ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Raptors 12/9/2007

Excellant analysis. But that's definitly not a good sign. We need a coach that would bench even players like Tmac when he plays like this. Its not right.

 

I hate to say it but I am definitely think it is a real possibility. The facts do seem to tell that story.

If T-Mac can't embrace another talented player that happens to have an ego as big as his own at this point in his career, especially knowing that the Rockets are a notch below the elite teams, then he has serious issues. Maybe he is so easy to embrace Yao because Yao is humble and doesn't demand the spotlight on the court.

I hope it is not true, but it would be a real tragedy if this is the attitude of one of our key players.

 

He's putting himself on a 1-man island like how it was in Orlando.

 

It STILL doesnt explain the 2 ENTIRELY different halves of basketball

The first half the Rockets did everything right. Francis was moving the ball around, Francis ASSISTED TO McGrady. The offensive SYSTEM was flowing great. The 2ND UNIT came in and ran the show equally well.

What happened in the 2nd half for a total team collapse? I don't think at halftime McGrady decided Francis was undeserving of getting the ball. Maybe its just so obvious but we keep trying to put meaning to it - The Rockets just dont know what the hell they're doing, period.

 

IN RA's new system, both of our D and O suck!
I miss JVG!

 

In the first half he selectively assisted to francis and he played a little team ball but he was still trippping.Second half he through away all team basketball and went 1 on 5.

 

Does anyone not think Yao grabbing 6 rebounds in 38mins is a contribution to our loss? He's 7'6!!! Grab the damn ball! what was it 33 rebounds to 48? That's your ball game right there!

 

Yao Ming was hideous today is he getting old or what. Every time he touched the ball i cringed in anticipation of another turnover which happened a lot btw. Trade him while his value is still pretty high?

 

Yea.. I am a big Yao fan, but come on! REBOUND! Sometimes your shots just does not fall but rebounding???? We were killed on the boards tonight and they had tons of second chance points that killed us. THATS WHY WE LOST. NOT BECAUSE TMAC TOOK COUPLE OF ILL ADVISED SHOTS WHEN WE WERE LEADING BY 12 points. Yao had 6 friggin rebounds in over 40 mins. A SHAME.

TO ALL YOU YOFS, why is it that everytime we lose it is because TMac's jumpshots sucked and that he did not attack the basket. Seriously, has anyone thought maybe he is not as quick as he used to be? That he is not a great finisher? AND having a 7ft 5" guy clogging the lane actually impedes his progress?? Yao is there to attack the basket, isn't it his job to create the easy baskets for his teammates? If TMac has to create all the plays for his teammates AND attack the basket all the time, wtf is Yao's role down there?????

Finally, whenever TMac is doubled in the paint when attacking the rim, his quick pass to Yao is almost always slips out of Yao's hands??

 

There was no excuse for Yao to have played a very passive second half (except a few moments towards the end of the third quarter). Again, based on how mad he was after the game, there must have been something seriously ritating to him. He knew (and admitted himself) he played passive and therefore he had no right to be mad at his teammates just for that. Therefore, there must be something more serious than that, like quite a few of us have suspected. Because if it is true, then this team with TMac as the "leader" would be in serious trouble.

 

Rebounding wasn't a problem in the first half. Yao rebounded,Yao had two big fly swatting shots,Yao scored easily in the paint.The team moved and shred the ball, The bench came in a contributed,We were up by 14 pints at one point,We were up by 11 points at the break.



The game broke down second half when T-mac took the team out of their first half rythym.He set the tone by isolating himself on the high post.He commanded steve to force entry deliver the pass to him.He commanded the ball to be swung back around for him in the post when Yao had a 6'9 dude guarding him. He forced passes to chuck hayes and another INVISIBLE teammate that he and only he could see. He went 1 on 5 on many posessions resulting in either his own miss or a poor at the last second shot. He purposley gave the ball to chuck hayes refusing to swing the ball to the other side where francis was. He came down on 3 or 4 posessions shooting 3 pointer 4 seconds in the shot clock. The argentinian hit 2 three pointers in his face.T-macs sabotage of the offesnive effected the defense and rebounding as well.It through everything off the first half rythym



Adelman was also at failure with his rotations.Not giving scola enough time playing landry too many minutes and allowing the offesnive rythym to be destroyed by T-mac.

