I've got direct tv myself and the main FSN was blacked out or whatever since the mavs game was on (channel 643 for me)

and on the alternate chan, I found the rockets game (chan 646)

 

We traded Jim Jackson because he was Supposedly a bad Primeter defender for Wesley who is only a little better. . We need a injection of youth to help our primter defense.

 

to beat ROX:

get the game as close as possible. in last 2 mins, a fast guard will do the penetration--layup, layup......

 

Yes! I was the only one to predict that yao would have a big game. Too bad it wasn't big enough. Oh well, at least i got something right.

Also, it was good to see yao be productive in the 4th quarter. Something we haven't seen all season long.

 

the only postive today is J howard play, his defense still sucks but on offense, he got tons of open looks and he shoot 16 times, almost all open looks....His play with the guards is better than Yao, and he can post up, only to miss those 5 footers, and he is a very good passer, his pnr with the guards is better than Yao and he is a crisp passer playing almost like brad miller, and he protect the ball very well and is not turnover porne, without TMAC, the only hope is j howard and i think we should run more play for him with our bench and starting lineup...
By the way, our defense is very good, and those who think that if we can only stop guard penetration, we should be top of the WC and beat every teams by 20 points or more, the fact of the matter is no teams in the NBA are able to stop guard penetration, they can only try to contain it....
the only problem is offense and I think with the TMAC out, the best option is Howard beside Yao post up moves....
the only game we would win without TMAC is when howard get his 20+ points not DA or Head....

 

[11.26.05] Rockets-Bulls Game Recap

Rockets’ Rally Falls Short as Bulls Prevail 94-89

By Dennis L. Silva, II.
11.27.05


At least give Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy credit for realizing when and where a change was needed. Going into Saturday night’s contest against the Chicago Bulls, Van Gundy decided that the starting lineup needed a blot of energy. Therefore, he inserted forward Stromile Swift into the lineup in the place of Ryan Bowen. Unfortunately that change would not alter the Rockets’ recent string of misery as Houston dropped their seventh consecutive contest to the Bulls 89-94 before 18,005 at the Toyota Center.

Swift’s addition to the starting five benefited his play early. Swift started the quarter with six early points and him and Yao combined for all of Houston’s first twelve points. But the lack of offensive support, as well as the inability to put a defender on Bulls post Othella Harrington (who scored 8 points in the quarter), enabled Chicago to run off a 8-0 run late and gain a 27-22 advantage entering the second quarter. The Rockets shot a mere 7/18 from the floor during the period, while the Bulls managed 11/20 shooting.

The Rockets’ went on a run of their own midway through the second period as they took a 37-35 lead midway due to a 25-15 scoring spree. Sparked by the play of Moochie Norris (who took guard Jon Barry’s spot in the rotation due to Barry’s foot injury), the Rockets stayed close with Chicago. Norris grabbed 4 rebounds and dished three assists during his nine-minute stint. The Rockets received a brief scare with 38 seconds left when Yao Ming (who finished the half with 14 points and 3 rebounds) twisted his left ankle after Bulls forward Malik Allen inadvertently stepped on the ankle following his foul on Yao’s layup attempt. The injury, thankfully, was not serious and Yao continued to play well afterwards. Both teams engaged in a 44-44 drudgematch heading into halftime.

The Rockets were able to maintain an even contest despite shooting only 36% in the first half, and with the Bulls’ bench outscoring the Rockets’ second unit 21-8. However, the Rockets’ aggression accounted for 16-18 shooting from the charity stripe, while Chicago mustered a mere 9-14 percentage from the line.

Both teams failed to score during the first three minutes of the third period, and combined to shoot 0-9 from the field. The Bulls were able to regain their offensive flow quicker than Houston’s and went on a 10-3 scoring spree for a 62-54 lead with 3:28 remaining. Matters only got worse when Chris Duhon (11 points, 6 assists) hit a 3-pointer and Harrington (who finished the game with 16 points on 7-13 shooting) added a jump hook, in all provoking a 19-9 closing Chicago run and a 71-60 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Twelve of the Bulls’ 27 points came in the paint.

