ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Timberwolves 1/7/2007

Maybe, but I do think McGrady played very poorly on the defensive end late in this game.

 

Nothing to be mad at about this game except Alston and the L.. considering 4 under-sized rookies are all we got on the bench.... When everyone comes back, i am sure rafer will take a lot less shots...
some good things:
t-mac's 30+ points game continues
Head's 3 pointer-made streak continues
Deke's strong rebounding rate continues
Juwan's rejuvenation continues..

 

OK, DaDa, now you've officially reached the level of 'absurd' comparing Novak to Kobe freakin' Bryant.

Good evening, DaDa...

 

He had a lapse on defense in a couple of positions in the 4th...I agree.

I don't think he will be 'perfect' every game as he has been the five previous ones, it's a bit too much to expect the guy to carry the offensive load and make clutch shots down the stretch AND be a defensive stopper every single night.

Granted, he was a bit off tonight, but still good enough to give us a chance, he just had no help outside of Juwon.

 

No, he was not comparing Novak to Kobe. He was just saying given time, Novak can be a good player in his own right.

All these people criticizing Novak, please, have some mercy. The only thing that would destroy his confidence, if any, is your hostile comments after the game. I think JVG knew what he was doing and was ready to take the responsibility if it wouldn't go the right way as it turned out. But I think people shouldn't make so much out of it. It was just one of the bad nights when many aspects of your game just don't work out. Of course, continuing the winning streak would be great but losing is also part of the game.

I still have a lot of faith in Novak and VSpan, they will have more PT as the season goes deep and the now ugly ducklings will take off one day.

(sorry 'bout that last line. Couldn't help it... )

 

RAFER ABSOLUTELY SUCKS!

 

lol almost all ur posts are about rafer sucks.... LOL ... and he really does

 

guys, I admit that I was on the "play Novak" bandwagon, not because I think he is "great", but because I wanted to evaluate him. after watching him get some PT for the past 3-4 games, I've already seen enough. it's apparent that the guy is not who we thought he might be. he is not a great 3pt shooter. I understand that he was shooting lights out in preseason, but preseason is preseason, it's regular season that counts. the guy might be a great shooter, but it seems like he cant handle the pressure. reminds me Ryan Bowen. I've seen Rybo sink about 15 3's in a row in warmup, then go 0-5 in the game. it's all about how u handle the pressure, and Novak doesn't seem to handle it properly. I've given up on Novak. I dont want to see him play anymore unless he really proves that he can hit the wideopen 3.

 

ooohhh well we lost a game. If we lose the next three ill panick .
Rafer didnt play good in the 2nd half oohh well can happen, the game before he didnt play good in the first.

 

And dont forget that TMAC definitely has sown up POW since we were 3-1 this week. If he doesnt win it then there is something wrong....

 

Wow, are lot of you guys a clueless to see what JVG was trying to do. I have no problem with him bringing in rookie to be the hero, but it just didn't pan out that way...tough it happens, and he will do it again if given the chance.

This was the best opportunity for Novak to showcase for us on what he can do and he blew it. This was the best time to earn his minutes.You guys think he would boost his self confident in a meaningless blow out game? You think he would've feel proud b/c he made some clutchless shot in a blow out game? Please people, don't let a loss of fraustration get the best of you, especially when you are the same people who wanted his ass in there.

This was a gamble that JVG was willing to make but it failed its that simple. I blame the loss on everyone including the coach not just on one or two individual, we just made some dumb mistake and out shots wasn't falling. Novak was the least of our concern b/c we had other chances and the situation wasn't sappose to come down to his. Sure Novak confident's was shot a little, but the only way to bring it back up is the put himself in the same situation again until he does comes through for us.

This is not a time to panic or to be angry at. We still have a great record without Yao and we will start over with another streak starting tomarrow. As for Rafer, what the hell are we gonna do? He is the best we got and we're gonna have to make the most of him until the Rockets decide on what they want to do with him.

 

The good thing is that we have given ourselves some 'cushion' here that should hopefully enable us to remain around/above .500 until Yao gets back.

AFAIC, that's still the goal here, and if we do better than expected (as we have so far) then great. But as of right now, we're still eight games over .500...I think we're in an overall good shape.

 

MAN

we would have been like 29-5 without Rafer on the court

 

LOL! I just knew Clutch was going to update the front page after today's game...he just wasn't going to pass this one up.

Kudos Clutch!

 

Comon guys, enough rafer, novak and JVG bashing

I personally blame the weather in Minnesota for this loss

 

My pre game comments may be somewhat prescient. Rafer and Mike James were a combined, 7 of 29? or something close to that.

The intensity was definitely not there, we were outhustled early and fell behind and never seemed to match the Twolves energy.

TMAC looked all game like his back was bothering him, he bent back the thumbnail on his left hand and it seemed to bother him for quite a while. He was stretching his back and grimacing quite a bit at times, prompting Bill Worrell to comment about him needing to go back to Waco, TX to see the back doctor.

Shane, Deke and Juwan did fine. TMAC struggled with his shot and had some occasional lackluster defensive efforts. Luther had an uncharacteristically bad game. Rafer is at least consistent--he shoots ALOT and makes A few. His attempt at a three at the end of overtime with one minute left and 23 seconds left on the shot clock after an offensive rebound was just STUPID. Hey you're O for the 2nd half, why the heck is your jacking up a three a good idea to you at that point in the game? That was just amazing.

I'm glad JVG played Novak at an important time of the game. He missed two threes, but except for getting turned around on Blount, his defense wasn't any worse than Rafer's. He had KG covering him all the way out to the three point line on the wing which is what JVG conjured would open up the lane for TMAC. I think that part worked. Novak missed, but they were good shots and he should take them again, JVG should play him again. At least the Twolves respected his shot. The lane parts when Rafer drives in. They just let him throw up that crappy runner/tear drop/hook thingy. It RARELY goes in. NO defense is respecting Rafer, their chalkboard for pregame must say "LET RAFER SHOOT..."

Anyway, it was a dissappointing loss, because we didn't play that well, or with much energy until late and then didn't seem to know what we wanted on offense at the end, and amazingly, STILL had a chance to win.
I hope TMAC feels better tomorrow and we have a better overall effort.

 

I had thought we could win the game.
Glad to see T-mac is OK, and Shane's been playing very well.

 

I personally found it absurd for so many posters here to criticize Novak and JVG for the lose. How absurb it is that after 5 wins, someone jump out to say we are a top 2 team; how absurb when Tmac went down against Arenas and someone came up with the trade Tmac idea, or even the Yao-need to demand a trade idea...Guys, be patient a little bit. As long as you play in the NBA, you are gonna lose. And it is so obvious that this game is mainly on Alston. Give Novak a break---this guy's total time has been what? An entire NBA game? Even the best shooter can go 0-2, so what is the big deal? The real deal is Alston is going insane in the second half. This game could be sealed at 4 quarters if Alston even made a single good play... For me, I am just glad that I finally give up on Alston (and wish that transfer to some Bill play time), and Novak is actually taking shots now. He went 0-2 today but if he didn't take the shots, he will never score...

 

Does Mark Blount has something against the Rockets? 2nd three pointer of the season and they all come from against the Rockets. If he had not been so damn lucky then we might've tied and won..................

 

Calm down guys. If we had Yao, we can win this game, hands down.


We lost this game because of Rafer, but Rafer is OK when we had both TMAC and Yao. What he needs to do is to bring the ball frontcourt and shot the open 3's, which he did well in the beginning of this season.