well, close your eyes at 53-48 when Kobe gets hit by two Rockets and still heaves it up for a 3 point play. Yeah...that is what I kinda remember. Shaq was really just zoning the pnr, looking to catch Moochie should he take the crease to the basket. Moochie made a shot once. But he also "nutted up" (I like that phrase). I vaguely recall Moochie throwing a bad one to a covered Dream, and then another time passing up the shot and falling for Shaq's possum play and getting cornered or something. That is when he got yanked. It must have been an offensive foul or shot-clock violation, because the yank was immediate so the clock would have had to be stopped for a subsititution.
i'll say this, though. if mooch is willing to not only drive, but (when applicable) pull the 10-12 footer, i love that dream/mooch pnr. especially with hakeem rolling high instead of going to the basket. mooch is so diminutive that pulling the center out makes it that much easier of a drive for him. he usually beats his man easily (with that same old head and shoulders fake) and is a pretty good passer. if dream continues to work on his picks (he set a hellacious pick at one point in the 4th for mooch) he could earn even more minutes and touches in the game. instead of complaining, dream, do something to fit into the flow of the offense!!! ------------------
Heypartner: You think that the best 3 that could have been taken was a non-set 3 pointer by a guy that's been complaining about his arm hurting with 15 seconds left on teh clock? I'd have to disagree with you there. Even if you disagree there, it's not just the final position so much as the final 2 MINUTES that were so awful... all those shotclock problems. you say: "-'m really pissed at the showing of this board right now. I'm throwing elbows. I'm not looking for a positive thread. I'm looking to stuff each and everyone one of you that spews out non-factual crap tonight after coming home hoarse and short of spirits to read this stuff." So, you're responding to perceived negativity with more negativity? I was so hoping for a positive thread! Just be glad you're lucky enough to get to see all the home games in person; I have to assuage myself by going to see the Celtics every now and then. Do you know how *painful* that can be ? I NEVER said the Lakers didn't play a good game. I'm saying that it was still definitely winnable in the final 2 minutes if the Rockets had played good basketball. They didn't, they self-destructed. Maybe if they hadn't they still would have lost. But we'll never know that. I fail to see where anything I've said is factually amiss. ------------------ Shandon Anderson rocks. The lottery sucks. Playoffs 2001 [This message has been edited by haven (edited December 22, 2000).]
Heypee, if shandon started scoring, i assure you that phil would switch his best defensive guard(Kobe) to him.
I'm surprised the rockets didn't try to simply deny Kobe the ball. [I saw Cuttino do it once] The passes to him were not all that crisp I say force him through picks and sh*t to get the ball. I think teams will MJ kobe .. . let him go for 50 . . but take the win . . .unfortunately Kobe has something MJ never had in those days SHAQ! Sad thing it . .. when the Lakers don't win it all this year. . i bet folx blame Shaq Rocket River ------------------
Haven, I was not referring to you. I was referring to the non-factual spew about Shandon should have run Kobe around and tired him out. I read that twice last night. Kobe didn't even guard Shandon. Damn, they're still buzzing around me!
heypartner, yes it was open but dream was fatigued he had like two consecutive airballs..i agree the rockets played well but they tantalize us with this good play in spurts if they put it all together for 48 minutes watch out.. ------------------ How Sweet It Is! How Sweet It Is! Gene Peterson on the rockets winning the 1995 championship over the Orlando Magic
as for kobe, and some might call me "dirty" for this one, but i would have sent cato into the game at the beginning stages of the 4q for hakeem. i would have forced the drive by kobe, and i would have floored him. or if he passed to shaq, i would have grabbed him (since you can't floor shaq, unless you're cb4). seriously. not trying to hurt the guy, but i would hae wanted to change his rhythm a little. he was in the proverbial rocking chair last time. he was conducting a symphony. and no one thought to throw a tomato at him. i'd have thrown that rotten-tomato-cato at him!! ------------------
Actually I was very impressed with Steve's decision making in this game. I can't remember once when he made a turnover trying to be flashy. At the beginning of the game he threw a nice pass to Hakeem but Hakeem's legs aint exactly what they used to be and he missed the ball and it flew out of bounds. Thats the only occasion that I see that could have been mistaken for flash from Steve.Also he made a nice jumpstop at the free throw line and made a simple dish to Mooch for the layup, thats a sign that his decision making is getting better.I know Mooch has been playing well, but I think this rockets team needs to be controlled by Steve for almost the entire game. I was screaming at Rudy as I watched the minutes add up of Steve being on the bench. I like the way our starting 5 was playing, keep them in there RUDY ------------------ www.truebballfansite.homestead.com
