ClutchFans Game Thread: Jazz @ Rockets 4/19/2008 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 1)

I think most of us by now have gotten used to that stat line.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Novak defending Kirilenko and not Korver? I thought I saw Kirilenko trying to drive on Novak during that sequence, leading to Novak's foul.

Mutombo should've stayed in the game in the third. He was feeling it and momentum was on our side. I think Adelman trying to balance out the minutes and give Deke a rest backfired.

Our lack of size really showed this game. And credit the Jazz for playng really good defense. They said they were going to keep McGrady from getting to the basket and that's what they did.

 

I agree, also taking Deke out. He was playing on another level at that point.

 

It will be a lot less if they lose game 2. It may be 7 game series but this Rockets team played way, way, I mean way above their heads and got a wonderful 22 game (unheard of - especially after losing Yao) streak and their is nothing to be sorry for.

I am proud of this Rockets team. That said, it's one thing to go to a gun fight with a Knife (without Yao), it's another to go with a blind fold and a smoke (without Alston and Steve Francis - yes him).

Man, I wish Yao didn't break his leg. You know, they may have won a few extra games and be playing Denver instead.

But that's how the ball bounces. Seriously, I thought, like a lot of people out there, that when Yao went down that the Rockets would not make the playoff. They proove me wrong and STILL got HCA. That is some amazing achievement. That's at least 4 more games to watch.

They don't have what it takes to win this series but if they can proove me wrong. I will love to eat a very very large serving of crow.

 

To put it simply, it is not on him, it is on the team. You can not win when only Battier, Scola, Deke and half Tmac bring it to the court.

 

Now game 2 is a must win. If we lose, we are basically done for the season.

 

I have to admit AK47 did a good job denying TMac the ball. That's way it sucks not having another option in Yao that can get some of the pressure off of Tracy. However, when Korver was guarding TMac I have no idea why Tracy just didn't go right by him.

 

I think the carryover effect of JVG is starting to wear off. They don't have a coach constantly pushing them defensively the way Gundy did.

At the same time, they are still learning the Adelman offense so we are sort of stuck in the middle, in a transition point. Unfortunately, it is the worst time of the season to be facing that reality.

 

Guys you gotta understand it isnt exactly easy with 3 JAzz in front of you cuz your teammates cant knock down shots, he was rightfully pissed, im dissapointed in Luther, he is TERRIBLE

 

Playing playoff is enough for this team,it's Adelman's first season.I think next year will be better,but please keep healthy,and take someone else to Houston,we need a fierce player in this team.

 

If you guys are waiting for Rafer Alston to "save" us ... haha.

I posted before that my heart says the Rockets take it in 7, but my mind says the Jazz take it in 6 or 7. Forget that. Jazz in 6 or less.

McGrady is not and will never be the premier swingman he was in '01-'03 Orlando. Lost too much athleticism. He's now a 6'8" Iverson, but subtract Iverson's speed, toughness, and ability to get to the line. If he doesn't want to shoot in the 2nd half, just make him the point guard and surround him with Novak, Brooks, Battier, Head to chuck 3s. We live and die by the 3 and we don't get rebounds anyway.

Rafer will never be more than a glorified Harlem Globetrotter.

Scola, Battier, and Landry are good complimentary players, but nothing more. Scolandry still can't rebound to save their lives.

Mutombo gives it his all, but when we are relying on the oldest NBA player on the league to anchor our defense ... it ain't looking too good.

The rest are NBADL level talent. Why is Head even in the league? Can't pass, can't dribble, and now he can't even shoot. He owes his NBA salary to Dee Brown and Deron Williams and Bruce Weber.

Don't put too much on the 22-win streak. It was nice, but face it, we got a lot of lucky breaks.

 

When Deke was in we actually had some defense in the paint. Take him out and Boozer has his way with us. I don't care how old he is, if he can stand up in the paint he should be in the game from now on.

 

Deron's elbow to Bjax in transition brought back memories or Stockton's to Maloney...

The jazz still grab, hit, trip, scratch, hold, and elbow like always. This is partially how they were able to get all those rebounds in the first half, after which I'm sure Adelman yelled at the team at halftime...

Our players need to do exactly the same in Game 2......be just as physical and then some....basically to have a chance to win we're going to have to stoop down to their level and play like little b****es too....

 

Never say that, man! Dalas was down 0-2 and beat Rockets 4-3. Jazz was down two and beat Rockets 4-3. Why cannot Rockets down 2 and beat Jazz?

 

It almost seems like they do that stuff so much that the refs can't call it because they'd all foul out by the end of the first half. Their hand checking really annoys me. Rockets need to start implementing some of the Jazz's dirty tactics.

 

because apparently the Jazz only lost 4 games at home and we lost a certain tall chinese center that scores in the paint for us

 

Anyway, Adelman & this team has proven all the experts & most of the fans wrong before.

I dun mind they do it once more time.

 

Yeah, Deke looked good on Boozer for the most part. That was a job well done by the big man, he really made Boozer work.

 

Seriously, the reason the Jazz won was Kyle Korver. He proved to everyone why he's feared in the league as a game changing defender: He blocked Carl Landry and stuffed TMac.

Oh, and by the way, he made a couple of big shots too.

 

Because in the previous two cases, the better team prevailed in the end. We are not the better team in this series. The only Western Conf team that we are better than is the Nuggets because they play selfish basketball - if they had their head on straight we would be the worst team BY FAR in the Western Conf playoffs.