ClutchFans Game Thread: Jazz @ Rockets 4/21/2007 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 1)

Is that Yao practicing 3's

Maybe he has something up his sleeves that we don't know!

 

Yao had only one dunk. Thats not enough. I wish he can double that next game.

Okur, as I predicted, sucked all night. I mean even his missed shots were ugly and hopless. Nice job, JVG.

Battier, please get more than 2 rebounds next game! Rockets life are on rebounding!

Chuck Hayes is the true Mr. Intangibles IMO.

 

God, I hate Matt Harpring. He looks like one of those beefcake body builders. Argh! I agree with what Zboy said, though. He'd be a fan favorite if he played for the Rockets, haha!

 

Just got back from the game and I can barely talk, but I can type

The atnosphere was very good when things were going well in the 2nd half, especially when Tmac got it going. The whole upper level was great,however in the club sections, there were rows of empty seats and not much red. I didn't sit the whole time, yelling and screaming the whole time. It was great. And great to see Clutchfans represented well and Dave2000 got some recognition at the game.

Now to the game,

My first thought was, wow, this series is going tougher than I thought. Then in the 2nd half, you realized, this is the REAL rockets team, and I expect them to play like that the whole time.

I thought Rafer was terrible. He couldn't really guard Deron at all. He was shhoting over him and going by him. Deron really didn't post him up. He couldn't hit the ocean from the beach as usual, and was really hurting the team IMO and when he took it into the paint he almost lost it every time.

Tmac - a story of 2 halves. He just couldn't it anything but had 5 dimes. However in the second half he was great on both ends, but didn't really go the basket. He got like 2 or 3 rejections and a big steal in the 2nd half. But he got the j and 3s going and hit some huge ones. As soon as he got going, the team and the TC got going. I expect tmac to play like that the whole time. Someone shoud memo JVG to stop posting up tmac with his back to the hoop, he doesn't play well like that. He needs to get it on the wing or bring it up himself. He doesn't post up as well, and I also think they need to go to the high P&R with mac and yao more.

Yao - I thought he played well, he didn't shoot his best, but he still played well, and was pretty damn good on the glass.

 

Yao's defense was outstanding tonight. He would've had more blocks, but the Jazz pretty much just avoided the paint. Mutombo got a block at a crucial moment and T-Mac locked down on the Jazz in the fourth.

The Rockets locked down so tight on 'D' in the crucial few minutes of the fourth that they actually reminded me of that vintage Spurs defense. That's encouraging considering what happened on April 1st in the last few minutes defensively.

I can't diminish T-Mac taking over offensively in the third, but the defense was outstanding. Legler on ESPN says the third fewest points allowed in Rocket playoff history.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/photo?slug=0df9e7ce4fbe41cba63750342e251b83.jazz_rockets_basketball_htr117&prov=ap

This is JVG celebrating .

 

Releaved by the fact that McGrady was able to turn it on again! When he did the lump in my throat went away!

 

Next time Harpring purposely falls down and roll over to hurt someone, somebody put a knee on his throat! That guy is such a dirty player, always trying to roll your ankle

 

I agree, but I just listened to Van Gundy's post game and he said that Alston played great or something like that. I assume he can see things I can't. It seemed to me that Deron Williams did whatever he wanted to and Alston missed some wide open threes. He hit a couple, but he's got to play better. I'm not a Rafer hater. I think he's a decent point guard, but he's going to have to step it up.

 

Whew.....just WHEW !!

DD

 

I expected more from you

 

Is JVG having Chuck's baby?

 

Tmac needs to be more careful with his body. For not going to the basket, he took a lot of contact and hit the floor a lot.

 

Where is the rafer and JVG hate, and the love for vspan???

 

lol, were not deep at all

 

Hey guys, don't be too harsh on rafer. Sure he didn't shoot well. But look at what he did: 11 boards and 8 dimes. He played 46:30 out of 48 mins. He controled the temple and ran the offense pretty well, especially in the 2nd half. He was physical on Williams even though he is smaller. Had luther played PG tonight, how many quick shots would the rockets have taken?

 

I agree that T-Mac needed to be more aggressive in the 1st half. He couldn't find a shooting rhythm, so that's why he stopped taking shots and deferred. He was distributing the ball well though. He had 5 of his 7 assists in the 1st quarter.

I wouldn't call the win "lucky". The suffocating defense, aided by Yao - the best post defender in the NBA, and T-Mac exploding in the 2nd half... there was no luck involved there. That is our identity. Suffocating defense is who we are.

And don't bother quoting anything Fran Blinebury says. He's been all over T-Mac's ass all year. Yeah, yeah, T-Mac struggled with his shot in the 1st half, but Fran will always rub it in. Fran will never understand that T-Mac does more than put the ball in the basket. He completely ignored T-Mac's great defense throughout the game and great ball distribution.

 

If tracy came out firing early in the game and not use yao who has a lack of stamina people would be crying saying he shoots too much. I mean he did have 5 asst in the 1st half, whats wrong with giving the team what they need when they need it. Yao has to be used when he's in the game because he tire quickly.

 

That's because Jazz is one of the most physical teams in the NBA. They got some tenacious defence out there so we'd better keep the ball moving.