ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Nuggets @ Rockets 10/22/2003 (PRESEASON)

Yeah Camby, uh I wanna visit you in never-neverland when I need a break from reality, it sounds like wonderful place to visit . Yao and I will bring our picinic basket to show we mean no ill will. . . .

 

I find it amazing that Rudy T couldn't answer some of the simplest problems of this offense last year, mainly getting the ball moving before 10 seconds or less was left on the shot clock. This year's team has already made that problem seem like a distant memory.

 

In their defence, two of their fans said the following reply to that uniform post:

"Rock, are you trying to get a fashion consultant gig on Queer Eye? "

"He has to find some way to criticize a team that raped us."

I especially enjoy the second quote.

 

speaking of queer eye, does anyone else think Carmello's hair is getting ridiculous?

 

I just watched the NBATV's highlight of last night game. Very cool.

1. When Yao get deep position, who is going to stop him besides maybe Shaq? He barely has to tip his toe to dunk the basket.

2. Francis looks like is playing great D. A block on Marcus Camby by a Point Guard? That's awesome. Keep doing that all year long!

3. When Francis, Yao, and Cato are on the floor at the same time, there are going to be a lots of trouble for Rockets opponents. When Francis drives to the hopp and Yao and Cato parked on both side of the basket, who are you going to guard/double team?

4. Will Rockets opponents score average less than 80 this season? Very possible. Rockets defense have improved so much over the last couple of pre-season games. Cat, Jim Jackson, A Griffin are all very good defenders. Cato is a tough body in the paint. Boki is playing hard-nose defense too. Francis didn't play D before, but he is very atheletic and I am sure JVG get his is ass to play D. Forget about letting the opponent shoot and go for the rebound Stevie. And of course, there is Yao 7-6 frame looming over the basket always.

I predict Yao to be an MVP candidate this season, and Rockets deep in the playoff!

 

Postgame quotes: Hou - Den

Just for future reference,

http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/quotes031022.html

has been posting quotes of the most recent game on their website. Some give you good insight on how the spin is played out (especially from JVG)

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ROCKETS COACH JEFF VAN GUNDY

On the game:
"We did some good things, but they have an unbelievable schedule, so it was a combination of both.”

On his team's performance:
"We did some OK things and we’re trying to get better.”

On if he’s seeing things he expected:
"We’re doing alright. I think we’re disjointed with injuries and things like that. We’ve gotten a little bit better; we’re unselfish right now, we’re working hard. It’s a good start, it really is.”

On the roster positions:
"Yao Ming is the only one (who’s not interchangeable).”


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YAO MING

On the Rockets' play:
"I think that the more we as a team can find a rhythm, the more games we’re going to win. That’s the kind of game basketball is."

On adjusting to the Rockets’ new offense:
"It takes a lot of getting used to. We’re getting used to the new coaches as well."

On the play of the Nuggets’ Yuta Tabuse:
"I think he is very representative of the Asian players. Of course he’s not a player like myself, but he’s very quick and agile. He’s got a good head. I hope that there are more Asian players from different Asian countries so that more Asians will like basketball."


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STEVE FRANCIS

On the game:
"I think every guy is contributing from every position. We were moving the ball around inside and getting shots outside. Right now, the shots are there. Whether we’ll make them or miss them… that’s what we’ll worry about. We struggled to score. We got Cuttino (Mobley) back and he did a good job today."


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KELVIN CATO

On the Rockets being ready for the regular season:
"We still need some work. We need to keep learning the offense. We haven’t put some stuff in that I’ve seen in the playbook, but we’re getting better day by day. Right now we need to focus on taking care of the ball, making sure we know our sets."


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NUGGETS COACH JEFF BZDELIK

On he long road trip and the team’s performance:
"I’ll tell you, it’d be easy for me to say, the end of a nine-day road trip of which we’ve been across three time zones for one game and two time zones for another, we actually went through five time zones in a 48-hour period. But, I think you know me well enough to know I don’t make excuses. It needs to be better."

On the ease with which Yao Ming scored tonight:
"Yes (concerned). First of all, our defensive positioning was very poor. Often coupled with very little ball pressure, I told our players that we played very selfishly both offensively and defensively. We didn’t help one another, we had no respect for the game tonight, in terms of doing things hard and right, defensively and from an offensive standpoint, we took bad shots. We tried to hit home runs with quick perimeter shots, we held onto the ball, we dribbled it. We did everything that just kills offense."

On the play of Yuta Tabuse:
"He played well. He just plays with great energy and great heart. As I’ve said so many times, it’s a case of him having a fit. He does everything right in terms of he maximizes his potential. He deserved to play. He’s been working really hard. He gives us energy and I have confidence in him."


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CARMELO ANTHONY

On Coach’s statement about selfish play:
"We just play unselfishly. Things happen and you’re going to have games like that, nights like that, where everyone’s not on the same page. It’s just a matter of just getting back in the gym and working on your mistakes."

On playing the Rockets opening night:
"This is a good test for us on the road. We play them again next week; we’ll get ‘em back."


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ANDRE MILLER

On finishing off the road trip:
"We were trying to finish off the road trip. I think we played hard for the type of road trip it was. This is a mental game and we’ve got to get used to it, suck it up and finish off the road trip. We didn’t even put together a good quarter. We had a few things going and then some changes were made. For the most part, I thought it was a decent road trip. I think we’re having a decent pre-season. During the season, we’re going to have to mentally be up for games because we’re playing some tough teams early."

On how Coach reacted after the game:
"It’s the last part of the road trip but he expects a lot out of the players. And mentally we weren’t in it at all. And Coach is going to be a coach and tell you if you’re not playing well and get ready for the next game and the next practice."


