ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Magic 10/23/2004

Hillboy,

Jameer is lightning quick and small as a water bug.

Think early Tim Hardaway.

No one 6'6" is going to be able to stay in front of him.

DD

 

Sura isn't out for the entire season. Bowens can play some of the minutes. I think there might be lineups in which Weatherspoon or Padgett might play the 3. If the opposing team goes small in the backcourt, the Rockets can also play Ward and Lue at the same time. There will be stopgap solutions for the depth at SG/SF.

If Yao doesn't show he's a serious gamer in his third season, then there will be doubts casted to how he can progress for the rest of his career. The 3rd year is the key for a lot of guys in any sport. David Carr is having a breakout year so far. Yao definitely needs to step it up this season.

 

any torrent?

 

The play of the night - which you won't see on Sports Center - was Steve putting on his blinders - making teamates invisible - and dribbling out the final seconds of the half b4 launching a 3 - in traffic - which was way off - deja vu baby!!!

 

wtf?

 

very interesting news from Chinese news media, if they are credible

http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2004-10-25/10551213852.shtml
http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2004-10-25/10291213702.shtml



Several points:
1. Yao was not supposed to play, but he insisted otherwise.
2. He wanted to play the game, because he thought that he had to face that group of special people for him and he had to get used to that.
3. Watching Francis, Mobley and Cato in the other team, the feeling was strange but he had to accept it. In every jumpball, he thinks about Cato
4. Facing those three player, he felt not good. He missed them, and felt not able to accept the truth. Playing against them, it is kinda againt the chinese brotherhood and social rule. He had to try to let his personal feeling go, because he has to gel with the current Rocket team.
5. During the game, he could not focus on the game and made many bad offensive decision. Francis was probably so familiar with Yao, (so he could predict his intention to steal), or he didn't adapt to right rhythm.
6. He rated his game at C-, next time in regular season he will try his best.
7. there must have been a good reason that T-Mac didn't play, Yao thinks that it is probably to protect him.
8. He told KJ (vice-manager?) on the flight back to Houston that maybe in ten year every NBA team will have his previous teammate.
9. He has to thank Francis, Mobley and Cato, (unfortunately,) there is always an END. Please don't mention it (their departure?) again. Said to the reporter.

The END.

 

that explains yao's performance. he just had too much baggage. i'm glad he played though. like he said, he has to face it and adjust it. what a better time than this preseason meaningless game.

 

I don't mean to jump all over Yao, but I get the sense some excuse comes out whenever he has a bad performance. Either way, he needs to practice finishing strong to break any habits of finishing weak, as he's been prone to doing lately.

His positioning is much better, post passes are so much better, but the dude is throwing up some weak stuff.

 

True, but Gaines' inability to play the point well is the issue here. He is not a point guard and seems to be better suited to be a 2 or 3 swingman type. He DOES have to shown much more than he has so far or it'll be "Adios Amigo!". His clock as is Boki's is ticking...

 

This has got to be the best pre-season game yet.

And that comment about Yao dunking on Cato. That didn't happen, Cato was in the vincinity when Yao dunked but he didn't contest or wasn't in fornt of Yao or anything. That just like saying when Yao recieved his first turnover, ( of the five he recieved ) by Francis stealing his first pass; that Yao got dunked on by Francis. Francis soared in the air ( with Yao trying to stop Francis getting to the basket ) and Yao was right there about 4 to five inches next to Franchise but he didn't contest nor did was he in front of the Franchise there for he did not get dunked on.

 

According to Matt Guokas, on his talk show:

"Van Gundy was as shocked as anyone when TRACY said he wasn't gonna play. The reason Yao played was so Tracy wasn't out there by himself as the ONLY starter, and would give him a better shot at doing well. That surprised me as I really thought it was Van Gundy that sat TMac. "

 

WTF is this. Where is Matt Guokas getting this stuff from? JVG said it was his decision to sit everybody. That makes a lot more sense than whatever Mat Guokas is saying.

 

Spurs held Tim Duncan out of the game against the Mavericks. This sounds like he is going to play big minutes against the Rockets.

 

You're right, this guy is full of crap. JVG and TMac both said it was coach's decision to not play.