ClutchFans Game Thread: Mavericks @ Rockets 4/30/2005 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 4)

Go Rox!

Houston 91
Dallas 67

The key will be to keep Yao out of foul trouble early. If you get him started on his game coupled with T-Mac's jumper starting to fall more often than it did last night, it's over.

 

MUST WIN GAME!!!!

 

103 to 96....Rockets go up 3-1.

 

no doubt. Rox bring it back and win 1 at home. Turn up the D


Rox 101
Mavs 96

 

Rockets will be grilled by JVG to play defense, GIVE THE DAMM BALL TO YAO MORE and come out more focused. Rockets win 99-87.

 

I hope JVG/Ewing tell Yao

"Don't Foul"

man that drives me nuts I love the effort but he has to realize he is 100 X more effective when he's actually on the court.

"Let it go Big Man Let it Go!"

Yao bounces back big time.

Yao 29pts/15rebs/14blks
Tmac 38pts/10rebs/18assists (mostly to Yao)

J

 

Whoever wins this game will win the series.

and I think JVG will make the necessary adjustments.

Mavericks 90
Rockets 99

 

So, the Rockets thought they could get out and be strictly a run and gun team like the Mavs... it worked in the second half of game 2, but it has failed miserably since then.

Thus, I expect this to be an UGLY game... slow it down, pound it in, get back on defense, force the Mavs to shoot over double teams.... basically, all the reasons everybody hated JVG before are what is sorely missing right now.

I don't buy their "effectiveness" with the small lineup... it allowed us to get a big lead, and basically forced AJ to put Dampier back in (which led to better rebounding for them, and helped the 20-0 run).

 

I agree with this, it is a pivotal game. Rox win and they get a huge 3-1 advantage. Rox lose and the home field advantage they gained in Dallas is gone and it gives the Mavs a huge boost in confidence.

I think we are clearly better than the Mavs so I expect the W tomorrow.

 

Peeps, the Mavs are a very good team, winners of 58 games. A sweep would have been great, but unrealistic. The Mavs were going to win a game, maybe 2.

I was dissapointed however that the Rox didnt close them out when they were up 8. A 20-0 run? Jeez. We need that killer instinct.

I think the Rockets will come out angry on Saturday, and they will turn up the D big time. I would look for a lower scoring game, somewhere in the low 90's. It will be hard fought.

Yao staying out of foul trouble is the key to our winning. We NEED him on the court as much as possible.

Yao stays clear of foul trouble, Tmac opens up a texas size can of whoop ass and the Rockets take a 3-1 lead back to Dallas!

Rockets 93
Mavs 89

 

Goooooooooooooo Rooooooooox!

 

Rocks Rebound - but so do the Refs !



Rocks 104
Mavs 88

DD

 

the most important thing will be to keep the turnovers down. 15 turnovers against Dallas is way too much. Turnovers are real momentum killers and its hard to set you defense after a turnover so the Rockets need to keep those down to 10 or less.

Yao must stay on the court early on. that means no putting your body in front of Terry when he's jumping to the rim. no stepping out to block a players path. i know the refs suck but yao ming must save all those fouls for the 2nd half so that'll allow him to turn it on late and play very aggressive when his team will most need him to.

finley, somebody will have to get up on him. got to make that guy drive to the bucket or put the ball on the floor.

bowen has to not pick up pointless fouls in succession and stay on the floor.

mcgrady has to somehow someway make the refs call a foul on finley for grabbing holding and all that other stuff the refs allowed him to get away with until there were 3 minutes left in the game at which time they called him for his first foul of the night.


jvg cannnot get comfortable and rest Mcgrady for 7 minutes. 41 minuts of playing time is not enough. we needed every second of the previous 47 and 47 minutes Mcgrady provided for us in game 1 and 2. got to keep him out there, he can get hot and explode in those extra 7 minutes.

Rockets should come out with a greater intensity this game and take control early and sustain a comfortable lead throughout.

Houston Rockets 107 Mavs 98

 

Houston must come out hungry. They need to be leading after the 1st qtr. by double digits, in order to win the game. GO ROCKETS!!!!

 

WE WILL DESTROY!

 

All posts that I have seen yesterday and today talk about how we should give Yao the ball more and we shouldn't turn the ball over so much and players need to score more. We scored 102 points, so if you want assign blame, place it on the defensive end. Rockets will come out pissed off and slow down the Mavericks.

Rox 97
Mavs 84

 

Rockets 103
Mavs 88

T-mac 36 pts, 10 rebounds, 8 assists

 

Rox will be destroyed!

112: 95 -----Mavs

Game is over. Mavs in 6.

 

TMac, Wesley, and James must FORCE CONTACT on their drives to the basket and give the refs little doubt that some call must be made.

We must obsessively pound the ball to Yao in the paint. Yao should get at least 20 shot attempts or 20 freethrows in this game.

Tmac and Sura must use their off arms to ward off perimeter defenders and draw the refs' attention to all the handchecks, knees, and body bumps they are taking as we intiate our offense.

JVG or Yao or TMac or someone must draw a technical foul if we have a repeat of Games 1 & 3 officiating again. We cannot just sit silently through another game of phantom calls on us and swallowed whistles or BS offensive fouls against us again.