http://blogs.chron.com/franblinebury/2009/01/its_the_same_old_song_sixers_9.html If the Rockets pull this crap over and over is it a fluke? Or is it really just who they are? Because if it's the latter then it's time to break up the core and retool for next year.
McGrady said he had a good look, thought he could get it off. He said he knew he couldn't drive the ball, because he'd have run straight into Dalembert. That is what I was saying all night. Either way it wasn't a good matchup for T-mac because Dalembert is a quick athletic Center.
We are about to get another debate on Shaun ;p Tmac1 mentioned that Tmac's legs werent sore from the previous 3 quarters with proof of a couple 4th quarter shots/penetration. He passed up other 76er's with ease to which Sam shouldnt have been a problem. He could have done a drive and dish, like a slower but better passing Brooks. I dont know Shaun, I think that was an excuse because time was running down and I believe he wasnt exacty looking for a assist sooner enough. I think he was contemplating plays in his mind and whether he had the strength to follow through and by the time he started X'ing them off he had to put up a shot. Tmac is the type who can draw fouls WITH EASE. I will leave it at that.
T-mac got by Igoudala and a few other defenders, but I wouldn't say it was explosive and with ease. Dalembert is a Center but he is quick and long. T-mac is not as fast as he used to be. T-mac could of drove and he would of most likely been blocked like he was a lot of times tonight. You gotta remember T-mac drove a few times but was blocked earlier in the game. He also tweaked his knee at the end of the 3rd qt. which I don't think was bothering him though. Point is down 2, they should of threw it to Yao in the post and let it go from there or at least let T-mac go 1 on 1 with Igoudala who T-mac was getting by earlier in the game.
Well I agree I dont think any of his penetrations were with ease, just quoting. All opinions here though. I also agree with you and what the commentators said. Get it to Yao, shoot it, draw the foul or dish it out to the three. I thought they nailed the play on the spot until Tmac didnt dish it to Yao then the whole screw RA turned up. Barry was in the game, let him draw the foul hahah, almost a for sure thing from the line.
I hope I'm wrong. I really do, because I'm so sick of watching this team flush it all away every post season, but I don't think this mix of players is even remotely capable of winning a championship. We need a player who's 1. smart 2. talented 3. tough 4. has a strong work ethic, and 5. has a killer instinct. That's the type of player Dream was, and it's the type of player the Rockets have been searching for since Bill Clinton was still President. Until the Rockets acquire that type of player, everything else is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. In fact, we should nickname Yao "smoke" and T Mac "mirrors", or S+M for short, because putting your hopes in those two is just begging to get abused.
He took a jumpshot and got blocked Super Duper Star takes it to the basket and gets block more than likely will get that foul call T-Mac's Low Basketball IQ? Awareness? Rocket River
We don't have a superstar. Tracy's definitely not at this stage of his career. How many time have we seen a guy take a long jumper at the end of a game. Steve Francis used to do it all the time.
A long contested jumper is the WORST SHOT IN BASKETBALL. These Rockets (especially TSlack) are just stupid for running the play with a very low percentage.
Sickening loss! Last year's loss to the sixers was the low point of the regular season, then the 22 game streak happened and I believe it started vs the Warriors...who do the Rockets play next, the Warriors!!! I HOPE history is repeating itself
I'm really not concerned with the last play, we should have never been in that situation. There are problems that were much bigger that game. Our defense, not finishing at the rim, and our PG's for starters. My point was that we see guys take long jumpers at the end of games all the time. Pick a name: Lebron, Kobe, Wade, Johnson. I've seen them all do it. People are acting like Tracy made some uniquely boneheaded play.
Richard Justice again--- The NBA trading deadline is three weeks away, and Daryl Morey has to be agonizing over what he can do to fix a broken basketball team. Plenty can happen in three weeks. Maybe something will click, and the Rockets will get on a roll. Before Ron Artest and Tracy McGrady returned, Rick Adelman said he expected it to take ''a few weeks'' to create a sense of team. If you're an optimist, you point to the fact that the Rockets had all their best players on the floor at the end of last night's game. They were unable to finish and lost to a team with less talent, but they at least had their best people out there. Are the best people the right people? It's impossible to forget how good the Rockets looked at times when McGrady and Artest weren't playing. No one can make the case the Rockets have a better chance in the playoffs without those guys. In fact, they have no chance in the playoffs without them. They also have no chance unless McGrady and Yao Ming are playing at a high level, and they didn't do that against the Sixers. They have no chance if McGrady is unable to finish plays the way good players are supposed to finish them. They have no chance if Yao is unable to impose his will and establish position in the low post. They have no chance if Artest is going to lose his focus a half-dozen times a game. Maybe, just maybe, Artest and McGrady can't play together. The Rockets probably thought that Artest's toughness would motivate McGrady, force him to go along. Instead, McGrady has done some of the same maddening things he has always done. He has jacked up jumpers when he should be making winning plays around the basket. He was seemed in a mental funk at times. Trading McGrady probably isn't the answer at this time. We're too far down the road, and I'm still not convinced it can't work. OK, call me hard-headed. There's certainly a mountain of evidence it won't work. If the Rockets fold again in the playoffs again, I'll be convinced that it's time to send McGrady packing and build around Yao. McGrady is still capable of being a special player. At least, I think he is. Then again, if he doesn't have the drive to be great, if he doesn't make winning plays at the end of a game, talent is irrelevant. How's that for stacking one contradiction on top of another? My point is I want to finish this season out with McGrady and Yao together. I don't know what chemistry issues exist in the locker room. I have a sense there's frustration with both Artest and McGrady. When Rafer Alson was talking about selfisness the other night, he could have been singling out either of them. Artest seems to be a follower more than a leader. Problem is, that's what McGrady is, too. Where Tim Duncan or Kobe Bryant or Dirk Nowitzky want to set the tone, Artest and McGrady go along with the tone that's being set by others. So that leaves it up to Alston or Yao or Aaron Brooks to get the two of the best three players interested. Artest has terrific stretches when others are sharing the ball and playing together on the defensive end. However when he sees McGrady playing casually, throwing up stupid jumpers and acting like it's not all that important to him, then he seems to lose his mind on the floor. He'll stop the ball, argue with refs, give up on the defensive end. What can change? Winning. Unfortunately, the Sixers game was one of those in which it was on McGrady to win the game, and he didn't come close to doing it. That's an old, old story now with McGrady. If Morey wants to get Artest out of town, I'm fine with that. I'm also fine with keeping this group together and finding out if last summer's blueprint will work. But something must change. Yao will play better as he gets back into the flow. He's simply not as issue. Artest is what he is. So it's once more on McGrady to be a difference-maker. It's on him and no one else.
4th Quarter Stats: T-Slack 0-4 FGs Yao Ming 3-3 FGs yeah, i'm sure for the last shot, Adelman wanted to go to the (previously) 0-3 T-Whack instead of the 3-3 Yao.
