ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Jazz @ Rockets 12/23/2002

I hope the Rocket play better defense in the first half than what they show lately. It's hard to come back against the Jazz because they play so smart. The Jazz play team defense so you have to be patience and not forcing things. If Houston play in control and use their athletic abilities wisely then they should be able to break down the Jazz. It is a home game and Yao usually excel when a star inside player come to town. Even though Malone is not the same as he was in the past, the name recognition should provide extra incentive for Yao to play well. Houston need to establish the inside game early to force the Jazz to scramble on defense and create mismatch for us.

 

Hope Yao gets more balls tonight !

Minnespolis Star Tribune => Dan Barreiro: Yao learns Rockets don't share the ball well (Published Dec. 22, 2002)

http://www.startribune.com/stories/506/3549002.html

Contrary to November's conventional wisdom, new Houston Rockets center Yao Ming was not on track to become the worst center in the history of the modern NBA. Contrary to December's conventional wisdom, Yao is not quite ready for the Basketball Hall of Fame.

The truth, as was evident in the Timberwolves' 98-86 victory over the Rockets at Target Center on Saturday night, is somewhere in between.

Yes, Yao has considerable skill, and as Flip Saunders said, a remarkable calmness to his game, especially for someone just becoming familiar with a different game in a strange new land. But Yao also has much to learn about the ways and means of the NBA.

For example, he will have to learn to grin and bear on it on the nights when his perimeter-happy teammates continue a long-standing propensity to fling shots, sometimes really stupid ones, from almost anywhere on the court.

The Rockets have several players, notably Cuttino Mobley and Glen Rice, who like to shoot early and often from the outside.

This is something that Hakeem Olajuwon, the last great Rockets center, was forced to digest late in his distinguished career. This is something that Yao, the next great Rockets center, will have to learn at the start of his career.

Saturday night, the Rockets put on one of those maddening displays. Rice took 12 shots in 26 minutes, and he missed eight.

He was 1-for-6 from three-point range. Mobley was 0-for-6 from three-point range.

The Rockets took 19 three-pointers overall (making two). On nights when they hit their perimeter shots, they look like they can beat anybody. But on nights when the shots are clanking early and often, you would think that one of these years they would get the message.

But the Rockets are awfully stubborn, as Yao, who took only 13 of the Rockets' 82 shots, no doubt is figuring out. Yao, by the way, entered the game as a 58.3 percent shooter. Mobley is at 41.7 and Rice at 42.2. "Guys just dribbled up and pulled up and took shots, and that hurts us," admitted Rockets guard Steve Francis.

Yet Saunders insists that for Yao, there is a blessing to this madness. "Lately they've done a pretty good job at getting him plenty of touches," the Wolves coach said. "And even if he's not taking that many shots, it might help him early because it will keep the pressure off him."

It will, only if the other Rockets figure out that eventually Yao should be the fellow that gets the most shots not just every third or fourth night, but every single night.

"He's the second-best center in the league already, all things considered," Saunders said. "Offensively, he's got a lot of skill, and once he gets the ball down low, it's over. He already changes the way you have to play."

On Saturday night, he started slowly. Rasho Nesterovic, who has shown notable signs of improvement, was the better center in the first quarter. Yet there were moments, especially the rest of the game, when Yao was merciless. He put an explosive drop-step move on Nesterovic in which he was 15 feet from the basket one moment and right at the goal the next.

He had a thunderous follow slam dunk. He had a nifty one-handed, Arvydas Sabonis-like pass to Rice for an easy hoop, and blocked a shot by Nesterovic. He also had a shot blocked by Joe Smith, and turned over the ball six times.

Yao finished with 12 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, three blocked shots and one steal.

The most refreshing thing of all? He got smacked around, he got double-and triple-teamed, and he did not complain even once, in any language. He didn't even whine after the game. "Teams are changing their defenses," he said through an interpreter. "I need to work and challenge myself to come out and play better. If they're going to switch their defense, I need to change my offense."

Said Kevin Garnett: "It's his first year and he's got that hype and people want to see if it's real or not. Is this true? People see that this is supposed to be the best guy from overseas in the last 10 years and it's like, 'OK, come here and prove it.' "

This must be the depressing part for Minnesota: When the Wolves came into the league, the Rockets had a franchise center named Olajuwon. Now, the Rockets have another one.

The Wolves, who have tried no fewer than 20 centers in 14 seasons, are still looking for their first.

 

Rockets will win! 92-80

 

"solid" logic.

