Rockets Vs Magic! Thread, Talk about the game

The Magic offense will trash the Rockets defense. Enjoy the game, it's going to be a rout in favor of your team.

 

The Rockets never win in Orlando...except in the '95 NBA Finals, that is.

I'm not a tanker, but I see the Rockets getting beaten pretty badly tonight. Then again, if they remember the last loss to Orlando, when they were draining all those threes, maybe they will actually play hard tonight. Could be an interesting game though.

 

I'm getting this feeling T-Mac is going to drop 40 on us.

I'm interested in watching Mike Miller this game, and being he's coming off a recent injury. (Hypothetically, would the Magic trade Miller for the #6 pick in the draft?)

The Rockets have looked horrible against bad teams lately, against a solid one like Orlando...

Don't expect Eddie to say much, he kind of likes being quiet. Cuttino on the other hand...

Darrell Armstrong is usually a Rock killer.

 

Every PG in the league is a Rock killer, our defense sucks, our team is just mailing it in.

Good luck Magic.

DaDakota

 

hope you dont get their wristbands..... stuff like that should be given to rocket fans not magic fans

 

MagicFan, the players who will sign something for you for sure are Tierre Brown and Kevin Willis, on the other hand...cuttino and steve NEVER sign anything...oh yea, moochie might give you an auto...

 

I don't think the Magic would. I remember a quote by Doc Rivers saying he would not trade either Darrell Armstrong or Mike Miller, unless the player he got in return was Shaq.

 

Driving home from work on I-4, seeing the lights, knowing the Rox are just tipping off. Kinda sucks that I had to work till 6.

Man I wanted to see this game.

 

Ummm this game is tomorrow right?

 

Again don't we play the Magic tomorrow, which is Monday and not tonight?

 

What a great game! Why didn't Clutch put up the recap?

 

Can anyone tell me why Mike Miller is untradable? So you're tellin me if Kobe, Vince or TD was offered, Doc wouldnt do it? Sheesh, Doc, get a grip!

 

40 points is a modest guess. TMac could break Wilt's record tonight according to this article.

Langhi's action heats up

ORLANDO -- Dan Langhi has wanted to be a part of the Rockets' rotation. He has longed to be a part of the game plan.

Finally, of late, he has gotten his wish.

The second-year forward from Vanderbilt has started the last four games for the Rockets -- the only starts of his career -- averaging 9.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in those games, compared to 1.6 points and 1.3 in his first 25 appearances this season.

He says the improvement is all about opportunity.

"It feels great to get good minutes, meaningful minutes," Langhi said. "I've been able to get into the flow and I've played a lot better. I'm more comfortable and more confident. That just comes from getting more minutes and more opportunities.

"Since I've been starting, it's been a lot easier."

It might not be easy tonight.

With guard Cuttino Mobley (flu symptoms) likely becoming the latest Rocket to miss a game, Langhi will get an opportunity tonight at the T.D. Waterhouse Center to measure himself against one of the game's best in Orlando's Tracy McGrady.

Of course, the assignment also brings with it a high probability of ending up in a highlight clip as a victim of a McGrady dunk, but Langhi is willing to take his chances.

"He's one of the better players in the league, so it'll be a big challenge," Langhi said after the Rockets' two-hour workout at the Magic practice facility Sunday afternoon. "He does everything. He puts the ball on the floor, he takes it to the rack, he shoots pull-ups, he's a spot-up shooter, he's a transition player ... I mean he does it all.

"It'll be a real test. Hopefully I'll play one of my best defensive games ever. I don't think I've seen anybody stop him. He's too good of a player to do that to. Hopefully he'll come out and have an off day."

That doesn't happen often to the fifth-year star, who is fourth in the NBA in scoring.

McGrady is averaging 25.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He leads the Magic in scoring, rebounding and minutes played (38.1 per game), and is second on the squad in steals and assists.

McGrady has scored 20 or more points 56 times this season, 30-plus 19 times and 40 or more six times.

"It'll be a great experience for a guy in his second year," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "We're all just trying to get better every day and go through these experiences. This will be a good one for him against a team that has something to play for and one of the best young stars in the league."

Langhi remembers checking McGrady for a couple of trips up the court during a game last season, but McGrady didn't get to show his stuff because the Magic didn't run any plays through him.

That won't be the case tonight. Kenny Thomas should see some time against McGrady, but Thomas is still recovering from the flu that limited him to just seven minutes against Memphis on Friday. Plus, the last time McGrady saw Rockets pinstripes, he poured in 39 points, most against Thomas.

Depending on the Magic's lineup (starter Mike Miller has a sprained ankle), Langhi will take McGrady most of the time tonight.

"I'll have the bulk of the minutes against him (tonight), so I imagine I'll get to see a lot of his stuff," Langhi said. "Yep, all of his stuff."

The Rockets are likely to start Moochie Norris in place of Mobley if Orlando elects to go with its small backcourt duo of Darrell Armstrong and Troy Hudson, both 6-1. If the Magic goes with 6-8 forward Monty Williams and puts McGrady in the backcourt, or the 6-8 Miller returns, the Rockets will counter with 6-6 Oscar Torres.

"We'll have to wait to see which way they go," Tomjanovich said. "They present some matchup difficulty for us, no matter what they do, especially with us being so short-handed."

Making matters more difficult for the Rockets, who have lost five of their last six games, Orlando has a half-game lead over Charlotte for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The team that earns that seed, will hold the home-court advantage in a best-of-five first-round playoff series.

Magic players have talked openly about needing to win the first game of three back-to-back situations they have remaining by a convincing margin so they can rest for the next night. Orlando, 5-13 in the second game of back-to-backs this season, travels to New York for a game Tuesday.

"We've got to win the first one," Magic coach Doc Rivers told the Orlando Sentinel. "We have guys, who are key guys, playing on tired legs. I do understand that back-to-backs are tough on us. If you tell me that, in the next three back-to-backs, we'll win all the first ones, I'll take that."

Tonight's game is also the first of a back-to-back situation for the Rockets, who travel to Miami to face the Heat on Tuesday.

 

BALLS BALLS, BOUNCY BOUNCY PING PONG BALLS!!

 

Well holy hell....I didnt realize that...too late now.

 

I didn't get to see the game, can someone tell me did Francis play the 2 guard most of the night since Mobley was out. Francis only had 2 assists

 

He had the ball in his hands most of the game, trying to create off the dribble in (what seemed to me, at least) iso's from the top of the key.