ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Jazz @ Rockets 2/11/2003

Why don't we ask Rudy that along with the many other questionable calls he makes. I've been a supporter of Rudy for a long time, but it just seems like he doesn't seem to get it anymore.

 

This is my biggest beef with NBA officiating. I don't mind a bad call every no and again, but at least be consistent. You don't call a light bump (created by the offensive player) on one end of the court while ignoring a virtual mugging on the other end.

I agree with Mike Fratello: It shouldn' t matter when a foul happens or who is committing the foul. A foul is a foul. A travel is a travel. The refs should just call the game by the rules and leave the "superstar treatment" and "rookie treatment" at home. What's the point of instituting new defensive rules the last three seasons if the officials won't even enforce them?

 

I completely agree. Unfortunately, the NBA has taken the position that "the players should decide the game, not the Refs." In addition to the "superstar" treatment, there are also "makeup calls." The refs need to just call the game as they see it, it's becoming a joke.

 

Sad that we rank 27th in the league in assist. Thats 27 out of 29 there's a stat for everyone to see

 

like ESPN says in their current power rankings...

Rocks waste first half of the season by losing to weak teams and now 20 of last 33 is on the road...where they will most likely choke worst than they did in the first half of the season.

It's over. I would be shocked if the rockets made the playoffs.

 

I've never liked the "let the players decide the game" excuse. The players decide everything through their actions. If you don't want the other team to win on free throws, then play defense and don't foul. If you don't want to lose your possession, then stop traveling and carrying the ball. Example: Jordan's shot over Byron Russell and Utah to win that last championship. Jordan obviously pushed Russell to the ground (though it was a crafty push off a crossover). But no call!! I've heard guys say "the refs were letting the players decide the game on that play." But what about Russell? He was deciding the game by locking down on Jordan who was ultimately forced to foul just to get off the shot. But the refs decided the game by allowing Jordan the unfair advantage of pushing his defender down. Had it been Russell pushing Jordan, I am sure a whistle would have blown.

 

3 in row. well, something sure is consistant..

 

What are you talking about, the houston rockets are the secong youngest team in the nba.

 

I hear you, man. Some so-labeled "senior members" are getting on my nerves. I guess they are really senior people who misses all those good days, but keeps ignoring what's going on now on the court.

I will bring this "senior, junior" system issue up in a new thread sometime. We should have a better labelling system measured not by numbers of posts but something else.

 

Being ranked the 2nd youngest team is a misleading stat. I think the initial poster was referring to our core. Francis and Mobeley should be near their primes. Mo Tay and Glen are very experienced. Cato has been around for awhile now.

So the players that play alot have generally been around (otherwise than Yao and Eddie). I dont know why Eddie gets so much PT but that is another story.

I think our average age is skewed because our bench players that dont play many minutes are really young (moochie, boki, tmo etc.). We dont have guys like Kevin Willis, Oakley increasing those #s.

 

People seem to think "prime" times in a player's career come a lot earlier than they actually do... I personally don't think a person reaches their "prime" until around the age of 30, so they still have a ways to go. That's also around the age that male's health and physical condition peaks.

 

Cat is 28 years old.

 

POSTGAME QUOTES

http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/quotes030211.html

 

It seems to me that the Rockets attribute losses to randomness and luck, while the Utah Jazz understand that it is all about execution and following the game plan. I would like Steve or Mobley to at least realize that the decisions they make often cost the Rockets the game.

I went to the game, and I was struck by how the Jazz stayed patient and kept running their plays despite the pace getting more hectic and the Rockets hustling more. They didn't stray from the plan or lose focus.



Cuttino Mobley:
"They (the Jazz) made a run at the end of regulation that they shouldn’t have. I guess that’s the luck of the draw."

Steve Francis:
"Down the stretch, some things didn’t go our way and I’m not going to cry about it one bit. "


Karl Malone:
“We continue to execute and that always gives us a chance to win. You can’t get down, you just have to go out and play hard and execute. It was a very big win for us."

John Stockton:
"We set up a play and we have many options to run off it and the ball went to Matt and he made a hell of a shot. We made a shot that kept us in the game, but you really don’t want the game to come down to that."

 

funny how the players say nothing about missing rudy's orders....

 

It's all about making the most out of your opportunities. Jazz did and we didn't.

 

I agree, compare with Phx. Marbury and Francis are the same age, Marion is a couple years younger than Mobley. Amare is younger than both EG or Yau. They are also forced to play the 2nd year Johnson and would be playing a 2nd year center if he were healthy (instead they dug up Scot Williams from somewhere). If we finish below the Suns--who is a much less deep team who lost their major vet contributer in Penny and who have a core comparably younger due to the loss of Penny--that will reflect badly on us--especially the core that has been with our team (Rudy, Francis, Mobley, MoT, Mooch--in that order IMO). I don't think failure to make the playoffs will reflect much on Griff (too young), Cato (doing his job well), Posey (too new to the team) and Yao (too young and too new) however.

 

Rockets 97
Jazz 84

If we don't win this one, it's time to start looking to stealing another lottery..... LeBron James, Francis and Yao wouldn't be too shabby..... I'd rather have a playoff spot this year though!

 

No doubt the Jazz are a team that will not get raddled and hand over a game, they're just too damn experienced for that. Stockton and Malone can do their 2 man game blindfolded. They shot over 50% from the field with 35 assists,
BUT we still would have won the game if it wasn't for one hell of a shot by Harpring. Give that guy credit. Yao was all over that shot along with another teammate (can't remember who). We played a great game, low turnovers, and Yao got involved. 13 freethrows for Yao, I'll take that all day.
One thing that does irritate me is how a 2-13 FG shooter gets the last shot.....i know, he didn't have too much time to do anything else....but anyone besides that. Besides TMo, Francis and Yao got no help scoring. This was a win that got stolen........we're going to be in the hunt at year's end, don't panic yet.