ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Pacers 12/26/2006

That's what players do who have bad backs...Barkley did the same thing for years and was as productive as ever, Nash did it all the time for awhile as well.

People are turning on T-Mac way too soon. The dude could have mailed it in and not played last night but played through it and is only going to get better. We can't play affraid, and worry about it coming back, that is when you jinx yourself and it does come back. Just play and see what happens.

 

I'd be a little more discriminating in using the term TO ... I'd thought it was turnover ... LOL

Saw your earlier post that you were in the game. I wanted to see the game too but several late commitments prevented me from going. Good to know there are some Clutch fans close to my area. I believe Hayesfan is another one. Maybe we can all go together to watch the Rockets @ Pacers games starting from the next season.

 

The games without Yao will be horrible to watch. There is no post offense or defense without him. The Rockets will lose most if not ALL the games. They will be lucky to win any without him. That's why he is/was in contention for MVP. That is the best proof there is

By the time Yao comes back, I would say the Rockets will be way out of playoffs. The Rockets however, will not be bad enough to get to a top pick (there are just too many eastern conference teams out there). So unless they pull a Francis miracle, it's a mid to low lottery pick in the 8 to 12 range again.

No I am not jumping off the bandwagon but it's just hard for THIS team to win without Yao. No way around it. He is the post! No Yao, the middle is wide open for the other team and no threat on offense in there.

No post, no wins, that's how it's always been in this league. The Suns have a lot of fast break dunks so it's not the usual post game but they score in the paint.

 

I would be all about it. I was going to get tickets to this one, but by the time I started looking the tickets were like 100 for nosebleeds on Stubhub. Where exactly do you live wnes? Ohio? Indiana?

 

To put it this way, we have the same area code.

 

I'm late on this thread, but I didn't get to watch the game until the late night replay...

There wasn't much effort from T-Mac after turnovers... he would just watch the opponent fast break and he would stay behind... I hope it's just because his first game back. The refs give no respect to T-Mac... he drove in the paint plenty of times but rarely finished... sometimes he was fouled, sometimes he wasn't, but any other superstar not named Yao would have gotten at least a couple of whistles

We were not good enough to win the game, but really the Pacers didn't deserve to win it either. I hate to mention the refs, but our team isn't good enough to overcome bad bounces or bad calls right now. There was one play where a Pacers player knocked the ball out of bounds and the refs seriously just looked at each other for a minute, then finally just guessed and gave the ball to the Pacers. And Dikembe getting a tech on the finger wag... he's been doing that his whole life and now he gets a tech? If that call isn't made, then MAYBE we don't have to throw up a desperation 3 at the end...

 

Please don't count me amongst the (growing) legion of JVG haters because I'm not. But let's face it: when thing go wrong, it's usually the head coach who gets fired and that's what my post was about. You are correct in that he hasn't been here for the past 8 years and is not responsible for their NBA lotto record. That blame has to go to Dawson and Alexander. But that won't be enough to save his job if the Rockets wind back up in next year's lottery. Oh, and the next time you want to compare coaching records, I'd choose someone other than Popovich to compare JVG with as Pop is wearing several pieces of jewelry (called rings) that JVG can only dream about.

I've always maintained that the problems with this team lie not with the coaching but with the organization, management & ownership which is why I haven't joined the JVG pile-on currently in progress elsewhere on this board.

 

T-Mac's 32 pts - 6 rebs - 8 assist will be enuf to lift the rockets past the Krstic-less Nets. Final score rockets 81-80 nets.

 

Yes, I am a little bit lazy. First TO was a turnover, second one was time out. where you locate at? I am at IUB... Too bad Rockets only plays at Indy once a year.

 

Hey, I am a huge Hayes fan too. But lately his performance is not as eyecataching as when the season started. What I appreciate most is his tenacity and dedication to this team. You can tell every time when this guy is foul out, he is so upset, not because his statistics is not impressing but that he can't provide more help to the team. And I would said in front of the TV/computer, it is ok, Hayes, it is ok, you did pretty good right there.

