ClutchFans Game Thread: Thunder @ Rockets 10/19/2009 (PRESEASON)

Cook looks like a dipsee doo doo out there.

 

You forgot Conroy, but he'll be lucky to make the team, although I wish he could get a spot.

 

Mike Harris!

 

No knee jerk threads yet??

I don't understand??

 

Are the wing players (outside of Chase) this year any better than Strawberry last preseason?

 

Lowry and Budinger look like a pretty good combination out there on the court. Hope to see more of that this season.

 

Same here. Lowry with, what, 10 dimes? Outstanding! And what can you say about Air Bud? He's making Morey look like a freakin' genius.

 

That was a very fun preseason game.

Gave a good indication of what the Rockets can look like this year on a good day.

Ariza's playmaking off the bounce is still terrible, though. He needs to be stronger, more definitive when he gets into the teeth of the defense. He doesn't seem to have the vision for how to finish over the defense versus passing out to shooters. On one play in the first quarter, he drove baseline and had a wide open reverse and instead kicked out to the corner. Yeesh.

 

I think he might get more comfortable as time goes on. He will never be great at it, or even good, but I think he can become between below average and average instead of just horrible.

 

haha...I had to channel my energy somewhere right(with all the stream frustrations)??

indeed it would've been TOTALLY different watching it in TC...but glad we got the win and Lowry got 10 assists!!!

 

Against a not so good defensive team. I want them to do well but I also don't want us to get ahead of ourselves. They had their moments but this is still too early for any of us to know for sure.

 

I think both Pops and Conroy need to make the team. First of all, Pops provides a lot of energy and if one our big men goes down we don't want to replace them with freakin Cook or Dorsey. Second, Conroy also needs a spot. The way Kyle plays, I'm scared he is eventually going to get injured and Conroy is a very capable back up incase this is to happen.

Cut Barry, cut Dorsey, trade cook. I wish we could get rid of that trash and our team would be looking really good. I loved Barry but we all know his time is up. Cook and Dorsey, they both are horrible defenders and don't seem to have a future with this team even in the short term, lol.

 

True. What I meant is that the rotation was close to what we'll be playing come regular season (with Scola instead of Landry in the starting lineup, and Landry playing big minutes off the bench instead of Andersen/Pops). The Rockets PGs controlled the tempo of the game, Chuck masterfully defended in the paint, the wings ran hard in transition, and the motion offense ran as effectively as it has all preseason. Rockets' pick and roll game was clicking as well. On a good day, this is what the Rockets could look like. Of course those days will be much harder to come by against the better teams.

 

Pops has made the team for sure. That dunk off that high alley oop pass by Lowry was unreal, nobody else on the Rox makes that dunk. I think they'll keep Conroy and cut Dorsey, damn Brian Cook for having that guaranteed contract, he's been a boat anchor from day 1.

 

Ariza looked good out there to me. His dribbling is still eh but he seems to be too passive sometimes. He should definitely cut more, a long athletic wing like him would thrive in Adelman's offense if so. He's still trying to do too much though especially when he's being passive.

 

Ariza definitely looked good tonight. Actually, I really like his game. He is becoming my new favorite rocket.

 

Ariza with he's atheletic ability should be getting to the free throw line more. overrall he is gradually getting better and better.

 

Sí, this was Ariza's best preseason game. His 3 steals almost made up for his 4 TOs, and he was making some shots.

Andersen made a 3, and had a nice hi-lo assist to Pops.

Agree, Pops made the team.

Chuck played great, and might be our official fifth-string PG now.

Ahhh, CBud, you smiled on the court tonight!

Battier looks like he's capable of more ppg in this offense.

Overall, this was what I had in mind as a basis for optimism for the coming season. I mean, was that fun to watch, or what?

 

WOW! Great game! I think the most impressive part of the game was Chuck speeding the ball up court on a fast break twice in the 1st quarter. I think we have found the point center we've been missing since Sampson!

 

Lowry tweet:

"Thanks for all the support. And yes my area is fine!!! Lmao kinda!!! Jeff my boy so I know he ain't mean it hahaha!!!!"