ClutchFans Game Thread: Sonics @ Rockets 1/31/2007

need two more points to get 100, so everone can get free BigMac.

 

The third of five consecutive blowouts at home!

Rockets 110
Sonics 90

 

The obvious, the Rockets are the better team, they are playing better, they are at home, the Sonics lost last night in a tight game, Rashard is out, Rockets have a day of rest. The intangibles, will Rockets show up with energy? Will TMac be zoned in or out? Will Rafer take 20 shots? Will Allen score 50? Conclusion, if the Rockets don't win, it will be real disappointing. This is the kind of game that tests a team's metal. Rockets by 20+ and I predict a VSpan sighting.

 

Back to back to Sonics

Rockets get another convincing win!

 

The key to this game is to not be satisfied with our 2 blow out wins. Teams may get overconfident at this time, and we dont need that. Engery and focus will win us this game.

 

A win for the Sonics NNNooo not in our house:

 

^^oops wanted to ad a gif of dekes finger wave, but it didnt work i see. Well anyway Rockets win (energy, defense and it will be all good).

 

Trust me, we have JVG as the head coach so that will never happen.

Rox win by 20.

 

lol nice attempt tho

 

lmfao

 

Didn't think this preview deserved its own thread...so adding it to the Game Thread instead. Nice read.

http://www.nba.com/sonics/news/preview070131.html

Insider Preview - Sonics at Houston
HEAD-TO-HEAD

Sonics (17-28) at Houston (28-16)
Wednesday, January 30, 5:30 p.m.
Toyota Center
TV: FSN
Radio: KTTH AM 770


Kevin Pelton, SUPERSONICS.COM


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A year ago, injuries to Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady - both named All-Star starters last Thursday - did in the Houston Rockets. The Rockets went 21-10 when McGrady and Yao were both in the lineup, but still finished well out of the playoffs by virtue of going 13-38 in their other 51 games. Houston was the one team in the lottery to parlay their pick in the weak draft into a veteran who could help immediately - Memphis' Shane Battier.
The addition of Battier and a resurgent season from the ageless Dikembe Mutombo have helped the Rockets be much more competitive without their full complement of superstars this season. Houston is 14-6 with both Yao and McGrady, similar to their performance from a year ago. They're 2-5 with McGrady out of the lineup and 0-1 without either All-Star. The real work has come since Yao was sidelined on Dec. 23 with a small fracture on the right anterior of his tibial plateau. The Rockets are 12-5 since then - one of those losses coming at Phoenix when McGrady also missed the game.

McGrady has been brilliant during the month of January, averaging 29.4 points, 6.9 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game. He's been backed up by dominant Houston defense keyed by Battier, one of the league's most underrated defenders, and Mutombo, the four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. The Rockets, always a very good defensive team under Coach Jeff Van Gundy, have been downright incredible this season. Houston's Defensive Rating of 100.0 points per 100 possessions is the best in the NBA. With Battier on the floor, that mark drops to 98.6 points allowed per 100 possessions, and with Mutombo on the floor it drops all the way to 95.3.

Thanks to their strong performance in Yao's absence, the Rockets are 28-16 and percentage points ahead of the Utah Jazz for the fourth-best record in the Western Conference. That's an important race, because it means home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs - something Houston last had in 1997. Based on point differential, the Rockets are in a class just below the elite three of the West. Houston is +5.8 points per game, the NBA's fourth-best mark.

The Seattle SuperSonics have been one of the few teams to solve the riddle that is the Houston defense, shooting 50% from the field and scoring 96 points Jan. 3 at the Toyota Center. However, McGrady made the big plays down the stretch and the Sonics were unable to get key defensive rebounds as the Rockets won 103-96. The positive in this matchup is that the Rockets don't have a defensive stopper in the Bruce Bowen mode. Battier is more effective as a team defender than matched up one-on-one with a scorer. Ray Allen took advantage to score 32 points on 13-for-22 shooting in the first meeting with Houston this season.

When the Sonics opened their repeat of the month-opening trip to Dallas and Houston last night against the Mavericks, they were able to fix the rebounding problems that plagued them in early January, outrebounding Dallas 46-33 with 19 offensive boards. That was not enough to overcome a career-high 34 points from Austin Croshere, sparking 54.5% shooting from the field and 12-for-23 from downtown. The loss tied the longest road losing streak during a single season in Sonics franchise history, and a loss tonight would tie the all-time record of 14 straight road losses.

KEY MATCHUP
Former Fab Fiver Juwan Howard - incidentally, the only member of the group still in the NBA who has not been waived this season - has developed into a floor-spacing big man who operates primarily at the high post. Those type of players are difficult matchups for the Sonics, and Howard is no exception. He had 18 points on 8-for-14 shooting in the first matchup between these teams. Chris Wilcox was largely a non-factor in that game, grabbing four rebounds in 40 minutes. Wilcox has been more active on the glass since being paired with Nick Collison in the starting lineup.




LAST TIME
Despite a heroic effort from Allen, the Seattle SuperSonics could not get the stops they needed in falling 103-96 at Houston on Jan. 3. The Sonics suffered their 10th straight road loss. Allen had 12 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, including several off-balance scores from the perimeter. Most times, however, the Rockets had an answer, often after an offensive rebound. The Sonics did get a big stop, even though they allowed a second chance, after an Allen jumper pulled them within 101-96 with 2:17 left. The Sonics were unable to take advantage, with Damien Wilkins attempting an errant off-balance three-pointer with the shot clock expiring. An offensive board finished the Sonics off, as they were forced to begin fouling in desperation after Mutombo rebounded a McGrady miss.
Houston finished the night with a 41-32 rebounding advantage, including 14-5 on the offensive boards. Wilcox was a major culprit on the glass, corralling just two defensive rebounds in nearly 40 minutes of action. Mutombo, meanwhile, had 12 rebounds in a season-high 28 minutes. Offensively, McGrady powered Houston with 31 points on 11-for-21 shooting and seven assists. Allen, who shot 13-for-22, and Wilkins (19 points) provided much of the offense for the Sonics. Wilkins made a career-high five three-pointers after coming into the game with just eight all season in 23 attempts.


INJURIES
Sonics - Forward Rashard Lewis (tendon surgery, right hand) and centers Danny Fortson (sprained left foot) and Robert Swift (torn right ACL) are out.
Houston - Guards Kirk Snyder (upper respiratory infection) and Bob Sura (knee/back) and center Yao Ming (small fracture on right anterior of tibial plateau).

 

Just got a report from Intel',T-mac is under the weather,I will pencil him for 40 points

 

what channel is this **** gonna be on????

 

disregard my last message. i see that this bullsh!t is gonna be on cable.

 

No P2P stream for this game, I guess this is a good thing since I have a lot of homework to do and have to get a haircut.

 

Kirk Snyder still out with the flu?!

 

Ok, I live in Tennessee and never have the chance to go to Houston to watch games. So I never thought about the BigMac thing.
From now on, I will predict Rox score 100+ at home every game.

 

Does anyone know what channel this game will be on in NYC's Time Warner Cable? I am looking at it, but don't see our game listed on any of the channels? :/ .

Edit: Nvm, found it. Bah going to miss the first quarter!

 

This is the kind of game that we tend to lose due to lack of effort and overconfidence, but I think we will win

 

Does any online channel have this game?