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

GOD DAMN MAN!! YOU WERE SO CLOSE!!!!

 

I couldn't even begin to grade that outrageous get-up. Ha Ha. Little Richard, eat your heart out.



theSAGE

 

Yao has been ice cold of late - meaning like the last 8 freaking games now -, and if you ask me, they used him pretty effectively. He really helped out on D, like normal, but he just wasn't hitting his shots even with a very sizable amt. of attempts (15). Especially at the beginning, it was clear to me that they were trying to get him involved in the offense. Plus if luck won us this game, then we've been getting very lucky very frequently lately with our backcourt play, against some pretty good opposing backcourts, too.

Will there ever be a win anymore where someone won't b**** after a game just because they're bitter that Yao had another so-so night?

 

Yes actually, that play is very stoppable. First of all, I'm pretty sure that Rudy can't "get Yao in the low post" that easily against Shaq, that's a feat in itself that Yao's probably gonna have to do on his own... Plus, that move is very slow and predictable, if you get it off, sure it's a good bet, but if anyone else comes to help out, it's almost a sure turnover.

When the conditions are right, though, that's a damn effective move. You're right about that much.

 

I agree with you RocketGuy3. But to address that post you quoted, I think the Rox used Yao, offensively, pretty darn well. Things that Yao brought to the court, that only he alone could bring - energy, aggressiveness, endurance, mental toughness - were all there. But I think with Shaq guarding him, Yao settled to go for lower percentage turnaround/fadeaways. Seeing as Shaq CAN jump and that Yao wasn't creating enough space, these shots weren't falling. Other times, Yao was being pushed out of position. Couple that with one big turnaround (and not a spin) and he's 12-13-14 feet away from the hoop. I don't have the stats to back this up, but my feeling is that Yao's percentage rises exponentially the closer he gets to the hoop. This may sound intuitively obvious, but last nite, Yao was NOT getting those point blank shots that he HAD been getting in his big games this year.

One thing I DO think Yao and Rox might consider doing is letting Yao hit that open 15 footer at the top of the key. A few times, Yao received a pass up top there and the Rox offense kinda paused for a sec as Yao was clearly looking to pass. Nevertheless, with Shaq not wanting to go out and greet Yao, Yao had the clearest shot you can ask for with not a defender in sight. Here, for all the pregame comparisons, I think Yao SHOULD do his Rik Smits impersonation and just hit the open jumper. Of all the great centers, I personally, do NOT want to see Yao become more like Ewing and settle for fadeaways. It's a quick road to back problems and a low percentage game at best. Yao is best served emulating Hakeem, Shaq, Kareem... mastering those high percentage, "YOU CANT STOP ME", moves.

JMHO



theSAGE

 

Last Bit from Me

Some miscellaneous things I also find very encouraging.

By recollection, Yao entered the fourth quarter with three personal fouls. Since late November, Yao's really gotten the foul situation under wraps (In international ball, he was very foul prone). But now he is not only staying out of foul trouble, but he's also making smarter gambles on the defensive end. I'm sure most of you all have seen opposing players through two or more centers at Shaq and maximize their available fouls, yet to no avail. The fact that Yao can preoccupy Shaq single-handedly is a great sign.

Alternatively, Shaq had ZERO blocks. With Yao giving him a handful on both ends of the court, we didn't see Shaq floating around down there baiting guards into his house. If Yao were to start hitting that open 14 footer at the top of the key, we'd see even more pockets and lanes open up for our guards.

Whenever these two teams meet again, it will be interesting to see both Shaq AND Yao's adjustment based on what they've learned from this first meeting. Seeing Shaq bring back the power game late in fourth and OT made it glaringly obvious to me that, conditioning wise, Yao is not quite there to keep up with Shaq minute for minute. Nevertheless, a rested Yao has shown great promise to defend Shaq.

What a Great Game.



smilinSAGE

 

Great win, but one thing I would've loved to have seen is Yao going to the free throw line and getting fouls on Shaq. I'm sure getting those fouls will hurt, but it's a good way to play Shaq. Get Shaq in foul trouble and make him more tentative, especially late in the game. I wish Yao drove more to the basket because I also wanted to see how Shaq would defend a driving 7'5" stud. It's weird when your center gets zero free throws.

 

can anyone tell me how many chatters there were during the Lakers game last night? my poor connection left me on the outside trying to log in all night with no luck.

and can anyone clarify the time for tipoff against San Antonio?ClutchCity.net says 2:30 , but rockets.com says 4:00/ the schedule i downloaded onto my desktop also says 2:30.

what time is tipoff Monday?

 

I'm sure basketball fans pee'd their pants in the first 3 minutes of the game. I sure did.

