ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Rockets @ Lakers 2/18/2003

lmao


I was thinking they'd all be suburban white trash.. bandwagon material

 

he looks like his sitting in those tiny chairs they have in kindergarten

 

Hey..we have worse...much worse...the name Collier ring a bell? Madsen had a bunch of dunks...and a block i think. The rocks gave to much to the scrubs.

I really think moochie shold of had more time last night. in the time he was there he was fantastic last night. His inbounds pass off of Shaw and in for 2. and then his OFFENSIVE rebounds! moochie was the little man last night, and Yao...he was the only reason we were even in this one. (Taylor too...but when yao was gone...we lost)
well..who's next....

 

I agree Rock Head. With out coffee i would be collapsed on the floor right now. I was so aggitated after the loss. Frsutrated is a beter word I suppose. I just couldnt get it together last night after the loss, but the good part was I passed out when I went to bed around 2am.

Love that Caffine animation at the bottom of ur post!

 

this is what me and my buddy looked like while watching the refs give the game to the fakers in OT

 

Will - seriously -- do you think it looks that bright? I agree in some ways, but it wasn't good basketball. It was iso for Yao, not inside-out basketball. Ugh.

With Yao being a good passer, you'd think the rest of the guys on the floor would move around more, getting open shots.

And yes, I know iso'ing Mark Madsen is probably a good idea.

 

this is what me and my buddy looked like while watching the refs give the game to the fakers in OT







grrr.. no edit button

 

We beat the Lakers, we just couldn't beat the Refs.

That was the worst called game ever.

 

Finally i get to actually SEE a Rockets game on TV. I feel like I can comment better on a game when I watch it versus just looking at stats and game highlights.

My quick initial observations on Yao in the Lakers game are:

1) He is not as agressive EARLY in the game in terms of getting deep post position or backing down the defender. His agressiveness, deep posting position and backing down of the defender get BETTER as the game moves on or in the 4th quarter or crunch time. I think as the game moves on and as the intensity level picks up Yao senses this and tries to take his game to another level. The Rockets want Yao to START the game on that level. When he learns how to do that, he will be unstoppable.

2) Yao let the Lakers off the hook a few times. There were times in which Yao was being guarded by Madsen or Walker one on one (no double team) and Ming would try to back the guy down one time, fail, and then look to pass. Look to pass? He wasn't even double teamed! Take advantage of your height and just turnaround and shoot! This leeds to my next point.

3) Patience. Yao rushes his shot at times. Especially when he tries to back down a guy and doesn't get a good initial bump, he will give up and do a turnaround fadeaway shot. He needs to try again. Or pass back out, re-establish a deeper postion and get the ball back. There were a few times in the 4th quarter in which Yao showed great patience in backing down the defender and then would do an up and under move for a high percentage shot or a hook shot. When Yao shows more patience with his moves he always gets a better look then his initial position gave him.

4) Yao's foot work is amazing! Get him close the basket and he has a lot of great moves at his disposal. Also, Yao's jumpshot is a thing of beauty. Why aren't we giving him jump shots at the elbow or free throw line the way Hakeem used to do it? Yao in the post is a serious threat but Yao shooting straight ahead 15 jumpers is also something that really needs to be explored.

5) Yao does play volleyball in rebounding. He needs to work on this. As it was mentioned before, in China he could tip the ball to himself because of his size advantage, here in the NBA you have to go and grab it. Nevertheless, I loved seeing Yao get 8 offensive rebounds last night. I feel that the games in which Yao plays well he is agressive and that agressive nature leads to offensive rebounds.

6) Yao has unbelieveable skills and plays like an all star at times which justifiably raises the bar at which we the fans set for him but at the same time he makes rookie mistakes that we as fans have to recognize will happen. It's a tough situation!

As an aside.....
This Rockets team counts on Francis and Yao to produce all star numbers EVERY night. That's a lot to live up to for Yao who is only a rookie. And Francis is just too inconsistant with him jumpshot. For the Rockets to get into the playoffs both of these "all stars" need to put up consistant numbers everynight the same way the good teams all stars put up consistant numbers.

Chris

P.S. When the Rockets play the post up game with Yao or Taylor they look pretty good in terms of running a well thoughtout and balanced offense. When either of those guys aren't in the game the Rockets offense looks like a chicken with its head cut off, running around with no regard of where it is going. There is no passing, no ball movement around the parimeter and no patience and too much dribbling. The Rockets look like they are "pressing" when they don't have a low post presence in there. They looked rushed. The second overtime was horrible. How the hell did we win games before Ming? Thank god we have a low post presence! If we did not this team would be unwatchable!

 

Good essay Duece. I agree with you.

 

Yeah, we live for future.
Future is now.

 

I was pissed with last night's loss. But after I see some people seem to be more pissed about it in this thread, it made me feel better. Thank you.

 

Great post Will. I agree completely.

 

Dreamweaver,

Where'd you get that pic from? I don't remember seeing Yao completely alone last night. He looks super depressed and it's a bit sad to look at him there. He can't get so down, although I imagine its tough to control your emotions in a game like that.

 

Cat and SF shot when they got bad looks, too... EG's shot looks horrible even when it goes in. He needs a lot of coaching.

 

The pic was courtesy of windandsea on page 19 of this thread.

Yao looked like he really cared about this game. I hope he takes all his frustration out on the Suns tonight.

 

It really doesn't matter what Yao does if SF and Cat put it back on automatic and jack it up or drive like fools into traffic again.

 

THe rocks did good running the offense through Yao, that is the only reason they were in this one.

 

Yep...the whole strategy.

Inside-Outside.

To Yao and Mo Taylor. They carried us back into the game.

But I really think the refs screwed us.

 

I agree. Do you see a pattern here? It's almost like when Yao is in his post move, you have one cutter go by and that's it. All the cutters end up standing around. It's like the play dies if there is no pass. They stop moving without the ball.

I mean, sure. Once the cutters stop moving, there wont be a cutter open (because they aren't "cutting!").

Man, Rudy sure does like the "stand around offense."

It's like a druggie that can't get off his crack! Rudy can't get off the motionless offense. It seems like all his plays end up with players standing around after one setup.