ClutchFans Game Thread: Raptors @ Rockets 3/24/2004

you're complaining about a wide open 16 footer after running most of the clock out? what more did you want than a guy taking a shot with no one within 5 feet of him. it's not like you can just get it to the post and run clock as easily.


anyway, nice OT, huge putback by francis, nice play by ming to cover for mo on the last play, and a win is a win.

 

Agreed... in fact, Toronto did a pretty good job on Yao after the 3rd quarter, and they had just fed him for a fadeaway baseline shot that was nowhere close, but luckily we got the rebound to set up Steve's shot.

Steve normally makes those shots (I know most people think there is no shot that steve "normally" makes), but his dribble-juke, cross, and jumper has been a relatively consistent shot for him this year... most teams play him up close to take that away.

That tip in OT was sweet... although it could have been over the back (Bosh really got the rookie treatment tonight), and this win would have been sealed had we not allowed that Bosh 3.

You take the good with the bad... you still pull out a win... and the playoffs are coMING.

 

So are you saying he's not just soft but lacks any sort of skills at observing and preparing for rebounds? Why did we keep him and get rid of KT? At least KT gave 100% effort at everything - he just looked stoical.

 

What could we do... we had already commited big money to Mo-T. KT got his... leave it at that.

Man, who knew that Posey and KT would be getting more love on this board than SF3 for the entire year...

 

Ahhhhhhh.....I love it:

ANOTHER ROOT CANAL

D R

 

Another tension filled game but I'm glad we pulled through.
We need JJ and Cato. I hope JJ will get back for the next game.

 

I guess the injuries are finally catching up to us. Damn refs tried to pull another highway robbery on us too.

 

Maybe playing JJ 40+ minutes a game wasn't the brightest idea...

 

AGBee, you have a point there but I don't think we had a choice with JJ.Nachbar has been very inconsistent and A.Griffin/Pike have been injured or playing poorly.

 

WOW, do we finally have a point guard?!

SF had 10 assists (IIRC) in the Portland game, and now he got 9 tonight! Holy crap, what has gotten into SF! He had 9 assists and only 2 turnovers! YES TWO!

Yao was very aggresssive on the boards today, gotta love that. He had 25pts and 17rbs! And took 20 shots!

MAN! If you can't tell, I am very happy we won tonight....

 

I hope not, I was so happy that through most of this season we went with out injuries! In the past the Rox were an injury waiting to happen.

 

Rockets slip past Raptors 90-89

Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) — Jeff Van Gundy spoke and Steve Francis listened.

Yao Ming scored 27 points and had 17 rebounds, but it was a shot he missed that Steve Francis followed with a slam dunk for the game's biggest basket. Thanks to Francis' hustle, the Houston Rockets took a 90-89 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.
With the game tied at 86 in overtime, Yao maneuvered for a layup, but it rolled off the rim. Francis came out of nowhere with a dunk in one movement to give the Rockets the lead with 1:04 left.

Francis said it had a lot to do with something coach Van Gundy told him.

"Coach has been after me in transition to go for offensive rebounds," said Francis, who along with Cuttino Mobley had 17 points. "It wasn't that I expected Yao to miss. I have so much confidence in him, but (offensive rebounding) is something coach has kind of been on me about the last few weeks."

Yao was glad for the help.

"I didn't know what was happening," he said. "Then it seemed like Steve fell out of the sky, like he came from outer space or something."

Van Gundy agreed.

"It was a heck of a play by Steve," Van Gundy said. "Tonight, Steve was very poised. He has been playing very well and extremely hard in the last few games. When he plays with that energy, it brings a great dimension to the team."

Bostjan Nochbar hit two free throws with 51 seconds to play for a 90-86 advantage in overtime as Houston won its fifth straight from Toronto.

Toronto, which has played more overtimes and won more than any team in the league this season, slipped to 6-4 in overtimes when Donyell Marshall missed a driving layup at the buzzer. A 3-pointer from Chris Bosh with 33 seconds to play had closed it to 90-89.

"It was a tough game to lose and they just wouldn't let us take it from them," said Jalen Rose, who had 20 points. "They play hard on this floor. They're one of the best home teams in the league and we knew it would be tough to get one here.

"On the last play, (Marshall) had a good look. He had the play we wanted, but it just didn't go down."

Vince Carter scored 26 points and had a season-high 13 rebounds for the Raptors, who have won only once in nine games in Houston.

"It's disappointing to lose this kind of game because we battled so hard to get back in it," Carter said. "Yao is just so much bigger than all of our big guys and he really created problems for us, especially in the first half."...............

 

llloooooooooolllllll

 

great win! although against the raptors and in ot i'd take the win any day of the week.
go rockets!

 

Geez, the Rockets have some of the worst offensive execution I've ever seen. Half of the time they're unwatchable, and the other half they're lucky