ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Bulls 11/03/2003

I think crawford will outplay steve. I think these next 2 games will be losses and Carrol will start shopping cat by the end of the week. i predict cat/griffin and stuff for Brian grant or eddie jones real soon. Ming will be smothered by curry.chandler and Cato will look totally worthless offensively trying to relieve double teams from ming. Pippen will play great and so will rose.

bulls- 94
rox -69

 

Van Gundy's goal: Making Yao more fierce

By Sam Smith
Tribune basketball reporter

November 2, 2003, 10:19 PM CST

Yao Ming—remember him? He's last year's LeBron James, and he's in town with the Houston Rockets to play the Bulls on Monday night.

"Last year there was so much media at first, and having to deal with that ... will be greatly helpful toward the rest of the years dealing with the pressure and the media," Yao said during training camp through interpreter Colin Pine.

The puckish 7-foot-5-inch center from China then added: "Also for Colin."

Yao still seems to be enjoying life, especially now that the media pack has moved on to the Cavaliers' James. Pine doesn't live with Yao anymore and isn't at his side at practices translating the coach-speak of the NBA. But there remain major cultural issues, and not just because Yao is playing for a new coach, Jeff Van Gundy, who likes to joke that Yao is like everyone else and understands only about half of what he says.

The self-deprecating Van Gundy is an excellent coach, but in Yao he has an unusual challenge: to change Yao's mind-set, one shaped by Chinese culture.

"He's not as naturally aggressive and forceful as, say, [Shaquille] O'Neal or [Patrick] Ewing in his personality or his game," Van Gundy said. "We're trying to move him to, let's say he plays 25 percent force and 75 percent finesse, to get that to 50-50. He has a very strong lower body. But I'm not sure he has the disposition to be that dominant on every possession. He's more likely to find a way to pass the ball after he scores two or three times.

"Let's face it. In today's NBA, to find someone who is a team player is wonderful. He's such a solid guy and a player, but we'd like to get him a little more ferocious."

One day Van Gundy went to Yao and said they'll both know they're on the right track when Yao comes to Van Gundy and says, "Get me the [darn] ball, I'm going into the paint and I'm going to [kick a donkey]."

Yao laughed.

In the Rockets' 1-1 start, Yao is averaging 19 points and 6.5 rebounds and shooting 68.4 percent, tops in the NBA.

But Van Gundy faces a cultural barrier. In China, the individual is not celebrated as in the U.S. Individuals make accommodations to the state. Here the individual is raised to think more of himself.

Here it's common to hear "You the man."

Van Gundy would like to hear "Yao the man."

Because he'll have to be, even with talented teammate Steve Francis, for the Rockets to have the ultimate success.

"Yao is a very compliant person," Van Gundy said. "He's a great player. If you give me a choice, I'd rather [try to] make Yao more dominant in his position than trying to make someone selfish more unselfish. We have it good with him."

There were questions about Yao before the 2002 draft, when he went No. 1: Would he be just another lost giant, a pituitary aberration? Some said he would fail. Some said he'd change the face of basketball. He's doing neither.

He's a talented player, though hardly dominant. So the public spotlight was turned off.

Now he gets to learn how to play and see if he can turn a personality into an attitude. Toward that end, Van Gundy hired his former center with the Knicks, Ewing.

"Sometimes people made fun of Patrick on this," said Van Gundy, "but Patrick always had a belief in himself and the team to the point people would be critical. Yao can benefit from that. Patrick never thought he wasn't going to be the best player on the floor. Being around that can be infectious.

"I do believe Yao has the potential to become a special player in this league, and more so a special personality for the NBA. The first thing that attracted me to him was watching him play last year, not his game or skill, but his demeanor and humility. He got hit and knocked down and would get back up and not beg for calls. He would treat success and failure similarly. His demeanor is one that can have a huge impact on the way the fan base views NBA players."

After a recent practice in which Yao wasn't at his best, Van Gundy went to him and asked Yao to rate his performance on a 1-to-10 scale. Yao said 4; Van Gundy shot back that it was a 1.

