ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Rockets @ Suns 11/15/2002

Thanks for posting, Dan. Now go work on that shot from the corner, buddy.

 

O yeah. We miss Langhi so much. He is averaging 2.7 ppg. What a terrible mistake letting him go!

 

You're backing up a reject from the Rockets. He paid us back tonight by giving a cheap shot to Francis. And one thing still hasn't changed since he moved to the Suns: HE STILL SUCKS!!

 

You must not have seen the game. That was no cheap shot, even the announcers - who I know everybody here hates - said it wasn't. The arms coming up were inadvertent from the contact when Francis ran over him, although Dan was in a poor defensive position against Francis' quickness, obviously. Don't resort to a lie.

I didn't mean to start anything, I'm just glad Dan is getting to play. I came here to read about the game - I've been a member since earlier this year and been lurking since Dan joined the Rockets, this is an awesome site - and when I read one poster dissing Dan's lack of playing time even before the game had started I thought I would respond because that was unnecessary and kind of cheap. I did not mean to alienate everybody else.

If Dan were still a Rocket, I would be a Rockets fan, as I was when he was on the team. I truly wish things had worked out for him with the Rockets, I have no allegiance to the Suns over the Rockets or any other team, except for Dan. And I hold no hard feelings towards the Rockets for what happened, that's business. I merely responded to a cheap shot against Dan and used the ammunition I had from tonight's game, little though it was, to respond to that poster. Then someone else called me a troll for no reason, I guess because the Rockets lost.

Oh well, good luck to the Rockets and to Dan. I hope both succeed, you have some great fans here and as I said, this is an awesome fan site.

 

Hello, langhifan.

Say hi to your brother, son, dad(?), cousin, nephew, brother-in-law, son-in-law, godson, uncle, former classmate, or old high school buddy Dan for us!

 

I really miss Langhi's 2 points per game.

 

2 rebounds???
2+3+? rebounds!Yao tip the ball to someone else several times.

 

Post-Game Quotes from Suns (Interesting comments about Yao)
http://www.nba.com/suns/news/quotes_021115.html

Ming Impresses Suns
By Dustin Krugel, Suns.com
Posted: Nov. 15, 2002
http://www.nba.com/suns/news/report_021115.html

 

Marbury's Score Makes if Four for Suns

PHOENIX, Nov. 15 (Ticker) -- Stephon Marbury's driving layup with six seconds left lifted the Phoenix Suns to their fourth straight victory, an 88-87 triumph over the Houston Rockets.
NBA TV highlights from
Rockets-Suns: 56k | 300k

Marbury was just 5-of-15 from the field before he lofted a soft runner high off the backboard to erase an 87-86 deficit.

"Coach pretty much said, 'Go to the basket as hard as you can,'" Marbury said. "In those situations, you have to go to the basket hard."

"We had good defense," Rockets guard Steve Francis said. "He threw the ball up and, you know, it went in. That was the type of defense we were playing the whole game. He was fortunate enough to make the big shot."

The Rockets had a chance to pull out the win, but Francis' penetration was cut off and Eddie Griffin failed to convert a kick-out pass.

"I was trying to go to the bucket," Francis said. "If I couldn't get to the bucket, I was trying to kick it back outside."

"(It was the same play as Marbury's), we cleared out a hole and he tried to drive into it," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "They ran a guy in there and he popped it out to the open guy. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't."

Both teams had ample chances to pull away, but Marbury's basket was the only one over the final two minutes.

"We knew (Francis) was going to get the ball at the end and they knew I was going to get the ball and try to create," Marbury said. "This win, a close one, is very important to us. We needed it for our confidence because we have been winning ugly."

"Steph did a heck of a job on Steve Francis tonight," Suns coach Frank Johnson said. "He held him to 5-for-18 from the field and he's been averaging 30 points a game."

Shawn Marion scored a season-high 27 points for the Suns, who ended a two-game slide against the Rockets with their third consecutive home win.

Francis led Houston with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists but was just 5-of-18 from the field. Maurice Taylor added 14 points in 16 minutes off the bench.

