This team is winning, but they sorely lack a real 3rd option and it shows when the game is tight. They still need a tall slasher who can hit a jumper when the lane is closed off. This is something we all thought Francis would be, but alas we still have a PG in the mix who gets burned on defense 4 of 5 plays. I'm not bashing Rafer, but it's been evident long ago that he's not the answer, and neither is hanging on to the same starting 5 from last year.
seriously whats with the negativity I would rather win ugly than lose pretty any day of the week. having tmac out may have been a blessing in diguise for the long run but i wish he was there for some of those close loses where he would have easily made the difference late. already in the games he was back he was the difference late in 3-4 games that could have been Ls otherwise. I think the team is righting the ship having these two home stretches coming up will only help the team along with the break. It will give RA and his staff time to practice and tweak out things in the system. I remember reading somewhere a coach was saying teams build chemistry on the road but they build on their skills at home. clearly 8 in a row on the road regardless of who you are playing is no easy feat in the NBA and even after tonight we've played the most road games out of any WC team (GS one less) and we have a plus .500 record on the road. That will mean success in the long run. They have to take care of business now at home these next 4 games. I think they can do it.
I hear ya man. Tracy yells, which is a sign of leadership, people wanna call him out. If he doesn't, he's not a leader. Yao got touches last night when possible. TMac was the passer on many of the PnRs. I really have to give credit to the TWolves really playing effectively to take Yao out of the game. They know, like we know, he's the real threat on the team. It's a good thing we had Mac on a good night. I think Yao can still perform with all the attention on him, but last night wasn't one of those nights. I have confidence that he'll be just fine. For whatever reason, not every team wants to front Yao and have a guy behind him.
Even though we won last night, I didn't like our possesions to end the game. A tough TMac jumper after going one on one with McCants (and no player movement either), and a long three pointer coming off a pick by TMac. They ended up being good shots because they went in, but they are such low percentage shots to begin with. We need to be able to get easier shots than that at crunch time.
Scola has broken into that lineup. Hayes is seeing less and less minutes every game. Who else would you like to change in the lineup? I think Alston McGrady Battier Scola Yao is pretty much what we should be running with our personnel. What's your opinion?
Last 4 nights,ever since tracy came back Yao has performed poorly, the seattle game which was the last game before t-mac got sick Yao played the same way. The chemistry isn't there and I see tracy with a ego trying to declare himself the best player on the team. Will not work against good teams
Aaron has to play better period to cut down on Rafer's shoots and mistakes. Aaron's confidence and jumper are off totally. I'm really liking the minutes Chuck is receiving around 10 to 15 min per game. Yao really concerns me with shooting, same dribble right turn over his left shoulder for a fade away 12 footer. What has happen to the jump hook and spin move back over the right shoulder. He's been really plain vanilla on offense. I think he's still not feeling well at all.
Feigen's posted some new material: Less certain, however, is what this run on the road means. Either you have to be tough, mentally and physically tough and committed to win on the road - or you have to play really weak teams. You have to take care of business - or just remember to get on the bus. You have to grow as a team and handle the heat of hostile territory - or you have to get to the soft part of the schedule to make up for the grueling first months that had everyone complaining so much... ...they have four games before the All-Star break to put themselves back in the Western Conference's top eight. As much as in the road winning streak they bring with them, the return home is a chance to make a move and some noise. Do that, and these ugly wins will seem beautiful. Crash at home and this road winning streak will be an odd aberration. http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2008/02/all_roads_lead_to_houston_can.html
Disagree. We showed good execution down the stretch, which is key. back when we sucked, we would have a 6-10 points lead and consistantly blew it. blowing a lead is definitely worst than playing mediocre basketball and executing brilliant basketball down the stretch. And let's not forget milwaukees and minny is a good home team. milwaukee has won 60+% at their floor and minny had just had a five game home winning streak, beating the likes of golden state and phoenix. So to say we should have blown them out on their court is not a fair statement. I agree though that we played horrible against indiana.
I truly don't know what to make of things. At times, I see the two working well together. Other times, I can see what you mean with his perceived ego. Yet other times, it seems as Tracy just wants to win. Our team does best when both are on the floor. When one or both goes to rest, I find myself many times, saying put Mac/Yao back in! How confident am I in the tandem...I truly don't know yet. I guess confident enough to feel that we need both to do anything. Until one of them gets replaced, I won't worry about if that tandem can work. I'll just support who is here now until management changes that.
The Rockets play down to their competition. This is nothing new, I remember feeling this way many years in the past, where we would beat the best teams and lose to the worst (Sixers, anyone?). So, we'll never be a Hollinger favorite since we so very rarely blow people out, but there remains hope that when we play the contenders, we will raise our game as well. Right now to me our offense looks good, it's just our defense that is making mental mistakes and allowing too much pick and roll, drive and dish, drive and dump-off to happen.
it's true. we're a .500 team against a tough schedule earlier in the season, and now we're a winning team against an easy schedule at the moment. we don't blow them out, but they win. there is no real killer instinct that makes them put the game away early, but they do close out games better than before. or maybe, just maybe, they aren't as good as we all think they are.
It's a given we need a new PG. When you look at the last few championship teams, they all had a point guard who could do something well. Chauncey controlled the tempo and hit open shots, Tony Parker penetrated and played with TD well on the pick and roll, Fisher could hit the open 3 very well. Rafer does none of those things well, and teams still leave him open. I like Shane too, but it's something about a guy who cannot create his own shot or drive occassionally that doesn't quite strike fear in the defense. Im not for getting rid of him of course unless if its for something you can't refuse, but if we could nab someone who could take his starting spot im all for benching him.
I think this team plays bad against bad teams maybe, but they have shown lately that they can compete and win against the good ones too, thay play better against the good teams, many may think that´s not enough for winning i think that if T-Mac allows it, we will have the weapons to beat good teams too in a seven game series. I think Scola (a player known to be clutch for his entire career) and Landry (good post moves and great jumper) can easily be the 3rd option when needed in crunch time. Also i welcome Battier 3pt stroke which seems to be back.
White Chocolate! Heck nah, lol but you know what i mean. Our PG position is very important and we have a lackey running the spot.
Not really, all you have to do is remember how they played against utah in the playoffs. They were able to win ugly and it caught up with them in game 7. Regular season is one thing, but if this keeps up in the playoffs, it'll be same song different year.
Is this a trick question? If you win that means youre getting better and if you lose that means youre not getting better right?
