Rondo had 1 good game in the finals, maybe 2, that's why house and cassell were getting burn. The celts are just bigger than the rockets. I mean, garnett and perkins, then last yr they had pj brown and davis who didn't even play. Its was about the size, it was a toughness issue as it always is with La. The toughness of their role players have to be challenged all the time. I agree Battier needs to play better on the road, he's been terrible there. Yao needs to stay out of foul trouble also. The rox can't win this series because they have better talent or better coaching, because they have neither against La, but they have to out tough the lakers and turn this into a ugle mid 90's game.
The Celtics perimeter defense drove Kobe crazy. Every time Kobe tried to get into the paint, there were 2 or 3 guys all over him. The Celtics also had a reasonable answer to Kobe in Pierce. People are pointing to Brooks' poor play over and over again but I don't think we'd be any better off with Alston. I'd say Alston's weaknesses would cancel out Brooks' weaknesses. Lowry + Brooks is greater than Alston + Brooks. I think our real problem in this series is that they have Kobe Bryant and we don't. More specifically, we don't have a dominant wing scorer. durvasa put together a nice post showing that the top 10 4th quarter scorers are ALL perimeter players - not a single big. When defenses lock down late in games, you need to have perimeter players that can get the ball in their hands and make things happen, esp. in today's NBA. The Lakers have that and we don't. Wafer is nice but he's still inconsistent, backup material, not an answer to Kobe. Artest is a solid two-way player but dominant wing scorer he is not. He's been asked to do more than he should be with the fall of McGrady and he's done a fine job, everything considered. The fact that the Blazers have Roy is just one of several reasons people believed that was the better matchup against the Lakers. We don't have a closer and I think that is our biggest need going into next season, above the PG issue now that we have Lowry. Backup C and frontcourt length is the next most important. PG is now 3rd or 4th in the list of priorities as far as I see it, not that an upgrade isn't always welcome at any position.
Exactly Ron put Kobe on Blast and called him out! Now he'll be being watched more closely. I wouldn't expect that from Battier, but I think Ron was right man for this move! Had it been anybody I wouldn't say that but I think the team will embrace this and channel it into wins. Just an extra chip on their shoulder.
Defense wins championships not high scoring wing players. Besides the Rockets are have been one the best team offensively all playoffs. Plus we scored 96 on the Lakers and Ya only had like 6 points. That's not saying much for the Lakers D. And Kobe is not going to hit all those jumpers every night(even thought he'll try) and he's not getting to the hole! So pretty much are defense is actually doing what they want the Lakers to do. So I guess we'll see if are above average playoff offense and elite D can overcome a elite offense and mediocre at best defense(If we don't turn over the ball their defense is useless).
I have to agree with this. I am all for Ron confronting the Ref about the harsh foul by Kobe. But By pushing the ref to the edge by confronting Kobe aggressively is not that smart. If he's a bench player, I'd be ok with that, but he's not. We need his toughness and attitude badly, but please dont use them in a wrong way. I think the Rockets may say "See you in Houston" to the Fakers. Go Rockets.
reference olajuwon ejected for tapping a ref on the shoulder to explain wat happnd. ron should kno better. it isnt fair but we need to live with it and try to maintain our composure. its not easy being a rocket. esp. with artests history. he can say that in the post game interview after we win.
I also must disagree with this initial post. It's the public defender's favorite excuse. Blame the victim. Or at least make the victim share the blame somehow, someway. When a guy strikes you in the face, in the neck, hits you when you're down or whatever, the moral thing to do is to turn the other cheek. But when an authority is watching with blind eyes, listening with deaf ears while you get abused, you can either continue to play the victim or you can stand up for yourself. The authority figure in essence is giving his blessing to the criminal. I don't expect our players to stand for it, let alone lay down for it.