Yao Ming, the top overall pick in the 2002 draft, had his best offensive game, making 5-of-6 shots and scoring 10 points in 14 minutes.

"I can only play about 15 minutes right now," Ming said through an interpreter. "I need to accumulate more NBA experience."

"Yao did a nice job tonight, when we had Amare (Stoudemire) on him, it was a tough matchup for Amare," Johnson said. "He can play and he's going to be pretty good. You always have to stay into him because if you give him any room, he's skilled enough where he can make some shots and do some things."

The Rockets led 83-76 after an 18-foot jumper by Taylor with 6:58 to go. The lead was 85-80 following another basket by Taylor with 5:35 remaining.

Marbury began the Suns' comeback with two free throws with 4:23 to play and Marbury found Marion for an 18-footer just over a minute later.

Francis drained a long jumper with 2:59 to go, but Marion's layup 52 seconds later was the last basket until Marbury's runner. Penny Hardaway had 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds and is averaging nearly a triple-double over his last four games.

The Suns' last four-game winning streak came nearly a year ago from Nov. 26-Dec. 3, 2001.

The Rockets were without center Kelvin Cato, who suffered a death in his family. Jason Collier started at center and had two points and two rebounds in six minutes.

 

Suns 88, Rockets 87
Post-Game Quotes


Posted: Nov. 15, 2002



Johnson
SUNS HEAD COACH FRANK JOHNSON: ¡°This was the first game in which we scored 20 or more points in every quarter. And again, our defense certainly rescued us tonight. I like the fact that we got 21 assists out of Penny (Hardaway) and Steph (Marbury). That really helped us tonight.¡±

(On Marbury)
¡°Steph did a hell of a job on Steve Francis tonight, he held him to 5-18 from the field and he¡¯s been averaging 30 points a game, the second leading scoring in the league and that was huge."

(On Yao Ming)
¡°Yao did a nice job tonight. When we had Amare (Stoudemire) on him, it was a tough matchup for Amare... He can play and he¡¯s going to be pretty good. You always have to stay into him because if you give him any room, he¡¯s skilled enough where he can make shots and do some things.¡±



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SUNS GUARD STEPHON MARBURY (20 pts, 11 asts):
(On game-winning shot) ¡°I think in those situations, you have to go to the basket hard, and that¡¯s what I did. They were in the penalty, so they were a little bit passive as far as going to the basket, and it went down.¡±



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SUNS CENTER JAKE TSAKALIDIS (courtesy Cox9): "We played good defense. We had some problems with the rebounds, but we still made them work, made them take tough shots. This was great win for us. Last couple years, since I play here in Phoenix, we always have problems with Houston here. They always play against us good."

(On Yao Ming)
"He's long. He needs work. He's not enough strong for big guy. He can shoot. He has feel from outside. If he take inside position, he's just so long, he don't need to jump to dunk ball. But he's okay if he work."



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SUNS FORWARD SHAWN MARION (27 pts, 7 rebs): ¡°The win felt good. We had to buckle down and play defense. They hit some shots tonight, but we played good defense. They¡¯re a really good team.¡±



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SUNS GUARD PENNY HARDAWAY (14 pts, 10 asts): ¡°It was a great game for us. I would have hated to have lost this game. The Rockets, for whatever reason, always play well here in our building, and they always make shots, and I¡¯m just glad we got out with a win to keep our streak going.¡±



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Rudy T
ROCKETS COACH RUDY TOMJANOVICH: ¡°A miscue here or there, you look at the final box and it¡¯s really close. A few more turnovers for us and a missed shot here or there made the difference.¡±

(On Marbury¡¯s game winning shot)
¡°We knew it was coming, and we talked about it. Our help came over but he made a great, great shot. He didn¡¯t get all the way to the basket so he made a runner, and that¡¯s a big-time shot.¡±

(On Francis¡¯ final shot attempt)
¡°Same play (as Marbury¡¯s). We cleared out a hole and he tried to drive into it. They ran a guy in there and he popped it to the open guy. Some times they go in, sometimes they don¡¯t. I was happy he found a guy for an open shot.¡±