 

<b>
ALL FANS, DON'T FORGET THE STEVE FRANCHISE IS THE MOST
HEROIC MAN IN THIS GAME.
HE PLAYED THE BEST GAME I HAVE EVER SEEN.
HE IS OUR FRANCHISE.
HE IS ABLE TO CARRY THE TEAM, CARRY MING AND CAT
TO THE PROMISED LAND.

GO STEVE!

</B>

 

Right, it was on this play when Shaq elbowed Yao's chin. Yao said it was still hurting last night.

 

Where is Jerry West? Where are the Jerry West "boot-lickers"?

Jerry said , Ming wasnt a shot blocker? West do you care to ask Shaq if Yao is a shot blocker or not? I didnt think so.

 

This was the best game I've seen since 95; game one. It actually brought tears to my eyes. The Franchise made me proud to be a Rocket fan.

One more thing Bill Walton is a dumbass.

 

Gosh I hope Stevie can come through like he did yesterday some more. The man was unbelievable. ESPN said that he talked with Jordan over the summer about leading a team and closing out games. Jordan must have gave Steve some pretty awesome lessons because I saw the Rockets version of MJ in overtime last night. He showed that he can be spectacular if he puts his mind to it like he did last night, if only he would step up in some of the lesser games against teams like Atlanta and the LA Clippers, we would be a great team. Lets get the enthusiasm for every game Steve! AWESOME performance by the Rockets on the whole, lets keep this streak alive!

 

Great Win!!! Rox...

But be reminded: ISO's are back... Our guards dribbling out of the 24 sec clock is back. We are going to live or die with this offense.
Why can't the Rockets move the ball like the Lakers...At least one thing the Lakers did a fine job on...
Still got room to improve.

Enjoy a great, great win for now....

 

Yeah, I used to absolutely DESPISE Walton for the longest time, but then he did a couple things that made me slowly like him a little more (namely praising Francis and Ming on many occasions). Lately, he's been saying more stuff that just gets annoying, and repetitive.

Still, he's probably the most... "entertaining" announcer that I've heard, and the one that seems to be the most accurate most of the time. Still don't know if he's my favorite, or if I even have a favorite. What I like about him is that he's so outspoken, and never the least bit afraid to state his opinion, no matter how outrageous it is. A lot more announcers do that now, but I think he may have started the trend cuz I remember when games came on NBC, so many of the announcers other than him were so boring. They would state nothing but the dull facts, and the occasional little tidbit about a player's personal life - wouldn't even dare question the most questionable calls by an official.

But he was pissing me off a lot last night, too, hehe.

 

that does sound pretty corny! what does someones financial status have anything to do with this??? ???

i personally thought this racial thing went a tad overboard, and i thought it was a done deal... HISTORY... but no... Shaq added in his postgame comments about the journalist/writer (Irwin Tang?) as an "idiot" doing some publicity stunt for his publication... Shaq need not apologize to Yao... it was Irwin Tang and some other Asian Americans that denounced Shaq's moronic remarks in the first place... therefore Shaq should've apologized to these Asian Americans who bore the brunt of Shaq's silly mocking some Chinese dialect... BUT INSTEAD... called these individuals "idiots"... i don't think this is over yet, esp after these postgame comments

 

pasox2,

the only thing that was lucky was Kobe missing that crucial free throw. The last play is a bread n butter play just like anything we ran for Hakeem. So far, it is pretty unstoppable. There is nothing lucky about Francis making that shot.

but really, what I don't get about your criticism for the 4th quarter is that you are not giving any credit to the best 4th quarter defense in the world for the past 3 years. The Lakers are the best. There is no shame in having a lull in the 4th against the Lakers (just ask San Antonio and the Kings in the last two years, and Kidd last year), so there is no reason to look at that and use it as some criticism of Rudy. There is no team in the world that can beat the 4th defense of the Lakers consistently except the Kings now. We don't have their chemistry. No shame in that.

What we did was matched their defense, and hung in there to allow our talent to win a clutch game.

Your critique is narrow-minded in the sense that you are not giving credit to the defense of the Lakers and the defense of the Rockets. We played well to enable us to survive a predictable defensive clamp down by the Lakers, and we had the necessary play calls and talent to win.

Every win against the Lakers in a playoff atmosphere is a major achievement.

 

I think a lot of people missing the game yesterday. No, I am not talking about the physical play of the basketball on the court. I'm talking about the little thing that went un-notice. The fact that Shaq came to Yao and shook his hand was unexpected. The fact that Shaq's Dad came down off the court to hug Yao and gave him the recognition at the end of the game is classy. The fact that Yao and his family took the initiative to invite Shaq to dinner at around the Christmas time is another classy act. I think we should all learn from this regarding how to treat others with "Respect". I would never imagine it will come from an NBA.

 

Yeah the boy Yao Ming has class written all over him. Shaq is not bad either, just a big kid.

"We have so much to learn from them" quoted Bill Walton.