ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Blazers @ Rockets 11/12/2002

BTW,


This may be an interesting read for some people. It's a guy called Pete's take on the Blazers-Rockets game, from Blazers.com.

"So now the Blazers turn their attention to the rested Houston Rockets (it’s amazing in that all of the teams Portland played on this trip had at least two off days in which to prepare). The Rockets have played just five games so far with wins over Toronto, Denver and Golden State and losses to Seattle and Indiana. It will be a big night for the Rockets as Maurice Taylor will return for the first time in a more than a year; Taylor missed last season with an Achilles injury and lost the first five games of this season to suspension. Taylor hasn’t played in an NBA game in 538 days, so he’s chomping at the bit. While most of the attention gets focused on the Rocekts’ dynamic duo of Cuttino Mobley and Steve Francis, there’s also a load of talent in the frontcourt. Kenny Thomas is growing into a fine NBA forward and Eddie Griffin is showing that he can be a good player as well.

Houston will be playing with a tremendous amount of confidence, coming off their best performance of the season, a 111-104 win over Golden State. Francis is playing particularly well and is ranked in the top 20 in 16 different statistical categories. Rudy Tomjanovich has a pretty good bench to rely on, especially with Glen Rice and rookie Yao Ming. Rice has struggled with his shot, hitting just two of his first eleven attempts, but you know he’s too good a shooter to do that all season long. Ming is playing an average of fourteen minutes per game and is scoring 2.6 points per game and pulling down 3.6 points per game as Rudy T. works to get him transitioned into the NBA game. Incidentally, when Ming was asked about Arvydas Sabonis and his passing acumen, Ming replied, “I use Sabonis as a reference.”

A good start is critical for the Blazers. Houston is playing at home with a lot of confidence and if Portland gets down early, the rested Rockets may just keep on rolling. The Blazers must come out strong with good offensive execution right off the opening tap and they must make a statement on the backboards like they did Saturday night against San Antonio. The Blazers still lurk in the shadows of the NBA rebounding statistics, claiming just under 39 rebounds per contest. Portland must also shoot free throws much better than they are right now. The Blazers are hovering around 65 percent from the line, the second-lowest mark in the league. Finally, the Blazers must defend strongly against Francis and get the ball out of his hands. Last night in Dallas, the Blazers did an excellent job of shutting down Steve Nash in the first half and they’ll need a similar effort against Francis. "


Sounds like they have an awful lot to overcome to beat us. Maybe this game will draw a larger croud? Blazers a re a playoff team, Quitten is hated, and the Rockets are playing well. A bigger, more energetic crowd will wear the Blazers down.

 

oh, i've seen him. and yes, he is smoooooth. however, he is missing the one thing i saw from tmac from day one: the aggression. tmac is smoooth but will definitely take a game over - even in year one you saw that abiliity (though he was largely unsuccessfull doing it at 1st). quintel strikes me more as a young scottie pippen.

oh, and as far as athleticism, i don't know that there is a more athletic player in the league outside of the mcgrady/carter family...including kobe. speaking of whom, i could never put kobe next to tmac because kobe plays with the best player in the league. talk about a luxury!!! plus kobe tends to break too many offensive sets to "get his." tmac can be the focus, but at the same time score w/i a system. i don't know that kobe's ego will ever allow him to do that.

put mcgrady on that team with shaq and i don't know if they'd lose more than 8 games in a season....seriously.

 

There is video of Rudy T talking about tonight's game and how he plans to use the rotation of Griffin, Mo, and Kenny on the floor at once.

www.nba.com/rockets

 

What does everyone think about our chances of beating a team that is tired and having been playing back to back. I still believe it's going to be a close game.

 

Marion could give them a run for their money, and you gotta mention J. Richardson IMO-I'd still agree with TMac though.

Patterson has owned the Rockets over the past few years. I suspect KT will see minutes guarding him because he's the only guy with the speed/strength combo to do so.

I think Griffin-Wallace is a key matchup. Wallace must either be shut down, or Griffin must offensively put up a game near matching him.

 

We are going to cream them tonight. I am pumped! I hope that Steve pimp slaps Pippen.

 

Rockets should break out of their lil shell tonite.
Rocks 105
Blazers 86

 

We are coming back. YAO WITH THE JAM!!!

 

Yao is looking good (stat-wise). 4 points, 3 boards and (*taps wooden desk*) no fouls so far!!

GO ROCKETS!!!

 

4 points? I must've missed his 4th point when I got up to get icecream.

 

Yep, 1-1 from the field and 2-2 from the line.

BTW, what the hell is an "Official Timeout" (or "Officials Timeout")?? Isaw it on the game log on ESPN and just wanted to know what it is.

 

Negatives:
Shooting percentage in the 1st half is too low !!!
If you keep on missing, shouldn't you pass inside and let the big guys score or penetrate inside and draw fouls from the opponents and at least shoot some free throws?

Didn't control the ball well, 6 TOs

Positives:
Well-distributed points, almost everyone scored...

 

CAT sucks. He could have passed the damn ball to another open guy in the last possesion in the 2nd. Same as SF. They never f**king learn. One of them got to go. Yao should have started the game. Jason suuuuuuccccccks.

 

Why isn't Yao getting more shots?!?

 

They scored the first 6 points in the 3rd when CAT was on the bench. Hawkins replaced him. He is going to start very soon.

 

nevermind.... i thought the game was on tv but they were just showing a few minutes of it

 

alright, i dont get to watch rockets games here so when espn FastBreak cuts into the rox, im definately watching.

however.....

they showed apprx. 1.5 mins of the game and what do i happen to see? mobley pissing me off as usual . the 2 times he touched the ball he didnt even to look to pass - not even once. both times, about 20 secs. on the clock, he dribbles for about a second or two, drives to the basket, runs into 3 or 4 blazers and throws up a prayer - neither of which hit the rim.

When i only get to watch 2 mins of rockets every two weeks, this is what i dont wanna see.

other than that, i cant say much.... once again, that was all i got to see.

 

Crucial blocks by Griffin at the end!

 

YES!!! We are going to make the playoffs! WE KICK ASS!!!

 

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!

Where the Francis Haters at! You better jump on the Band wagon while there still a few seats left.