ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Lakers 5/12/2009 (Playoffs Round 2, Game 5)

How so? On a drive or jumper?? I like him driving in and pulling up shot, and Chuck Hayes taps it in for the winner!!!!!!

 

I read on Yahoo Odom is out for the next game. Odom is there leading rebounder for them in the playoffs so far. He also is very essential in bolstering the Lakers front court. Which if the report is true only leaves the Lakers with Bynum, Gasol, Powell as their bigs. They will have to play Walton maybe at the 4 for a little bit. This is huge if he is out for longer this series.
If Lakers have to go small It is advantage Rockets.

 

Wait they took it down real fast.

 

I love my Rockets, i will be realistic:
1) Kobe and Lakers are gonna be agressive and will execute their shots
2) Artest gotta be calm and play both great defense and offense
3) Everyone gotta be agressive and make shots, no turnovers are allowed ( i mean many ones)

i expect a win by lakers in this game
Houston will come back in Game 6
Game 7 must be a war if Houston wants to win these series and make one of the greatest wins in NBA History
Let's remake the 1995 season
I STILL BELIEVE HOUSTON CAN BEAT LA AND ALL THE TEAMS,but they have to play hard and hard
GO ROCKETS

 

Dear Basketball Gods,

We have waited too long. We have suffered many years. We have bled the red. Tolerated the ISO years. ITS TIME!! ITS ****ING TIME I TELL YOU!! That rapist has had his best years, and its time for a new dog to wear that crown!! Please, please, please be with our boys and let them know that this city is behind them 3000%!!! Come on guys, bring it back to H-town and win it here to make us all proud!

In Hakeem's name we pray,

AMEN

 

This could be the game that decides the series. The Rockets need to come out fast like they did in Game 4 and play that hard-nosed defense that got them here. Go Rockets!

 

Obviously we need to win 1 more in LA to take this series. We could take game 7, but I think game 5 is our absolute best shot. Of course, we still have to win one in Houston, but I'm felling pretty damn good about that game on Thursday. Could it be a closeout game for the Rockets?

Odom is likely out, and even if he does play, it sounds like he has a mighty sore back. I don't know who has tried to play basketball with a sore back, but it is hell. I've played through ankle injuries and knee problems, but I had a strained back and could barely run up and down the court let alone jump about. I think either way, the Lakers are hampered in the front court. They either roll with Gasol, Byum, and an injured Odom or they roll with Gasol, Bynum, and Powell. I like our front court against those combos. Chuck, Scola, and Landry should be able to wrangle their fair share of rebounds, and I think we should pick up even more offensive boards. Obviously Gasol is a beast, but I think we can defend that group pretty well. Odom hasn't given them much offensively, but he's still a much better option than Bynum or Powell.

Phil will make adjustments to deal with the Brooks\Lowry explosion in Game 4. Still we have them a bit on their heels with this new look, and they've been vulnerable to quick guards all season. I expect the Lakers to pressure our young guards a lot more and to close out on 3 point shooters, but I expect Rick to be ready. Our front court should punish the Lakers with midrange jumpshots and open layups by sliding to the basket if their man leaves to double or pressure. Given time, I think the Lakers can adjust to this new lineup, so we need to hit them while they are still wrapping their heads around this new up-tempo, attacking version of the Rockets.

Surely the Lakers will play with more fire, but I think that could work to our advantage. If we play smart and hard and stick to the gameplan, we should keep the turnovers low, battle hard on the boards, and prevent the Lakers from getting open looks from their preferred spots. If we stay steady and poised, the Lakers will make mistakes. Kobe will surely rise to the occasion, but if we can keep the rest of the Lake Show from having a good game, this game will be there for the taking.

This team has a je ne sais quoi about them. I haven't felt this confident in or proud of a Rockets team since the Championship years. This trumps even the 22 game winning streak. There is a resiliency about this team, and I can't stop myself from thinking that they will find a way to pull a victory no matter what the Basketball Gods throw their way. Certainly this squad believes they can win, and that's half the battle. I don't know who the hero of Game 5 will be, but I know one or more Rockets will reach down and find another gear. Not since the 1995 run when a different Rocket stepped up each night have I felt absolute confidence that someone will catch fire.

I don't guarantee a victory, but I think this team is ready for the Laker's best shot now. Bring it, LA. Our team is waiting, and they are not afraid. Tuesday should be one hell of a game, and I am bouncing off walls with expectation.

Rockets win 98-84.

 

Kobe Doin' Work: A Spike Lee Joint

Kobe Gettin' Worked: A Shane Battier Savoir-Faire

 

This is going to be a great game... We have put something on the lakers minds now. They know we are for real. We have taken their best punch and gave them one right back and are still standing in ther face. If they do not have odom that will really be good for us. With a sore back he wont be that affective, so I hope he does try to play, it will hurt the team.

We have got to get production from Artest, AB, Scola, Shane, and two guys off the bench. LA will once again come out firing. Kobe will be out to prove something. I wonder if Adelman and Turner are considering doubling him from time to time to give him a different look. Make the other guys make plays. He seems to be real comfortable knowing shane is not going to try and block his shot or touch him when he goes up to shoot. I want to see him get up off the floor a couple of times during the game. Now that we don't have Yao, our defense can rotate faster if we do double him. They would not be expecting that.

Offensively, we just have to do exactly what we did on Sunday, keep players moving and the ball moving. LA rotates very slow. I think we will see Artest more in the paint tomorrow. Ariza can't guard him down there. Let our shooters shoot. I think we will see Barry get some time next game. Get some of that veteran leadership going to calm us down. We could put 4 3 point shooters on the floor and let ron play in the post. They could not help in the post...

 

NO QUIT!

Rockets by 2

 

I believe in these Rockets.

 

Rockets grind this one out. Somewhere along the lines of 97-93.

 

e-z win

 

in all the Rockets post-season games so far the team that has won the 1st quarter has won the game

 

Rockets 90
Los Angeles 108

 

I hate to say it, but rockets win by only 10....

Like another poster said, I am proud of this team regardless....

 

He's made three's, he's driven it in through the lane, he's bumped off big men to get rebounds, he has shot from midrange... dude, he can do it all... I will take that "on a drive" suggestion.

 

Impossible is nothing... rox might win

 

i believe in Shane. He's gonna make it.

 

12.5 underdog