 

He played passive because he wasn't involved.If he could dribble the ball up the floor and post up and shoot it then I would say he was passive. He demanded the basketball and the guys just swung it to t-mac's side. They wasted many posessions just trying to force the ball into T-mac. They would waste 15 seconds on the shot clock making those forced entry passes.

 

The difference is the Rox played for T_Mac in the second half not T-Mac played for the Rox.

 

It was not a fun game to watch.....the Rockets completely went flat in the second half, and were playing 1-1 basketball with the Raptors. Driving to the hole? Forget about it. Outside shooting? Nada. The Raptors killed us with their shooting, especially Kapono.

 

I wonder if T-Mac had some people in Vegas interested in a certain outcome .

 

This was a pathetic display from mcgrady. despite yao also playing like a sissy, tracy was the one at fault the most. he took to many ill advised shots in the 3rd. i dont know how he can play pretty good in the 1st half and switch around in the second half to play so badly.

 

Had the same thoughts

 

I think people should just calm the f down. We lost a road game where the home team is desperately needing a win. We gave one to help them sell some tickets, what's the big deal. The way I see it, NBA is an entertainment league, good team often sometimes loose to very bad teams on the road, the way i see it, somewhere they got the message that they lose some to help the ticket sales.

 

Tmacs post game comments suggest that he didn't really feel too bad about the lost and accomplished his mission! (at least the portion that I heard)

 

My thoughts:

1. TMac is not anti-Stevie
2. Steve is not anti-McGrady
3. McGrady forced a lot of shots
4. Stevie constantly handed the ball to McGrady because Stevie wants to fit in.
5. Stevie constantly giving the ball to McGrady and getting out of the way and standing around out at the 3 point line caused two defenders to be glued to McGrady and caused McGrady to force things.
6. McGrady had an off night.
7. McGrady and Stevie need to play together more to develop on court chemistry. They both like each other. They need to mesh their games together for our team to go to the next level. Stevie is too good to just hand the ball and stand around outside ala Rafer. And McGrady needs to encourage Stevie to be a playmaker when he is in there. They should have ran some PnRs with Steve and Yao and let McGrady work the weak side looking for the kick out from Stevie after he broke down the D. It was obvious Stevie didn't feel comfortable doing that. It was obvious McGrady didn't suggest that play when he had defenders swarming him. It was also obvious that if Rafer had been in there he would have been standing around on the perimeter firing 3 balls, and we would have been at the mercy of the basketball Gods on whether he hit those shots or not.
8. The only thing that Rafer would have done that Stevie did not do would have been to bring up the ball more often and get the team in a set before handing it off to McGrady. The offense is designed to get the ball into McGrady and Yao's hands. Stevie got it there but he forced McGrady into the playmaker's role before they crossed halfcourt and then he strictly tried to play off McGrady. Steve needs to learn how to initiate the offense and get the ball to McGrady off player and ball movement.
9. We are dead in the water if these guys continue to stand around and wait for McGrady to do everything. And we are dead in the water if McGrady doesn't recognize what is happening out there and speaks to the team about Stevie and other guys creating offense when teams are dogging him.
10. Everyone has to come to the realization that it is good and healthy to go away from McGrady when teams are blanketing him with two defenders. McGrady will still wind up with the ball plenty enough. Opponents have to be forced to guard all 5 guys on the floor. Until WE FORCE THEM TO DEFEND ALL OF US, this is going to keep happening, it does not make a difference whether it is Rafer missing shots or Steve chunking the ball at McGrady and then running to the corner.