Yao walked away and told the team trainer, "I think I am upsetting the coach."

No. Van Gundy just continues to take Yao through the school of NBA hard knocks until Yao begins to deliver more on his own.

 

This is an interesting matchup:

Yao vs Curry: Both more of an offensive threat than defense/baord. Yao being more polished, and more useful in contoling the paint, blocking shots. However, E Curry has really improved this preseason. adv: Rockets.

Cato vs Chandler: Both better at boards, blocking shots than their offensive power. Even.

Rose vs Mobley: Both like to jack up many shots and are actually quite good at shooting. Rose takes more leader role than Cat. Even, slightly towards Rockets.

Francis vs Crowford: both scoring PG still feeling to fulfill their PG duty under the coachs' systems. Crowford is bigger, but SF is more athletic and has better game. adv: Rockets.

JJax vs Pipen: Both veteran players on a new team. Will both be the do-it-all player teams count on in trenches. adv: Chicago

The balance of power tipping to the Rockets, I think the bench production and shooting will be the key to this game.

 

oops. Forget to add:

coaching

JVG vs Cartwright: advantage Rockets. No further analysis needed here.

 

The Rockets played the Bulls couple times last season. Can someone post some statistics between the Yao-Curry matchup?

 

Cato and Chandler will get into a fist fight resulting Van Gund hanging on Cato's leg. Yao Ming will be ejected for taunting his own point guard. Moochie has 0 turnover and Cat scores 50 points. And Rockets lose.

or wait, this is the pitiful Bulls, right? Roxs 86, Bulls 81.

 

rockets 102
bull 91

houston is short of big macs

 

You are so pessimistic.
We Will Win
and we will play like a team again!!
we 95
bulls 75

 

I have to disagree on the Jalen Rose-Cat matchup. I think Rose is the clearly superior player except in the area of defense (which Rose has never been interested in).

 

http://www.suntimes.com/output/banks/cst-spt-banx03.html

Season's just been launched, and here come Yao, Rockets

November 3, 2003

BY LACY J. BANKS SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST


Yao Ming and his new-look Houston Rockets (1-1) are making their annual regular-season trip to the United Center tonight (7:30, Fox Sports Net, 1000-AM), hoping to add to the misery of the Bulls (1-2), who have been routed in two of their first three games.

This is the second year of the Rockets' ''Ming dynasty.'' Many pundits predict the 7-6 Chinese center, who last year became the first foreign player ever to be drafted No. 1 overall, will be improved enough this season to lead the Rockets into the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

Last season, Yao played every game and averaged 13.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots to help the Rockets to a 43-39 record, missing the playoffs by one victory. After playing a foul-restricted 20 minutes and contributing 19 points, three blocked shots and three rebounds to the Rockets' 102-85 season-opening victory Thursday against the Denver Nuggets, Yao voiced a feeling of personal improvement. His pro debut last season was a scoreless, two-rebound performance in a 91-82 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

''I have a better feel for the game, and I can get into the rhythm of the game,'' he said. ''Overall, it wasn't bad. But I had too many fouls and not enough rebounds. But I'm always happy to win.''

The Rockets' new look comes from having a new coach in Jeff Van Gundy, a new assistant coaching staff that includes retired superstar center Patrick Ewing, whom Van Gundy coached for 51/2 seasons with the New York Knicks, and three new free-agent forwards in Jimmy Jackson, Scott Padgett and John Amaechi.

Ewing was brought in especially to work with Yao and to help expedite his development into as productive a star center as was predecessor Hakeem Olajuwon, who played 17 seasons for the Rockets and led them to consecutive championships.

''I hope I can have the same kind of success,'' Yao said. ''I'm jealous of his success, and I hope I can get it, too.''

Yao already is playing numerical catchup. Olajuwon averaged 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds in his rookie season. But the three years Olajuwon spent playing for the University of Houston provided competition vastly superior to that of the Chinese Basketball Association, Yao's finishing school.

The consensus, however, is that Yao might have more upside than Olajuwon because of his advantage in size and his shooting range, which extends to three-point territory.

