ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Nuggets 12/26/2003

Rockets played well given the circumstances. It took a killer game by Carmelo to really put a nail in the Rockets tonight. When he was knocking down 3 pointers consecutively, it reminded me of Kobe in the Lakers game. However, Carmelo also scored in the 4th quarter. NBA schedule makers setup the Rockets for a loss considering they knew the Lakers game was going to be big, but they schedule a game the next day in thin-air Denver. There was one point in which Yao was basically exhausted on the court. When the Rockets lost to the Suns in the final minutes a few games ago, I think it was also due to endurance. That was a back to back too. I dislike the Pacers' loss much more since that was a home game with a one day rest. They were expected to lose this game.

 

That game must have really sucked to watch. Damn. Have it go to the wire then end in a block? Geez. Hmmm....one night we look fantastic as a team in LA and the next we lose to Denver.
Denver is a much improved team this season but they are no Lakers.

 

If you had saw Carmelo shoot the ball, you would have thought Michael Jordan was playing instead of a rookie. Rockets got a taste of a player who might become as good as Kobe.

 

Steve has turned the corner but still has a long way to go.Patrick Ewing should just melt into the woodwork and come back as Moses Malone. I can assure you an off season spent with Moses will give Yao Ming 'attitude','determination'and the ability to gain position. JVG needs a strong reminder about Moses Malone. Moses knows what Yao Ming needs Patrick isnt a Coach by a long stretch of the imagination and seems not to care about Yao Mings development!Remember Moses was the one that sorted out Hakeems Game. Les Alexander
Yao Ming needs help and he isnt getting it. Moses Malone Please!

 

I was thinking Alex English.

 

I've cooled off and the more I look at the game, I'm still happy with the way the team played up until the closing minute. Barring those two fouls by MoT and Mobley (the one thing JVG hates more then anything else down the stretch is giving away FTs and stopping the clock.) the team played well. This was a game I think where we'd be optimistic about a win, but a loss was expected. It was our 3rd game in 4 nights, coming off a back to back game that took a lot of energy out of the team. It could even be argued that the costly mistakes down the stretch were due to fatigue. I know for me it's hard to make clear decisions when I'm exhausted, so I'll give Cat and MoT the benefit of the doubt that they were tired as well. There was one big play also down the stretch that really had me screaming at the TV and that was the strip off Yao after he grabbed an offensive board. I thought he got hacked across the arms and should of been given FTs. I forget how late down the stretch of the game it was, but it was down towards the end. In fact I think it was in last minute that could of given the Rockets a 4 point lead assuming Yao made both FTs. Anyhow, tough loss to deal with, but it was a loss that was also expected given the circumstances.

I look foward to next game to see how the Rockets react when they're rested and play their next game.

 

It always seems like everyone has their 1st career high against Houston.

 

On another note, Melo was indeed fantastic tonight and really impressed me. Those bankshot threes I think were luck especially considering the big smirk on his face after some of the shots he tossed up, but he really did a good job. The scary thing I think about him compared to Lebron is, Melo's body isn't developed yet. He still looks lanky and skinny in comparison to a seasoned NBA vet who's hit the weight room. Maybe he'll have a Glenn Robinson, Antoine Jamison type body for his career, but assuming he hits the weights the way Kobe did last year and puts on a good 10 or 15 pounds, he'll be that much better. He's got a bright future ahead of him.

 

Yao's not getting that call especially on the road at least not at this point in his career. He certainly yelled out loud enough to know he thought he got fouled.

 

wow tough loss... at least im happy with the way the O has been playing, except for the end of the game.
I hope the Rox can keep up this level of play minus the turnovers and mental errors.

J

 

Yetti, I am with you, Mose Malone should train Yao this off seaon instead Ewing.

Yao must stay in States at least two months before he joins NT. It is soo painful seeing him tired so quickly and can barely move his feet. For god's sake Melo is only 19years old and he has a better stamina than Yao's.

Upper body and stamina training in the off season is a must do for Yao. And let Mose Malone teach him how to play big man's game, play big, nasty, determination ball game.

Get rid of Ewing after this season, he can't do a thing!!!!!!!

 

Yao I understand not getting calls on the road, but it doesn't change the fact that it wasn't a foul. I do get sick of Yao bobbling the ball and flairing his arms and falling down when he loses the ball, but I do think that was a blatant hack around his arms. Ya know as much he loses the ball, above anything else he should work on is his hand and strength from his forearms on down. Bulking up the forearms may stiffen his wrist and jump shot, but he shouldn't lose the ball as much when there's contact. Also he should palm a basketball and carry it with him everywhere. I know in college running backs with a history of dropping footballs were told to carry their football with them everywhere. To class, to bed, everywhere, just so they get used to the feel of the ball and learn to hold onto it better when it counts in game. Also just thinking of something that would improve Yao's conditioning. When he goes back to China in the offseason, they should train the National team up an elevated atmosphere similar to Denver. The thinner air causes people that live there to produce more red blood cells and thus get used to the lack of oxygen in the air doing so. If Yao could get more red blood cells to hold oxygen in his body better, he'd be better conditioned and less fatigued. Just a thought, despite it's craziness

 

Like yesterday was a team win, this one was a team loss. Francis, Mobley and Taylor all could have put this one away, but failed in the clutch. Otherwise, Francis looked very good again. For the month of December, he's got a 2-1 assist/turnover ratio, much more respectable than it was earlier in the year.

Those fouls on 3-pointers late in the 24-second clock and late in the game infuriate me, though. I think JVG should start chopping off one finger on the guy who commits a foul like that. Make 'em think twice, I';; bet.

Also -- you just KNOW the Pistons are kicking themselves by this time. Melo's averaging about 19 pts/6.5 boards and hits for 37 tonight. Darko, on the other hand, is averaging half a point and less than half a rebound per game, and his high game so far is a not-so-gaudy 6 [yes, SIX!] points.

 

Technically, it wasn't his 1st career high -- it was his 4th.

 

Carmelo was just hitting everything he shot with Jackson's hand in his face. There was just nothing that JJ could do to stop him, and with Miller and Boykins on the court, the big men couldn't move out of the lane to help. What can you do? The guy just had an insane incredible 3rd quarter.

That 3 pt foul by Mobely was heartbreaking, infuriating, mind-wiping. I was so mad at him for doing that after playing a great game. Carmelo and Denver's(!!!) packed house literally carried their team to victory. These chodes are already legit, and I hate it.

Aside from the typically insane number of turnovers, ESPECIALLY Yao and Taylor's repeated 3 sec. violations, AND the horrific 3-pt fouls, the Rockets played a great game. Steve was off the chain for 10 assists and Yao got some tough buckets. Cato continues to be a brand new monster. Even JJ was hitting. Good D for the most part. Carmelo just wasn't gonna lose tonight. Tough one, but forgivable for once.

 

Carmelo also is more marketable too. I like the EA sports commercial he is in.

 

I agreed, Yao just doesn't seem to have good handle of the ball. He fumbled too much. Coaches need to let him dribble with a heavy ball or something. Also teach him that once he got the rebound and people were around him, teach him to move and swing his body to protect the ball like all rebounder do.

 

What worries me most is that Houston dropped to 2-8 against Midwest teams. That's a grand total of 2 wins against the Midwest. The Rockets have the second worst divisional record in the NBA, after Washington.

 

Sorry, that should be 2-7, but that's still the second worst divisional record in the NBA.