ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Sonics @ Rockets 11/5/2002

This should be a really good game, which will help us see just how good this team is. I want to more out of Griffin and Yao, but if they are unprepared I don't mind seeing Steve and Cat picking up the load again as long as it helps the team win. (best shot available.) I DO want Cat to chill back on some bad shots and would like to see Steve chill back on TO's, but they've also both been playing well. I hope to see KT and Rice play, with both contributing well. I just want Cato and Hawkins to stay the same. And Collier needs to make sure everyone is hydrated and is not cramping up.

Those are my hopes. I forsee a 85-82 win. Just a guess.

 

Don't underestimate the Sonics. They can throw up a hundred points with ease. They are also pretty good at stealing the ball, and their rebounding has improved this year.

The Rockets swept the home games against Seattle last year, with a much less talented squad. I see the Rockets coming up with their first hundred point game, and winning a close one. The Rockets will have to protect the ball, and prevent the Sonics from getting out on the break.

Watch out for the big Europeans. Predrag Drobnyak and Vladimir Radmanovich can shoot the rock. The big men will have to get out on the shooters, or the Sonics will score easily.

The Francis-Payton matchup should be spectacular as usual. The Rockets win, 107-102.

 

I think the Rockets are gonna hit stride, but Seattle seems to be an enigma...They are a hard team to catergorize...Payton is savvy as savvy gets, but they have holes...With the Rockets many weapons and so far so great defense, ...I predict an easy win 109 to 90...Rocketball!

 

Seattle's front court sucks [/sarcasm]. They just handed Karl Malone his first donut of his career with their athletic defensive play and their match-up zone. Any college hoop fans here? Who runs the best match-up zone in college? If you know that answer, just take a gander at Seattle's assistants. Seattle's front court isn't great but they are by no means pushovers. They play tough defense, can pass the ball well, and all are involved in the offense.

 

I hope he is reading your post. My prediction is he is going to dribble off the time and make desperate shot for 80% of time. 30% of those shots will fall, and people will say "look it's not bad against Payton".

 

This should be a good test 4 da Rockets If the Rockets beat Seattle, The road ahead looks real good, and If not its gonna be a long season.

The Sonic have a pretty good center in James and a guy name Radmanavich. both are 7 footers. Why can't the Rockets spread the court and more passing the ball...

 

I am looking forward to the game. Francis vs The Glove. Francis will prove that he is the best PG in the game.

 

Tue will be my last day of NBA legual free preview day! damn it

 

LOL. Coolpet. I can't stay up for much of the game, because it starts at 8:30 ET, and I have tryouts for high school basketball tomorrow.

 

Seattle is a better shooting team than ours and their guards as well as Lewis are taller as well.Hawkins and KT will have to go up against Payton/Barry and Lewis. It wiil be a challenge for Francis to score against the Glove but he can beat him with his quickness.We need more passing into the post so Ming and Cato can try to get inside to score. We also need to crash the boards so we can have greater possession and more chances to score.
It's going to be a tough game but if they play smart ball Seattle can be beaten.

 

Look, he just got here. He barely had a chance to learn the offense, and he needs some time to adjust. It would be the same with any team. Like it or not, his development was slowed by spending the summer with the Chinese NT, not the Rockets.

I'm not saying he shouldn't have played for the NT, I'm just saying don't blame the Rockets for what is not their fault.

 

91-84 Rox.

We'll D them up hard, but we'll have a semi-nice lead going into the fourth and the sonics will make a little run, but we'll stop em.

This is a tell all kinda game. We win, we are legitamatly playoff bound, if not then we need some more work.

 

Clutch...nba.com usually provides live audio for every game this season....they hopefully will

 

www.sonicscentral.com You guys can go on there and sea what Sonics fans are saying about this game. Id like to add a few things about Sonics basketball that most people have not stated.1 This is a jump shooting team, last year had the #1fg %despite that fact, also #1 behind the arc. 2 Cato and Ming better close in on our big men, they can all shoot from outside with the exception of James, who will only see limited minutes. 3 Seattles bigmen are also very good passers, so when Cato closes for example, Drobnjak will put it on the floor or pass to a cutter(everyone cuts) for what may or may NOT be a shot, perhaps ANOTHER pass is what comes next. 4 Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. If Seattle plays with the intensity they have displayed in the 1st 3 games then watchout, this could get ugly for you guys. After all this I still think you win in a rather good offensive battle 105-99. You cant win em all, and Houston isnt a pushover, should be an exciting four games this year. Have fun watching the game! P.S. Sonics opponents a combined 2-25 from 3 point range and 41% FGs overall due to closing speed on jumpshooters.

 

That is such a good analysis of the sonics. I believe that with Ming manning the paint with his long arms, the seattle frontcourt will have problems shooting. (That is if he stays out of foul trouble). Ming can also camp down low to get some easy baskets. I think the game will ultimately come down to which frontcourt can produce. I think the combination of Ming/Griffin/KT/Rice will get the Rocks a win.

 

me too. some reason I get a feeling of KT having a monster game. Hope yao gets more touchs...and PT.

 

MING will have a good game tonite, but we still lose. Hope I was wrong.

 

Will this be a Harlem Globetrotter reunion? Is it not true that the Sonics center James and the Rockets Hawk are former Globetrotters?

 

Thanks for the insight, and link, Sonicblood. I hope you enjoy our boards. It's going to be a fun game tonight.

One question... Do you guys hate the Jazz as much as we do?

 

Stats

On paper it doesn't look to good for the Rockets. Let's hope the defense is on tonight, and we have more assists.
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Rank-Team --FG%---Opp FG%--3 Pt%--Opp 3 Pt%--FT%---Opp Ft%
5------Sea---0.455---0.41-------0.405-------0.08------0.689----0.726
21----Hou---0.403---0.379------0.333------0.294-----0.75------0.683
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rank--Team---Points Scored----Points Allowed
9-------Sea----------94.3------------------81
25-----Hou----------84.3-----------------80.3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rank-Team--Assists---Opp Assists
3-------Sea---24.667-----19.333
28------Hou-----13-----------16
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rank-Team Rebounds--Opp Rebounds---Blocks-----Opp Blocks
5------Hou----48.667--------44.667---------8.667--------6.333
19----Sea--------42----------45.667---------4.333-----------6
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Odd's favorite:
Seattle -5.9

To hell with Vegas odds...Rockets by a dagger.