ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Rockets @ Celtics 2/24/2003

I didn't see the game. So I can't comment about it (It's almost like I missed a big party or something).

And yes, I know that "making shots" helps. But there's more to the game than trying to outscore your opponent: defense (stopping shots), communication, unselfish play (choose the best option), offensive flow. And this talk about Yao "not getting the ball?" Sounds like they did, just that Yao was roughed up. Again, I didn't see the game.

Nevertheless, I'll "eat it" as long as it's not sprinkled with little bits of turnovers...too bitter for my taste....



...regardless of how many points one scores.

 

I just knew that Francis would have a big game today stats wise after Moochie's good game vs Memphis. He needed to prove that he could do what his backup did (i.e. 9 assists) and more (i.e. scoring 30+ pts). Kind of a naive attitude IMO. But as long as he's helping the team win, you can't blame him too much.

 

One important note:

Don't get to high on wins!!!!!
Don't get to low on loses!!!!!

Remember! The Rox still have work to do! New York!

I feel the Memphis game was more poignant than the Boston game for the mere fact that we didn't have to depend on Francis scoring while playing the Grizz. A win w/out Francis was almost unheard of last year.

Keep your heads on and stay calm. Else we get our asses kicked in New York!

 

If players could all do well when they were challenged to improve, Francis's game wouldn't be special. They can't, he can. And it's not like he doesn't have nice numbers o' at least a couple times here and there...

 

Oh, and one other thing, I don't think there's anybody stupid enough that Francis has to prove to them he's better than Moochie. If there are they're not worth it anyways.

 

As long as Francis has 4.0tpg and only 6.0apg, he'll have that stigma.

Regardless how many POINTS he scores.

 

And yes, he HAS to PROVE himself. He's the leader of this team.

And with leadership, comes accountability. Sorry man. That's just the way it is. It comes with the territory.

 

What do think about the way that Moochie and Mobley play together?

Have you noticed that Mobley has good games matched up with Moochie?

 

Well, it seems like Cat enjoys Yao's presence never the less



From Chron:
"They (previously) put a lot of attention on me and Steve," Mobley said. "Then Yao came in, and it's different now. All you have to do is catch and shoot or penetrate and kick."

-G'day-

 

Hmm... that link doesn't work... never the less, it's a pic of Cat jumping on the back of Yao (piggy bag style) in celebration after the win

-G'day-

 

Simply, we played with heart adn their players were thinking of the nite with the 15 point lead in the 4th.

Its a great win, and I will take it. But I am not going to be overexcited till we get this road trip with a 3-0 record.

Rockets often celebrate a big win with some vacation.

 

These are the most ridiculous posts I have ever seen, way more absurd than a 7-6 guy just got 2 shot and 3 rebound in 40 min.

From this game, our fundamnetal weakness-forwards are what have been taking advantage of:

If our forwards can really shoot, no team will put 5 players on Yao. Yao didn't play well tonite, but he was clutch in the 4th quarter.

Our guards are fantastic tonite.

BUT there is one thing that's worth mentioning:

Yao Ming couldn't get a good position in the paint just as our guards couldn't make good pass inside. If our big 3 can improve these skills, Rox will be a really scary team.

 

How many dominant 2 guards are there in the west? Kobe...Isn't Seattle's Allen a 2?....can't think of any more. Finley(sp?) is no better than Mobley. Someone help me please!! Are there really only 2 great 2 guards in the West(no Francis is a 2 please)?

 

U underrate Finley

Rocket River
and i REALLY LIKE MOBLEY

 

Simply stated: Steve & Cat were incredible. just unbelieable - BUT NO WAY THEY GO OFF LIKE THAT WITHOUT YAO ON THE COURT ATTRACTING THE DEFENSE!

Celtics picked their poison - and ultimately paid the price.

And credit Rudy for switching to a trapping zone, Celts were totally lost. All season, I have been puzzled why we don't do more of it. I think it's just Rudy's stubbornness, because we have the perfect personnel - quick perimeter defenders and shot blockers in the paint.

TBS, Rox gotta be smarter and get Yao touches despite collapsing defenses. Can't count on this type of production from our guards to take team where it needs to go. Guess it's part of the growing up process.

D R

 

I don't know who was announcing the Rox/Celts game (Celts announcer), but this guy was great...

I saw the game on DirecTv and I rarely hear good play by play and commentary, but this guy was freakin' awesome...

One of the few guys that weren't biased to his team and he actually said: "they're not even looking to Yao for a shot...They need to at least give him a peak"...

