The man dominated and carried us to this win...and you still nitpick. Not even YOHs would nitpick about this game. The only people who would complain about Yao in this game are clearly YOFs who care more about dominating numbers than a dominating presence or performance.
What a great win!! Could it be the turning point for Rox? Yao has been amazing and we really show our intensity tonight. We never gave up and just kept fighting back to the game. Props to every player especially Yao, Bogans, and Stro. There is no turning back for Rox. Let's keep rolling!!
Bogans played most or all of the 4th, and with Rafer, Head and Swift in there it is a very fast lineup that I like. Juwan sucked in the 1st half, played better in the 2nd, was finally putting some arc on his shots. Stro still deserved a few more minutes in the 1st half. We need to find some time for Hayes. Wesley only played 26 minutes - which I think is good - he seems like he is getting burned out. Yao - what can I say? This is what we have been waiting for and he has arrived!!! Great game, my heart should recover in a few days. Now how do we eliminate the boneheaded passes esp. the bad alley-oops? And yes this was by far the worst officiating of the season - definitely need to send the tape to the League office. Glad to see Yao standing up to the refs - the missed Pollard foul at the other end was blatant and inexcusable. Yao finally had another accidental elbow to I think Foster's face when he spun around in the 1st half - sorry to see that happen. (not) I think this was the 2nd elbow Yao has ever hit anyone with - Ben Wallace got one. Van Gundy still needs to have his non-3p shooting guards step up or around defenders and shoot some twos - they might hit them in a little closer - Head hit one and he also drove to the hoop once. Bogans starting that in the 2nd half really changed the complexion of the game! We need more of that.
Wesley was beyond horrible. The turning point is after Head came in for Wesley. Wesley shouldnt be playing at all the way he has been playing in the last few games.
Indiana has two guys, Pollard and Foster, whose full time jobs in this game are nothing but containing Yao through pushing, wrestling, shoveling, and hard yet cheap fouling. Yao on the other hand has to carry the massive offensive load for the team. Yes I am a little disappointed he didn't grab more than 10 boards, but I can clearly understand his situation. The big fella gave 110% on the court. If you had actually watched the game, you would not have sat on your high chair b****ing about Yao's "lack of dominance" on the boards.
and I have yet to see highlights on ESPN.. however I have seen Lebron and Wade highlights twice. how pathetic.
Yeah, and Van Gundy almost blew it by bringing in Brunson burner instead of Luther in the first half. Head and Bogans were the difference in this game. Bogan's aggression taking the ball to the basket was awesome. I really wished Van Gundy would adjust his rotations just a little bit and either start Bogans and Swift or start at least one of them or if he can't start either one of them, then he needs to make the Swift substitution for Juwan before he subs out Yao. And he needs to sub out Wesley if he isn't hot to begin the game. If Bogans gives us what he gave us tonight, which is to say constantly pressuring the defense with the dribble drive, then he needs to get more minutes, at the expense of Wesley, especially if Wesley's jumper is off. And Luther should be in the rotation before Brunson. Brunson and Howard on the floor together is disasterous defensively. They are too slow to be on the floor together. Why in the world Brunson was on the court tonight before Head is beyond me.
Not much we can do... he's playing hurt (hamstring). He's had to play way too many minutes this year with Sura being gone, Anderson fizzling and Rafer being out for so long. He was having a nice stretch there for a while but he's going to have to just hang in there until the season's over. His contract is up after this season I believe. If we could actually put a decent guard rotation together that didn't rely so heavily on a short rookie it would be a lot easier on Wes.
You better not miss another home game ever again . What a amazing win for the Rockets. Yao, Bogans, Stro et al played their hearts out and never gave up (even though it looked so utterly hopeless at one point). I don't think JVG will have any reason to question their intensity after tonight's game. One (amongst tons) of things that have impressed me about Yao is his ability to make crucial plays on both ends of the floor. Keep it up big fella . Here's hoping Tracy will be able to go against the Spurs next..
Many of us didn't see the game at all since FSN didn't carry it. And ESPN appears to be determined not to even mention the game. How can you call yourself "SportsCenter" and not cover every game played on any given night?? ESPN may be doing the team a favor -- should be used to motivate the team in a Rodney Dangerfield way... "we can't get no respect!" Even though I didn't get to see the game, the game thread indicates that this team is getting a leader in Yao and getting heart and passion. If they continue with a "Terminator" attitude -- just keep staying in the face of the opponent until they begin to doubt and falter. But it would be SO much easier if they had a couple of reliable outside shooters. Hats off to the whole team! They are earning respect through sheer effort and heart!
Thank goodness I was wrong. Van Gundy made the right call in sitting Wesley and Howard in the fourth.
