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ESPN Thursday's Wire: Rockets' lack of grit means short playoff stay

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Rockets34Legend, Apr 30, 2004.

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  1. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Member

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    I got this off the ESPN wire from Thursday (even though it is kind of old). Didn't see it posted anywhere....

    http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nba&id=1792443

    HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets couldn't fake the tough-guy act long enough to win more than one playoff game.

    That means, of course, that first-year coach Jeff Van Gundy still has work to do.

    The Los Angeles Lakers bullied their way to a five-game, first-round defeat of the Rockets, quickly proving that Houston's talk of embracing their coach's bruising, Eastern Conference style was little more than youthful bravado.

    "Overall, we didn't have the resolve," Rockets center Yao Ming said. "It was a confidence problem. Being young is part of the problem, but we don't want to continue to hide behind that."

    The Lakers wouldn't let them.

    Houston spent much of its first playoff appearance in five years complaining about the officials and the physical play of Lakers power forward Karl Malone. Van Gundy chided his players about whining after Game 4, and encouraged them to respond like some of his old New York Knicks teams did -- fight back.

    "What (Malone) is doing is competing hard," Van Gundy said before Wednesday night's 97-78 Game 5 loss, "and that's what we need to do."

    The Rockets couldn't maintain their tenacity for long -- a problem they had all season long.

    Early in the second quarter of Game 5, guard Cuttino Mobley fouled Malone hard early and walked away defiantly. To the dismay of his teammates, forward Kelvin Cato walked under the basket to help Malone up.

    "I told him not to help him up," forward Jim Jackson said. "I told him (Malone) wouldn't have done the same if he knocked you over. Let him lie there."

    From there, the Lakers exposed the Rockets.

    Shaquille O'Neal overpowered Yao; Steve Francis committed too many costly turnovers; and Mobley scored only two of his 16 points in the second half.

    Afterward, Van Gundy didn't seem surprised at all by his team's collapse down the stretch.

    "It's like cramming for a test in school," Van Gundy said. "Those who study all year and prepare themselves all year to be successful usually do well on the finals."

    In his first season with the Rockets, Van Gundy tried to instill toughness, a commitment to defense and an offense that revolves around Yao.

    He was mostly successful, turning Houston into the NBA's second-best defensive unit en route to its first postseason berth since Hakeem Olajuwon was the team's centerpiece.

    The transition on offense, however, wasn't so smooth.

    Yao became the first player to lead the Rockets in scoring since Steve Francis joined the team in 2000, but Houston turned from one of the league's most offensively explosive teams to one of its worst (25th of 29 teams).

    The struggles in meshing Yao's methodical, low-post game with Francis' high-flying, open-court style created speculation that the Rockets' mercurial guard might be on the summer trading block.

    Van Gundy -- at least publicly -- says no.

    "Their games do complement each other," Van Gundy said. "Steve's done a good job all year making sure we have five guys in double figures. I think he still has growth for a lot more improvement."

    To really improve Houston's postseason chances, though, Van Gundy would like to replace the inconsistent Cato with a bruiser in the power forward spot.

    He'd prefer a veteran like Charles Oakley, who was signed to a couple of 10-day contracts a month ago in a desperate move to infuse some toughness on a team that really doesn't have much.

    "You're supposed to want it more," Mobley said in the locker room after Game 5. "You're supposed to get into fights on the court if anything."
     
    #1 Rockets34Legend, Apr 30, 2004
  2. codell

    codell Member

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    I don't know why, but this just makes me giggle every time I read it.

    Cato. Doh!!!
     
    #2 codell, Apr 30, 2004
  3. Rivaldo2181

    Rivaldo2181 Member

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    The media, Houston's included doesn't seem to mention how every game with the exception of late in games 2 and 5 were very close with Houston having a chance to win. The Rockets played with a lot of heart but came up short but the stupid media only points out how "GREAT" the Fakers are. The Fakers didn't look very good at all and WILL get bounced by the Spurs. Peace.
     
    #3 Rivaldo2181, Apr 30, 2004
  4. KeepKenny

    KeepKenny Member

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    when were we one of the most explosive offenses in the league?
     
