ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Rockets @ Clippers 11/24/2002

This was a terrible game. The only shinning part of the game was Rice's game. He had a nice touch. The rockets were terrible all game until Rice began to take shots and they all seemed to swish in, but the rocks fell apart late in the game to a 7-0 run. Mings goaltending was to me a smart play, because the shot was going to go in any ways, and it was going to take more time off the clock not allowing the rocks one more shot.
I am not disapointed with Moochies play, he had a few turnovers including a shot clock violation but he also had some clutch steals/where he knocked the ball free.
Ming didnt get to take alot of shots, i believe it was something like 4 shots. Poor guy always got the ball up top of the key, way to far away for him to do anything, and then when he did get it on the post (still too far out to back it up) Yao had it stolen.

I dont believe that Yao should be starting yet, I believe we should still start with Cato, and then Move Yao in. later in the 1st quarter, and then from there he will play most of the game.
I think we should start with cato because that allows the Rocks to get their offense started with out forcing it to Yao and making him create the offense. I say this because after watching today's game against the clips, it appeared that the Rocks were forcing it trying to get yao to start the offense, and the poor guy was usually given the ball far from the rim. He is our future starter for center is how i see it, though I have no problem with having him starting now. I am not saying anything against Yao, it's more against the rest of the team, not Yao. They need to work a little more on their offense with Yao. He looked so great and posted up almost everytime in perfect location against the Mavs. And the Rocks were moving the ball around and driving to pull the defense so they could pass it to Yao, that is what they lacked tonight. Instead they jsut passed it to him from the arch.

I am not saying that Yao is not a good player. SO U GUYS WHO ARE GOING TO ATTACK MY POST HOLD UP. Yao is awesome, I am so happy he is here. I am a big time supporter for Yao. He is the next big thing and the best center in Texas, one of the best in the league.


The rocks (rice and Francis) woke up in the 3rd and the forth quarter and shot some nice shots and were playing some pretty nice ball.

 

Wang doesn't look that short compared to Ming... He looks like 7'2 or sumtin

 

did your guys think YAO should be partially response for the last minute lost? If he can get the last ball in.........................

 

"Did you hear the one about the hamburger"-wang to yao.

 

Huh? Sorry, didn't get any of that...

 

The Rockets needed this loss.

Let it burn, I say.

They always play down to the bad opponents (the weaker teams).

They deserved to lose this game because they went in looking for an "easy game."

Who did what, when and where is not the point. It's how they prepared
for this game and the mind-set going in.

 

Yao did not play well. Not well in the last minutes. He still has a long way to go. To score 30pts is one thing; To be able to hit the winning shot is another.

However, overall I was shocked when I watched the TV today. At first I can not believe it is an NBA game.

I saw in the first quarter Rockets tried to run offence through Yao a couple of times. That actually slowed down the pace a little bit because Yao is too far away from the baskets for those cases, not deep enough.

 

Wang: hehe, Ming.... you say the darndest things.. hehe

 

what?...

 

If Yao Ming goal tended on purpose, I thought it was pure genious. If a ball that's definitely is going in is careening around the cylinder, it could have taken up all the time that was left. At least the goal tending gave us time to get of our own shot...

 

Yes, but he has the guts to take it though. That's good for the big man.

 

Wasn't it Francis that had the final attempt? Why do people keep referring to Ming? I didn't see the game, but that's what I read in Clutch's recap.

 

Francis had the possession with just over a second left on the block... but Yao had the ball on the last full posession the Rockets had, on the previous trip down the court.

Just to make it clear tho, Yao didn't get the ball until there were probably 5-6 seconds left on the shot-clock. It wasn't a desperation shot, but I think he took a shot he wouldnt' have taken earlier in the posession in that kind of an important situation...

... but yes, this was a step back for the Rockets as a whole, and Yao specifically. He lacked aggression; 0 offensive rebounds in 28 minutes testifies to that. Yes, he was getting the ball in the high post so he couldn't do his normal thing... but still, the few chances he had he neglected to take the ball strong to the hall. He faded away over and over again.

Olowokandi got to him with the physical play. Yao'll get better.

By the way, it's important to point out Yao played solid D. Brand was shut-down when Yao was on him, and Olowokandi struggled basically the whole game (although did make the winning shot)... and struggled on rebounds as well.

 

The Rockets are 4 Free Throws away from being 9-3.

Cuttino missed 2 which cost us the Phoenix game, and Mooch missed 2 which cost us the Clips game.

The Rocks have lost 2 they should have won, now I need to see them win a few they should have lost to make up for it.

DaDakota

 

The Rockets have been 7-5 after the first 12 games for the past 3 seasons now (including this one)... not sure what to do with that.

I just hope this one turns out better than those other two.

 

Steve Francis - 48 minutes

Anyone else concerned about SF's average minutes or the fact that Rudy had zero confidence in the guys behind SF save Moochie today? It's all about the matchups but I have trouble believing that Moochie is an improvement in defense over Hawkins or Tito. Hakeem played maybe 40 tops until the playoffs IIRC. Is it just me or does it take a serious injury to get Rudy out of a rut? If he has zero confidence in these guys, what does it say about their ability to pick players? Since we don't have an offense that requires a traditional point guard, wtf are we doing with Moochie Norris on the roster?

 

I guess Jordan hit all his winning shots.

 

Thanos,

Well said! No playoffs with Rudy. He can't draw up a last second play if his life depended on it.

 

Bob,

Calvin Murphy. Rudy just doesn't know the game. That is a fact. A team is the mirror of its coach. Dumb play and losses? Dumb coach!

 

I missed the game....why did Griffin play only 9 minutes?