Things are still going to plan, it just doesn't look pretty.

sorry. there is not excuse to foul a jump shooter. when's the last time rafer blocked a shot like the way he went after blake and AI's shots. he has to face guard in that situation. put a hand in the guys face, rather than go for the block.

 

Yeah, in light of this 3 game losing streak and this terrible home loss to the Nuggets, it's hard to step back and see we are still 5/9 on this brutal 10 game stretch, people were predicting we'd win 3-4. Well we have one more shot to make it to 6 (what I predicted) and yes we are on pace to win 50 games and we are still playoff seeded and still a tough minded team. When Yao gets back, it will only be worse for the rest of the league.

You can't go for the block on a jumpshooter, it's too risky. If they flop or fake it they usually get the call. The only safe way to do that is from the side or behind. If you're in front of the guy all you can/are supposed to do is put your hand in his face to alter his look at the basket. If he still makes it well that's the NBA, they're just that good. I'd rather have them take contested 3's than 3 free throws (unless they're just terrible from the FT line, and that's a desperation move at that).

Fundamental defense is not leaving your feet, staying in front of your man, and getting the hand in the face. If you can do that at your local park or in a HS game you're going to dominate, but even if you do that in the NBA, you might still GET dominated, they are just that good. You have to make it as tough as possible.

 

Yeah this loss blows... the previous two I cant really complain but this was IN THE BAG... ROCKETS CHOKED no doubt about it.. up 108-100 with couple mins to go and they let them come back all the way 108-108.. WTF???

anyway alot of bad luck and alot of bad decisions.. no single person at fault.. rather many were at fault.. tmac shot was coming thru late in 4th and in OT so other people had to take the shots (such as rafer).. rafer missed a bunch of shots he shouldnt have took but jvg could have somehow included bonzi in the game.. although i am not sure who he should have taken out since without rafer, our offense would stall..

as much as you guys hate the guy, we NEED him for fluidity in the offense.. unless we want tmac bringing the ball up the court EVERYTIME, which isn't ideal either.. TMAC is best as an OFF GUARD.

best case scenario would have been keeping rafer in the game for ball handling.. and bonzi and tmac taking the shots..

 

The loss blows, sure. But think about it this way...

We're on course for 50 wins with these conditions:

1) Bonzi has been a non-factor, but that's changing. He will either be dealt for someone who will produce or he will produce.

2) T-Mac's back HAS flared up. He WILL miss 8 or 9 games in a season, he has never been healthy enough to play a full season. I like his chances of playing every single game the rest of the way, better than I'd like the chances if his back hadn't flared up so far.

3) Yao broke his foot. He's been out for a month in the first half. He won't miss as many games in the second half as he did in the first half. He will miss alomst the same number of days, but not the same number of games because we have less back-to-backs and the All Star break provides some relief as well.

4) Snyder, although not a major difference-maker, is back.


It's looking good. Assuming that in the second half Yao misses a month, T-Mac 8-10 games, Snyder misses a couple of months, Bonzi is cut, and no help is brought in, we should win 25 more for 50 wins.

I'm also betting on one of V-Span, Lucas or Novak to become a contributor, and the Rockets fill up the next month by either bringing in a backup PG or a backup C. Someone with experience, but without a contract, who can temporarily chip in 10-15 minutes.

Personally, I think you guys have your own personal agendas (trade Rafer, fire JVG, get a PF) which is getting in the way of you accepting that this team was considered a LOONG-shot to be a top 4 seed, and with horrible luck so far, rather than a 5th seed, we are a 6th seed. Pretty impressive if you ask me.

 

Yao didn't break his foot, he broke his leg!

 

Who was holding A.I. and who fouled Blake?

 

My dick.

 

This team is underacheiving, it could easily have 5 or 6 more wins.

It is being held back by the rigidity of it's myopic coach.

We are consistently getting out coached, and only through sheer talent are we able to beat some teams.

Any team that has more than 2 three point threats...we are in trouble...any team that can go small - which we refuse to counter - we are in trouble.

JVG is a problem...pure and simple and he is holding the team back.

I don't want 50 wins.....I want 60 and even with the injuries the team could have gotten there, IMHO.

