ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Rockets @ Lakers 11/17/2002

Laker is in pain without Shaq now. But.... if Francis tries to do too much, he will be eaten alive by Kobe. Go darn right inside Rox please. I am expecting to see Ming playing out there for 25 min plus in this game.

 

If Mo Taylor starts, joaquin and kenny get about 20-25 minutes a piece and Yao gets a frickin' board or 6 we should fair a'ight against the Lake Show.

 

http://www.570klac.com/lakers.html

 

There you go. I miss Chick's voice.

 

Is Cato going to play??

 

It would be a great win for us if we can pull this one out of LA. Shaqless Lakers... we can take them. Francis comes back with a vengence after a subpar game against Starbury and the Suns. Francis scores 35, grabs 10, and 8 dimes. Mobley scores 25. MoTaylor and EG play great at the 4. KT and Rice produce decent numbers at the 3.

Rockets 104
Lakers97

 

Hope the Rocks play Ming cuz Samaki and that new african guy wont be able to hold him.

Rocks 94
Lakers 89

 

We should win this game. The Lakers are terrible without Shaq and just barely beat the Warriors, in OT, at home.

 

Here's the game plan: make Kobe work on defense by attacking him with Mobes and Francis. Then have J-Hawk smother him on the other end.

Or, let Kobe go nuts, since without Shaq they can be beat anyways.

 

I would like to see ming get 20+ min today. that is LA's week point, if it doesnt have shaq, they are vulnerable inside. Ming should have a good inside game tomorrow. I would like to see him post up a bit though, like mark his ground NEAR THE RIM and turn around and put his hands up to get the ball. he never did that last night. In my opinion he hangs too far away from the rim. he needs to go to the rim, to post up, get the ball, and then do his thing.

 

looking forward to this game on sunday. Ming and MoT impressed me with their efficient play in limited minutes in fridays game. I hope the rockets fully exploit the lakers lack of big men on the inside with ming. With shaq and the backup soumalie out the laker front court is very thin and has to be exploited. I think that is where the warriors did so well with the big men they have up front they were able to capatilize on this and we should do the same we do have some good front court players. Regardless this is a game the rockets have to win the lakers are clearly not the same team and the must get any easy Ws as possible even this early in the season.

Does anyone know if Cato will be back for this game?

 

I agree. It seems that Ming is being instructed to be a high pick most of the time, which leaves him open for a jumper, or most commonly, too far away from the basket to get the rebounds. It has it's up and down side. If Ming were to shoot more from outside, that would be great. If he were to post up, that'd be great too. But to not be getting many shots from outside, his effectiveness is deminished. I say that if he is going to be on the outside, he should get a touch of the ball, and hopefully an open shot, like the one he had against the suns-nothing but net. If he isn't going to be used as a shooter on the outside, he needs to post up, and be in better position for his shots, and especially to rebound. I think he should charge the basket when a shot goes up, especially when he's stuck out away from the basket.

 

Lakers 97
Rox 95

Another tough loss. My prediction.

 

Lets not get to cocky, the Lakers are not a bad team with or with on Shaq. This will be another nail biter, 94-91 rockets.

 

I'm going to guess that Robert Horry is going to play dirty. He has a lot of beef against us for some reason.

 

One big thing that the Rockets will have to do to win this game is stop giving up the threes. The last couple of times that the Lakers have played the Rockets, the Rox were torched by threes. We must play good d against Fisher, Shaw, Horry, and most importantly Kobe.
I'm excited to see Kobe vs. Cat. They always go at it pretty good.


Cod

 

This is going to be a good game:

Two DYSFUNCTIONAL teams battle it out!

At least we know the Lakers problem (no Shaq).

I have yet to figure out the Rockets'.

 

The Rockets just don't beat the Lakers in LA, with or without Shaq. It is a blowout every time.

I expect another one, unfortunately.

At least the Rockets will face Cleveland in the next game.

The Rockets will lead by one or two after the first quarter, but trail by 12 at halftime. The lead will balloon to 18 after the third quarter.

The Rockets will cut the lead to nine with five minutes left in the fourth, but Devean George, Dereck Fisher, and Robert Horry will kill the Rockets with easy, open jumpers.

Rockets: 89
Lakers: 105

 

This is a game that is ours for the taking. I don't think it says much if we win but I do think it says something if we loose.

If Steve and Co. come out and just play a normal game then they should win. This game IMO should not take some super human effort or require people on the team to have a career night.

I'm sure Kobe will get his points but if we don't lay a goose egg then the game should not be all that close in the end.