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

cmellon...please don't pull an empiric.

 

Shaq should do well tonight!...If Yao scores 15 pts (45% or higher shooting percentage), grabs 10-14 rebounds, changes 5-10 shots, blocks a shot or two and make a couple dishes I would be extremely proud of him. Anything over that is extra. I doubt we have gotten that from a center vs. Shaq since The Dream. Most importantly the focus of this team tonight should be to win the game and end LA's mini streak.

 

More Keys to this Game

1. Yao cannot simply be passive and let the game come to him.
IMHO, I think he HAS to come out aggressive with the mentality to SCORE. Now I'm not advocating he do wild things like throw up 3s, but he SHOULD play more selfishly from the get-go. Yao's aggressiveness in the early going should give us all a clue as to how the rest of the nite should fare. Moreover, btw brute force (Shaq) vs. savviness (e.g. Divac), what's the tougher defensive assignement? Truth is, I think the latter is the tougher assignment. If Yao demonstrates that he can physically stand up (literally) to Shaq's post moves then that itself is a huge moral victory. Yao is highly adaptable and will learn to play to his strengths while exploiting Shaq's weaknesses.

2.Thx to new NBA rules, post players can not simply pull the "Barkley" back-em down tactic in the past
However enforcement of this rule is inconsistent at best. Hopefully, the refs WILL be looking for that Shaq off-hand, off-elbow and off-buttocks, to call offensive fouls when necessary. Fortunately, since Yao is taller, I think he can safely preserve the family jewels for a future generation of Yao.



theSAGE

 

Individual Matchup Considerations

I'm glad we have Posey filling in for Rice
Not to take anything away from Rice, I'm kinda glad he's on the DL right now. Matched against Fox, Rice would probably be "exposed" on defense whenever a lively Fox is making hard cuts w/o the ball. Defensively, if we were to go man for man, I hope they give the Kobe assignment to Posey. Posey has demonstrated the quick hands, quick feet, and quick instincts to effectively D-up against the leagues premier guards. Moreover I like Posey's consistent defensive intensity even when his opponent does not have the ball. These things will factor into how fast (if it's even at all possible) the Rox can tire out Kobe by making him work both ends of the floor.

Mobley is better off guarding Fox
Alternatively, I like the idea of Mobley guarding Fox too. Fox is nowhere near as offensively prolific as during his Celtic days. Mobley will have a better matchup here given his relative footspeed and offensive "style". Height wise, it should also be good but Mobley should have a better chance against Fox then he does against Kobe. My fear of Mobley defending Kobe is that Kobe not only works Mobley down on both ends of the court, but that Koke goes on to really make Mobley invisible on the offensive end as well. We need Mobley's productivity, or threat thereof, and therefore, I like him on Fox instead.

The Rox Bench needs to be ready to play likea starting unit
Benchwise, I don't see any reason why our second unit can't handle the Lakers. However, by virtue of minute distribution, the Lakers essentially have only ONE unit - i.e. Shaq + Kobe and then a hodgepodge of supporting players. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how Cato deals with Shaq and how TMo and Mooch deal with the other Lakers. I would be highly surprised if Yao averaged more than 26 minutes in this game by going minute for minute against Shaq. Therefore, it is incumbent that Cato brings his "A" game to this big event.



theSAGE

 

I agree with you. I think Yao should be fronting Shaq. If that pick is set and Shaq scoots to the other side, then the defender over there needs to slide down and front Shaq, preferrably Eddie or maybe even Cato, and then sandwich him with Yao in back. If no pick, then Yao fronts him, and if they get it over the top, Eddie comes in from the backside for the double team.

I can't see Rudy just letting Yao go one on one with SHaq down low. If he does, Shaq will kill us like he does everybody else, and we will be much weaker offensively because Yao will be on the bench with foul trouble. We need Yao's offense too much for him to get into foul trouble.

Bring Yao out high on the offensive end, and let him stick a couple 17 footers in Shaq's grill, forcing Shaq to make a decision, come out and defend, or give Yao the shot. If Shaq comes out, look out below with the guards cutting to the basket and Yao feeding them. If Shaq doesn't come out, they'll have to rotate off somebody else to even get a hand in Yao's face. We gonna need Eddie and TMo hitting those 14 footers tonight.

 

if you have satelitte turn on espn...but now you only got 3 more hours to go...

 

francis should have a big game. Fisher cannot stop francis

 

Doritos...check
Beer....check
Cable TV....check

I love this game.

 

CALLING ALL CANADIANS

FYI – The game is being televised on The Score tonight. See the epic battle live!

 

I expect Ming's numbers won't match Shaq's. Actually his number today could be very low. That is much anticipated because Yao is a team oriented player. That is his personality. He would not mind his numbers when confronting Shaq. Shaq will blame every team member if he can't get enough touch. Ming has no such influnence on his team mates. More people voted for Ming not because of his numbers but because of his personality and humility. I will judge Ming's performance based on how he makes Rockets winning. Ming will fight through the game and Rockets will grab a close win!!!

 

Only 2 hours 3 minutes and 15 seconds until game time!

 

Still 2 hours to go! I have never be so excited about a sport event in my life! Wasting more than half of my time on the web and this BBS reading the hype articles.

Get off work in time. Check.
Got ESPN channel. Check.
Big Screen TV. Check.
VCR with a blank tape ready. Check.
Ice-cold Bear. Check.

Life is good!

 

DO YALL THINK THE ROCKETS CAN COVER THE LINE........THE BOOKS SAY ROCKETS+5POINTS....WHAT DO YALL THINK?

 

In LA, the hype isn't as much. Most of the LA Faker's fans think Yao is going to be doing mostly outside shooting tonight. I'd like to see go inside on Shaq just to mix things up a bit.

An interesting stat that was brought up in the radio talkshow here. In the first ever meeting between Kareem Jabbar and Bill Walton, Kareem destroyed Walton. 50 to 7. Wow.

I hope it doesn't get that bad tonight.

 

Freshfruit -check
Nuts -check
Raisons -check
Yogurt -check
Oat Cookies -check
Pot of Tea -check
Veg/EggRolls-check
TV -check
Ch 51 -check
(Different strokes for different folks)

 

Yes, and I got clobbered today on my driving test (Ontario, admittedly, which may be different from U.S.). Be afraid. Or pray.

 

Excellent point. Moreover, Shaq's teammates know how important this game is to Shaq and will be extremely concious of giving him the ball tonight. I think Yao and the Rockets will be able to hold their own if and only if YAO's teammates demonstrate the same conviction to dump it down to THEIR big man.

 

thanks for reminding me to record this game just in case yao did have a good game..then i would want to watch it over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again..haha ha ha

 

Rockets Pillow: Check
Rockets Basketball: Check
Rockets T: Check
Buffalo Wings: Check
Nachos and Dip: Check
Coca-Cola: Check
ESPN: Check
Yao Ming BobbleHead: ACK!!!!!

Oh No! The NEXT E-bay auction ends in 56 minutes!!!!



hungrySAGE

 

But Ice-cold Bear is a dead bear...