ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Rockets @ Knicks 2/25/2003

A tough loss, but give credits to the Knicks. They mad 11-12 FG down the stretch. On the other hands, Rockets had 4 TOs in the last 4 minutes. Yao had 2, Cat had 1, Francis had 1. You cann't blame on the big fella. Yao scored 5 of the 6 Rockets points in the last 3 minutes.

Actually, I am pleased by the Rockets offensive sets down the stretch. With 2:48 to play in the 4th, Rockets were down 89-91. Yao went straight to his favorite spot on left side of the court just ouside the point to post up. Francis wasted no time to pass him the ball. Yao mad a nice spin move for a dunk and 1 to give Rockets 92:91 lead. Francis set 3 more similar plays for Yao. Yao makd 1 FG and had 2 TOs. You got to get credit for Francis to trust his big man down the stretch.

If you really want to find something to blame on, blame the Rockets play in the 3rd quarter, and the usual suspects too! They just scored 13 points in the quarter. Yao was not set up even once in the entire quarter. He had 1 FG on an offensive rebounds. If Rockets were utilizing the postman in the third quarter, they wouldn't blow up such a large lead.

 

I'm not sure who brought this up in this thread, but that observation of how "nicely Allen Houston would fit on this team" is a very prescient one. The Knicks, six/seven years back or so, brought Allen in to complement an again Ewing. (Do you see some similarities here wtih the Rox?) Upper mgmt spent many YEARS figuring out how best to complement Ewing. They experimented with small forward (e.g. Xavier McDaniel, Kiki Vandeweghe), aging but experienced point guards (e.g. Mo Cheeks (yes THE MO cheeks who currently coaches portland), Derek Harper) and even upstart shooting guards (e.g. John Starks, Gerald Wilkins).

And then along came a Houston... Allen Houston that is who fit in quite nicely. Kinda ironic given how much NY wanted Yao back in June 2002 during the NBA draft?

What does this mean for the Rox???

I don't know
I just thought I'd bring it up to stir some thought.


theSAGE

 

So, what does that mean for the Rockets? Please enlighten us.

 

Good point, SageHare6. Allan Houston were supposed to complement Ewing, but after all, Ewing didn't get a ring.

But Ewing is a totally different player from Yao. Ewing is kinda "physical" type of players while Yao is kind of "skilled" type. a Ewing is enough to attack the low post and protect the basket, but Yao really need a strong PF to help him. For the time being, the athleticism from our guards is also important.

If Yao can develop strong enough to protect the basket, or if he get a very good companion in the paint, then we can think about adding a pure shooter like Houston.

 

why Posey wasnt in in the last part of 4th. why RT had Rice guard
Houston? Props to Knicks, I think Rox really lucked out yesterday.

 

In order to be a superstar, Ming needs to average at least 10 FTs a game. Right now, he averages less than 6. He needs to work on his aggresiveness to get more calls.

 

Are reach-in fouls being called anymore in the NBA??? I haven't seen many called in a while. It seems like Yao's defenders are going to swipe the ball before Yao makes his move or when dribbling to disrupt his flow and use their quickness before Yao takes his shot.

This strategy seems to be a more common defense against Yao. Refs can't seem to pick up the contact on Yao's hands or arms (maybe because the defenders swipe so quick and hard). This strategy was evident in the Dallas game with Bradley and LaFrentz. Kurt Thomas poked the ball from behind Yao in the final minutes. Should've been a foul....but as usual, not called.

 

Well generally, rookies aren't gonna get the calls. In fact, im actually pleased by the calls he gets now. Most rookies don't get anything their way...because they are rookies. They have to earn their stripes, so they say.

I do agree, however, that he needs to be more aggressive. Im worried that if he gets aggressive a la Shaq...by sticking his big butt in there...that he will pick up charging fouls. Hopefully, you will see him get those late 4th quarter calls next season...where he will no longer be a rookie. He will be known as the second-year man out of Shanghi LOL

I also want to add...Ming, please please please stop fading away! Your hookshot, right now...is almost unstoppable...why go away from your bread and butter when no one...no one can stop it? fade aways were for Akeem, because he was 6'11" and not 7'6" Akeem had to fade away to get that shot off sometimes because of the big men like Robinson, Ewing, and even O'Neal to an extent.

Ming needs to shoot that hookshot till his arm falls off LOL

 

Didn't get to see the game (which looks like that was a good thing ). Just finished reading this thread and watching the emotion go up and then down -- right along with the team.

&^%*! We again split back to backs. Turnovers and bad play late in the fourth -- that will kill you every time in a close game.

When is the team going to...How is the team going to get past... What is it going to ....

Thats it. Can't complete a sentence. Give me a sedative.

 

I think most of our other players don't realize they make mistakes, based on the lack of changes in their play after three or four years of experience.

 

Yao's got a pretty sweet fadeaway, but it hasn't been as accurate as it was earlier in the year. Most guys would love to have as nice a touch on the fadeaway that Yao has, but I agree he should go more to the hook. That hook is damn near impossible to stop.

 

Where was the XO for god's sakes? Yao must have forgot to buy a replacement after the Celts game.

 

Man, how many times does Francis need to dribble into three guys and just totally lose the ball? And Yao, you are 7 freakin' 5, hold the ball high so the little guys can't get it. I just wish they had never stopped for halftime because before the half Cat and Yao were feeling it, after the half everything went to crap. I did notice though, that when Steve had only 1 FGA we were up by six. Maybe he can look at that as well as the game he missed and build on it.

 

sorry guys, my fault.

i am 0-4 while attending games in ny/nj.

 

Yao had a good game and a bad game last night. He had 24 points and 4 assists. But
at the last few seconds of the game, I almost shouted "don't pass the ball to Yao". He
just couldn't hold the damn ball!!! Yao's turnover cost the win in the last minutes, but it
was still the lack of movement really cost us the game. When you pass the ball to Yao,
you can not just stand there and do nothing. You have to move to an open place or try
to get the ball back when he is double teamed. Yao also has to learn from his loss.
When he got the ball with heavy defense around him, he wasn't quick enough to make
the decision. If you could not find you teamates around, be assertive and shoot
immediately! Don't wasted so much time on dribbling, hesitating and waiting!

 

I'm the complete opposite ... I was 6-0 this season when I was in Houston attedning Rockets games live, and 1-0 (vs. the Kings) after I got back in Hong Kong ...... too bad I'm now staying in HK for good and the ESPN in HK doesn't carry many Rockets game ......

 

Washington game should still be a go, but we are going to get some snow tomorrow and we hate snow up here.

 

God Damn Rox...

I'm not hating, but just frustrated when they lose to someone they should have won (e.g. Memphis, Heat, etc.)...

Posey thinks he's Peja, doesn't he know he's a defender that needs to focus on 8 - 10' ft. shots and dunking...

Turnovers, enough said...

 

"It was great that the refs let me play the whole game," Thomas said. "I got in foul trouble with some tick-tack fouls that were my fault, but as far as playing Yao, they let me be physical."

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baske...0,1482082.story?coll=ny-sports-span-headlines