I don't know if Yao can do something more to block the sight of Boozer. Don't let Boozer see the basket, Yao.
He's just a rich man's Mo Taylor. I'm not scared of him. Just stay in his face and he'll miss more than he makes. If necessary, double off AK and he'll be done.
Right on. Whoever believes that Boozer will hit all those 15 footer crazy shots consistently needs a brain scan. May be they mistook Boozer for Michael Jordan because they both have their heads shaved.
I don't think Boozer can hit those 15+ feet jump shots all series long. If he does, well, we are in trouble. Definitely keep Yao on him, as Yao needs to stay near the paint. There are other options though that JVG may be considering. Perhaps we can double Boozer intermitently and give Yao help if Boozer gets hot. JVG will probably talk to Yao before Thursday's game to help adjust how Yao defends Boozer. Not much you can do when Boozer gets hot like that. Yao practically had his hand all over Boozer's face but Boozer still made the shot. Rocket Zoom
He played terribly in game 1, great in game 2. 50/50 chance of having a big game...I'll take those odds. There is not really a solution to him for the Rockets, but they've won two in a row as is. Don't change a thing.
Or if the game one 4-17 Boozer shows up, they will be in deep deep trouble. Boozer happened to get hot and hit on all cylinders in one game and then some of you guys talk like he's the second coming of Michael Jordan. Unbelievable. I say let him take all those 15-20 footers next game again. Let's see how many of them fall. I say let him shoot the Jazz to a 0-4 sweep.
If Boozer is going to hit those shots we'll have to live with it. My main concern is keeping Yao out of foul trouble. I, for one, don't think the Jazz can expect Boozer to continue to have career high scoring games.
I agree...plus it keeps the ball out of willams hands..you wonder why we didn't have that many fouls called on us is because boozer was shooting all thoes jumpers.
Exactly. Do any of you who said (after game 1) that Boozer wasn't a good player feel foolish now? I knew he'd bounce back but 41 points is beyond what he can normally do. I would play him the same way again. Boozer is an excellent scoring PF and will keep doing well. He did his best Elton Brand imitation in game 2, but I don't think he will continue that production from the outside.
I totally agree with you. Let Boozer jumpshoot as many times as he likes. Just don't let him into the paint.
Yes, Yao doesn't need to follow Boozer's step which is yao's weakness, but Yao can push Boozer out of pain and hand up to block Boozer's sight.
How to defend him? Just let him keep on chucking. If he's expected to put up 41/14 every game in the playoffs, he's in for a rude awakening. Right now, aside from flashes from Harpring and Deron, no one on their team is hitting anything. I rather see the Rockets suffocate the other 4 players on the court than to try and think of a game plan SPECIFICALLY for Boozer.
Bingo. If Boozer was beating us to the basket or taking advantage of poor one on one defense for easy lay-ups, you might consider a change. But he is hitting tough jumpshots at the far edge of his range. Get your hands up as best you can when he shoots to make it as difficult as possible. Just be sure to block him out after he shoots to help gather the rebound.
The best way to guard Cbooz is with Yao. I think we're doing the right thing. He's shooting jumpers over Yao and those are pretty much the shots we want him taking, rather than him driving in on putting Yao in foul trouble. I think we should go with the same mentality in game 3. Let Booz get his and dont let Okur get off...
Would it be stupid to play a 2-3 zone? I know JVG is a man-to-man guy, but the Jazz don't have the 3-pt spot-up guys to really make us pay. I don't mind giving up the occasional open 20 ft jumper than having Boozer getting wide open looks from 15.
okur is their 3 point man, and if he gets his confidence back in this series, that would be a grave mistake, mainly because boozer will get his points. not as if okur hasn't had any open looks, but just to keep him honest, a man should be on him consistently
Why run the zone? It's an option but it's not the best option. They're trying hard to make their flex offense work but, with their poor shooting, it's hard. Like I said before, all the Rockets have to do is to force Boozer to keep on lobbing up those rainbow shots. Make it hard on him. If he happens to be hot and scores 40, then so be it. The way he shoots, he's not going to be putting on a Kobe-esque streak anytime soon...especially in the playoffs. All you have to do is contain everyone else. Alston is doing a pretty good job neutralizing whatever Williams is doing on offense (their stats, aside from FG%, are pretty comparable after two games). Keep Harpring and Giricek at bay. Okur is their x-factor, but like they wrote on Daily Dime, he's using so much energy guarding Yao that he's becoming almost a non-factor. Sure he's blocking Yao a couple of times a game, but Utah needs his offense more than his defense.
I'd like to see a zone if only because it would throw Utah off and would take them at least one half or so to adjust. I expect Utah to find ways to win Game 3, from an X's and O's standpoint if the Rockets don't throw a new wrinkle. To be honest, I think the Jazz should be 1-1 with the Rockets at this point. The logic that you don't want Okur to get hot (he avg about 1.6 3s made a game this year) is like saying you don't defense around Yao because you're afraid Head will hit a few threes. You take your chances if a guy inside is going off on you. If Boozer plays like he did in Game 1, then leave him open. If he plays like he did in Game 2, double him or do what I'd do, which is play an occasional zone to throw them off. Okur hit 38% from 3s, not 44% like Head.
Boozer has shot 56% this season and is 53.9% for his career. He was 17 of 30 at game 2, which is 56.7% not exactly one of his hot shooting nights.
