ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Jazz 4/26/2007 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 3)

Ha Ha!

 

This game was just nasty

 

I think we just missed our chance to "steal" one game in Utah! That was not worth watching. Made me want to get real drunk! Sad.

 

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose." - Bill Gates

Our boys need to ingrain that into their philosophy.

 

Some photos of the players arriving at the stadium of Utah Jazz.......

 

Okur and Boozer are some ugly dudes...

 

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

 

It's definitely frustrating watching this game. The whole team, from Van Gundy to the end of the bench, sucked big time.

It really amazes me how unimaginative Van Gundy is on offense. It's one thing to stick with a game plan, it is another thing to work a dead horse as if it was alive. Van Gundy relies on the two main guns to create offense and feed others. But when the two are not delivering, it is time to get creative!! Exploit their strengths in other ways. Maybe put Yao in the high post every once in a while and have the other guys make some hard cuts to the basket. Have T-mac come off some baseline screens instead of having hims receive the ball on or out of hte three-point line with one player on his back and another one closing in immediately. Van Gundy wants to live or die with his "simple" plays. Well, it looks like he is dying, as is team.

For some reason Yao seems to have forgotten that he has a wealth of offensive moves. In this series I have only seen him do two things: face up jumpers, which are not falling for him, dribble and then face up jumpers, which have been stripped and blocked way too many times. Where are the hook shots? Where are the baseline spins?

T-Mac is still trying very hard to avoid contact, which is the reason why he always searches for his jumpers first. And worse yet, when he finds out that his jumpers are falling, he will stay with the jumpers for eternity, even after the jumpers have deserted him. Honestly, I almost wish that he did not have the sizzling hot first quarter. Because without his jumpers falling, he would be more determined to attack the basket, which in turn would loosen up the defense for everybody else.

The rest of the team are even more pathetic because they are only asked to do one thing -- make some wide open shots -- and they can't do it.

Frustrating, frustrating, frustrating.

 

Tracy McGrady & the other Rockets.........

 

IMO, the key to this series right now is Luther Head. There is simply no way this team will win with 0 points off the bench.

 

No top 10 greatest center got owned like this.

 

Lol, sad thing is. If we had played Vspan, Novak, and jake we would have scored more points off the bench. Atleast Vspan might get a FT or 2, and NOvak a shot. (ofcourse they could have scored 0 also....our bench is cursed)

Snyder and head need to step up, and Howard needs to reappear. Or we don't stand a chance.

TMac trying to do too much because the rest of the team won't do jack. Same with Yao, only Yao needs to get on a mean streak....if that's even possible.

 

Do we really need 30 threads about why we lost?

Isn't that what this thread is supposed to be for?

 

Jazz is a great team, to be reality, this is a game 7 playoff match.

 

Pitiful, pathetic? Absolutely! Most pitiful performance ever by the Rockets? Not even close - they looked far far worse in the 70's. I was amazed (and amused) to see Tmac go out and completely validate everything that Oscar Robertson said about him but your post is dead on. I simply don't see why everyone is so "shocked" at what they saw last night because I have been watching this ever since Tmac came here. Once opposing defenses close in on him to force the ball out of his hands, he simply fades away. Tmac was really good at talking the talk when the playoffs started but when the going started to get rough, he showed that he can't walk the walk.

As much as I hate to admit it, it looked to me last night that the Rockets got a little too smug because they were up 2-0. So they trotted out the same pitiful offensive game they played in Houston and got their asses handed to them. And if they do that again on Saturday, the result will be another loss and the Rocket apologists will be out in full force.

 

Honestly, I think both the Rockets and the Jazz are a step below 5 teams in the West in Dallas/San Antonio/Phoenix/Denver/Golden State at home. I mean, the Jazz have freakin Gordon Giricek getting major minutes....

 

I actually meant "this" team, the one assembled now. Yeah, the 70's were brutal. No, this group has had some ''clunkers," but none worse than this one. I am extremely disappointed in TMac and Yao today. I am embarassed for them. Losing is not the issue, it is how they lost. Pressure exposes weaknesses, and this team has more than I thought. I thought most of the team looked helpless, but TMac looked heartless. That really disappoints one of his biggest fans.

 

Giricek is not that bad of a player. He was decent in orlando. The two man combo of Giricek and Harpring is actually pretty lethal against the smaller guards.

As for Houston below Denver and Golden State? I will have to agree to disagree. The only teams we are really below is the top three of Dallas, SA, and Phoenix.

 

Untill Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming get a reasonable shake from the officials it is going to be difficulty to win in Utah.The refs failed to 'notice' about 40 fouls in yesterdays game . T Mac was hacked and push and shoved on nearly every play as was Yao. I know this is an excuse but it is reducing the efficiency of our two star players. JVG must use Snyder,Head and Howard more often so that they can try and shoot themselves back into the game. If our bench is unable to score we won't make it out of the first round.

 

I think refs call cost us too much.