ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Pacers @ Rockets 12/18/2002

GO ROCKETS!!!!

YAO EATS UP MILLER AND O'NEAL!

 

How will playing on national TV affect the Rox performance?
More individual-oriented high-light film play or a collective selfless effort to show that they are a "team"? Should be interesting...

 

Hmm. Rockets are going to have to play a heck of a lot better than they have lately. Any word on Mo T or Kenny's status for the game?

 

Pacers playing Mavs today, hopefully they'll be tired as hell. I really hope O'Neal doesn't go off though, he's our biggest problem. Rox need to step up their D tonite.. and I think they'll bring it. They've lost to some bad teams, they gotta prove themselves over again, they like playing against the tough teams. Rox take this one.

 

The Pacers're getting their butt kicked. What happened to the Lakers? Is the Zone D killing them?

 

I hate the Lakers, but I don't like the T-puppies either... however I was hoping the Lakers pull out with the win to create some space btwn the Wolves and Rox... wish both could lose.

 

Mavs are DESTROYING Indy...

Is this good news or bad news for us?

theSAGE

 

Indy guards are just getting manhandled by the Mavs guards... Ron Artest looks soooo out of synch. Heck if Mav guards can inflict this much damage, our Rocket guards should feast on Indy Thursday.

theSAGE

 

I think Houston will win, only if Rudy knows how to manage the team!
I wanna see Eddie Griffin go against Jermaine O'Neal
i think he can stay with O'Neal
and on offense Francis and Mobley need 2 attack Jermaine and get him in foul trouble. if they stop Jermaine, i think Rocks win pretty easy

 

Pacers got blown out. None of their players played more than 2.5 quarters. So they'll be coming into town semi-rested and pissed off.

 

Id like to see Yao get up around 15 shots tomorrow. If he does that, we will have a good chance of winning.

 

I guess SF+Cat can create some problems for Pacers. Ron Artest is a stud. We all know that it's no easy task. With less TO, I hope we can win the broad and the game. I believe YaoMing/Cato can contain Oneal.

P.S. I have a feeling that we will win this game which I don't know why.

 

This is actually a bad thing for the Rockets...not only does Indy's starters get rest but they'll be more focused coming in tomorrow.

Artest is a great defender but he's also big so he can't keep up with quick guys like Finley. More of the three-guard lineup tomorrow?? All I know is...Artest will eat up Rice for dinner.

Rox should double team O'Neal with Francis all the time. Tinsley reminds me of a young Avery Johnson...which means he can't hit the jumper consistently!!

 

I think whoever has Rice guarding him is going to eat Rice for dinner. At least Rice will be tying his record of 20 games played last season for the Rockets with this game, and his shooting has improved from last year, but still not that great considering his contract. OTOH without him, our oldest players would be Moochie Norris and Juaquin Hawkins.

 

derrock, assuming that you are correct, it would seem that a ZONE D might be a better solution to compensate for our slower footed forward like EG and Rice. After Yao's pregame comments against Sac, I'm excited to see how Yao responds this SECOND TIME AROUND against Indy. Two is a charm.

The keys to this game, IMO are...

1. keep the turnover differential between us and Indy low
2. let's get good productivity from our forwards
3. let's try to maintain a healthy rebounding edge
4. let's not give up too many fast break points

reactions, anybody?



theSAGE

 

I think if we play as a team we can win. The Pacers are a little farther along the team play curve, but we are gaining on them.

Oooooh to have Artest on our team....

DaDakota

 

The Rockets had been playing well against the top team at home this season. They seems to be more focus and run their offense more efficiently. Hopefully they can continue with this trend. They lose to the Pacers by 9 in the first game but Houston is a better team now and they are playing at home. If they get everyone involve then they should win. I think they should play the zone to limit Jermain O'Neal's touch. I think the key is playing good defense and cut down on turnovers.

 

I don't think the stats are as important as matchups. Hopefully Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest don't have their way like they did that first game with Indy, and we *don't* go with the short ball with Cat/Moochie/SF ( big deal if SF scores 40 points AND we get blown out ). KT,Glen Rice and MT were out for this game IIRC so our beloved small ball got lots of time and turnovers in the first matchup.

 

Steve Francis will pull off 12 assists and 30 pts performance. Steve Francis will be reborn and revived to be an immortal being. You can see ray of light trailing every pass he makes. He becomes a supreme being...