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

Hope that Yao's nose does not bleed.

 

ouch that looks painful

 

The ISO's aren't back anymore then they were previously this season. You may have just thought so because there were a few plays where the Rockets broke down somewhat late in the 4th and in OT because they were possibly over anxious and trying to run the clock down a wee bit to early. At least that's what it looked like to me, and Francis ended up taking it to Kobe or Fisher 1 on 1. Besides, I hate it when people assume that everything has changed (for the better or worse) after they see a pattern in one freaking game. Also, maybe they were just being used a wee bit more because they were working. Francis was hot.

After that post, I can't even tell whether or not you're enjoying this win. Just chill. It was a good win, and we're a good team, and you're just b****ing pointlessly.

One note that I should bring up though that is kinda disturbing is that we've won 8 of our last 10, but those 2 losses were pitiful. One was a tight home loss to the Warriors and the other to a Glennless Hawks. WE COULD BE ON A 10 GAME WIN STREAK!!!

 

I feel your pain. Then again, the Rockets should have lost some of the tougher games so maybe it was a tradeoff. The Rockets seem to lax against lesser opponents though, really bugs the living hell out of me. Why cant they play with the same intensity as the Lakers game night in night out

 

Hey, I read it somewhere that Yao Ming is the only center so far this season to get a double double against Shaq.

Is there anybody who still doubts that we've the 2nd best center in the leauge?

 

That'd be nice, wouldn't it? I'm getting sick of them playing down to their competition.

 

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/1741391

Haven't you noticed that Yao got the inbounds pass somewhere behind (or just inside) the 3-point line? What is he doing 22-23 feet away from the basket, UNLESS...

Make no mistake about it folks, it's not a coincidence that Yao was positioned in that area. He's an option to take the three and might have taken the shot if Francis found himself well-covered.

But that's our secret, right rockets fans?

 

No. Yao always rolled in after setting the screen. He's not an option to take a 3.

 

No one doubts that Yao is 2nd best...but come on! Is the center position that pitiful this season? NO ONE other than Yao has gotten a double-double against Shaq???

 

why is it that no one can stop that play we run at the end of games. i mean miami said they knew exactly what we were going to run and now the lakers appear to have known too and yet between both teams the most steve was challenged was brian grant sort of showing at the last second though having no real chance at affecting the shot. is it that hard to tell the guy guarding yao to just immediately take off after steve (even before the handoff as it seems the play wouldn't have an option for yao to react to this) and challenge/stop the shot and force a pass. i can't believe it's that unstoppable. hell if it is, then more power to us, but somewhere along the lines it will be stopped. i don't pay that close of attention to the non-yao/steve part of it, but are there other people moving (i.e. cuttino coming off a screen on the other side timed so that he gets there about a second after steve in case steve is guarded) that would provide an immediate outlet for francis in case the play does break down?? i hope there is, because someone will probably defense it one day (although 4 times in a row they haven't so who knows).

also, i still have no idea why miami didn't foul yao during the part of the play when he was holding the ball in 2 pt territory (which is a good 2 seconds worth of holding it) when we had no timeouts and there were 5 seconds left and we couldn't afford to get in a ft contest. dumb dumb dumb.

 

I am checking the stats of all starting centers against Shaq on espn...

In Shaq's 27 games he's played so far,

Ilgauskas did have a 20 pts games but only got 2 rebs.

Gasol (they listed at C) also had 11 pts and 9 rebs and 24 pts and 7 rebs.

Really Yao is the only one to put up a double double against Shaq although he did have the luxury of OT.

 

Yao, on why O'Neal didn't come to his place for dinner on Thursday night: "I don't think our refrigerator is big enough."

 

HAHA I wouldnt be surprised. Shaq is basketballs Babe Ruth. Not in the fact that he is the most lovable or greatest, but that he eats the most

 

Shaq dominance of other centers is more a reflection of what a special player Shaq is rather than the poor state of affairs at the center position. It's like saying Shaq in another era would just be just another center. Similary, I do not buy the reasoning that for Yao to do well, the center position in the NBA today is weak...

 

some of yao's rebounds looked impressive. looks like he was power rebounding some of them and some, he looked like he really went up high for them.

 

I was pleased to see Yao rebound like that.He didn't try to tip the ball to himself which would have resulted in fouls. However he does tend to do that when he has someone else going for the ball but he is improving.
On ISO's,I'm bothered by them. It results in mistakes and easy points for other teams and makes it easy for them to know what we are going to do. Francis waved Griffin off and went into ISO mode even though there was nobody around him and when we took a timeout late in the 4th quarter Francis drove the ball and ran into 4 defenders and lost the ball. I don't what Rudy had discussed with him and the rest of the guys. We need to cut this stuff out.
Keep on pushing the ball up the court and pass to the open man or pass it back to the guards from the inside.

 

WHAT??? Shaq's not lovable to anyone but Lakers fans!!!

 

BTW, why doesn't ANYONE EVER have a picture of someone other than Yao after a game???

 

HAHA nooo, i said that shaq is like babe ruth NOT in the fact that he is the most lovable, but in the fact that HE EATS ALOT.
lol im the #1 shaq hater dont get me wrong

 

Great game..

A great picture would have been...

Yao Ming, Hakeem Olajuwon, Mose Malone, Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Francis, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, David Carr, Kenny Smith, and Roger Clemens. Wouldn't seem fit but I would like a picture of all of them together. Did anyone take a picture of them?