''Time on the court is going to make [Yao] a better player,'' San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. ''Just getting used to the physical nature of the NBA [and] finding out where he is most effective [will improve him]. I know they want to post him more, so he's trying to get a feel for that. Over time, he'll just get better.''

But he'll need a meaner demeanor and a more muscular upper body to hold his own in the paint consistently against stars such as Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan and second-year Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudemire, who averaged 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds and edged out Yao for Rookie of the Year last season after leading the Suns into the playoffs. Like all big centers, Yao also must learn to pass the ball back out when sagging defenses deny him an open shot and the best post position. He totaled two assists in his first two games.

The biggest challenge is for Van Gundy to get star point guard Steve Francis and other teammates to use Yao as the first option on offense. There still is a tendency for Francis and Cuttino Mobley to fire too often from the perimeter because they love to run and gun, rather than slow the tempo to deliberately work the ball low to Yao.

Yao is averaging a team-high 19 points, 6.5 rebounds and three blocked shots in the Rockets' first two games.

From a marketing standpoint, Yao, who signed a four-year, $17.8 million contract with the Rockets last season, already is a growing financial success for himself and for the league because he is a natural inlet to China's 1.4 billion citizens. That's why companies have scrambled to sign him to multimillion-dollar endorsement contracts.

Like Ewing, Yao might never get an NBA ring -- especially as long as O'Neal, Duncan and Jason Kidd have better supporting casts. But he should reap just about every other honor for a meaningful career.

 

I swear, the entire board has a severe case of bipolar disorder. Future NBA champs when the Rockets win, lottery team when the Rockets lose. It's not even worth it being a pessimist. I am officially changing my attitude...

Rockets - 153
Bulls - 79

 

Sorry for the double post. Forgot to make my prediction for this game.
The Rockets will win, because the mistakes from the last game would have been corrected. Even if Yao is well fronted again, I can't imagine the perimeter players going so cold again. Quite clearly, the reason for the loss to the Grizz was not so much the cutting away of access to Yao, but the perimeter shots - which was the direct consequence - that did not fall.

Rocks 100
Bulls 72

 

BOO PIPPEN!!!

 

Curry's not a good rebounder. I'm sure Yao has beenw orking hard on his rebounding. Francis will have a good day, because there aren't any small, quick guards to defend him.


Rockets 90
Bulls 85

Yao 22pts, 14reb, 3blk, 3asst
Francis 24pts, 4asst

 

LOL ... I agree with A-Train ... Rockets win and it is like we will sweep the Lakers in the conference finals ... We lose and we might as well trade everyone and fire JVG

C'mon now, seriously ... This is the Bulls ... Not the Jordan/Pippen Bulls

Rockets 94
Bulls 86

Ming 25 points 12 Rebounds 3 Blocks
Francis 32 points 4 Assists 6 Steals

 

OK, my money would have to be on Pippen going 0-10 with 5 TO's. Francis scoring on all spots on the floor while giving up countless assists. Cato goes for a dunk that bounces off the rim... goes 20 foot high and then drops back in. Mo Taylor pulls off a monster dunk over someone causing them to fall flat on their ass... Pippen's b**** ass hopefully. And Yao will show everyone why Curry is a fake ass Olowakandi!

Steve 32 pts
Yao 27 pts
Cuttino 16 pts
TEAM: 109

Rose 19 pts
Curry 7 pts 6 fouls
Pippen 2 pts
TEAM: 86

 

theres no WAY we're losing this game. if we cant dominate the bulls, then thers no way we should even think about the playoffs

 

A-Train predicting a win!!?? I've seen it all...

 

84-78 Rockets.

 

I revoke my preseason prediction that the Rox finish 8th in the West and say we finish 9th and miss the playoffs again. This is the team that won 15 games on the road last season, losing I think twice against the Bulls (one at home). Not to mention the team didn't look any better than last season. Bulls win.

Btw A-Train, just for your sake, the only comment I made after the Denver win was that Cato looked like he really wants that starting spot. So hopefully you don't think I'm on a bipolar moodswing here.