 

Please Rockets.....................beat the ever living @#$@#$ out of the Jazz. Please!



Rockets by 8

98-90

 

"Jazz assistant coach Kenny Natt has spent much of the past week watching game films to help formulate a gameplan against Yao. "

The Jazz has a spent a week preparing against Yao and the Rockets. What are Houston's coaches doing to device a game plan against the Jazz ?

 

DEATH TO THE SPAZZHOLES!

 

Stevie, I believe, really dislikes Stockton and usually goes off on him/Utah. I abhor the Bees (oh, I mean the Jazzies).

Stevie and Yao = double triple doubles!

 

Even today, it pisses me off soo soo much when I remember Francis being hit with technicals and being given his marching orders when he was having the best game of his career.

Was it 26 or 28 points at halftime before he got thrown out against the Jazz?

He would've hit 50 points, he was like the Energizer bunny after a barrell of Red Bull or something. Such a shame to ruin a game like that for something so stupid.

Has Francis played the Jazz since that game? I mean, there have been injuries, and he hasn't played them this season...Maybe it's fresh on his mind?

 

I hate the Jazz and Flopton as much as anyone else, but a word of warning:

I watched them put the defensive clamps on the Mavs last week. Maybe the best team defense I've seen this year. They trapped and closed out on perimeter players and took Dallas completely out of what they wanted to do.

Mavs didn't have an inside threat, but we do. Hopefully Yao will "bring it" tonite............IF HE GETS THE BALL!!

D R

 

Harper is having wonderful time so far this year, Kirlolinko(spell?) is good too. So it's not only marlone and stockton, Utah is tough to beat. Plus Foster has some weight advantage against Ming. It will be difficult for Ming to get good position tonight. I am not too optimistic about this one.

 

feishen, get out of here with your negativity...and don't dare wear a "we always believed" t-shirt when we win it all again one day...

 

I want a Goodfellas style beatdown laid on the Jazz tonight. I want Stockton and Malone crawling around the floor of the Compaq Center looking for their teeth. I want Jerry Sloan to curl up in the fetal position at center court, weeping and whimpering after the realization hits him that the Houston Rockets will win many, many more championships before he, or the Utah Jazz ever will. In short, I want that team to go down in a burning heap like the Hidenburgh.

Can you tell I'm not a big fan of the Jazz?

 

ABSOLUTE MUST-WIN GAME!!!

 

For the first time ever, I want Malone and Stockton to stick around for NEXT season. Why?

I want them to see the Rockets take the Championship AGAIN with a NEW generation of players, which would ultimately mentally disturb Stockton and Malone. From the next year onwards, they will pick highschool players as much as possible, and trade them at age 25 with the fear that they'll grow old and not win a title.

 

A final score of 134 - 73 would not be good enough for me.

 

sweet. i just got a call from a friend who said a friend of his wanted to go to the game tonight so i will be at the laptop taking the game in (assuming we can get tickets, but provided a huge swarm of jazz haters doesn't descend upon compaq that should be no problem). that now makes the game far far more important than it's already high level of importance. add to that that my friend (the one who called) is a huge jazz fan (why god why) and it's even more important still. so we best win. steve, school flopton on offense like you always do and try to not get schooled on the other end. EG, if you feel the need, give malone a right hook to the face as he is coming down the court. ming, dominate whatever no name loser they put at center. and doesn't sloan hate double teaming, i'm sensing ming should get the ball a lot. our D better not get picked apart and we better kick some ass. my first game i'll be going to this year, hopefully not sitting straight behind a basket so i can actually see the whole court. we need this win. kill the spazz.

 

well I'm going to my first Rockets game in 5 years tonight. Just got into Houston on Friday and bought tickets to see the hated Jazz. Sure its Utah, but I still would like to see Malone and Stockton in person for the first time.

I somewhat understand about the attendance now. Tickets were damn expensive. I wanted to be able to see the game without binoculars, and I wanted a good view... if I didn't get these two things, than hell I may as well stay home and watch on TV!

family of four... $250

dayum.

 

Rocks have trouble when the other team has guards as quick or quicker then ours.

This is not the case with Utah.

Rocks by 13.

DaDakota

 

I think Yao should have a considerable easier time against Ostertag. Not only is he slow, but also lacks basketball IQ. However, I wanna see Yao fare up against Malone. It should be an interesting match up. Also, the key to winning this game tonight is for all the perimeter shooters to stop taking lousy shots! You know who you are...Cutino and Rice....play smart!