The Rockets as they have been in the last couple of games are a mediocre team, and I don't think a mediocre team can beat the Suns. TMac needs to step up and carry the team, because Yao, who has been option No. 1 during Tracy's funk this month, will again be taken out of the game by Phoenix' running offense and swamping defense. JVG needs to make adjustments in his game plan on both ends for the Rockets to get a fighting chance in this one. I'm not optimistic that he can.
maybe the suns playing at TC will lower their FG%. if need be, jvg can have hayes playing the center spot and boguns playing pf to keep up. i have to believe that they have prepared for this game with a decent game plan.
This is a brilliant idea. I was telling my friends the same thing. By doing this you are taking time off the shot clock, slowing the tempo. Suns will always try to give it to Nash. Keep Rafer on Nash as soon as we make a shot, don't allow nash to bring it up, and if he does bring it up than pressure him from the half court like D.wade does. If you let him bring it up with no pressure than he will kill you with his deadly shooting, dribbling and passing.
Nash vs. Rafer Barbosa vs. Head Bell vs. Bogans Marion vs. Mcgrady Diaw vs. Swift or Hayes If the Suns come out with that starting line-up I say we counter with the starting line-up above. Matchup wise I'd say thats the best bet. However, we all know that Yao is going to start and so lets hope and pray the Rockets actually come out with some energy this time and look like they care. But in case the early triple teams seem to bother Yao and the Suns start running circles around us again I really do hope we go to that line-up. And then when Nash sits have Yao in for sure. Also When Pat Burke comes in Yao should definitely be in the game. The bottom line is the Suns shot 49% last time and we shot something like 35% and we threw in the towel early hence the blowout was worse than it should've been (also the reason why some are afraid) . The key to victory is shutting down their scrubs like Eddie House, Barbosa, and Raja Freakin Bell. Those 3 had 16, 12, and 14. We can let Nash and Marion get theres to a certain extent. Hell i'd rather see Nash try to beat us by going for 30+ as opposed to him getting his scrubs involved and them beating us . Another lineup I'd like to see is Alston, Head, Barry, Tmac, and Hayes or Swift
I was in Phoenix visiting an old friend (my best man at my wedding), but fortunately wasn't able to get tickets to the game. I took enough heat as it was. Don't know if I could of handled being at the game with him! So, believe me when I say, "I WANT REVENGE!!! " Rockets 106 Peunix 89
I think some of you guys are giving the Suns too much respect. They aren't superhuman. They don't have the best record in the NBA. If we hustle back on defense and make them pass the ball on offense they aren't that good. What makes them effective is the number of wide open shots and easy baskets they get. Take a lot of those away and the Suns come down to earth. I'm not predicting a win but it won't take a miracle. It will take a high energy game where we play hard on defense and shoot a decent percentage on offense. The Suns aren't the Pistons.
All I want is the Rockets to see the tape of the past game when they faced Phoenix a Billion times over... They need to see how they got broken down on transition defense and how to cover a man above the key. They need to be able see defend the screens better and for defense to be able to transition better to an open man..... JVG .... GET the Rockets to watch that game tape over and over and over again....
last game vs phx, wesley started the game by missing wide open three bawls. it went all down hill from there. if wesley drains his first wide open three, vengeance is ours. book it baby.
i'm expecting big things from Yao in this game. Since the largely disapointing game before the allstar break yao has averaged 26.7 points, 15.7 rebounds, 2.0 blocks per game. With Kurt Thomas out for 6-8 weeks Yao needs to step in and dominate this team.
I don't see Yao having a big scoring game. If we are to win, hopefully, his line will look more like this: 17pts, 15rbs, 4 asst. It is imparitive that he has a good passing game tonight if we are to win this game.
This is a piece of crap. If you want to play at Suns strength and at their game, you get blown out by 30 points. The key is that we need to slow the game down and let them play at our game. Rafer and whoever is on Nash need to play him like a glue and deny him the ball, period. When Yao gets doubled in the paint with the ball, send the cutters for easly laypups and 1! I bet after 3-4 easy baskets in a row, the Suns will quietly stop doubling Yao whenever he catches the ball and he will have room to rape Diaw or Marion, or whoever they send to guard him.
yes, you are right but how? they run fast, pass fast and shot fast, so you have to run fast too, then game looks like in their style. I think we have to do one on one and run run run in defence even yao need stay at his man. When we do O, we have to pray for hiting our shots especially our 3s. otherwise, no way to beat them.
Yep. We've got to have cutters to the hoop and we've got to deny Nash the ball as much as possible. If he gets it, back off, and deny the dribble penetration as much as possible. Get up on the shooters and force them to put the ball on the floor.
When the opposing teams don't care about scoring in the paint, it makes defending the paint silly and JVG like a moron. Our guards need to stick to their men on the perimeter and Rafer needs to deny Nash the ball. When he gets the ball, deny the outlet pass and deny the 3s (after Rafer gets penetrated )! Let Nash score and he cannot beat you by himself. And in order to slow down the game, we need to muscle up and grab the boards; and send cutters to the paint when Yao is doubled with ball. If we can do these and shoot decently from downtown, we can finish Feb with a 11-2 record.
I said this in another thread. The Rox need to have Yao set picks for Skip on every single possession. Make Nash run into the Great Wall a few times, it iwll slow him down on the other end.