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ROCKETS CENTER YAO MING (career-high 10 pts): ¡°Coming off the bench is definitely a different role for me, but when I was in there I got a lot of touches in the offense.¡±

(On not being in the game at the end)
¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons I can only play about 15 minutes right now. I don¡¯t have enough NBA experience. I need to accumulate more NBA experience.¡±



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ROCKETS GUARD STEVE FRANCIS (16 pts, 5 asts): ¡°We had good balance, but I look at myself and I look at Cuttino (Mobley). He didn¡¯t get enough shots for us to win. He only shot the ball nine times. We can¡¯t win if he only shoots nine times. He has to get more shots than that, regardless of our balance. He¡¯s one of our most prolific scorers.¡±

(On the last play)
¡°I was trying to get to the bucket. If I couldn¡¯t get to the bucket I was trying to kick it back outside.¡±

(On Marbury¡¯s winning shot)
¡°We had good defense. He threw the ball up and you know it went in. That was the type of defense we were playing the whole game. He was fortunate enough to make the big shot.¡±











Rockets rookie records career-high 10 points vs. Suns
Ming Impresses Suns


By Dustin Krugel, Suns.com
Posted: Nov. 15, 2002

When Suns forward Shawn Marion was asked what his impressions were of Yao Ming after Friday night¡¯s 88-87 win over the Rockets, he may have been speaking for the entire crowd at America West Arena.

¡°He¡¯s big. You can¡¯t miss him,¡± he said.

Yes, even if you had an upper deck seat at AWA, it was hard not to notice the mammoth 7-5, 296-pound center.

While Yao has struggled to live up to all the hoopla that has engulfed him since he was chosen No. 1 overall in the 2002 NBA Draft, the Chinese center showed signs why the Rockets picked him so high.

Yao finished with a season-high 10 points on 5-6 FG shooting. He also grabbed two rebounds and blocked one shot in 14 minutes.

¡°The guy can play. He¡¯s going to be pretty good,¡± Suns Head Coach Frank Johnson said. ¡°You always have to stay in to him because if you give him any room, he¡¯s skilled enough that he can make some shots and can do some things.¡±

Rookie forward Amare Stoudemire (6-10, 245-pounds) drew the initial defensive assignment on Yao when he entered the game for the first time at the start of the second quarter. He would later score six consecutive points (two dunks) for Houston in 2:26 span before Suns center Jake Tsakalidis (7-2, 285-pounds) replaced Stoudemire, who turns 20 on Saturday.

¡°You have to push him outside and make him work for it,¡± said ¡°Big Jake¡±, who scored a season-high 11 points and grabbed five rebounds, and clearly frustrated the bigger Yao on a couple of possessions. ¡°He made some, but how many shots did he make? Maybe one or two, but if he¡¯s inside like when Amare gave him room, he¡¯s so long he just dunks it.¡±

While Yao¡¯s size might deter some from going inside, ¡°The Matrix¡± said that didn¡¯t prevent him from trying to get a facial on the giant. For the record, Marion, who finished with a game-high 27 points (12-22 FG) and seven rebounds, did not have a dunk on the Rockets center.

¡°If I got the shot I was going to try to dunk on him, but I always try to dunk on anybody,¡± he said. ¡°I thought he had a good game for a big man. He needs to get a little stronger up top, but other than that, he has a nice soft touch.¡±

YAO SPEAKS

Prior to the game, Yao held a 15-minute press conference and sounded like the wear and tear of playing in the NBA and living in a foreign land is taking a toll on him.

¡°The happiest moments are when I get to go home in the evening and the hardest is when I leave the house,¡± the 7-5 Chinese basketball star said via translator Colin Pine.


Yao, the first international player picked No. 1 overall, has struggled to adjust, and was averaging only 3.3 points and 3.7 rebounds before Friday¡¯s game. Over 50 members of the media attended the press conference.

