Game Information, Potential Radio Links, Rockets History vs. Spurs http://www.clutchfans.net/nextgame.cfm?NextGameID=2979 Game Chat Starts At 7:30pm http://www.clutchfans.net/chat.cfm ClutchFans Box Score: Sixers 111, Rockets 107 http://www.clutchfans.net/game.cfm?GameID=2978 Thanks, Clutch UPDATE: POSTGAME ANALYSIS BEGINS <a href="showthread.php?p=3389739#post3389739">HERE</a>
I'm not optimistic about this one. The rockets might actually be up for the game and bonzi gives the spurs problems (hopefully he'll be healthy), but I still doubt they can execute down the stretch....I'm expecting an L in this one.
It's funny -- the team needs to win and all of us want them to win ... but if they win Saturday -- is everything OK again? This team sorely needs a direction. They need to go straight up, or straight down, which will prompt change. This .500 ball is maddening. I looked at the remaining schedule today and I see maybe 46 wins. We'll see...
Which team will show up: the 3-quarters team or the "4-quarters, let taste blood" team? Bonzi confidence booster game? Tmac getting back on track game? Hopefully all that add up to a desperate W. Go Rox!
It would be a huge step in the right direction. It's either the start of a 3 game losing streak or a big win over the Champs. I still believe.
even if they win on Saturday, sometimes losses like the ones last night tell more about where a team really is.........a win over the spurs doesn't really mean much, because a.) it's the regular season b.) the spurs would hand it to the rockets in a series c.) it would be a fluke, because the team doesn't bring that kind of effort every night
I hope our players and coach can get this. WE MUST NOT MAKE SLOPPY PASSES AND UNPRECEDENTED TURNOVERS. We will not stand a chance with SAS if they don't improve on this. This problem is attributed to our nervy and edgy execution at the end by several key players. If they can't the pressure, they need to sit.
It's just obvious that we don't have the players good enough to execute in big games. I'll run down the list of players and why they're liabilities down the stretch. Luther Head - I trust him taking an open shot, but that's about it. He still has trouble handling the ball when pressure is on him (like it is late in games). He also can't break anyone down off the dribble. And he makes bad/sloppy decisions with the ball. Mike James - can be good if he knows his role and if he's hitting, but too often the guy becomes a total ball hog and forgets to involve others....that is why we traded him in the first place. Rafer Alston - turns the ball over down the stretch and has trouble hitting any kind of shot (whether that be a open 3 pointer or a floating layup) Tmac - has the capability, but settles for the jumper too often. He can also make bad decisions with the ball when it comes to passing the ball (how many times has he passed the ball to Yao at the 3 point when we need a big bucket) Battier - can hit the open shot, but even that's not a given this season Bonzi - can be affective on the blocks, but he doesn't bring the A game every night so he's not even guaranteed to be in down the stretch. Also a very poor freethrow shooter Yao - I don't know if it's exhaustion or fear (I think it's both), but he just doesn't make those big plays on the offensive end down the stretch. He expects the official to bail him out too much also, therefore he takes it up weak.....be strong damnit. Scola - very promising start for Luis, but he still shows mental lapses sometimes in the 4th quarter on the offensive end....if you're open this shoot it Luis Brooks - is still young and not a very consistent jump shooter This is our houston rockets team....should we really be surprised they can't ever win anything?
add on top of all that that we don't play defense and make "stops" down the stretch and you have recipe for disaster as a NBA team.
with Tmac and Yao playing and bonzi healthy, and decent(not dramatic, but decent) contributions from everyone else I see the rox capable of upsetting SA in a series. Call me crazy but I think we match up really well with them and I think we win this game on Sat. if Mac plays. If you want to dismiss this win on Sat. as "its the regular season, or a fluke--then why play the games.......Just crown SA already....crown them. My concern is what do we do against golden state, dallas, phoenix......we typically don't match up well with them, BUT we DO against SA.
I think we matchup well with them also...they have no answer for Bonzi or James, and you can tell that Yao wears T.D. down....but why would I think a team who has never been out of the 1st round, and is playing terrible this season would beat the defending champs on the road in a 7 game series? I hate the spurs and their lame ass fans as much as anyone, but a win against S.A. on Saturday really won't mean anything. I understand you play the game, because that's what you should do, but it is pointless in some sense to win a fluke game in the reg. season when you know you won't accomplish anything later on in the year.
Because again I think we match up well against them, and I expect the rockets to be a much better team past the allstar game...heck look at what Portland is doing. that is a defeatist attitude, like I said before. Why not forfeit the game and cite your reasoning above as to why.
I hope TMac comes back and leads the Rockets to victory. Otherwise, it's going to be a long night and a long season.
My expectations (don't hate, just from what i saw of the Spurs, how the Rockets played the last 2 games and the matchup earlier in the year): - Yao will have a bad night with only 19/20 pts - Rafer has only around 10 pts and gets shut down by Anthony Parker who will have a big night - Scola will have a good night with 20+ - Battier will have a few baskets and plays good D - Hayes will play good D and will be important to shut down their Forwards - Brooks will play poor with only 4 pts - Mike James will get some play and a few points - Head will get shut down by Ginobli so only around 10 pts - Bonzi will be okay with 10+ - Landry, Novak, Francis, Snyder & Mutombo DNP Rockets will shoot 4 out of 17 from behind the arc Spurs will shoot 10 out of 19 from behind the arc that + foul trouble because of Duncan's good game will kill us. Rockets will trail for most of the game and try to come back in the 2nd. If they manage to hold on to the lead they will eventually blow it in the 4th (sorry guys but it happened 2 straight nights so don't expect too much) Spurs win 115-89 Don't expect T-mac back and if he does limited minutes with poor shooting but if he's back it will be: Spurs win 115-99
