ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Rockets @ Magic 1/8/2003

I'm tired of losing in Orlando every year

 

We used have a fellow here who always post in the the game thread like this: "We will win and we must win" .
Since he's nowhere to be seen, now I am doing this:
We will win and we must win.

 

Hopefully the guys will realize that last night is what will make this team great and stick to it for at least a couple of games.

Houston 91
Orlando 90

 

This would be a great win given the fact that we just butchered one of the easiest 6 game homestands a team could ever have.

By the way....get the rock to Mo T!

 

Rockets will win.
98-89 rockets.
Yao 22p-14b-5a-4blk
SF 25p-7b-10a-4s

 

How about We must win and we will win?

 

Orlando....hmmm. Is Hill playing? Then I think the Rockets have a good chance. They always seem to have our number. But w/ Ming in the middle, I'm pretty sure they can run them out of the arena.

Rockets 103
Magic 94

Ming - 12 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists

Rice and Mobley will be the key of the game. If they hit their shots, the Rockets are on. If not, we are in for a longggggg game.

 

I always knew deep down you really luved Mo

 

At least we have Posey now and maybe he will be able to slow TMac down (hold him to 20-24pts) a bit. TMo has also got the length to atleast bother TMac's jumper so he might see a little action tonight as well. Francis is going to kill J Vaughn and now we have Ming and they have no one at the C spot so Ming and Cato could go off as well. Add the possibility of no Hill or at the least a not %100 Hill, and I think this is our best shot in years to win in Orlando. Oh and I might be driving up to the game and they're 1-0 this yr. in road games I've attended (beat MIA in Dec.) so pretty much I'm garunteeing a win

Rocks 95
Magic 90

 

I have to give credit where credit is due....the man single handedly carried the 19-0 run and then, low and behold, put us on his shoulders at the end of last night's game. I'm still in shock.

 

rox 95:83 magic
sf 24 7 ast
yao 17pts 15reb 4 blks
posey 3 stl

 

well I live in Orlando and am a Magic fan. I've turned into a rocket fan this year cuz of Yao and watch every Houston game. They are now my second favorite team.

I can say this about tonights game.

Orlando (the city) has been looking forward to seeing Yao Ming. We are hyping the hell out of this game and ebay is selling game tickets for as much as $750.

Orlando has one if not the weakest front courts in the league. Doc rivers has 2 big bangers in Kemp and Oyedeji, but prefers instead to play big stiffs with more offense capabilities like Declerq, Burke and his favorite Pat Garrity.

Garrity is a streaky 3 point shooter, but gets 20 ppg ONLY when tracy mcgrady is allowed to post up a smaller player consistantly and kick the ball out to him. Garrity is incapable of making a shot for himself.

Keys for Orlando
1. Tmac must drive and post up to kick out to his shooters.
2. Declerq while a stiff is on a tear rebounding.
3. Grant hill may play. If he does, it's unlikely Houston will win at Orlando.
4. Stop Yao somehow, our tallest player is 6'11 but garrity (6'9) plays center for about 30 mins of our rotation.

Keys for Houston.
1. Orlando is small, let Yao shoot 20+ times and easy win. Nobody in Orlando is even closely capable of stopping him. He should be able to run around Kemp with no problem.
Watch out for Declerq, he's Brad Miller on Defense lately, capable of pushing out Yao. Gets called for lots of fouls, let yao work a move on him often and he'll get flagged soon enough. This will bring on incredibly lousy defender 6'9 Garrity.

2. Must play someone big on Tmac. Tmac is SOOOO versatile, he'll post up everyone 6'8 and below and will drive around Rice like nothing. Best guy IMO to guard Tmac is Mo Taylor. Tmac hates physical big guys with decent lateral movement and will just shoots instead. Of course he's an incredible shooter and can easily drain 3pt shots on Taylor, but really it's the only shot to slow him down.

3. IF grant hill plays, Mobely should sit on the bench for Posey. When Orlando has Hill, they use a HUGE guard lineup of 6'8 guys (mcgrady, Hill and Mike Miller). All 3 can post up VERY well.


Basically I think for Houston to win they MUST play through Yao. This isn't one of those games like last night where they can away with bench players. I've watched every Magic game this year as well and they only seem to lose games where their big guys get overmatched (which happens alot). Houston can play huge and get away with it.

If HOuston were to start Yao, Cato, Taylor, Griffin, and Francis. It would be an EASY win for Houston. Orlando would have no answer and would quickly resort to small ball to force Houston down. Yao would be able to easily score on the 6'9 Garrity or pass off to another big guy who would tower Orlando. It would also give Houston a big Look that Orlando fears terribly. they would settle for jumpers and shoot around 35%. Too bad most coaches are too scared to try new things.

As things go, i feel Rudy will again cost Houston this game by limiting Yao's minutes. Declerq and Kemp will push Yao out and when Yao drives down the lane (as every commentator has seen), his guys will look the other way. Since there is really no answer for Mcgrady, I don't expect Houston to win without using Yao. Until something changes in Rudy's mindset, games like this are automatic.

 

I applaud your FLEXIBILITY - The mark of a good trader

I think Mo should be put into the starting lineup beginning with this game. Just like you, I've always felt Mo has been somewhat of a liability out on the floor if his offense isn't going because of his poor rebounding and defense. His rebounding numbers still remain pretty low, but it looks like he has at least made an effort to improve his D, especially his positional D and working to deny position/entry passes. If his man-to-man D is adequate, IMO he's a big upgrade to EG at this point with his offensive game and the chemistry he's shown with Yao in previous games. Start Mo!!

 

Just to remind Beaumont fans, the game will be on ch. 18 tonight....enjoy. go Rockets!
T-mac gonna have a bad back again..

 

Rockets 93
Magic 89

 

Orateam, how would you like to be the new coach of the Houston Rockets?

Is this game on 51 tonight, or another station in Houston?

Rockets web page says 51, but I swear last night 51 said the next televised game would be Saturday.

 

Wow, last nights game was a great team ball. I just hope that our boys will bring the same energy and team ball like they did in the 2nd and 3rd quaters. Maybe perhaps the old uni's will keep the fire going! Go Rockets!!

 

A winnable game. A MustWin game. Tomorrow night off then another back-to-back.

It is time to start playing like a focused TEAM, always ready to lace 'em up!

Go Rox! Go Posey, make TMac work. Go Rainman, to the Chinese buffet that is Yao Ming!

 

orateam, thanx, nice scouting report..

a couple of points...

forgive my ignorance about these players, I don't watch anything but Rockets games..

you say the best guy to put on TMac is Taylor..Why? Isn't Tmac a 2guard?
Wouldn't Posey or Hawk be better choices to guard him? Posey is 6'8" and a bit heavier than TMac..and I don't think anyone denies Posey's defensive skills...

Grant Hill...a forward right? Mobes may play the SF in small ball..but god willing we wont see that abomination tonite.. Once again..i think either Hawk or Posey would be best suited to guard Hill...

So..
If the starting lineup is with TMac at 2 and Hill at the 3..
Posey should start at the 3 but be guarding Tmac, and Mobes can try and stay on Hill and then sub in Hawk if Mobes forgets to bring his D...

and lastly...Yao actually seems to do better when he hasn't had any rest between games..and if Yao is hitting, expect the team to milk it for all it's worth...(hopefully)