 

LOL dude I didn't jump off the bandwagon. it's just I have this weird thing that happens to me everytime we lose and I start cussing everybody out. my man Tmac had a good game considering it's his first game back. Luther made some mental mistakes down the stretch, but he doesn't deserve to get traded because of that. he just needs to learn from his mistakes. I still believe, we can still do it.

ask YallMean, he knows i get this weird mental state when we lose especially when it's a close game. so it is safe to say that the RocketsMac from the game thread is not the real RocketsMac . he is just a mad r****d trying to take out his anger on a single player, too bad it was Luther's turn last game

 

He has struggled ever since his leg injury, he did okay the first few games up until the Golden State game where he had the 15 rbs, and he did then did well in the LA loss where he played with the bench to cut it close at the end (other than missing one of those important free throws at the very end of that game)... but overall ever since he was hurt he's been struggling on the road. Don't know why. He should be alright though.. the whole team is really struggling to get it back together with the in and out of Tmac and Yao.

I have faith in the team though, they all want so badly to make it work... it seems like every one of them feels equally responsible for losses. I haven't ever seen an NBA team like this one where each of the players thinks of the team before themselves (now that Bonzi is thinking team first as well). It inspires hope that they can pull together and figure it all out to get the wins until Yao gets back.

Jho is doing good in Chuck's place now which is fantastic. I am so convinced that this team can be really really good if we can get everyone performing on the same level consistantly.

We should definately do the game in Indy next season. We can be Red Rowdy on the road. I'll even go if Chuck isn't in Houston anymore Of course I will still wear my Hayes Rocket t-shirt!

 

Glad that you are still on the bandwagon. To tell you the truth, inside of me, I really really wish you were right and I was wrong.

 

Red Rowdie squad of Midwest is a cool idea, with wnes in Yao jersey, Hayesfan in Hayes jersey, and roxfan123 in JVG suit.

 

There are two problems here: first, will JVG still be here next season? Second, I am not bold...
Re: Hayesfan, yes, I figure out the knee injury is a factor there and I am glad Jho plays well now. But one thing is for sure, Hayes provides more help to Yao when they are playing together.

 

LOL.

I really wish that I was right and u werre wrong

but still, one game doesn't mean anything. I just dont think we can win IF, and a big IF here, we continue to play the same way we did in Indy.

to stay around .500, either one of these two should happen:

1. Tmac goes "Orlando Tmac" and scores 35+ every game to carry the team to wins against mediocre teams (highly unlikely)

2. we play a total "team effort", JVG stops "drawing Plays" every single damn time down the court and we start playing somewhat of a "PHoenix suns" style. to do this, we need to trust Alston in running the show (and by running the show, I am not talking about jacking up 3s), Alston can handle the fast break just as well as Nash does, he just needs someone to run the break with him, and for that to happen, we need JVG to allow his players to do that.

best case scenario: we get #1 and #2 working at the time, and we will do just fine.

now if we continue playing "slow" JVG basketball where every single play is designed by his stupid a$$, that's a different story

 

Ahh, just after I gave you some encouragment you ran with it.

I actually I am willing to give you that we might accomplish BOTH of your requirements. But we still wont make the playoff.

 

LOL.

come on man. my mental state is going downhill. and the last thing I need right now is having u tell me that we wont make the playoffs

talking about Alston, I really think he sucks WHEN he plays JVG's style. if JVG allows him some freedom, I am sure he will stop jacking up threes and wasting time. I would really love to see him run the break. he can really do it. and what a coincidence, I was watching "streetball" on ESPN classic and they had a whole section about Skip. they showed some highlights and the guy can really run the break. his handles are crazy and his court vision is similar to that of Nash. his passes are freakin scary. now I know he is not on the same level as Nash, but he can still run the break with the best of them. he just needs 2 things: 1. some freedom 2. having JVG make him do 100 pushups everytime he jacks up a three and misses it (kinda like the guy from the movie "major League")

here's a little "skip2maLou" mix, it's pretty cool. I just wish he could do some of that stuff in games


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Skip is not a Steve Nash lite that Miami and Toronto passed on. Not even close. Dude, stop comparing Skip to Nash before anybody reads it. Just let go. Also you cant compare street ball to the most competitive league in the WORLD. Seriously, stop it. I wont mention it anymore.

 

i was totally pissed..if we can't beat Indiana without Oneal, it will be pretty hard...I think TMAC will get better but his 7 TO are inexcusable....the other thing that bothered me alot is watching TMAC, you don't see any fire to his game anymore....I saw him LITERALLY walking up the floor 3 times during that game...and Iim not talkinga fast walk...i'm talking about a WALK where he didn't care or was pissed off about the last play....I don't care if his conditioning isn't there...you never walk..make the effort out there....Have you ever seen Kobe walking up the floor?....I think he has no desire to really play anymore, especailly n ow because he doesn't want the burden of carrying this team without YAO....we need to trade him befreo the trade deadline but at least wait till Yao gets back.....