ClutchFans Game Thread: Mavericks @ Rockets 4/28/2005 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 3)

This should be a very good game. Yao will come out struggling

from the field only to find his shot in the 2nd quarter and from

then on he dominates every end of the floor. Tmac will prove that

he too is having an MVP year by putting up good numbers and

holding a hot Dirk (who goes for 38pts).

Rockets win

Rockets: 102
Mavs: 98

 

You guys should be introduced to a new way of saying 4-0. It is a clean shave.

 

Be Loud & Proud Houston! I'll be screaming it up here in Vegas! Let's get the sweep: destiny.

 

Rockets going for 10 in a row tonight

longest streak we had during the regular season was 8 i think, hopefully will make it more than 10.


I posted this earlier and it was moved. If i am breaking a rule let me know

 

Tonight's goals:

1. Beat Mavs in the game.

2. Beat Bush in the ratings.

 

Not to sound like an old man, but I hate these games coming on so late. 5 am is really early to get up the next day ! But it was surprisingly easy to get up tuesday after that game Hope we can make it that easy for me again. I say we pull away late. Rox 109 Mavs 92

 

Listening to ESPN Radio here in Dallas, Mark Follower (Mavs Radio commentator) and Dave Shaw (Mavs court side reporter)Mavs are going to do the following adjustments:

1. Not double as much on T-mac like they did in Game 1 and 2. Josh Howord will be the primary defender against T-mac.

2. Mavs are using "Gemannator" as motivation, they want to put the Dirk in the right position to score instead of letting him create his own shot. The first 7 minutes of the game will be the most important minutes of the game for Dirk.

3.There will be some double teams on Yao and they are going to as physical to Yao as possible.

4. Finely is still going to play lots of minutes

 

For those of you who are bewildered by the above statement, Dubya is going to hold a prime time news conference tonight on his plan to privatize Social Security. (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050428/pl_nm/bush_newsconference_dc_3)

Wonder if team Bush choose the right time ...

Well I guess maybe they hope it is mainly Texans who care about this intra-state rivalry. Then again, Texas is already sold on Bush's idea.

 

How about at the end of the news conference, Bush, making his usual smirking face, screaming:

" ... Live from Houston, it's NBA playoff time!!! ".

and Network TV cameras instantly switch to the boisterous Toyota Center ...

 

YAO need step up in the first. if we can lead in the first half, we will get a W. DIRK is very likely to explode tonight, expect him get 40 pts

 

You know, anytime my son watched/listened to Bush, his language test score went down. I've banned him from watching/listening.

 

I hope that Jon Barry calling Ryan Bowen the "Germantor" doesn't make Nowitzki go all out crazy on us. I predict a 35 point game from him. The rockets will have it tough tonight, worse than the last time. Still, the rockets have heart, and it'll be tough for the Mavs too.

 

I say we will lose this time by 7 pts.



Continuing my wrong predition streak

 

Game 2 was a defining game for this team. They didn't just gell, they moved to another level - they are a champion.

Game 3 is an important game - but let's not lose sight of the fact at what has already happened. It's not being up 2-0, it's this:

This team didn't have to win game 2. They didn't have to play gritty and dive and make clutch performances. They didn't have to push back and dig their heels in when the game was about to become out of reach.

Think about it, the most they trailed by was 8 points.

8 points.

They demonstrated the kind of play that not just in teams that win a championship like the Spurs....the demonstrated a level that you see in Dynasties.

What will happen in game 3? I'll tell you:

This team will play with the same grittiness, the same intensity. They will fight back when they get down, and they will not ease up when they get ahead. They may not win, but if the lose, it will because of nothing they did wrong, but merely the statistical oddities that occur in the game of basketball.

But this series will not go 6 games.

 

I can't wait six more hours!!!

Work is dragging on...

 

I know...my company just had a drawing and I won two tickets for tonights game...lower bowl. SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Houston wins because Jvg fixes the horrible defense played (lack of rotation on their 3 pt shooters killed us during their run.) Mcgrady and Yao both go off for the home crowd as MVP chants are heard.

 

WARNING! LOOKOUT FOR...

One thing that several teams have used to disrupt the Rockets this season and which the Mavs haven't done in the first two games is play the passing lanes more. They've instead pressured the ball with traps and double teams. Look for more playing of the passing lanes in tonight's game. The Rockets telegraph an awful lot of their passes.

So far the Mavs have not had a game where they jumped out to an early 8-10 point lead. This also could happen and will test the Rockets mental toughness.

As Rudy used to say there is nothing harder than to close a team out in a series. At 2-0, I would argue that game 3 will in fact represent more of a closeout game to Dallas than game 4 if we were to go up 3-0. Because their will will be weakened at that point looking up from that hole. So tonight's game will probably bring Dallas' best effort yet.

Rockets will have to battle over-confidence. A last second 2-point win does NOT warrant swagger!

That said I'm bracing myself for another slugfest.

 

When was last time Yao had great games back-2-back?

A reasonably great game by Yao, imo, is:

1) 25+ pts, 11+ rebounds or
2) 30+ pts, 8+ rebounds or
3) 15+ pts, 15+ rebounds, 4+ blocks

 

Yao WILL come out dominating the "second best center in the NBA". I find your lack of faith very disturbing.