And ultimately this team will fail because it is not able to adapt because of it's head coach.

DD

 

Is there any thread on this board that you dont chime in with a JVG is myopic and holding the team back post. I am going to start a thread about kittens and somehow you will surely blame JVG for being a horrible coach.

For anyone to say that the Rox are underacheiving is rediculous. We are 25-16 with significant time being missed by four players expected to be major contributors including our top two superstars. If I had asked you at the beginning of the year what you thought the Rockets record would be with Bonzi playing 13 games, Yao missing 13 games, Tmac missing parts of or all of 11 games, and Snyder missing all but a few games, you honestly would have said we should be 31-10?

Are the Suns and Mavs underacheiving cuz if the Rox are a 60 win team even with all their injuries, shouldnt the Suns and Mavs be 80 win teams.

I wish JVG played more guys, but bottom line is he has this team in solid playoff position despite the bad luck with injuries so far. You seem to not be able to get past the fact you despise him so much for not playing V-span and Novak even though they did miserably when given time. I bet if Rudy T was our coach and he had us at 25-16 you would be praising him for having the heart of a champion.

You slam JVG for his defense oriented game and his lack of offense. Last I remember, we were in a shootout with Dallas and lost. We scored 108 points in regulation yesterday but lost. It is the slower, ugly games where we are successful like against Chicago, and Denver the last time. I like the Rox chances in a 94-88 game much better then in a 115-110 game.

 

I can't find the stat right now, but I seem to remember that the Rockets record when scoring 100 or more points was far better than their record when they scored fewer.

That being said.....yes, I think we are underacheiving....the team has blown double digit leads LATE in so many games that it has become a pattern.

I just think something is missing from this team...a killer instinct....or the "heat of a champion"

And, yeah, I get that I don't like JVG.....and how it effects my views.....

DD

 

if rockets will score over a 100, the opposing team, more often than not, will not reach a hundred. It is because are defense is that solid, that if we score a 100, it is unlikely that the opposing team will reach the century mark. That can't be said for teams like the sonics or the grizzlies who consistently breach the 100 point mark, but have horrible records.

 

ah, how do you edit posts? "It is because our defense is that solid" not are..

 

i HATE DOGGING OUR PLAYERS and rarely do this but.........Rafer sucks ass. I have never seen a crappy player in what is probably not a slump do the idiotic things he does. He stinks at shooting. I wish we could find someone with his overall game that shoots as crappy as him that understands that he sucks at shooting and doesn't feel that he can take over games with his ****tyness(whew....long run on sentence). He costed us another game. I now strongly dislike him.

 

You are right something is missing from this team, it is called Yao, Tmac, Bonzi, and Snyder for good chunks of the season. Yes they need to finish games better, but in that regard I think more blame falls on the players then JVG. You cant just bash JVG's system, cuz it is that system that built the leads in the first place.

Also I agree the Rox win more games then not when they score over 100 points. But I guarantee they lose a lot more games when they give up over 100 points and that is what seems to happen when the team gets in a high scoring shoot out.

 

rafer needs to learn how to clap hands while guarding a jump shooter just like what battier does when he's late to recover..

 

I agree. Things aren't going that bad, considering the top scorer of this team, Yao, is out. There are a few problems here and there, though, or more positively, areas for improvement :

1. JVG should give the bench a little more time. Even if the bench's differential is not that good, say Rox loses a few points when the bench is in, it gives the starters a little more rest, with fresher legs in the 4th quarter when it really counts. It also helps develop the young players a bit more.

2. Rafer "da Brick" Alston should be banned from shooting unless he is completely wide open from the 3s, or wide open when he drives inside. He should never forces a shot, that way we can benefit from his strengths (driving capability), but does not suffer from his problem in shooting

3. Injuries: Unfortunately this is out of our control, but seems like the players are slowly coming back.

I say again, things are not that bad, but there are room for improvement.

 

Oh, so NOW everyone's on the "we're a 60-win team" bandwagon???

Where were you people before? Early in the season? When Yao/Mac were both healthy?


DaDa,

You imply that this team can win 60 with our injury troubles. So you're saying this is pretty much a 65+ win team when relatively healthy? The best EVER record is 72-10, you realize that don't you?