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MARCUS CAMBY

On the ease with which Yao Ming scored tonight:
"It’s preseason and we come back and play these dudes next week. We don’t want to show them too much out there. You know he played a lot of minutes; I started, didn’t play that many minutes, so we’ll see him again next week."

 

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Hmmm.... do you ppl see some contradictory comments from Nuggets' coach and Carmelo Anthony??? Looks like either the coach or Anthony will have to go...

NUGGETS COACH JEFF BZDELIK

On the ease with which Yao Ming scored tonight:
"Yes (concerned). First of all, our defensive positioning was very poor. Often coupled with very little ball pressure, I told our players that we played very selfishly both offensively and defensively. We didn’t help one another, we had no respect for the game tonight, in terms of doing things hard and right, defensively and from an offensive standpoint, we took bad shots. We tried to hit home runs with quick perimeter shots, we held onto the ball, we dribbled it. We did everything that just kills offense."


CARMELO ANTHONY

On Coach’s statement about selfish play:
"We just play unselfishly. Things happen and you’re going to have games like that, nights like that, where everyone’s not on the same page. It’s just a matter of just getting back in the gym and working on your mistakes."

 

NOpe still doesnt work. I downloaded it,saved it in the WMP folder,then tried to play the dunk. Still says error downloading codec

 

i like to see rockets play like this, this is a brand new rockets! let' go!

 

2003 PRESEASON SCORING
1. Yao Ming (HOU) 5 101 20.2
2. Michael Redd (MIL) 7 138 19.7
3. Ron Artest (IND) 5 97 19.4
4. Kevin Garnett (MIN) 7 135 19.3
5. Amare Stoudemire (PHO) 5 95 19.0
6. Rashard Lewis (SEA) 7 132 18.9
7. Baron Davis (NOR) 7 132 18.9
8. Vince Carter (TOR) 6 110 18.3
9. Steve Francis (HOU) 6 110 18.3
10. Zach Randolph (POR) 7 125 17.9
11. Joe Johnson (PHO) 7 123 17.6
12. Paul Pierce (BOS) 7 123 17.6
13. Carmelo Anthony (DEN) 7 122 17.4
14. Eddy Curry (CHI) 6 103 17.2
15. Jamal Crawford (CHI) 7 120 17.1
16. Eddie Jones (MIA) 7 117 16.7
17. Predrag Stojakovic (SAC) 7 115 16.4
18. Allen Iverson (PHI) 5 80 16.0
19. Quentin Richardson (LAC) 5 79 15.8
20. Chauncey Billups (DET) 7 109 15.6
21. Pau Gasol (MEM) 6 92 15.3
22. Ray Allen (SEA) 7 107 15.3
23. Antawn Jamison (DAL) 7 107 15.3
24. Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) 6 91 15.2
25. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (CLE) 7 105 15.0
26. Gilbert Arenas (WAS) 7 105 15.0
27. Desmond Mason (MIL) 7 105 15.0
28. Bobby Jackson (SAC) 4 60 15.0
29. Keith Van Horn (NYK) 5 74 14.8
30. Jason Richardson (GSW) 5 74 14.8

2003 PRESEASON REBOUNDS
1. Erick Dampier (GSW) 6 67 11.2
2. Carlos Boozer (CLE) 7 76 10.9
3. Ben Wallace (DET) 7 76 10.9
4. Kevin Garnett (MIN) 7 74 10.6
5. Yao Ming (HOU) 5 46 9.2
6. Zach Randolph (POR) 7 64 9.1
7. Tim Duncan (SAS) 7 59 8.4
8. Kelvin Cato (HOU) 7 57 8.1
9. Chris Bosh (TOR) 6 47 7.8
10. Alonzo Mourning (NJN) 5 39 7.8
11. Antonio Davis (TOR) 6 46 7.7
12. Nazr Mohammed (ATL) 7 52 7.4
13. Amare Stoudemire (PHO) 5 37 7.4
14. Gerald Wallace (SAC) 7 51 7.3
15. Loren Woods (MIA) 7 51 7.3
16. Obinna Ekezie (ATL) 4 29 7.3
17. Marcus Camby (DEN) 6 43 7.2
18. Udonis Haslem (MIA) 6 43 7.2
19. Lamar Odom (MIA) 7 50 7.1
20. Dan Gadzuric (MIL) 6 42 7.0
21. Dale Davis (POR) 5 35 7.0

2003 PRESEASON FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
1. Yao Ming (HOU) 5 37 55 .673
2. Zach Randolph (POR) 7 52 85 .612
3. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (CLE) 7 37 64 .578
4. Tim Duncan (SAS) 7 42 74 .568
5. Baron Davis (NOR) 7 52 101 .515
6. Antawn Jamison (DAL) 7 43 85 .506
7. Ricky Davis (CLE) 7 43 86 .500
8. Kevin Garnett (MIN) 7 52 105 .495
9. Rashard Lewis (SEA) 7 44 90 .489
10. Desmond Mason (MIL) 7 36 75 .480
11. Carmelo Anthony (DEN) 7 43 90 .478
12. Vladimir Radmanovic (SEA) 7 37 80 .463
13. Steve Francis (HOU) 6 36 81 .444
14. Michael Redd (MIL) 7 48 109 .440
15. Chauncey Billups (DET) 7 36 82 .439
*Hmmmm. Where's Amare? He's probably polishing his ROY trophy. Better hold on to that. Yao's MVP trophy should look much nicer.

 

I know Amare is leading at least one category...it's TO...he had 9 in the last game.

 

I hope the rockets can keep it together for friday night's game! Lets go Rockets!

I can't wait!! Pizzas...Beer.....Rockets!