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

The key player didn't play well in the 4th quarter

 

but the true is that Tracy and Shane didn't gen any help. Our offense looked awful, we were pretty much off.

But what's the worst. We were getting good, easy shots. Gotta knock them down, especially Bobby.

Of course rebounding in the 1st half was important but the job refs did in the 1st half also helped Jazz a lot.

 

Our man was missing easy layups all over the place and shot free throws as well as Shaq.

If he is our only man, we're doomed.

 

Right he had some easy shots and me changed them into diffucult.

His free throws also looked pathetic. But I still like his agressivness and heart when he and Tracy carried us in the 3rd to cut and even take a lead

 

I see no reason to panic. The Jazz played well, but I thought we gave the game away.

We missed too many free throws, and couldn't grab boards early, and missed a sh**load of shots in the paint. We have to finish strong in there whether the refs call a foul or not. We can't be looking for the refs to send us to the line all the time regardless of how frequent they foul.

We came back in the game in the 2nd half, then Adelman took out Deke after a big block. That was a mistake. Bringing in Novak was another mistake. I'd prefer to see Novak in when we're ahead to knock down backbreakers and momentum enders(for the other team).

T-MAC MUST PLAY ALL 48 MINUTES OF EVERY GAME!!! Scola must play at least 40min, The Jazz made their run when they were out, and by the time they came back in, momentum had already shifted permanently.

Props to Shane Battier. He really showed up and knocked down shots. And Scola is a damn warrior. He gave everyone else the same fire in some runs. Bobby Jackson needs to settle down. 3/15 is not getting it done.

No more screens for T-Mac. It just brings another defender his way. T-Mac should be taking anyone who guards him one-on-one. We should be setting off-ball screen and rolls to get easy cuts.

 

and what made kenny smith, mario elie, different??

 

Novak needs to study korver if he ever wants to make it in the NBA

Korver doesnt just stand in one spot and hope the guy thats guarding him leaves on a double team. You gotta move around and shoot off of a dribble.

 

This is for Clutch: Clutch, I thought that funny turnover by Bobby Jackson wasn't all his fault because it looked to me that he slipped on a wet spot on the floor. It was just the way his feet went out from under him - it looked like a slip. BJ did have an absolutely brutal shooting night, however but that's what happens to streak shooters (for reference, see playoffs game 1, Dallas - Jason Terry).

Here are my key thoughts on this series from watching Game 1:

Size - Utah is simply bigger and far stronger than the Rockets. End of story. Without Yao Ming, this is a small team and having to depend on Mutumbo to give you some of the things that Yao did at this stage of his career is a recipe for disaster as he no longer has any semblance of an offensive game not to mention the stamina necessary to play lots of minutes. Our key young players: Landry, Scola, Hayes, Brooks are all shorter than what you'd like them to be and tonight it really showed as Utah exploited this to their advantage.

In the playoffs, it is the teams with the most pronounced weaknesses that fall by the wayside. In Utah, the Rockets face a disciplined, experienced team that is well coached and an expert at identifying those weaknesses and exploiting them. They are simply too talented for the Rockets to beat them on talent alone - for the Rockets to win this series, they will have to outplay the Jazz and I'm not sure that they will be able to do that given the circumstances.

Tmac - OK, a quick show of hands class: How many of you expected Utah to double team and swarm Tmac to get the ball out of his hands? Hmm, interesting. I find it a little amazing that Tmac looked surprised at how Utah defended him last night. Putting AK47 on him was a stroke of genius on Sloan's part because it forced Tmac to play a guy his size and as a result, McGrady's game in the 2nd half was lost in translation. Oh he played hard. He tried his damnest to get the other players involved but in the end it was all too easy for Utah to clamp down on our sole scoring option and dare the other players to beat them. It doesn't help matters for him to be shooting around 35% and it only exposes the offensive weaknesses of this team even more.

All of the posters looking at his stats line are missing the point: for Tmac to be effective in this series, the other players will have to do enough to force Utah out of their strategy of focusing the defense on him. And that's going to be the key to this series because the other Rockets players are simply over matched in this series. Last night you saw the Rox do things that they didn't do during the 22 win streak and that's something they can ill afford. Their only chance to to play out of their skulls and force Utah to adjust to them and not the other way around.

Utah Jazz - Before game 1, I was highly amused at how easily folks here were dismissing the Jazz. The lack of respect for them as a team around here was incredible. There is a tendency around here to overvalue the talent here in Houston while dismissing that at other places. This is a superior team that has been flying under the radar all season. No one seems to remember that these Jazz were in the WCF last year. This was the worse possible matchup for the Rockets and if anything, it should offer this organization a blueprint on just how much work they have in front of them as they try to become true contenders. The Utah Jazz are much closer to being a finished product than are the Rockets and it shows.

 

great post, HillBoy.

Our young players lost this game...and Bobby Jackson. Lets hope they step it up now.

And Novak letting Korver get 9 quick points...brutal

 

NOVACK...really??? I get it, the guy can shoot, but he is about as useful on defense as the Astros pitchers are on the mound. STEVE NOVACK IS KILLING ME. Korver's quick shots turned this game back to the j*zz.

Head should not ever handle the ball, he is a shooter and ok on D but cannot pass worth a crap.

Bobby did a good job on D in the first half on Deron but the age began to show in the second half, and he did not shoot well at all, and when tmac is obviously asking you for the ball...GIVE IT TO HIM.

Scola is a freaking beast, i would trade Yao for another Scola and a cold drink.

And of course...I HATE THE FREAKING JAZZ. Freaking bullies don't play defense as much as they just run into and whack everone...and then no calls happen because the refs are expecting a 'physical' game... If we are down and obviously going to be eliminated I sincerely hope that Scola or somebody else has enough of these D-Bags and goes Ron Artest on their face.

 

does anyone know when rafer is coming back?

 

Possibly game 3

 

Per the broadcast last night, Utah is one of the top 5 youngest teams in the league...

 

I just spent time re-watching the 1st quarter and analyzing Jazz movements and tendencies.

Boozer uses his elbow point in people all over the place, just like he did to Deke at the very end of the 1st half, pushing him away from the long pass that Deke was about to intercept. He also pushes with the forearm bone in the back, but again, with a slight turn becomes the point of the elbow which hurts like h3ll.

I remember using my elbow in martial arts. A well placed elbow in an opponent makes it very easy to move them, turn them, take away their muscular control.

Korver slamming into Tmac on the in bounds play, then Tmac going down in pain.

BJ drove the lane, ended up inside the circle, bumped hard to the floor by two Jazz players, no call.

Analysing the Jazz in detail is showing me exactly how they cheat.

I saw the Spurs do a sandwich slam on one of the Suns yesterday. I think the Sun was called on the foul.

These guys have to practice and pre-meditate some of these moves. Is this hockey or NBA basketball? Can we do this too? Can we get Charles Oakley back as a coach?

 

i think having Mutombo on the team automatically bumps us to one of the oldest teams in the league

 

Even kyle korver cut to the lane and went off the backboard...........Every body expect mcgrady to get them the ball to do what they do............

And Bobby Jackson ****ing falling to make it a closer game going in to the half.......

Man......this sucks

 

Must get RA back to even have a chance

 

If neither of our Point Guards step up and start contributing or at least hitting open shots, then we won't win. I think if Bobby just had a good game, combined with Scola and Battier hitting shots then we win.

 

I really miss the big guy.

 

i love how most gave up after one game...
0-1, but we still have a chance..