Man, atleast tonight's game was entertaining. It was an exciting game, but DAMN....it had to end in a loss. Why can't our big 3 all perform well at the same time?! What has been up with Yao lately?! I mean, damn! The guy had as many TO's as our backcourt combined today!!! Yao's shot has been off for a while now, and to make things even worse he got into foul trouble almost immediatly tonight. If only SF, JJ, and Yao could step up everynight. Cat has been pretty reliable as of lately.
Despite losing the game, I have to say, SF's atheleticism continues to dazzle me. I know it's not the most objective thing to say, but some of the blocks he had today -- esp. that one off the Kings Break where it was ruled goaltending -- were absolutely incredible. I don't know where he got those mad hops from but it's pretty jaw-dropping to watch him jump around. I wonder sometimes that maybe its his sheer athleticism that makes SF an inconsistent player... -ASIDE - Historically, some of the best jumpers in the league - Vince Carter, Harold Miner, Richardson (GS), Kenny SkyWalker - have been poor set shooters. Great shooters tend not to be the best of jumpers IMO -- e.g. Bird, Stojakovich, Mitch Richmond, etc.. Even some of the greatest players tended to moderate their jumping on jump shots -- e.g. Pippen, Malone, Drexler, etc. Rare is the hyper-atheletic types who can jump AND shoot well at all angles -- Kobe, Marion, Artest. Michael Jordan was probably the best of them all. But whether or not SF can become another Jordan is difficult to say. If I were a betting man, I'd say the odds are against SF becoming the next Jordan. That said, I wonder if SF just has to go back to working the basic mechanics of his jump shot to get some regularity and consistency back into his game. Although JJ has some off nights, his form makes him a pretty solid shooter. Even when he misses, I'm not terribly upset by the quality of shot that he takes. But SF is sometimes all over the place with turnarounds, mid-range pull ups, fade-aways, etc. I don't know what it's going to take to boost SF's FG%, but when that happens, the Rox will have made another step of progress. theSAGE
though another tough loss, I think they recovered a little bit from last loss to GS except Yao. One problem remained unsolved is that when perimeter shot goes well, which was done tonight, inside players are not well involved. JVG should address that issue within the coming games.
Your anger is misplaced. True, the refs were bad but the calls went both ways. For example, right after Yao got his 2nd foul, he went over the back of a SAC player which would have been his 3rd but the refs let it go. They also were correct on Steve Fancy's phantom foul at the end of half which led to his eloquent tirade on national TV. What a dumbass! SF, Mobley & Taylor look to have gotten a reputation for crying about calls and the refs do take notice of this. As the Mavericks have discovered, it does not pay to show up the officials. Anyhow, BOTH teams played pretty sloppy - there was a lot of walking, reaching & grabbing of jerseys, etc. In the end, once again, it was Rockets turnovers that kept SAC in the game long enough for them to get their act together and pull out the win. SAC played the same way when Dallas last visited them only then, the Mavericks put the hammer down and pounded them into the ground. That's the major difference between the Rockets and everyone else - the Rockets will always give you a chance because they keep giving you the ball.
A microcosm of Francis' career with the Rockets. The Agony and the Ecstacy, the Ying and the Yang, the Yeah and the Dang! Very soon the phone lines will be open and operators will be standing by. Please call, someone, please call! Oh please call! We have suffered enough. Someone in the Least, please call! Save us from further pain! If he leaves, I promise I will never watch this guy play basketball, ever again. Promise!
Why are the refs giving the Rockets a hard time? The Francis BLOCK! NOT GOALTENDING. THE 5th FOUL ON YAO?!?! UGLY CALL!
Completely pathetic...The refs that is...Horrible game, but we didn't make the shots we had to and didn't D-up when we had too... I'm glad Franchise said something, although it will cost him a least a game...
I watch all the national TV games, and I do not see how the Rockets will ever get out of the first round no matter who they play. Every game I watch, it is always 8 on 5. Home or on the road, they get screwed both ways.
The refs do have serious problems with their officiating. That being said, I have observed this pattern in Stevie's part: For a quite a few occasions in different games, when SF believed a bad call had just been made, he stopped playing the game and let oppoent players score in an uncontested play. For example, after a Shaq kickball without a wistle, SF3 stopped playing to complain while the game was still in procession and Shaq picked up the ball and put the ball in the basket. The incidence you described above is another example. This habit has proved detrimental to the team.
Francis was still POed about getting outplayed (and clawed to death) by Michael Petrius on Friday night. Funny thing though, I have watched the Mavericks play defense the same way all season and nobody on the opposing team ever whines about the officiating.
Why is Yao being a wuss? I have seen him playing great before, why is he in a sudden becoming the whimpy player of the week? I mean there were way too many bad passes from him leading to TOs last night, I meant why is he PASSSING THE ball?? why cant he just shoot the ball, and I will take it if he misses. BUT having no confidence and trying to pass is something I dont appreciate. He is a center, not a point gard, yes, centers pass the ball, but they DO take shots too! My thing is, Yao needs to toughen up and just try his best to shoot! and you know what, if it doesnt go in, more than 50% he will get a call.
Was there a foul called on the play in the pic of Mo Taylor on cc.net's homepage? If this has already been addressed, I apologize as I am too lazy to read through every post.