It was awesome to see other people notice...I'm not arguing with the result, but come on...

 

The Celtic play by play is done by Mike Gorman. His partner is Tommy Heinsohn. The duo was given an award during the half time of a Celtics game this season commemerating their 1,000th broadcast as a team.

Gorman is excellent. I realize this is subjective, but I think his voice is among the best of NBA play by play persons. Heinsohn is not normally as whiny or "homeristic" as he was last night. Maybe he's got some personal issues.

 

I was in Boston last night and went to the game. Here are some observations:
first, regarding Yao's touches. He did look slow all night, jogging up the court, and Boston is putting two or THREE people on him all the time, until the very end when they slacked off (but there is a reason for that). It's funny to see three Celtics forming a tight triangle with Yao in the middle. There is no way he can receive the ball. Now obviously this strategy would leave at least one guy wide open, and in the first quarter Griffin got two easy threes. But Boston stuck with their plan and sure enough, Rockets started to miss perimeter shots, even when wide open. The rockets moved the ball on the perimeter rather well. Since the lane is so congested there was not much penetration by the Rocket guards.
Yao's rebounding was awful all night. He should've got at least four or five more rebounds. In one instance the ball is falling right on his head, but Eric Williams jumped from behind him, and snatched the ball out of the air. That's really horrible. He can't seem to jump or time his jump right. I wonder if someone is always hooking his arm or leaning on him, but from where I was sitting I couldn't really tell.
When Yao defends people on the perimeter he extends one arm and puts his hand on their waist. He didn't try to raise his arm when they shoot. Not just against a tall guy like Tony Battie, but even guards like Pierce. Seems to me Yao doesn't react fast enough.
Mobley did what he's supposed to do in the fourth quarter: hitting open shots. His 3-pointers brought the rockets back to life, with the added benefit that Boston starts to move defenders off Yao, and he has a bit more room. But by then the guards are not passing to him. There is one instance towards the end of the fourth quarter, Yao got free and was all alone in the paint six feet in front of the basket, and Steve was holding the ball, facing him at the top of the key. Steve hesitated, and of course Celtics came over the cut off the passing lane. That would've win the game right there.
But to be fair, Yao hasn't been receiving the ball too well all night. In the first quarter, he was momentarily loose in the low post. Seeing an open passing lane, either Posey or Griffin threw a two-handed bullet pass to him, but Yao didn't catch it, and the ball went out of bounds. In the second quarter, Yao is at the top of the key with McCarthy behind him. Steve tried to pass him the ball, but McCarthy knocked it out of his hand, and ran all the way down court for a dunk and some prancing around.
Yao got a lot of support from the local Asian community. It's funny. Each time he went up to shoot a FT, there would be loud boos. But as soon as he hit the shot, there was even louder cheers, prompting a guy sitting behind me to shout in disgust, "this is BOSTON!". Towards the end even Steve got loud cheers for hitting his clutch free throws. Amazing.

 

Go ahead, montell, look at the scoreboard and tell me who's right NOW.

b_c

 

The celtics actually played very good defense last night denying us the inside threat. They did double yao ming quite a bit down in low post. This strategy had worked for them for most of the game. They just simply choked away the game after getting that 15 pts lead in the 4th by jacking up so many threes early in the shot clock. (That of course was due to our zone defense from the middle of the 4th qrt)

Other teams around the league are trending toward using a similar type of defense against us. You saw it with Miami, Dallas, Boston and most likely will see it tonight in New York.

What's our answer to this type of swarming defense in the low post? Swing and rotate the ball to our open man, of course. Last night our open guys didn't produce enough to punish the celtics for their doubles down low.

Another solution is having better quality and more varied entry passes. Why not have yao move from side to side and swing the ball around the horn, set some picks to free him some space, quick entry passes early in the shot clock, etc. Last night most of our entry passes were very obvious and slow and gave the defense enough time to adjust and recover. Ball needs be delivered the instant yao's open and that's when he can do the most damage. I did notice that each time when yao got the ball down low he's either fouled immediately or produced points. As a comparisoin, I watched some lakers' game on league pass and sometimes even the lakers had trouble getting the ball to shaq. What's different though, the lakers would make multiple attempts within the same possession to get shaq the ball. And I don't see that happening with the rockets.

It's much easier and we'd win more games if we played the game inside out. I'd rather see us ahead 15 pts early in the 4th by playing team ball and involve all 5 players on the court than watching us playing catch up late in the game that would require last minute heroics.