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

I was just checking out what people were talking about over at the bulls forum at RealGM and except for one weird thread where they were drooling over Eddie being available I found that they were having some kind of Chinatown Chamber of Commerce night. I know opposing teams usually do something like this but this sounds pretty big, I think there will be a lot of people cheering on the Rockets tonight.

 

you give up on the rockets after one loss? memphis is an up-and-coming team and they played great. you have no spine.

 

Bench Mobley and we will win.

He is messing up everything with his constant mistakes.

 

Expect more Rudy Ball. The Rockets must continue to reject JVG and his coaching for at least one more game. After that JVG will get 'it' and will realise that if he is trying to develop the Team arround Yao Ming then he needs to have a player playing TRADITIONAL POINT GUARD, for the inside outside Game to work. The Team played the JVG way for the last 4 games of the Preseason and then played as though they never heard of JVG once the regular season started. We are still playing selfish and JVG needs to insist that there is no 'I' in Team Basketball.

 

I haven't seen any of the games this year so I have no idea how people are playing.

Looking at the box score from the last game I can see three really big issues.

Memphis shot 18 more shots then we did. This can not happen. Even or less. If they shoot more shots they will win a large percentage of the time.

Cat, yes I said cat, and Yao are not getting enought shots.
Cat and Yao were 11-20 combined. Steve and JJ were 8 for 26
Cato is Cato and did relatively well from the stat sheet.

Protect the BALL!. We are averaging over 20 turnovers a game in the season. I know some of this is do to the injuries we had but this is out biggest issue.

So looking at the bulls the last few games... mostly box scores again.

They seem to have a problem scoring. And thier defense kinda sucks giving up well over 90 a game. Chandler seems to be a monster on the boards.

So the game keys

1.) Cato vs. Chandler can Cato Keep Chandler off the offensive glass? Can Cato get on the glass?

2.) JJ vs Rose. JJ must shoot better as Rose is soft on Defense.

3.) Steve versus Crawford. Who turns the ball over more.

4.) Getting Cat shots.

If we can do this we can beat this team with some ease. As they have issues scoring and our defense has been decent so far. They have been giving up points as I said so the Pick.

Rockets 98 bulls 84.

Steve 19 7 6 3 turnovers
Yao 23 10 2 Blocks.
Cato 8 12 3 blocks
Cat 18 4 4 on a good shooting night.
JJ good defense on Rose.

Founder of MARH.

Members againist Rocket hating.

 

I didn't give up on the Rox after one loss, I gave up on them last year. I must admit that JVG had me falsely optimistic after the preseason despite my common sense telling me it won't happen this fast.

Let's look at the team: Meech, Braggs and Wilks never sees any mins. JJ replaced JP, more exp but with chemistry issues and not necessarily a huge improvements. A slight improvement from Rice to Boki but nothing to write home about. And of course an improved Yao. Both AGriff and our 3pt savior Pike are out, that leads us to using basically the same 8 men rotation as last year. From the look of it we're playing the exact same stupid bball we played for years. Although we might have improved ever so slightly roster wise, so did the rest of the league, eg. as you mentioned, the Grizz.

To be fair to JVG, I think he's a good coach, but the changes he implements won't be fast enough to take effect. We're going 1 step forward, 2 steps back. We have our young 4 (that gives some on this board orgasms) a fugitive and an even worse team chemistry (if that's possible).

Before the Grizz game I had a hunch we were gonna lose cuz we always have probs playing crap teams. But I didn't post it cuz we did play mostly well the first game and I didn't want to look stupid if we blew out Memphis. However, now I see my concerns were justified. I predicted 8th in the WC in hopes if AGriff and even more so, Pike contributing (especially Pike since we desperately needs someone to hit an open shot). Now I'm gonna have to say 9th in the WC. Lottery here we come again. Although in retrospect, people that hated the Rice trade will feel better about our lottery protected 1st round pick.

On the other hand, if they do make the playoffs I'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

okay, so you are a pessimist. that's fine, and i agree it will be difficult to make the playoffs, but it is my nature to believe.

 

I'm not a pessimist, I'm a realist. I have basically ruled out the possibility of the Rox playing smart/good bball anytime in the near future. All I ask them is do one thing well each game. Let's say in one game they keep TO's below... say 15, another game they have like 30 assists. At the very least I'd like to see one game in which one of our guards doesn't dribble the ball off his feet. I understand **** happens to everybody but these are pros and it looks like they dribble the ball of their feet with amazing frequency. It's not like JVG is asking them to implement a crazy new offence system. Rudy tried to get them to learn basically the same thing last season and they haven't. That continued into this season. So what does that mean? Is Rudy a bad coach or our guards are incredibly dumb. I think it's both. In either case JVG is starting from scratch, which is why I don't think they'll make it this year.

 

pessimist_(noun)- a person who expects the worst

realist (noun)- a person who is aware of and accepts the physical universe, events, etc., as they are; pragmatist

 

"We go on the road playing two tough teams, in the cold climates," Francis said. "Hopefully, we can build our character back on this trip."

The supposed leader of the team does not sound confident about this road trip.remember the odds are stack against the Rockets this year, chicago is a tough team, and now they have to play in the cold climate.

It looks like the Rockets are on their way to losing 3 in a row until they come back home and play orlando in the warmer climate of the toyota center.

 

Remember that Scottie Quitten plays for the Bulls now. We better shut him down.

 

i'm having trouble figuring out if you are serious or not. are you making fun of the fact the that he refers to "cold climate" when NBA games are played indoors? do you think that it matters? do you think francis does? the only thing that matters is that they are on the road. anyway, it is unseasonably warm in the NY/NJ area so he won't be able to use that as an excuse.

 

A very good poster, keep going.

 

Somebody please tell me, what station is going to carry the Rockets home games? I don't live in Houston, and I wish I could at least get channel 51.

 

Just posting for good luck.

Rockets Win!

The Rockets win the back to back in Blow-Outs
100 - 89 than 107 - 77

We will dominate the East this year !

 

Rox should win, but I thought that way this past Saturday...

Rox 99

Bulls 89

 

Rockets 90
Bulls 80

 

the rockets loose. Yao ming gets hurt and is out for 2 months with a knee injury.

 

and the rocks go on to win the championship because SF is once again the man and the Steve and Cat show is able to go on!

 

Cat will bite Mooch in the head and drag him back to the lockers and the Greatest Fro on Earth will ever never be seen again. Amen.