ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Mavericks 1/16/2007

Battier should have gotten more points despite the foul trouble. I'm not blaming him for losing. The Mavs have more depth. A healthy Yao,Bonzi,Snyder will help but we still need to utilize the TE and Sura's expiring contract.

 

quite simply, nothing to be frustrated about. only reason why im agged is cause i hate the mavs with a passion and i want to beat them.

the mavs offensive rebounding killed us. more importantly, our best player was not playing and we had a lack of bench. no big deal, i'll just look at my screensaver of tmac posterizing the preying mantis shawn bradley. Thank you and gnite.

 

Do you think JVG will play Bonzi again? It is reported that he is injured, but I think he is in the doghouse again.

 

you see, this is what is frustrating about the news or lack thereof... what is feigen doing? isn't it his job to cover the rockets exclusively, and when something like this comes up, where is the news?

 

we need yao

If yao is here, Tmac may not get 45, but both of them will definitely get more than 45 together

anyways,,,good game,,,go rocket

 

So what?

T-Mac should be done with his days of dropping 45 on teams. He has had to bring it back because of Yao's injury. I'd rather have them both drop 20-something than one of them not drop anything due to injury.

If Yao was in this game, it would have been much harder to double team McGrady with the players they did.

I wish Yao was back...

 

the only sad thing about this game is luthers 3 point streak ended.. everything else went as expected.

 

I expected a loss but I like what I saw. Dallas had Ager, Berrea, Mensa-Bonsu on the inactive list. Houston had Bonzi Wells, Yao Ming, and basically Kirk Snyder (doesn't play more than a minute or so yet, coming off his broken wrist) on the inactive list.

In addition, the Rockets do not normally give up the massive amounts of offensive rebounds they did tonight, Devean George doesn't go off like that EVER, and the way the 3's were falling in the second half for the Mavs it's hard NOT to win. I mean, 10-15...come on now. I said at halftime that the only way to beat the Rockets when they really put their mind to clogging the lane is to hit outside. I guess I jinxed them.

All in all, I feel pretty confident about the Rockets chances at full strength against the Mavs at full strength. Of course with Yao's injury that won't be until the playoffs at the earliest...maybe even next year sometime. Either way, bring 'em on in the playoffs please. I've been waiting a year and a half to wash the taste out of my mouth.

On Devean George's impact, getting outrebounded, and the bench play...

From what I see, he (George) had exactly 2 games before tonight where he hit more than 2 threes, so by never I mean...3 times in 40 games. I didn't see those other 2 games, but I'm willing to bet he was more "all over the place" tonight than in either of those.

As for Dampier, he basically got the same amount of rebounds (offensive as well) tonight as he did when these teams first met, but that obviously didn't cost the Rockets the game. It was a team effort on the boards tonight for Dallas. 6 players with 3 or more rebounds, and 7 players with at least 1 offensive. Can't let that happen if you're the Rockets.

The bench was not good tonight at all. But Bonzi didn't play, Kirk Snyder just returned from a broken wrist, and well...Luther Head was just off. He had a streak of 37 games with at least 1 three pointer that ended tonight. It was a franchise record by a good number of games. You've also gotta take into account that come playoff time (and Yao's return), one starter becomes a bench player (Dikembe). The bench is usually not so weak.

Bottom line is the Rockets were against the odds tonight and it showed late. My personally feeling is that wouldn't be the case at full strength, or at least with Yao. Win or lose, I truly hope we get to see that in the playoffs. If the series 2 years ago is any indication, it would be a blessing to the basketball world.

On the absence of Kirk Snyder and what his role could be when healthy...

I see him as a 6'6" guy who can bring some athleticism and D up a decent sized perimeter player when needed, especially to give Tracy a rest. For example, when Tracy is on the bench you can put Battier on Dirk and Snyder on Howard. Tonight instead of Snyder, Head ended up on Howard on the post up and that's bad news. Don't look at his season averages either, because they're not indicative of his actual production. He's only played in 14 games, one of which was the game he got hurt in and only played 4 minutes. Then the last 3 games he's played about 3 minutes combined, but they still go on his record and work into his average.

I'd say he's comparable to Devean George in a lot of ways, and we saw how much of a difference he made tonight. Just the kind of guy that can make a play here or there, and every once in a blue moon pull something special out of his ass.

