nobody wants to keep you from singing and dancing whilest making fun of an idiot, all he was asking for was that you not quote the post, clear out the actual post, and substitue something like "blah blah blah more hater crap" like this See, it makes ignore lists useless if folks actually quote the posts that our resident idiots (or haters for you yunguns) make. Alot of members find removing the idiocy makes their enjoyment of the forum that much better.
Mmm...alright, will keep in mind. Although I wasn't aware Roffle was on that many ignore lists...o_o. Eh.
To a certain extent he's right though. Yao Ming defending Boozer was a difficult matchup. Of course Yao Ming on defense against most teams without a traditional center has been a net negative, it's just that his offense is worth so much that it outweighs it. To his credit, in the past two years I'd say he's dramatically improved his defense on traditional centers (even Duncan) and somewhat on the other teams as well(like how we owned Phoenix earlier this year by Yao going nuts on offense and being adequate on D). Part of the problem with Utah last year may have been a coaching problem, but it also had to do with personnel. Hayes could handle Boozer, we just didn't have a good fit to defend Okur. The first half of the series it didn't matter because Okur couldn't make any shots. The second half it hurt a lot. If I was van Gundy I'd have tried Yao on Okur, but we don't know the whole story. It certainly looked to me that Yao was exhausted during that series, having gone straight from rehabbing a broken leg in February to banging the ball in the low post night in and night out for another 3 months. Even though he played more minutes per game this year, personally I believe those minutes were less taxing because they were not all spent with the opponent's strongest player shoving with all their might on his lumbar area. So part of that is also van Gundy's fault, not having the foresight to cultivate a team with depth to sustain over the long haul. This year that matchup problem is not as bad, because Scola is the perfect kind of defender (mobile with just enough size) to guard an Okur, and we still have Hayes or Deke to match up against Boozer. Landry is also a good option on either player I think. Don't get me wrong, Yao is our best player and would help tremendously no matter who we play against, but against Utah less so than say against San Antonio of Phoenix, who we'd have to be the favorites against if we had Yao against them in a 7-game set. Against those teams Yao would defend Shaq/Duncan who he's had success against in the past, and get to dominate those guys on offense as no one can stop him one on one. Against Utah he would have the same offensive value but diminished defensive value just as a function of matchup. The rest of Utah should be about the same as last year. Deron Williams is a year older and better, but the rest of the core players are already at the age where one year later doesn't give them any advantage. Korver for Giricek is a wash, maybe even a net minus if you consider how brutal Giricek was from the three-point line in last year's playoffs (it was over 50% for the entire thing I'm sure). The one big loss Utah sustained was at backup PG, where they now have a huge void where Derek Fisher once played. As for the Rockets, well you know all that's changed, and it's too numerous to be documented here. Statistically we're eerily similar to last year, with a +5.0 pt differential (as of 4/12) compared to +5.0 last year. We score 96.8 a game and allow 91.8 compared to 97.0 and 92.0 last year. Of course lots of phases of this team are encompassed in those stats, including the initial adjustment period, the time with T-Mac out, the time with the streak, and the post-Yao segment, but still you gotta admit that's kinda weird how close we are to last year's numbers. I'll just end with this: last year after the series with the Jazz was over, a few players mentioned that they knew exactly what offensive sets the Rockets were going to run even before they set them up. This year, with Adelman's team and Adelman's offense, what do you think the odds are of that happening again? Of course, I'm still hoping we can get a higher seed and face Dallas or Denver. Utah has the highest points differential in the West, and that does not bode well for anyone they face.
Sounds like a Papa John's ad. Maybe lucked into it was the wrong phrase. Last year, Utah handed it (hca) to us. This year, they are trying to take it and we aren't letting them.
Now now Rafer!!! You might think that you are the second coming of Michael Jordan but you certainly are not anything like Chris Paul- Think!! ............ Chris Paul is a Playmaker Point Guard
i think the key factor this year will be our bench, last year van gundy rarely used our bench including bonzi wells(who this year proved that he was our best 6th man of the team up til his trade) and our team was mainly a defensive team with not so great offense this year RA uses our bench effectively and our team has a much better offensive game and at the same time excellent defense to secure a win, we should find a way to beat them on their homecourt even though we have home court adv., we know they can still play well away(proved this at NOH)
This year our Super Star do not have to act alone because we have a strong suppporting cast. Beside we have a coach that is willing to do whatever it takes to win not being stubborn and stuck to the same line up thru out the playoff. I strongly beleive that we will get out the first round and go all the way so T-Mac could get the monkey off his back because he is deserved to call the MVP.
We have a bench now. No more Juwan Howard and Luther Head being our best options from the bench. Of course we also need our role players like Shane Battier and especially Rafer Alston to step up; they were MIA at times last year.
We would have won last year if JVG played "just a little Deke" last year. But he said to him self: "well, Yao is supposed to be the face of this franchise, let him show it". Of course, what-ifs help no one. Unfortenately, Utah a is a even better this year. They just don't get any credit. I wish for Lakers 10 times more, Denver would be top notch.
I have to agree wholeheartedly! Aldeman is by far the main difference. He actually knows how and when to substitute. He knows he can rely on his bench. He knows when to call time-outs. He knows how to groom rookies. He knows how to win in the playoffs. Like startover said, no disrespect to Van Gundy. He served his purpose well while he was here. Our defense is absolutely stellar, and a big part of that is because of him. But, he is the most stubborn and unimaginative coach I have ever seen coaching in the playoffs. With both the Jazz series and the Mavs before that, he refused to dictate matchups or use his bench at all. By the time we got to game seven, his 7 man rotation was dog tired. Is it any wonder why we lost those games? I do not fear Utah one bit. I think we match up better (yes, even with our best player out), and I think we have a much better playoff coach. We were very close to winning that series last year. This year we have an upgraded PF, an upgraded bench, better chemistry, and a damn fine coach. I say bring it on! We will destroy the Jazz this year. (Provided that's who we pair off with)
I thought the main difference was that this years team is actually fun to watch...that and the fact that we seem to be having a lot more success against the upper echelon teams this year than years past.
You are right. Why? The answer is offense. Last year it was all about defense, right now we know what to play, we know how to score, we don't need Tracy to be playmaker and scorer at the same time. And what is important we are still one of the best team in the leauge in defense. In offseason Morey added depth to this team. We don't have to use Rafer 44 minutes a game anymore. We have good young legs, we have upgraded at PF spot which was even less than awful last year. Now we have scoring on power forward position. What's more we added athleticism to this team, we have Landy who can finish everything at the basket. We have a lot better chemistry, that's the key.
Last year in a best of 7 games series we didn't win a single game against the Jazz on the road, simple and we couldn't win @ home either in a game 7. No powerforward.
Well no Yao Ming and a 22 game win streak -- this team has something special that much we know heading in.
lol this is funny...we scored more per game last year...we play at one of the slowest paces of any team in the nba...we are fun to watch because we are winning. we have better talent and adelman has done a great job with it and we have won 2 more games than last year. the jvg bashing is laughable...
