I attended the LA game (as I do most) and noted the following things: - Yao is to blame for maybe two turnovers. The rest were the fault of the passer (Brooks, Lowry, Battier). Yao had Gasol playing behind him, then rolling off of him. The guards should have adjusted to him. The passes were to lazy and easy to steal. - Yao was not given the ball (3 touches in second half) - Kobe got in Ron's head and Ron stop playing team ball. you fans like how passionate Ron is, but ignore when he tries to take over by himself. Even when Kobe "took" over, he used screens, moves, passes to get what he wanted. Ron dribbled into double teams and was all over the place. - Our guards didn’t play well on either side of the ball _Battier and Ron got torched. Nuff said. After all the crap I just listed, you should have reason to be disappointed. We should have won the game, just like other games we have lost this season. The funny part comes the day after a loss. People on the board are calling for Rick's job, saying Yao is "unclutch", Lowry and Brooks are too inexperienced, etc. When the day before the loss, you act like we are on the road to the playoffs. Stop being band wagoners. It's okay to be upset after a loss, but keep in mind we have other games to play. We will meet them again. One of the difficult things about coaching (which I have done on the college level before) is that you have to learn how to address mistakes... BUT move on. There is still basketball to be played.. tomorrow night. So maybe Kobe did "Kick Artest's Ass", and maybe Yao did have a bad game, and maybe we did stink it up last night, but we are still a team to beat.
I have been saying forever, that this team is going to get better and better by the playoffs. BUT, they have to learn from their mistakes. They get too complacent late in close games, and try to force the ball into Yao, it would help to run some PnR with him and some other variety. To me, AB and Lowry need to be the ones initiating the offense late, we have the most success when they do.... I am firmly on the bandwagon, but dissappointed in some of the late collapses where Ron goes one on five, and Yao gets taken out by 2 defenders and the Rockets do not take advantage of that by getting someone ELSE a good look. DD
Its hard to pass a ball to a 7'6 center with butterfingers and can't seal off his man. Last night AB was at fault a few times but this is mostly RA fault. You can't force feed Yao bc he is not skilled at catching the ball for numerous reasons. His height and hands are the man reason so RA needs to adjust his game plan. We need to run plays through our guards and keept he defense guessing rather than having a stagnant offense while we try miserable giving the ball to Yao.
This year is very similar to last year. We just have different strengths and weaknesses. We have the same tenacity this year, (perhaps more last year) than last year. Our defense is about the same (subtract artest last year but add mutumbo), and our offense is about the same. Last year we couldn't score consistently, until the game was on the line and McGrady was able to create on his own. This year we can score consistently, until the game is on the line and thats when we falter. It all depends who we match up against in the playoffs, I said that last year, and I believe that this year. If we play the Spurs, Lakers, Jazz we will most likely lose in a 7 game series. If we play the Hornets, Mavs, Suns, Blazers, Nuggets I like our chances. We will not get past round 2 (unless one of the 3 teams above faces an upset) and there is a chance we won't get past round 1. The good news? Our main weakness can be fixed by someone who is coming off an injury. Will he be able to for sure? no, but I like the chances of him more than anyone else we could bring in or draft.
how can Yao have butterfingers when he use 2 catch bullet passes from McGrady. Everyone has an off night. No one can be perfect. Hell Jordan wasn't even perfect every night. It happens.
Wow people here have bad memories, Tmac faultered in the fourth qtr with the rest of the team. Rockets have had issues with closing games even when Tmac was healthy.
Bc Tmac made great passes to his chest and Yao could use two hands. Players like Shaq and Hakeem can catch a post past with one Yao and the other arm sealing off their defender.
Players like Shaq and Hakeem can catch a post past with one hand and the other arm sealing off their defender.
Last year we rode a 22 game winning streak. So how can this year be like last year? Also if we play the Spurs and Jazz we have a great chance compared to last year. We have more depth and guys are stepping up. If we play the Hornets we have no chance in hell. Their front court is athletic and lord knows we have trouble with athletic big men. Tyson Chandler may not be a scorer but they have a guy by the name of Chris Paul. PnR all day with Yao and thats gonna cause trouble. Guys can look at season match-ups all they want but come playoff time its a different story. Its funny how you say we have no chance against the Spurs but have a great shot with the Hornets when they took the Spurs to game 7 last year. Shouldn't we be able to have a chance against the Spurs also. Guys really aren't getting any younger over there.
I'm on the bandwagon. This was a tough game against the best team in the league right now, a genuinely elite team despite the fact that a bunch of its players are douche bags. The first half showed the Rockets potential. The second half showed how far they still have to go.
Well all I can say is that Yao is Yao and is going to play Yao's game. Yao is not Shaq or The Dream. We just have to deal with it. Yes it was a tough frustrating loss but we gotta move on. Next up the Bobcats.
I agree but I don't really blame Yao or the players passing to him, I blame RA. As a coach you have to realize this and stop force feeding Yao. They need to run plays down the stretch and win as a team. If they can play three and a half qtrs as a team then let them win down the stretch as a team.
I love Rockets and love them even more after Yao was drafted, but if you think this team can advance beyond the 2nd round, you are crazy. If they can prove me wrong, Ill gladly eat my words and donate to the tip jar. I love our guys, especially Yao, Scola, Landry, Battier, and even Ron to an extent, but the lack of a wingman who can dish and score on his own is a glaring problem. We saw it at the end of the Bulls, Jazz, Denver, and LA game. When the games get tight and teams start to collapsing on Yao, we are chickens with no heads. As of right now, only AB is able to consistently beat his man off the dribble, but he lacks the consistency to find others and finish at the rim.
I missed the game last night so I really don't know what happened. Just caught the highlights. If they were force feeding the ball into Yao then I wonder how many guys caught a flashback of JVG offense. They only problem I really have with RA is that he tends to play his starters way too much. Using a short rotation is going to drain guys out.