Chicago built their lead to 75-60 with 11:30 left in the quarter before the Rockets revved up their offensive engine. Houston went on a 9-1 run due to the inside play of Yao, who scored 10 points early in the fourth. Yao’s sudden emergence as a clutch go-to threat allowed Houston to close to within 80-83 with 3:05 remaining. And when David Wesley hit a 20-foot jumper and was fouled in the act of shooting, the Rockets had survived the huge early deficit and tied the game at 85 with only 1:37 remaining. However, the Bulls’ Ben Gordon (18 points on 6-9 shooting) hit a huge 3-pointer, and Kirk Hinrich scored on a driving layup that also attracted Yao’s sixth and final foul, as Chicago never relinquished the lead, ultimately claiming the victory, 89-94.

The Rockets’ played with a lot of heart and effort but, as we have witnessed way too many times this season, those intangibles mean little towards the final result. Yao finished with a season-best scoring effort of 30 points (14 coming in the fourth quarter) and six rebounds, and five other Rockets scored in double figures. With McGrady, Alston, and now Barry, out for the past few games, it’s a positive sign that other players are stepping up offensively. Defense (or lack thereof) is what cost the Rockets the game as six Bulls points in the last ninety seconds of the game came off dribble penetration and easy layups by Chicago’s guards. While the Rockets do a commendable job of guarding the 3-point line and interior, they are very vulnerable in the midrange area, and the Bulls were able to take advantage of that due to the shooting of Othella Harrington, Ben Gordon, and the penetration of Hinrich (8 assists).

The Rockets have a couple of days off before the struggling Atlanta Hawks come to town on Tuesday. But no game is a given, and expect Atlanta, who is coming off a two-game win streak, to give the Rockets fits with their energy and athleticism.


ROCKETS RECAP

· Juwan Howard compiled a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds in 27 minutes of play.
· In his first start this season, Swift accumulated 12 points and 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 21 minutes, but did have five fouls.
· Derek Anderson had 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in 38 minutes off the bench.
· Chicago shot 35-73 from the floor (47%) while Houston shot only 28-76 (36%).
· Houston outrebounded Chicago 47-37.


http://www.nba.com/games/20051126/CHIHOU/boxscore.html

 

What kind of team need to run offense through Juwon?
Yeah, lottery No. 1 for sure.
Juwon sucked badly in today's game. And you think it positive? in 3rd Q, the guy shot a freaking 2/8. He got 0 FT atempts, sonnds aggresive, huh

 

To be fair, I think getting a PF was our biggest move. But I think that we just forgot how old we actually were, especially since how well they played last season. I believe we are still the oldest team in the league, it shows every game. Losing sucks.

 

when yao does poorly, if i don't keep my mouth shut I am always quick to bash him. tonight he played extremely well down the stretch and probably would have carried the team to victory, which i expect him to do. props to yao, but he should be doing that on a more consistent basis. tonight when skiles went to fronting him, they passed around the perimeter and yao ran to the other side quite efficiently. this kinda negated the fronting they were doing on Yao. i hope this trend continues so the rockets can overcome the most difficult defense against yao.

 

the only reason yao fouled out was because heinrich was allowed a blatant carry. he picked up the ball which caused yao to stop then he kept going and yao had to reach to stop him. ballgame.

 

Not really. Yao just showed us that his defensive IQ isn't what it should be, especially when he's tired. It's like he turns into a complete r****d. No matter what Hinrich got away with (if anything), you have to realize that trying to put Hinrich on the line in that situation is not worth fouling out of the game.

What Yao did was HIS fault and it was flat out DUMB. No if's and's or but's about it in my opinion.

 

The Spurs are older. I guess that disproves any assumptions that you automatically suck if your team is old. However, the Rockets don't have the players that the Spurs have, namely a 23 year old quick as piss point guard playing at an All-Star level.

 

i'm not arguing the foul, that sure was dumb. however, had an obvious call been made it never would have happened. i don't see how you're even questioning that he carried the ball.

 

Probably because I didn't have my contacts in and wasn't near the TV (which is tiny). Couldn't really make out a lot of detail from the regular angle, and when they switched to the replay angle I was just watching the foul. Totally wasn't watching Hinrich at the moment of the alleged violation.

 

damn...don't bother...

 

Yao said that was a dumb foul on his part after the game.