ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Lakers 4/17/2004 (Playoffs Round 1, Game 1)

Lakers are lucky, and they have always been. An airball by Kobe converted to 2 pts. Last play was all good, tough the shot didn't fall, but it was a good play.

 

Im watching the replay again..how the hell did Kobe close out and cover that much ground so quickly on that last shot...WTF?

 

Too much - - -, need more + + + or else Rox % of winning 000. Bad fans, bad!!!

 

Is dat a record giving up only 9 points in the third quater in the playoffs?

 

Now we either have to win the next 3 overall, or win 2 straight in LA along with 2 of the 3 at home.


I'm proud of the Rockets. They really put a dent in the Lakers, and if Kobe starts yappping and they start going at each other, we may have a chance still.

 

Only in the finals I believe.

DD

 

It is not yao's fault!A airball!
Shaq just got 2 off-reb when yao guard him,(airball reb and
goaltending reb!

 

There's gotta be a first time for everything

 

What a great/heartbreaking game!! I only wish Steve didn't have all those silly turnovers early on and that Yao would have fouled Shaq much harder on the airball rebound. But this game, despite some of yall's notions to the contrary, gives me confidence that the Rockets belong in the playoffs and that they can hang with the Lakers and their "Big Four."

 

Another thing that annoys me is post offense....Am i the only one taht notices a lot of times Yao didnt post up....heyd pass it to the wing and he'd run up to set a pick....

Thats fine and dandy, but a few of the times you just have to go down low...Especially when the ball comes to your strong side wing...dont run a circle back out?

I dont know if its the playcalling or what...but thats just stupid to me

 

Can someone please tell me a few things:

The last season game against Phoenix, we were up by 3. Why didn't JVG foul them?

This game, why didn't we try to drive the lane for a dunk or a lay up for a 2 instead of launching a long range shot?

I don't want to blame the coach but it is just me or JVG has messed up ideas in the deciding minutes of the game?

Just a thought. I'll shut up now and you can start do your usual yapping

 

If steve couldve dunked that last drive...we wouldve won a championship by now

 

They have to get em next time! All this talk about 80% of teams losing first round series' after losing the first game, and 100% of the time against PJ teams.....Show em Rockets!!

They sure played tough, though. How will they respond ??

 

We did exactly that...drove the lane for a layup, but Shaq was standing right in Steve's way. Steve very intelligently found the wide open Jim Jackson for 3, but he came up short.

 

This was one of the ugliest games I have ever watched in the playoffs, it only got good with 5 minutes remaining. No other words to describe the offensive ineptitude of both teams. Tough break in the end, I wanted to eat my freakin' remote control.

 

How the hell am I supposed to go to sleep now?

all this adrenaline..

This sucks

 

Steve Francis was the best player on the court tonight, which is a great sign. 3 of his 7 turnovers were in the first couple minutes of the game when the entire team seemed to be completely out of sync. In the forth quarter.... when it counted, Steve reverted back to pre-JVG form, driving to the basket, drawing fouls, and making things happen. If we won tonight, it would have been because Francis carried the team.

Form us to win I think Steve will have to go to the basket earlier and more often than he did tonight. The offense is definetly going to stagnate when the Lakers turn up the D. Fortunately, I don't think the Lakers can sustain the kind of intensity on defense that took the Rockets offense apart several times tonight.

Does anyone remember Steve's superhuman start last season? I think he was averaging over 30 ppg for the first 10 games. Versus Payton and Fisher it looks like he will have the opportunity to burn them over and over if he feels like it.

 

not to mention that JJ hits lots of shots from that corner

 

It sucks to be a rockets fan. That was not confidence inspiring in the least.

 

same with me...my heart is pounding really hard right now. I think I yelled my lungs out at the Tv...damn I had an oppurtunity to go to Staples tonight but I had to GODAMN WORK AHHHHHH! Damn boss wouldn't let me get out 2 hours early.