ClutchFans Game Thread: Blazers @ Rockets 11/3/2007

It is not a matter of what I like, it is a matter of what it takes to get out of the first round: SOMETHING TMAC AND YAO HAVE NEVER DONE, MR. ALL CAPS. Any NBA coach is going to be disgusted with this performance. The Rockets are good, but they have proven nothing, they have no reason to coast.

 

My god, what a horrible game. Whatever... 3-0

 

and even Tmac shoot 8/23 and James shoot 5/14???

Hey Rick~I'm going to hate u...

 

Mike James is instant offense- just add ball!

I'd like to be a sheep and complain about what the team didn't do tonight but I expected the Rox to win easily and they did. The two superstars set the tone and the role players, especially James and Scola, were big. I expect us to win against the Mavs on Monday.

 

TMac had an off night shooting after starting out 4-8, and ending up with more shot attempts (23) than points (20). Battier still isn't shooting well (2-7), but I expect him to break out of the slump. We did a good job on limiting the turn overs though, with only 10. Mike James had another solid game off the bench with a 5-14 shooting and 17 points, and Rafer haters are quieted til the next game with a 4-9 shooting night and 6 assists to 1 turn over. Scola played great and Hayes was solid. Bonzi contributed, but probably needs to limit the outside shooting attempts a bit.

Over all it was a win against a team we should beat, but we all know that the Rockets have had plenty of losses in those type of situations over the years. Considering we are still learning a new offense, it is hard to not be excited about things to come. Tough back to back vs Dallas and San Antonio Monday and Tuesday will really test us.

 

ok, every team plays 100% for every minute of a game. dude, EVERY team coasts. they didn't coast v. the jazz. that's all i care about.

the blazers had ZERO chacne of coming back so the team just took it easy.

hell, shaq coasts through half a season by not even playing 50% at times.

 

My guess would be that they're in there to get the most comfortable in the new offense. Coach A's probably letting them go through growing pains early so they could be ready for the playoffs.

As far as the game goes...I was VERY excited to see the Rockets keep that van Gundy defensive cohesion in the first half. But apparently old habbits are not always good. The Rockets failed to maintain their first half defensive intensity for the second half.

Defense is VERY important, especially when you're not getting the calls on the offensive end (Yao was abused and beat down...yet no calls! the Blazers' starting lineup should have reported to H.P.D downtown for their mugshots after the game).

Yao and T-Mac have shown killer instinct at the end of games....just not this one. They seem to not respond well to the more physical teams. But this is a problem of the NBA and not the two superstars. A game should be called the way the game was meant to be called...none of that "the refs are letting them play" crap, or "their blowing their whistles to get control of the game."

However, after all is said and done....my fellow Rocket fans....
a win...is a win. 3-0....bring on the Mavs!

 

"We Want Steve!"

 

Rick responded to a question about that in the post game and as expected basicly said the rotation is what it is, and fan chants aren't going to have any effect there.

 

and everyone hated JVG for being grumpy and not playing spanoulis/novak/whatever.

Hm.... maybe a coach just needs to put his foot down and decide who will play and who won't?

I see quite a hypocritical reaction. No one is flaming Adelman for not playing Steve.

 

Well, while the team did coast a fair bit in the second half, you must have also noticed that Brandon Roy started acting like the T-Mac of Portland. Dude was making tough shots and basically trying to will Portland back into the game. You can't help it if guys like this get hot. Heck, Utah couldn't do anything to McGrady in the last game. So well... even though the Rockets did 'play' badly, no doubt the 'capability' is there. Hopefully when they are facing stronger teams, they will bring this capability out in full force and not coast in those games.

 

Did anyone hear this on TV? I was chanting pretty loud.

 

Try the Jordan lead Bulls, or the Magic lead Lakers, or the Bird led Celtics: those teams poured in on, they didn't just want to win, they wanted to destroy you. I witnessed many of their games, I don't recall coasting. The subs were so happy to get in, they played like the game wasn't over. I am just tired of the "let's exert the least amount of effort necessary" attitude. I am ecstatic about the 3-0 start, BUT, the Rockets have let leads evaporate in every game. They better bring their "A" game next week. I wish they had brought it for their hometown fans.

 

This was what the commentator said after the game, not word by word thou:

Bill: Yao did not seem to be at his best tonight....

Clyde: Thats because he was surrounded by other 5 guys (from the Blazers)

Man, as much as I love Yao, Clyde was just over the top a little.

 

I thought it was a great team effort. There were 23 assists and only 10 turnovers! We're saving energy for the next 2 games.

There was no moment where I thought the lead was ever in jeopardy.

It definitely felt like the team was trying to run the flow offense today. Almost like practice...

Good win.

 

ok recall the shaq-kobe lakers, who coast a TON of games. recall the duncan-led spurs, who coast a TON of games.

and u mean to tell me those teams didn't coast ONE QUARTER? ONE HALF? ONE GAME?

look man, when you're facing a team that sucks a lot like the blazers, no motivation to play as hard. sure it's not a good thing to do, but it's human nature.

the spurs packed it in a lil bit in the first game and that's why portland came back.

 

The actual champion Spurs beat the same Blazers team 106-97. By the same 9 pt margin as the Rockets. It was a 4 pt game at the start of the 4th qtr in SA.

The Blazers team are not as bad as some people here make them out to be. These guys can play, McMillan is a good coach, you don't just go in and expect to blow them out, even if you are the actual NBA Champions.

Stop worrying and enjoy the ride. The Rockets have much to work on to be prepared for the post season. Good thing the post season wont start until mid April. Plenty of time to get their work done.

 

Lol, it's the JVG effect

 

I don't even know that we coasted. Brandon Roy just got hot and Tmac had an off night and we won by 9. Rick said in the post game he was trying to get the players who were getting burnt on the pick and roll more practice to see if they could improve on that pick are roll defense because they had a comfortable lead. He said that if the game was closer he would have made substitutions or changes, but giving players a chance to work on weaknesses in game situations is something that could help them down the road.