ClutchFans Game Thread: Sonics @ Rockets 2/22/2005

I wish JVG would have run more plays for Yao. He has been playing terrific lately and it would have been nice if we could just ride him to the win. If the Sonics start to double him then Barry, Wesley, Padgett would get an open shot.

Hopefully we can bring our A game tomorrow because Spurs are like 23-1 at home this year. Not a must win game or anything but a win would be a huge confidence booster especially since we will be without Sura.

 

dude, tell me its just a joke

 

true there were times when i thought we should have given it to Yao. :/

yeah after one hour, i've finally cooled down.

 

Go back and look at a tape of the game and you'll see Lewis use the same 'hook' .. on almost every cut to the basket ... that Yao supposedly fouled out on.

I knew the refs sucked at the very start of the game. Only 1 of them is worth a damn.

 

TMac is vulnerable to the post up. Rashard was killing him.

 

I was at the game....WORST OFFICIATING. Several times I saw Jerome James practically punch Yao away. Deke's block was definitely clean. And no one knew what was going on when that flagrant fould was called. WTF

 

class is permanent, form is temporary. that's why he's not a star player.

 

The greatest problem JVG has is trying to utilize Yao effectively, given his stamina issues and his propensity to get fouls, and be neutralized by fronting.

Thus, the game-plan (that's worked great during the winning streak, and ever since they got guys who can actually shoot), is to not telegraph any plays for Yao (especially at the beginning of the shot clock), let him set some picks... and then find him when the defense has less of a chance to adjust.

Sometimes, the "finding him" doesn't happen because of shot-clock issues... but, when they do find him its worked pretty well (especially tonight).

Its easy to say that since Yao is shooting so well, they should just pound it into him every play... but a lot of the reason why Yao is shooting so well is because he's NOT the main focus, and by the time he gets the ball... the defense can't adjust.

Its a pickle... I know... but for now, I'm giving JVG the benefit of the doubt that they know what they're doing.

 

What an awful way to end the streak. If the Sonics beat the Rockets straight up, then I would have no problem tipping my hat to them, but to get literally an assist to the victory by the refs on the Rockets home court...that's not only wrong is complet bull****.

 

You might want to but qualifiers around that and say that T-Mac might be or is vulnerable to Rashard's post up...but in any event, I'll have to disagree...I only really saw maybe 4 points in which Lewis got T-Mac, granted the refs made sure to bail Rashard out a couple of times.

 

I agree with you Nick. When JVG made T-mac the focus of the offense instead of trying to pound Yao on every position the team started to win. I just feel when Yao is playing so well you have to see if he can carry you to a win. oh well hopefully we can bounce back tomorrow night.

 

So what can we as fans do about the officiating situation? It's not just tonight but on any given night the rockets, for the most part, never get to the line as much as our opponents - any opponents.

Can we (maybe JVG even) somehow get the point across to the league, consequences be damned, that we get the shaft EVERY time by shady refs??? I mean, no lukewarm vague references to bad officiating. Something drastic to bring the spotlight to the fact that the rockets get screwed continuously.

 

If it becomes this blatant on every night, the local paper will run with it... and it will get noticed.

The NBA does not like any publicity against their refs... thus, they notice everything that gets in the media.

 

on the home court, the big screen should be used to replay bad calls again and again during timeouts, and fans should boo so loud that refs believe their lives are in danger.

 

You might get fined for this, but you may still need to do it.

That's why Mark Cuban is a shrewd businessman.

 

supposedly JVG and the coaching staff constantly sends the league officials tapes about how yao gets absolutely no calls and is often called for ticky-tack fouls...forogt where i heard this, but i think i read they send them a tape every wk of questionable and bad calls against yao...obviously to no avail though...

kinda reminds me of the WCF with utah when we wrote letters to david stern b!tchin about the flops from jane and karla...

 

the fine is nothing for these billionares.

 

Cannot believe that Yao haters even used tonights's game to bash Yao. They used that foul to show that he is anything but clutch. It is just f**king ridiculous.

BTW, Yao told the Chinese reporters that he is looking for a win tomorrow. When the reporters told him that the Spurs are 23:1 at home this season, Yao said that "Never say never. Everything will come to an end, like out 13 game straight loss to Spurs on the road."

http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2005-02-23/13131413015.shtml

 

Juwan is really really quiet today. what happened?

 

unbelievable. i thought we'd pull out a win tonight but those f#$king refs wouldn't have it. why did allen get 2 free throws at the end when everyone was clearly going for the ball? why should he be the one at the line anymore than wesley? if they blow us out, i'd take it alot easier, but to have our winning streak taken away by 3 a$$holes stings bad. with sura out and a tough schedule looming we need all the wins we can get. that was crap. i'm still PISSED.