¡°There is a lot of pressure on me now. This is the most pressure I¡¯ve faced in my life, but it¡¯s just something I have to deal with and face,¡± he admitted.

Yao, who signed with Houston near the end of the preseason, said he has struggled learn the new plays and strategies, which are different from when he played on the Chinese National Basketball Team.

¡°The NBA is a different game and I have to get used to it,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve been able to show the best of my abilities yet. I¡¯m still not yet used to the speed of the game, especially on offense.¡±

One thing Yao has enjoyed so far in the States is driving. Yet he said hasn¡¯t taken a hold of a steering wheel.

¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to tell you that later,¡± he laughed.

So what will he drive?

¡°Mercedes,¡± he replied without the help of his translator.

 

Detailed Yao analysis


2nd quarter
12:00 Yao checks into the game.
10:50 What a beautiful play! Maurice Taylor gets the ball at the 3-point line unguarded, and zips a quick pass to Yao, who is cutting into the middle of the lane from the free throw line with a trailing Amare Stoudemire behind him. Yao does a great job catching the hot potato with one hand, bringing it in, and stuffing it home! Interestingly enough, roars from the Phoenix crowd erupted, confirming our thought that Yao is drawing many new fans to arenas throughout the league when he comes a callin'.
9:15 Getting the ball on the left post, Yao is double-teamed for a second. Then with only one man on him, Yao goes to work. He fakes left toward the lane (in Dream Shake-ish fashion), gets his man Stoudemire going that way, and pivots right toward the baseline. Yao pump fakes and hesitates to try to draw contact from Stoudemire, who is trying to regain defensive position. Yao doesn't get him to bite, so he takes a step toward the basket and easily lays it in. Yao's on a roll and is proving to the national TV audience (ESPN) he's got game.
8:28 Less than a minute later, Yao teammate Moochie Norris shoots a 3-pointer that misses, and our man has awesome rebounding position (as usual) in front of the rim. He easily gets the rebound, and with defensive men converging all around him swiping for the ball, Yao pump fakes. At that very instant, we could hear the critics saying, "Okay, Yao's got it under the rim with men all over him--he's too soft to go up forcefully with it." No way, chumps. Yao slams it home! America West Arena buzzes after Yao's 6th straight point for the Rockets.

You people who thought he was too soft--what are you saying now? Yao is starting to dominate this game. The way he's going, before the season is over defenses will only have one way to try to stop him--it will be called "Hack-a-Yao"." No problem. Yao will make the throws. Can you say '25 points a game?'
7:28 One minute later, the domination continues! Amare Stoudemire drives the right side of the lane and puts up a running floater, but Yao times a block perfectly and knocks it off the backboard to start a break the Rockets way.
5:20 Yao gets the ball in the left high post and has Tsakalidis guarding him. Yao starts his dribble and doesn't see any cutters going to the basket, so he goes to work. He spins right toward the baseline about 12 feet from the basket and puts up a farily long jump shot that's still within his range. But he's too far behind the backboard, and his shot his the side of the backboard. Phoenix gains possession.
3rd quarter
11:25 Using his long wingspan, Yao tips a rebound a couple of times trying to get control, but is not able to bring it in. But he is able to tip it to another Rocket for a team rebound.
11:01 The next time down the floor, Yao gets it about 14 feet away from the basket from the right side. Rather than try to dribble and create a shot, Yao just turns and shoots the kind of shot he hits all the time in warm-ups. What happens this time? Score the bucket! His shot is poetry in motion that always seems to rip the cords. This guy can do it all.
9:40 For some reason, the Rockets defense doesn't switch correctly since Yao is guarding lightning-quick, crossover extraordinaire Stephon Marbury at the top of the key. This is ridiculous--we all know Marbury will easily blow by any guy over 6'7" on this type of isolation. Where are the Houston guards? Yao is supposed to guard centers, not 6'2" speedster point guards. As expected, Marbury shakes and bakes past Yao--with Yao falling backwards on Marbury's wicked crossover. The Phoenix bench cracks up with laughter. Go ahead and laugh. Make the Big Man mad. You'll pay, even though he never should have been put in this defensive position.
7:51 Penny Hardaway drives across the lane and tries a wraparound pass around Yao, but Penny forgets how much ground Yao covers. Yao uses his quick hands to pick the ball out of the air. Tally up a rare steal for Yao.
6:35 Stevie Franchise drives down the middle of the lane, with Yao crashing the boards (as always) alongside him. Steve goes up and gets Tsakalidas in the air, and then does what Penny tried a minute ago--a wraparound pass. Yao gets the perfect dish moving toward the basket and throws it down with one-hand. What's fun is to see the 'snap' he applies to the dunk, and how fast he does it. It's like when us mere mortals get near one of those kid basketball goals you see at Target in the toy section, where we hardly need to jump--just a snap of the wrist to jam it home. That's how forceful and easy it is for Yao.
5:01 Shawn Marion drives and puts up an acrobatic leaning shot with Yao coming over and brushing 'The Matrix' to pick up his third foul. Yao checks out of the game. After playing another productive 7 minutes, Yao has 14 minutes, 10 points, 2 rebounds and 1 block.

