Starters ended our chances in this game. Disappointed in T-mac and Artest. T-mac, couldn't finish around the rim, and allowed Nate Robinson to get an easy layup because he didn't get back on defense. I will give him credit for getting teammates open shots though. He needs to move without the ball though. Artest - Man offense was just pathetic tonight. Jacked up way too many 3's and tough jumpers Period.
I know the Rockets blew a 9 point lead in the 4th quarter, which is unacceptable to a team like the Knicks. Give them credit, they played hard and moved the ball well, and Robinson and Chandler really gave them a lift off the bench. However, a small play early in the game came back to haunt us. At the end of the first quarter, Tim Thomas was allowed to dribble the ball up the court with about 5-6 seconds left on the ****, pull up to the 3 point line and jump up for a 3 pointer, before Hayes and Landry attempted to contest him or get in his way. What ends up happening?? He drains it. It was not a big deal at the time, but when we were down by 3 with a minute or so left, thats when that 3 came back and hurt us. If we were tied, we wouldn't have gone for so many 3's, and it would've changed our strategy on offense and we could've played for the last shot. Little things in games can really hurt at the end. This loss is really gonna hurt us at the end of the year as well. Sure Artest and McGrady could've shot better, but remember, they've been out of game action for 2 weeks, and a back to back in the NBA for veterans is never kind, even when healthy. When coming off an injury, it is brutal. Give these guys a couple of games, and they'll be fine, especially being at home the next few games. I do agree that we should've moved the ball better, but you can't blame it all on Tmac either, it takes 5 players to move. If nobody is moving, Tmac has no choice but to make something of that possession. Outside of Scola and Landry, nobody was moving. RA's offense doesn't work if everybody (except the high post) isn't moving. I said yesterday that Rafer almost shot us out of a game, but he managed to do that today. I don't mind him taking open 3's, but when he pulls up and shoots them off the dribble, its just not a good shot. Atleast Tmac and Artest have proven to hit that shot consistently at some point in their careers to take that shot, but not Rafer, he should run the pick n' roll and penetrate. I was glad to see the bench with a strong game, especially Brooks. Hopefully he can keep up the better shooting. Scola was great once again and canceled out David Lee. Lastly, you clearly see the importance of Yao to this team. When we had him, we blew out the Knicks with ease, without him, we let them hang around, and they made us pay. Hopefully he'll be back and pain free soon.
tracy was 7-15 until late in the 4th. it's obvious he's not ready to just take over late in games b/c his legs still arne't there. he went 0-5 to end the game, which was one of the reasons we lost. tracy should and can play better. as the best player and going 0-5 to end the game when we needed him, the blame should be on him.
As far as small plays hurting us, I also need to add Chuck Haye's foul on Tim Thomas behind the 3 point line. Up to that point, we held that 89-82 lead with no problem, the Knicks were frustrated and almost seemed like they were about to give up, then Thomas gets fouled, and hits 3 free- throws and that makes it a 4 point game. Then it was all down hill from there. Little plays costing us big time. Those 2 plays that I mentioned cost us 6 points, which is the margin the Knicks beat us by today. I know you can go through every play and make an analogy like this, but these 2 boneheaded plays should've never happened...
You can nitpick every fg% the knicks made against the Rockets and blame this loss on them. The glaring errors on this game mainly came in the 4th, where the Rockets should have played some what more aggresively by attacking the basket and move the ball around. Instead they were rather content with jacking up 3ptrs. And Von Wafer and Barry should have played in the 4th to close it out.
You nailed it! The starters lost the lead (again) in the 4Q. Would RA respond by bringing back the second unit (emphasis on unit)? At least bring back Wafer, Landry, and Barry. Rafer had a tough go, and Brooks wasn't any better - got lost on defense and/or got posted up giving up easy baskets. At a minimum, Wafer and Barry should have been on the court for the 2 minute drill. And I also agree that Hayes' foul on Thomas was the tipping point for the Rockets; we never got anything organized again.
Maybe RA was trying to send a message that if the starters can't finish a game we have no chance in the post-season..?
I agree with what you say, but the point I'm trying to make is, it is much easier to keep a power forward from dribbling the ball with time running out without even getting in his way while he drains a 3 at the buzzer and then foul that same power forward on a 3 point shot, Than it is to execute in the 4th quarter. I can live with missed shots, and we got many wide open shots, but they just wouldn't fall for us, so I can't say we executed horribly in the 4th. But 2 boneheaded plays could have been easily avoided if certain players would've thought about the consequences. I mean all you had to do was make Thomas take a 50 ft shot instead of a normal 3 which was lightly contested and then just contest a 3 in the 4th quarter instead of running into him. Just 2 plays that really came back to haunt us, considering those are 2 things you don't allow in basketball ever...
Any team with TSlack, Artest and Airballston will lose a lot of games. Reason? They can't shoot yet they love shooting.
No Adelman was not trying to send a message. He just trust his starters and they let him down tonight.
It's hard to win when you don't have efficient scorers on the floor. We ended with TSlack, Artest and Airballston. What do you expect?
Why all the hate? Losses happen. The Rockets can't play perfect every night. You guys need to stop judging this team by one game.
We've had enough evidence. 76ers. Knicks. Pacers twice. Raptors. Grizzlies. Need I go on? Many of these games fall square on the "It's on me" slacker. But he's going to start are play significant minutes. That's why weren't going nowhere as a team.
This winnable 1 game counts for the play off spot. In case you have not noticed, it is tight in the west.
The Rockets are under the delusion that if you've led at some point in the game by double digits, that the NBA will count them as wins.
This loss isn't as complex as some might think. In fact its very simple in terms of why the rox lose to crappy teams. JVG teams always overacheive and for the most part adelman teams underachieve. Now that's not a knock on adelman, I'm just saying that when jeff was the coach and no matter who was playing, the game was a dogfight. Every possession, every play was contested hotly. This team got their avg, but gave the other team their avg. So when u allow a team that scores 104ppg and let them shoot 48%, you're going to lose. The Rox don't have the versitlity to try to small ball, small ball teams. Someone brought up the 2 tim thomas plays. There isn't a big on this team that can play him when he wants to play. He's too quick and agile for scola,landry,or hayes to handle. At his size, he's a natural sf, but is about 240lbs which makes him a tough cover. Also that the reason why I wanted him on the rox because he has shown he till take and make some big shots. He makes traditional 4's uncomfortable because of his skill level. Its just another chapter in the story of this team. Coach keep trying to out offense people instead of locking people down. Its just like going from a task master like jimmy johnson and swithching to chan gailey. Maybe like Parcell to wade phillips.
Because it hasn't just been one game. We have blown a few 4th qt. leads and ended up losing to teams that wasn't as talented as the Rockets are.
