ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Mavericks @ Rockets 2/21/2003

But, I'm funny how?
Funny like a clown?
I amuse you?
I make you laugh?
I'm here to fu@kin' amuse you?
How the fu@k am I funny?
What the fu@k is so funny about me?

 

Yao is a nice guy, but he's getting tougher. Did you guys notice how in the 2nd half Yao was looking to score each time he had the ball and not by shooting fadeaways but by taking it to the hoop? He may never be like K-Mart or Artest, but it was clear he was playing angry.

He was off tonight, but he played well in the 2nd half. He really came out aggressive and if he can sustatain that level he's going to be a force. When he scored 9 in a row in the 3rd quarter he was either getting fouled or scoring. He wasn't shooting anything outside of 5 feet of the hoop. He was definitely getting sick of getting hammered inside.

Yao maybe a nice guy, but everyone has their limits. I think Yao will never be the enforcer type, but I don't think he'll be a soft player either. He's learning. People are starting to catch elbows.

BTW, I agree with the call on Cuban. I can't believe the refs have caved in under pressure. Rudy should say something and get the fine, it works well for Riley and it looks like it worked for Cuban. Yao was getting fouled on nearly every trip. I don't want this to be the new strategy to stop our big man.

 

OFFICIALS: Bob Delaney, Mark Wunderlich, Gary Zielinski

TECHNICALS: Dallas 2, Houston 2
Dallas - Coach Nelson, Najera
Houston - Coach Tomjanovich, Francis

TEAM FOUL TOTALS
DAL- 18
HOU - 17

 

dang! did she cook for the entire Rox team? was it soul food?

 

Well, if that's truly what you believe, then I can't really argue with you. So, I'll just say the Rockets aren't even close to the Mavs, and the main reason is shooting. The Rockets haven't had one good, consistent shooter this season, which gives them the 21st ranked offense in the league. The Mavericks have several good shooters, and they're the #1 offensive team in the league. I think the Rockets have a lot of "potential talent," while the Mavs have "established talent." There's a difference. To suggest that both teams have the same abilty at this point in time is absolute lunacy.

How much have you watched Nowitski play? First of all you suggest that most people don't believe Nowitski is the Mavs franchise player, which is far from the truth.

Second, you act like by putting a hand in the face of Dirk we will completely neutralize him. From what I've seen Dirk doesn't even distinguish between being wide open and having a man in his face.

In my opinion, the biggest problem with the Rockets all season long has been inconsistent shooting. You can complain about the defense, but the Mavs scored 100 last night. They average 102 per game, so it's not like they did any better than usual. The biggest difference is the Rockets shot 35% and the Mavs shot 49%.

In fact, over the last 13 Rockets' wins they've shot 47%. In the last 13 Rockets' losses they've shot 38%. There is clearly a one-to-one relationship between the Rockets shooting poorly and the Rockets losing. Until our players can start consistently hitting some shots, the Rockets will never be any better than they are now.

 

I've got to agree with DCKid's point, the Rocket's biggest problem is consistent outside shooting. On nights when we shoot well, we usually win. When we're not shooting well, teams pack it in against us and are able to cut off our driving lanes and also put 2 and 3 guys around Yao. When teams play us like that and we can't make them pay for leaving shooters open, we usually lose.

 

For all you guys who think "its over" for the Rockets I submit to you the Lakers have a favorable schedule right now but it will soon change. Starting on March 11th, the Lakers play a whopping 12 of 15 games on the road! Its not over yet.

 

DCKid,

You're right on target.

Make no mistake, Dirk is the main man for the Mavs and no one is stopping him. Get in his face, and he'll drive around typically-a-4 defender. Give him a sliver of daylight, and he'll assassinate you from the perimeter. He's an extraordinary talent and is one of the elite 4-5 players in the NBA.

Simply stated, Rox are no match for the Mavs. We could probably play them 10 times and lose every time. They are better coached, smarter, share the ball better, and just better shooters. We have an edge in rebounding, but they excel in every other facet of the game - too much to overcome. Results of the 4 games tell the story.

And one more thought: compare Van Exel to our #3 guard

Nuff sed.........

D R

 

Bradley did we because he's terrified of Yao.

Yao did well on auto-pilot. Just wait until Yao learn how to play "angry."

 

And the amazing part is that even with Dirk, Nash and Finley's shooting skill, they STILL play the team game. They always go for the highest percentage shot. They rarely go for the ISO.

 

Yao's arms are not strong enough to stop these dunks. I've seen three times this year Yao actually had his hand on the ball, but the "dunker" powered right through Yao's outstretched hand/arm.

 

Hmmmm.... I always see Nash taking tough shots on the move, Dirk shooting fadeways with guys in his face. I wouldn't call those "easy shots" by any means. However, you're right that the shots are "high percentage," but that's just because the players are so damn good!

 

Oh, and I'm not sure if this is what you're meaning, but do you think the Rockets still do a lot of ISO's? I rarely ever see them move 4 players to one side and let the man with the ball try to take his man. Yes, the Rockets still don't move the ball enough, but that doesn't mean they're running ISO's. In fact, I think they ISO Mo Taylor and Yao more than they ISO Steve and Cuttino.

 

I think people confuse our players' inability to move without the ball as ISO's.

The problem is not that we run ISO's. It's that while someone has the ball, everyone else is just standing there except for 1 cutter.

It makes it look like an ISO because no one is moving.

 

100% CORRECT!!!!!

No single player (w/out the ball) wants to do "work" by running around, because they feel that they wont get the ball. Selfish.

They think to themselves, "Why am I doing all this running around if I'm not going to get the ball!?"

But you can't get the ball if you don't run around w/out the ball! Hello!

The cycle of selfishness continues.

Now of course, the player w/the ball has to be willing to give it up too.

 

Well, "Damn good" is equal to a "smart player."
Something the Rockets lack.

What I mean, is. This shots are with in the system. If you watch the Mavs, they will always have two options off of every action. So, although it seems like they go into ISO, they do a lot of pump fakes, drives and passes. And even those fadeaways have options for passes.

 

You know, if Rox players took the same shots that Dirk or Nash took last night, we'd be calling for their heads right now. DCkid is right on this one.

What realy ticked me off about last night's loss was that Don Nelson was always one step ahead of Rudy. Or maybe it's just the fact that our players are inferior to the Mavs.

 

Well, they do two things wrong. They have one cutter go by...and then the play DIES! They don't reset! Sometimes they do. But I think that's by accident. ISO doesn't mean that you have one guy w/the ball, and 4 guys standing around. It means one guy with the ball, and HE's going to take the shot no matter what!

The Mavs have options for passes off of each and every ISO they do. That allows flexibility (and confuses the defenders. Us. ) .

When the ball goes to MoT, it's amost a sure thing he's NOT giving the ball up.

One thing that RIET said, which is that only one guy is cutting looks like a marrage is true. But that predicates the play to die. Keep CUTTING!

 

Mirage, that is..."edit off."

 

Okay well...DIRK NOWITZKI IS JUST FREAKY. He is just too good. Man...I don't think he cared about who was guarding him. He was very confident. And he is like automatic. He barely misses. Nick Van Exel too............he can shoot as well. At least we did a good job on Finley and Nash. But man...Nowitzki owned us.

SO IF WE MAKE THE PLAYOFFS...would you want to watch us get swept by the Mavs? I'd rather not make the playoffs.. and not get embarrassed.