ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Lakers @ Rockets 1/17/2003

Wow! What a game. I have the game taped and going to watch it over and over and over again and again and again.

Yao stood to the challenge! Francis and Mobley rocked!

Yao did his job:
1. Protect the basket. 6 Blocks, 4 on Shaq! The entire rockets protected the basket well. Kobe didn't have a signle dunk, and he just settled for outside jumpers mainly.
2. Set screens for pick and roll. Two crucial ones. One for Francis near the end of regulation for his open 3. One for Francis again near the end of OT when he drive to the basket and put Lakers defense in disarray and found open Yao.

I think Rudy T intensionally did not set Yao on the low-post against Shaq in this game. I sure hope this will change soon. Yao got post moves!

 

Oh please!!! What about the fouls called on the Rockets during regulation when there was no contact? What about giving the Fakers possession when Houston should have gotten the ball at the end of regulation?? That's the possession that allowed them to tie in the 1st place!! Fakers are whiners, always will be.

 

amen......Lakers had chance to win in regulation if Kobe hits free throw, but he didn't. Then francis hits a big three. That out of bounds call could have easily cost the Rockets the game. I thought Rockets had lost when i saw that miscall.

 

This was no luck, they fought hard and deserved this win.
No one gave them anything, they took what they wanted.

Exciting, Exciting game...best of the year so far...

Im brimming with pride and excitement!

 

Typical Lakers after a lost.

Phil and Shaq blame on the refs for the lost.

 

Very unclassy comments by Shaq in the ESPN game recap:

"The unfortunate thing is it had to be decided by them,'' O'Neal said of the officials. "A whole bunch of people who paid a lot of money had to see a game that was decided by someone who doesn't make a lot of money. That's unfortunate.''

 

The whole game Yao stood his ground defensively against Shaq, until late in the 4th Q and in OT. This was the first time I actually saw him really tired. He let Shaq get closer and closer to the basket toward the end.

The entire team seemed out of gas during crunch time. Rudy said before the game that their strategy was to run on the Lakers. They did follow the game plan in the first half and got many fast break points. In the 4th Q, they were just walking up the court. The "motion" in the motion offense stopped, and they relied on guards ISOs, which got us through because of Steve's physical talent.

Man, what a game!

We are on pace to double last season's wins.

 

Just got through watching the game again... couldn't sleep.


Classic.

 

I thought it was Kings cried for a year about ref, not the Lakers

 

Ok, ok, he also called Yao a "Classy Guy"...give Shaq a break, he's upset about the loss and he said that right after the game...had we lost, i'm pretty sure some of us would have made the same type of comments....

 

GREAT WIN by the way, and thanks to Codell and company for the Play by Play Chat !

 

I have to admit I was disturbed watching the rebroadcast at 3 this morn. I have to credit Steve's will to power and Mobley's strong game and Posey's very good contribution, but Rudy makes my head hurt. A - Yao can shoot OVER Shaq all day from outside. Why wasn't this in the game plan? EVER!?! B - 4th quarter coaching horrendous. NO play out of timeout. No timeout called. I do not understand this man's thinking. Watch it again, maybe you'll see we were lucky to win. This wasn't a performance we could repeat; it wasn't a superior game plan using superior skills at maximally profitable position. It was punishment and good luck. Thank goodness - but geez, you can't depend on that. We must find a better way to use the Big Man.

 

I think its pretty clear why it wasn't. Yao has been shooting very poorly lately. He showed it this game too. But lets stop with the criticism for a minute and enjoy this great win! Amazing game...I haven't felt like that about a Rockets game since their last championship run. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Have to agree. We are still an undisciplined team. Pretty out of control and played some playground stuff at times. The brilliance of SF pulled us out of this game but we can't rely on that every night.

 

When Shaq made a baseline reverse layup on Yao in the third quarter, the annoucer said after that he looked Dream and Dream winked at Shaq. These guys were enjoying the game.

 

I will have to agree with this.

And then I find this article on one of the Californian papers.

 

I bet every body on this board knew what play Rudy was going to call at the closing seconds of the game. He will probably call that play all year. This guy is to simple minded for this team to reach it's full potential.

 

On that game-tying 3-pt play, I have wondered many times why the opposing centers didn't just come out on SF. Maybe they are all aware of YM's 3 pt shooting ability. LOL.

 

Maye because yao Ming isn't shooting wel lately
and maybe because steve played brilliant
can't you just be happy we won????
And i get the feeling we are repeating this kind of victories
After a game that we beat the defending champions (when they where on a winning streak) and are now 2-0 against the lakers, you stil find something to complain about, i find it sad

 

Some shots from the game. Not too bad, considering my seats were pretty far from the floor. Notice the man in the gold suit in the front row, and the other ex-Rocket center next to him?