ClutchFans Game Thread: Rockets @ Wizards 12/9/2006

great news, T-mac said he will be ready for TUseday's game!

 

One game doesn't shut the critics. Heck, A half of season plus 20 games in does not shut the critics. You got to do it in the playoffs and remind me again, how many playoff series wins has Yao got since he's join the Rockets?

 

maybe Yao played a small part in helping to injure these centers...

maybe he is learning... its much better to lay hurt on the other guy then to let them hurt U...

 

source?

game notes? i havent read those yet.

I know it was not mentioned before the postgame was over.

 

Game Quotes


ROCKETS HEAD COACH JEFF VAN GUNDY


On Yao Ming:

“He gets fouled and he’s going to make his free throws, so he’s going to have bad nights – teams are going to do a good job on him, but consistently he will score when guarded legally.”


On Tracy McGrady’s injury:

“Obviously it’s not good, but I don’t want anything to detract from what the guys did tonight – and Tracy. He played on the fourth game in five nights. He played an energetic, really good game. So we’ll see where he is in the coming days.”


On injuries to the Wizards’ top two centers:

“Injuries have a huge impact on the game, I mean, I didn’t realize (Brendan) Haywood was out until they put (James) Lang in, and they took an unfortunate hit to (Etan) Thomas. Those two guys defended Yao very well in Houston, and so the sting of injuries many times can’t be overcome, but I thought (Calvin) Booth did a good job. You feel for any coach and any team that goes through injuries like that.”


ROCKETS CENTER YAO MING


On playing the Wizards without Etan Thomas and Brendan Haywood:

“(Etan) Thomas and (Brendan) Haywood are great players. They know how to guard me and when they are out it is good for us and good for me. Then I can just do what I need to do and score.”


On playing without Tracy McGrady:

“It changed my play, I was more aggressive. Tracy (McGrady) is our best player and somebody had to step up.”



On playing without Tracy McGrady in the long-run:

“I know how to play without him, shoot the ball and be more aggressive.”


ROCKETS GUARD TRACY McGRADY


On back injury:

“Back spasms. I don’t know what happened – I stepped on somebody’s foot and I lost my footing and a spasm shot to my back immediately. I think it’s a little different. The pain level is definitely different. I feel pretty good right now walking around.”


On Yao Ming’s performance:

“I didn’t get a chance to see the fourth quarter, but for three quarters, it was me just being aggressive doing what I needed to do for our team to get a win. Yao took over for me in the fourth quarter – he had 23 in the fourth quarter. That’s what the big fella can do. He’s comfortable carrying the team now.”


On team depth:

“We have a better team. Yao’s even improved his game a little bit better this year. It helps to have a guy like Shane Battier on your team as well – something that we didn’t have last year. I think we have a team where if one of our key guys goes down we have enough depth to continue playing good basketball.”

 

It's in the AP story on the game.

"Tracy McGrady had 28 points for Houston before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with back spasms. Rafer Alston added 12 points for the Rockets in their fourth straight victory over Washington.

McGrady said he expected to play Tuesday at home against the Los Angeles Lakers. "

 

nappdog.... you are sounding like a Yao hater...

maybe these guys may be a little over the top on one game...

but aleast let them celebrate...

why do guys like you have to bring up a championship...

after Yao does well? no one here is saying Yao will single handedly bring a championship...

makes you sound like a girl in a fight who is losing so she brings up something we did 5 years ago...

but if you look at Yao's stats in the playoffs... he has even better numbers than the regular season...

granted we have to see how he does when he is the first option...

 

Wow, that is some really lofty praise. He basically implied that Yao was more dominant than Kareem by being equally dominant both offensively and defensively.

 

thats not a definite, but I'll take it as good news that the pain was different from the stuff that took him down longterm.
There are varying degrees of back injuries, adn this sounds like it might just be a slight strain if they have hopes for a Tues return.

 

This was Yao's best game. He made very difficult shots in the 4th. Anyone who doesn't think he play a great game is in denial.

 

This was just one game. Yao took over the 4th quarter. He can't take over the 4th quarter in a playoff game now because it's early in the regular season.

Yawn.

If anyone on the roster had played the 4th tonight as Yao did I'd be singing his praises, but the thing is Yao's pretty much of an impact player as there is regardless of the stats and tonight was special.

The critics demand more, more and more. Some people here want him to be Dream at 30 playing with 15 year old rules and it's not going to happen.

Like Olajuwon before him Yao deserves more credit than he gets, especially here.

 

Yao's not that perfect
He missed a FT

Be PERFECT big one next time
crush Fakers
crash Fakers

 

Yeah, it's like saying Nash and Kidd aren't the best PGs in the league and that Billups is better, because of the ring.

 

Many Yao's best games are waiting for you.

 

Is it me, or Yao said Mcgrady was the best player on the team LOL

Anyway it seems good for Mcgrady his being positive but not only is he being positive but his back spasms don't seem to hurt as much. He showed some good form tonight

 

I think he is saying Yao can attack from both left and right.

 

Yao did what he was supposed to do against a weak defensive team: He destroyed them. This won't happen against competent defensive teams as they will force other players to beat us. But when the opportunity was there, Yao delivered the goods, plain and simple. He must continue the attack mentality the entire season and demonstrate that domination is his natural comfort zone instead of something he forces himself to do. It's looking pretty good so far this season.

I couldn't care less Yao's rebounding is 9.5 instead of 10 or 11. The Rockets have rebounded very well this season due to Chuck Hayes' insertion as a starter and Juwan's recent fountain of youth during Chuck's foul troubles. What is really bothering me is Yao's turnovers. I'm hoping it's just a matter of him still feeling his way through his increased aggression on offense. Some of his turnovers are careless passes. It may be that 4 TOs per game may be part of the package we have to accept. Either way, we should just enjoy it, savor it and not nitpick too much.

 

Yeah, I think you're right. Hard to argue with that, too...I guess what he meant was that Kareem's unstoppable sky hook worked mostly from one side, so you could at least try to deny him the ball on one side of the floor. If you front Yao on one side he just runs over to the other side, gets the ball and goes to work from there.

 

Hi, guys.

I have a question:

If Tmac is OK in the 4th quarter, then What?

1. We can still win the game, but YAO will only get 18pts.

2. We lose.

I chose the first.

Because I love Yao, I am very happy with the result tonight(not include Tmac's hurt).

 

LOL ... That's JVG at his best -- taking shots at the league officials without getting himself in trouble.

That's good news out of much of the during-the-game uncertainty and the overwhelming anxiety felt by the fans. We are definitely relieved TMac isn't doing as bad as we thought when we saw him being carried out off to the locker room by his teammates and coaching assistants. However, it's going to be a lingering problem for the remainder of this season (including the playoffs) and beyond.