Unfortunately, Yao does not return to the game, and the Rockets go on to lose in part because they couldn't get a high percentage shot (Yao could have) in the fourth quarter, or hit some clutch free throws in the final couple of minutes.

 

YAO Shoots >75% in CBA and shoot 21/21 in a playoff game vs BAYI under huge pressure where only a championship will bring him to NBA.

In WBC he shoots >73% where USA(All NBA stars) only got 6th places.

In NBA only after 5 games he improved his shooting to>54%.

Have you ever seen any player ever shoot 21/21 FG in any game anywhere??

nuff said.

 

Yao Ming only had good moments on the court when the Suns went without a center and he had a mismatch against Stoudemire on the offensive end.

When Big Jake was in the game , Ming wasn't much of a factor and the started finally to go at him.

 

Somebody on this board compared Griffin to Horry. I wish Griffin was Horry last night.

 

I do not see how it was funny and embarrassing. A 7'6" 300lbs center tried to guard a 6'2" 205 lbs lightning-quick guard. The center was not as quick as the guard (surprised? ). He lost his balance. He fell down. What was so funny about it? I would like to know why Yao was left out there trying to guard Marbury one on one though.

 

I am surprised that we did not play Ming more minutes and not at all in the fourth quarter, not even in the last three minutes whereas it was obvious we had no offensive threat at all with the small lineup.

Ming dominated the low post so much against Phoenis. In fact, the stat did not say it all. In the offensive end, Ming could break down their zone at ease - check out the stat of Amare Stoudemire and Iakovos Tsakalidis in the game. On the defensive end, there were at least twice Ming tipped the rebound to his teammate and altered Marbury's drive (instead of shot when others played replaced replaced Ming) several times.

Although Ming can defintely help Houston to win now, it was clear he had not had much team chemistry with many other players. When Ming was on the floor, the offence was not organized (as always even he was not on the floor) and on the defence, they seemed to run into others several times. Mind you, we must give credit to Phoenix on their picks, which cause Houston confusion several times even Ming was not on the floor. The worst team chemistry for Ming was, his teamates appeared to stop running when he was on the floor. That was why he had to come up to defend the opposition's guard twice. Where were our guards then. They were just watching the game.

Yet, the team chemistry will come and I hope we could play more minutes and down the stetch. Otherwise, without the low post, we shall not be a playoff team.

 

My take on the game. Phoenix showed why we need to keep improivng. When we meet one of the few teams that can keep up with us athletically, we need to do more than ask Steve to win the game for us. Marbury is almost as athletic as Steve, Matrix is somewhat more athletic than KT. Amare, slightly more so than Eddie. Penny and Cuttino are a draw. They have good bench players, like the big white powerforward from NC State (brain freeze) and Joe Johnson.

To win consistently against this type of team we need to progress further. At least one of these must get much better or steady improvement in all three of these areas: 1) motion/passing, 2)defense, or 3)wild card, Ming must develop further.