ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Rockets @ Hornets 12/6/2002

Hey man, I just listned to 610. The host talked about SF out of control...what is the deal? Ppl pass on some details! Too bad, I didnt watch the game.

 

Don't you see the post right in front of yours

I am so disappointed in Steve this year. I can’t even muster the strength to explain.

 

MASTERASIA, if you're reading this, you are an IDIOT!!! Actually, regardless of if you're reading this, YOU'RE STILL AN IDIOT! Too tired to expand on that... plus it probably says enough on it's own...

It's nice to see some optimism from a member of the Clutch Crew, though (Jeff). People are so hard on this team after every loss, it's terrible. I think much of it is just different people posting after different results.

As for Steve, yeah, incredible player (still our number 1 option in my opinion), but another off night. Worst game he's had in a while. I have a feeling, though, that he might return to form when Cat rejoins the team. I'm not sure why, just feels like they perform they're best when they're both on the floor. Plus it just seems like a convenient time for him to turn it back on. We'll see soon enough. Is Cat playing tomorrow?

 

Yao can make those perimeter shots, and I don't think he should give up just because of the missing shots tonight. Give him some slack and patience. Once he get confident from outside, he will be more versatile and that is good for Rox.

 

What I didn't like on that last play was Ming knocking the ball out to the top of the key so New Orleans got another last shot. Did the Rockets have anymore timeouts, I think Ming could have grabbed the rebound and maybe got us a last shot?

Their defense was great in the 4th, offense sputtered badly though. KT looked great, he kept to the inside where he belongs. TO's still killed the Rockets, Moochie threw the ball to a Hornet at least 4 times and Francis couldn't stop dribbling on the baseline (I thought he was pushed). I was dissapointed in several missed calls for Ming and KT, especially in OT.

Overall the team looks really good and their defense can put the clamps on anyone when they want to. If the Rockets can get a consistent offense going and learn how to win the close games then they will be a real threat in the playoffs.

 

I think I have an explanation. Although some of you don't think he is all-star caliber and he does make bone headed plays sometimes, he is to good to be left uncovered so the opposing SG cannot help out on steve and it goes the other way also.

Doug Christie mentioned this after the Sac-town beating that he was glad Cat wasn't playing because it allowed him to cheat off off his man and help out on steve.

 

Rudy, you must deal with Steve Francis. I have requested you to do it even before preseason! He must play as a team member or get rid of him!
Rudy, Glen Rice can't play defence! When you guard Mashburn next time use Griffin and Morris. You made a big error using Rice on Mashburn.
Rudy, stop playing with Yao Mings mind. Give him set plays and make sure he knows what his job is.
Rudy, make the decision that the Rockets is a Center dominated team and go with it. Anyone who is unable to work with this type of team, get players that will!!

 

So many ills, only one cure -- time.

In a perfect world, we'd see these guys playing up to their full potential right now. We'd not only be owning this league -- hell, we'd be signing paychecks. But this ain't a perfect world and our players are human and they're gonna need time. We've been thrown a couple curves this season...

...Yao Ming is light years ahead of schedule which, while being a good, no great thing, has defintely affected the rest of our team. Now we're inside out. Now Steve doesn't have to do it all. Now we can get Glen open looks. Now ball distribution is more important than ever. I don't think some of you realize the kind of adjustment this team is having to make on the fly. Personally, I think Steve plays smarter every game -- he's definetly looking for Yao now. He had an off night tonight. he's making a big adjustment. He needs your patience.

...Our Triad of Power have been our Triad of Weakness. and its become apparent that someone's gotta go. Rudy's has a tough decision ahead of him -- and one he must make quickly -- because its obvious we can't go the whole season without a set plan at the 4.

...The shooting funk. Its reaching epidemic proportions and while I think it'll end eventually, its bruising egos and frustrated guys we need thinking clearly.

We took a great team down to the wire tonight. We have a winning record. We beat the Spurs. We are better than we were last season. The Rockets are giving everything we've asked for last season-- steady improvement (and no more Walt). Be patient.

 

that was a good game but damn we should have won

 

Yetti, I'm lucky I didn't watch the game.
Yetti, I know your pain.

 

Rockets gotta get loose for third quarters. I've noticed that their rotation opening the 3rd tends to be lackluster. SA had their big run in Q3 so did NO. With tonite's game, I think Rockets should've stuck with their Q2 squad who pulled them ahead by 2 at halftime.

One thing I think is hurting the Rockets is that they're lineup keeps changing. There's too many subs and not enough "squads". I know that Yao checked into training camp late, but I get the feeling he works best with Francis and Mooch. There's gotta be better chemistry between these three.

Francis' game has to take a different spin with Yao holding the middle. Instead of Stevie taking out guys off the dribble, I think the Yao/Francis pick and rolls are much more effective. But I totally agree with teh earlier comment that if Yao has position 3 ft out, you gotta dump him the ball. I don't care how hot KT is. Statistics will always bring players back to their "norms."

Quite frankly, I think the Rockets suffer from a lack of a 5 star point guard... one who can handle the ball (i.e. low turnovers)... help the half court get into their "set" and control the tempo of the game. Too often I feel the Rockets playing to the tempo and caliber of their opposition... most recently, tonite with the NO.

in Overtime, why rush things? KT's offensive foul, rushed shots... totally unnecessary, IMO. Go to the big man and the high % shots!!!!

-frustrated

 

h

Very well said. If Houston still continues to play without engergy and like no-brainers, I am not sure if I want to be a fan of Houston. But, you are damn right, I still will be Yao's fan.

Yao had two great defense plays in the OT after KT got three points. I am not sure if it's two monster blocks or not. And then Houston made two damn stupid turnovers instead of exploiting them. One word: stupid.

 

I just dont get how these yao fans can just cheer for yao and yao alone. What do you want? For him to get gaudy stats? Do you think Yao really cares about that? no, he cares about his team, and about winning games. If you are trully a fan of Yao, you should want him to achieve his goals, which are to help the TEAM.

 

Turnovers cost Rocks the game, need a point guard......

 

What was he thinking?

I saw tito maddox in the game for about 20 seconds in overtime close to the end. What was Rudy T. thinking? You think he'd learn by now that he needs his best players in the late goings.

 

i think rudy would be better off as an assistant coach for us.

 

Exactly!!!

 

I really want to answer this with a brilliant response that shows the intelligence of Rudy's mind and how this one little point shows how he has a master plan...but I can't.

 

It was good to see us come back in the game but lack of shooting and problems with tall athletic forwards like Mashburn continue to haunt us.It is disappointing to see mistakes in crucial minutes. We still have major difficulties in closing games out.We are missing Mobley,I hope he will try to fit in as a team player rather than isolation stuff but this still seems to be a problem with the rest of the team except for Yao.
Yao's rebounding has improved but he has to keep on trying to get in the low post more often when his shots are not going down.He does have to continue to be aggressive despite having to face physical players. Cato has also not done much for the last two games which makes things worse.
The guys might recover physically but I'm not sure they will be ready mentally because of this loss for the game against the 76'ers.

 

It was really a smart move. Rudy wanted the players in the game that had the best chance of stealing the inbound pass. If that failed then the Rockets were to foul immediately which they did. As soon as Mashburn went to the foul line he but Yao Ming and Glen Rice back in the game.

So essentially Rudy T. had Moochie, Steve, Titto, Hawkins and KT in the game together for just one inbound pass and a quick foul.