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

Yes, we have a cut and dried advantage with Yao at center. That's not where the problem is - the problem is that in order to force other teams to "adjust to us" as you put it, they need to have both Tmac & Yao on the floor at the same time playing at a high level which as you well know, hasn't happened much due to injuries. I think that you have hit upon a key point here: the ability to dictate the game to your opponent. The past and present Rockets' teams were never able to pull this off because of personnel deficiencies. With the current potential lineup of Yao, McGrady, Snyder and Battier, I would just LOVE to see how things would work out in a series with the Mavericks, Suns or Spurs. That's the big unknown at work here - whether or not this Rockets' team will ever be able to get all of its players on the court working together this season.

 

Well obviously I was assuming that Yao could come back to the level he was at througout this season (which he should), and that T-mac would stay at the level he's at now (which he should).

I know its hard to imagine right now... but its not that big of a stretch to say that when Yao comes back, this team will be as good as it can possibly be... and its right to say that teams should then have to adjust to US.

Nobody in the NBA would be able to adjust to a dominant Yao (who you can't front anymore) as well as an attacking/hungry T-mac. The Mavs (who wasted the chance to win last year) better win while everything is going right for them... it can all change in a hurry.

 

Dallas is dayum good folks. Dayum good. The only thing that consistently bothers me besides health is when other good teams turn up the heat, we seem to wilt and fade away. We have to hang in there with the good teams and not get rattled so easy.

We apparently have solved the problem of letting Jason Terry go off like he has in the past (Good D Alston!), you're not gonna stop Dirk, but right now Howard, Stackhouse, and George (this scrub got away with too much hassling and made too many points) are the guys you have to limit. Neutralize them and we have a chance everytime against them.

 

Any time I saw Yao or Tmac had a monster first half and the other team hung tight, I am worried. It is really a better strategy, IMHO, to establish your role players early in the game and to have Yao/Tmac save their energy for the 2nd half to close out the game. I know people are gonna argue if we do that, we may already dig a hole too deep by the 2nd half, but I think our role players have been playing well enough to keep the game close. And then it is our start players that need to take over the 2nd half. I would much rather have Yao/Tmac have a strong game in the 2nd half than in the 1st half. That is basically what Mavericks did yesterday.

 

I didn't see a lot of the first half, and haven't read all of this thread, but I was wondering why Hayes only played 13 minutes, when he had 1 foul. No, he can't score, but he can play defense on some of the Mavs quicker players.

 

Rafer was probably the only player to play even decent on both ends of the floor tonight... Kinda sad.

Not a terrible loss by any means. They are the best team in the league, and we are a team with two of our starters from opening day not playing. I think we will be fine against them come playoffs.

 

You and I think exactly alike. That's great! We had a chance to pull off the win. Don't give me this crap that we were undermanned. If that was the case, we would've lost by 30 or 40. We were up by 13 in the 3rd. Sure, they made the plays, especially George. Sure, he wasn't supposed to. But was Battier supposed to nail those 3 threes against the Nuggets to win. It's the same comparison. Somebody needs to step up. If Battier was on tonight, we would've come away with the win. We played great defense for 2.5 quarters. Why couldn't we continue. Fatigue was no factor; we had 2 days rest. AJ is a much better coach than JVG for the reasons you gave. He knows how to make in game chances.

And then to hear some people say they are OK with the loss is unbearable. How many times have you guys brought up the fact that we beat them by 30 points the first time we played? Please don't lie to me. It's obvious you do care. If we were blown out to start off with, then sure, live with the loss and make the excuse that we didn't have Bonzi or Yao. But to be this close and not finish is completely the coaches fault.

I predict the same thing will happen tonight...

 

Yup, a good loss, again.

 

Steve Kerr said something a while back that made me think that the rockets still had some work to do before they could contend for the title. He said the rockets were top heavy. I have to agree after watching the Dallas game, they have such a deep bench. I just want to go slap Cuban around and tell him to play fair. Aren't the Mavs in the luxury tax or something and the rockets say they treat the tax like a hard salary cap unless something comes along that makes it worth it.

Jason Kidd anyone?

 

We lost cuz we had NO defense!!!! plain and simple!!

 

one thing i was mad about : we were +12 in the third with 8mn30 to go, we got a fastbreak, but instead of passing the ball to howard, alston made an and1 move and missed it, and on the other end the mavs made a 3 and it was the beginning of the end ... grrrr

 

No joke! but to be like dallas all we need is 2 reliable players on our bench one at PG to rotate with rafer!

Jason kidd? thats funny even mentioning about it! We can't afford him. not gonna happen. I don't see how? and to be honest I don't want to lose anyone (except Padgett) to get someone, even rafer! yeah thats right I said it!

 

so your saying this is all rafers fault! huh?

 

no, he made some huge 3s in this game and played well overall, i'm just saying i was angry at him after that play ... if we had scored on that possession, +14, and avery would have called a timeout i think ...
but yeah, trade alston lol

 

Jason Terry's off game had more to do with a funk he's been in of late than Rafer's defense.

 

Terry is known to pick his game and score in 20s on any game night unlike rafer but rafer did control him throughout the game! hats down for rafer!