On the bright side, we are going home where we will get wins. Blazers are lousy away against +500 teams, we got a blow out in their arena, and we fought a good game we could of won game if we made more free throws so there's no reason to look too down.
RV6 you try to come across as a know it all but if you paid close attention to the first minutes of the first quarter Yao was not being guarded as you stated. You try to pick on opinions and give your silly comments. If you have such a great problem with your self esteem go get professional help and leave posters alone.
Blazers would do the same in game 3.4.5.6.7. If we don't show them that we can beat fronting, and for all think that we'll be ok, I put my word here...If Yao can't average 20+ points in entire series, we can't beat them... After all of nonsense argument of Adelman's flow of ball movement, without your best player in playoff, you are doomed... Imagine LBL, WADE, Koby only take 6 shots...
Rockets or Blazers in 6 games. Its sooo hard to decide who's gonna win. We have to see how the Blazers plays on the road.
I can surely tell you guys, this loss is mainly Adelman's fault. Blazers told us they would front Yao before this game, but our great coach still didnt have any solution tonight. I dont know where his confidence before this game actually come from?
Rockets could easily take this game if they didn't walk away from their most effective weapon. Fronting was not the problem. Portland isn't that a good team in terms of fronting Yao. There were tons of opportunities they can pass it to Yao. But these guys just try to be heros. Everyone knows how Rockets can win or loss a game. Rockets beat themselves by not establishing Yao in this game. RA should take the most blame for this loss. This is a playoff game. There is no room for errors. If RA can't control his players, he doesn't deserve to be the coach.
The most frustrating thing with this game is that we almost had this game with all the terrible officiating. The put-back by Oden and the turn over from the pass by artest to yao cost us the game, not to talk of the missed free throws. I hope the NBA will really look at this game, and fine these refs, because this has to be one of the worst officiated games ever. The call on Battier when he did not touch Roy is totally unbelievable. Oden shoved Yao and did not even get whistled talk less of technical, that is just unacceptable. If these refs were not bribed, there needs to something done when the game is reviewed by the NBA. Yao really needs to punish Billa and Oden at home, really punish them for the flops and silly foul these next 2 home games. Having said that, I am really disappointed in Adelman, if we dont get out of the first round it would be his fault because he was outcoached tonight. Everyone in the world knew Yao would be fronted, and they had 2 days to practice how to bust it and still get plays for YAO, it has not worked all season, we lost the 2 seed because of it and now we lost a winnable game because of the same problem. Adelman is supposed to be a great offensive coach, but this is getting ridiculous. One type of defense takes out your best player? disgraceful. Also, why he did not tell Aaron to be aggressive until the final minutes of the 4th Q is beyond me. Blake and Rodriguez cannot guard Brooks, what changed between Saturday and Today? Just bad coaching on the RAs part. Two games in row now Roy has had his way with the Rockets, taking it to the basket over Yao, taking Battier and Artest to school, I mean whole team runs screen to free this guy, we know what is coming yet we cannot stop him. How about getting the ball out of his hands and letting someone else beat us. Aldridge cooled down but Roy is the real deal and we just need to get the ball out of his hands in the closing moments especially when he has had a night like this. Battier is a great defensive player, but nights like this is when we realize that we need a 3 like Ariza, or Turkoglu, or Howard, someone who can not only play defense but also be a treat offensively. He was not even looking for his shots, and most of the time Roy was switched on him because they know he will not attack Roy. After this season, it is time to upgrade that position. Battier, other than the fact that he can make the open 3 and shoot free throws in no different than hayes, a great defender who is an offensive liability. Landry has been lost in this series, hopefully he wakes up in houston. We miss his aggression, and the blazers dont have anyone to really guard him. We need him and Scola to really attack Aldrige on the offensive end so slow him down. Wafer is our best penetrator and 2 Guard and somehow if we could keep him of the floor with either Artest or Battier at the 3, we have a better spread on the floor as Battier and Artest really cant get to rim to help bust the fronting on yao like Wafer can. RA should have left him on the floor tonight instead of bringing back Artest. On a lighter note, I am really happy for Von, he has probably guaranteed himself at least a $3m year contract with some team after tonight, and his stock keeps going higher.This was what Head could not do for almost 3 seasons, make open shots and attack the basket. Way to go, VON! Great game by Lowry as usual attacking the basket and forcing Portlands front line in foul trouble. Overall, I believe we can win the 2 home games convincingly. This was Portlands best shot tonight, and ROY cannot go 16/27 for the rest of the series. Rockets really need to find a way to stop this guy, I mean really play him more physical and attack him, make him play some defense. And the pick and roll with roy needs to be defended better. If we can make these adjustments, we should be fine. Rockets take the series 4-2. (BTW Mutombo said he might need surgery, but he has play his last game of his career. He said he will be there to support the team throughout the playoff though. Wish you the best in your future Deke. thanks for the memories)
That was their best shot and frankly Im not impressed. Roy isnt going to have another game like that. Aldridge most likely wont either. Yao isnt going to have another game where he only takes 6 shots. Joey Crawford isnt going to Houston. Were going back to Rose Garden up 3-1.
They keep scoring and going to the line thank to the Portland defensive plan on Yao. The problem he only play 31 minutes due to the bad officiating. As soon as he went to the bench Houston offense start sucking and we lost the lead in the 3rd.
Roy and Aldridge need games like this EVERY NIGHT or suffer the consequences..... Rockets lead 3-1 come this time monday morning.
The solution for the rest of the series: PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THEIR ROLES. Yao should get at least 15 shots a game no matter the defense because even if he is fronted the weakside wing should be able to cut and instant foul or Yao offensive board and easy dunk. Wafer knows his role and is very aggressive, thus drawing fouls and getting FT's/and 1's. Artest's shot selection is horrible and it is partly RA's fault for not taking him out. For next game @ home: 1. Get Yao going early 2. Artest better shot selection 3. Wafer continue driving in 4. AB look to make pass into Yao 5. Lowry stay aggressive 6. Battier contain Roy 7. Scola make 10-15 footers and FT's/disrupt Aldridge midrange ^if we can do at least half of those things we will get both wins at home!
As a Blazer fan, this game concerned me. We played our hearts out and still barely beat you guys - it drives me nuts that you still shot 50% on us even with our increased focus on defense. I'm glad we won, because I was truly starting to fear a sweep, but I'm back to thinking Rockets in 6. I think we can still take game 5 from you. By the way, there's been a mistake and we'd like Von Wafer back. Thanks.
The Blazers are gonna need 40 from Roy and 30 from Aldridge 3 more times to have a chance. Lets see how they play in the Toyota Center.