EDIT: not sure why it was necessary to edit my post. It doesn't really make sense in the way it was reformatted...

 

When do we next play the Mavs (since we play them 4 times a season) and will Yao be back quickly enough to play in at least another?

 

the defense in the second half wasn't up 2 scratch, they tried double teaming nowitzki and allowed the mavs 2 hit easy open shots

 

Nope. We play them twice in 6 days in mid February I think. So Yao will still be a couple of weeks away at least.

 

The Rockets did what they could against a healthy Mavs team. I just hate the fact that Avery like the Spurs coach try anyone on the bench that may turn the tide. I wish JVG would utilize the bench more. I mean at least to spell some minutes so the starters can rest some. I also hope the Bonzi situation get finalize soon, either he plays or we trade the guy.

 

i love how after every loss the rockets suck again, even though we just finished winning nine of ten.

i hope we land them in the playoffs cause if we're healthy we will absolutely roll them.

 

All I have to say is that Rafer still owns Jason Terry. After absolutely dominating him in the first meeting this season, excluding that last three pointer in the final minute with Rafer on the bench, Terry was 2-9 for 4 points tonight. Rafer hit 4 three pointers.

 

I'm concerned that Luther Head has fallen back down to reality. He was one of the reasons for our success and lately ever since the switch to the new ball, he hasn't really played the same.

 

Either the new ball or play without Yao

 

LOL at JVG outcoached by Avery Johnson again. Same thing that happened in the playoffs a couple of years ago.

If the other coach makes in-game adjustments JVG has absolutely no clue how to respond.

We need a real coach.

 

lmao at another ridiculous aceshigh7 post. we were undermanned on the road against the team with the best record in the league and our coach cost us the game? please.

nevermind that we have one of the best records in the conference despite missing either of our superstars for more than half the season. van gundy is doing a heck of a job this season. you say nothing when we win but one loss and the bullsh!t flies.

 

JVG is smart. He's saving all the wrinkles for the post season. For instance, McGrady on Dirk. We only saw it on a couple switch offs. But McGrady is one of the best defenders in the league on Dirk. We meet them in the post season, I bet McGrady starts tagging him all the way up and down the court. Not to mention Shane wasn't playing Dirk right and he's our best team defender.

Luther - Dude played like he had sphincter cramp. This was a high pressure atmosphere. Gotta bring it. And he is just too one dimensional. It really showed tonight. Knock him off the 3 point line and he's durn useless. Dude has to develop the rest of his offense off that 3 point shot. He should be able to get to the hole when they overplay him out there but his dribble is horrid and his midrange shortrange shooting finishing just plain sucks.

Rafer - looked decent. But it's obvous that the Rox as a team want to shut down Terry and force Howard to beat them. Rafer had a ton of help on Terry tonight. Every time Terry put the ball on the floor, the Rox helped on him until he got rid of the ball.

VSPan - still wish this kid was in the rotation. Would have liked to see him D up on Harris who was toasting Luther. He's got the quicks.

Battier - He doesn't play Dirk right defensively. You've got to put a body on him and force him to dribble the ball. Shane plays off him too much and then thinks he can distract the shot with the hand in the face. That don't work on Dirk. Gotta force him to turn around and either shoot the fade or dribble the ball.

JLIII - Kid does not know how to move the ball. All he can do is get his shot by using picks and his quickness. When he is in and McGrady is out, we turn into a one man show and it is not effective because his defense is atrocious. Constantly out of position, going on all the fakes, and then getting beat one on one with bigger post up players. When Mcgrady is in, playing JLIII becomes a huge waste of time and space. Because he can't get his shot off without 3 dribbles and a fake.

We had no answer for Dallas' depth. They just kept coming with it and JVG eventually had to give McGrady a blow. That's when we lost the game. We gotta get Bonzi and Snyder back and playing effectively.

 

Battier is not the guy to guard Dirk, he should be on Josh Howard. Tmac has got to guard Dirk, his length and athleticism is what makes him so useful against Dirk. Luther Head could have had a big game, but he really looked bad out their tonight. Dikembe cannot play in a game like this, he just is too slow in reaction to rebounds