    #4 KeepKenny, Apr 30, 2004
  5. emjohn

    emjohn Member

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    Bill Simmons new ESPN column mentions that the Rockets should have been leading 3-1 going into game 5. He also says that the Lakers look bad going into the Spurs series.

    Evan
     
    #5 emjohn, Apr 30, 2004
  6. mulletman

    mulletman Member

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    ..........on his way to a whole freakin 12 pts. :rolleyes:

    lets just forget it was houston's lack of discipline and poise and their tendency to turn the ball over that kept houston from winning games 1 and 4. the lakers may have had a little to do with it, but not as much as these espn guys think:rolleyes:

    sometimes i wonder if the people writing these articles actually watch the games at all
     
    #6 mulletman, Apr 30, 2004
  7. DanzelKun

    DanzelKun Member

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    That's EXACTLY what I thought when I saw him do that. My mouth just kind of gaped open wondering what in the world Cato was thinking helping up Malone after Cat took it to him. It's like he was practically apologizing to that Ass.

    No good, Cato!!
     
    #7 DanzelKun, Apr 30, 2004
  8. wrath_of_khan

    wrath_of_khan Member

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    So why the heck didn't you, Cat? Why the "lay down and die" performance in the 3rd quarter?

    I am SO sick of hearing these guys say the right things only to see something completely different out on the floor...
     
    #8 wrath_of_khan, Apr 30, 2004
  9. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    i'm critical of the Rockets...but not of their intensity in this series. not of their effort. they played their butts off.
     
    #9 MadMax, Apr 30, 2004
  10. dragonsnake

    dragonsnake Member

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    That's exactly where our problem is this season, we lost our composure in those situation. And that is why we are 7 seed instead of top 4.
     
    #10 dragonsnake, Apr 30, 2004
  11. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    that's exactly right.

    i'm tired of being happy with, "well...we almost won that game." seems we've been saying that for quite some time.
     
    #11 MadMax, Apr 30, 2004
  12. dragonsnake

    dragonsnake Member

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    They palyed their butts off except those 4 quarters, which is exactly why we are not an elite team.
     
    #12 dragonsnake, Apr 30, 2004
  13. Sishir Chang

    Sishir Chang Member

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    Reading this article makes me mad.

    Both because there are some things that I don't agree with it and there are some things that I unfortunately have to.

    For the Rockets lacking grits most of them did with the one big exception of Francis who really came to play. Sure he still made a few boneheaded turnovers but he played his heart out and even pulled aside his jersey to try to show us. If Yao and the rest of the Rox had played like Francis this series would've gone differently.

    This infuriates me. :mad:

    Why does Yao's game have to be methodical and low-post? We have a center with perhaps the softest hands, sweetest outside shot and greatest court vision since Sabonis in his prime and we are trying to make him play like Patrick Ewing. Yao aint Ewing, Shaq or Hakeem but something unique. JVG needs to realize that before he totally burns Yao out.

    As for the rest of the article I gotta agree. These Rox just aren't quite there yet overall as far as mental toughness. This is something they should learn from JVG even if he might not be the best coach for their offensive talents.
     
    #13 Sishir Chang, Apr 30, 2004
  14. lost_elephant

    lost_elephant Member

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    was that even a hard foul by cat? i dont even know if it was a foul. he can flying by and got ball, only reason malone fell was because of his momentum and positioning.
     
    #14 lost_elephant, Apr 30, 2004
  15. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    i disagree...they are not an elite team because they make stupid mistakes over and over again. because they literally hand the ball and the game to their opponents.

    but i do not question their efforts...i don't question their intensity, even if they come up short. just because you lost or made mistakes doesn't mean you weren't trying.
     
    #15 MadMax, Apr 30, 2004
  16. Verbatim

    Verbatim Member

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    The Lakers played some decent defense in that 3rd quarter AND the Rockets couldn't hit OPEN shots when they got them. It's that simple. O-Neal did a number on Yao on his first 2 shots in that 3rd quarter and that stopped Yao from being agressive and started the ball rolling downhill for the Rockets.

    I believe Yao will learn from his playoff experience and will be next year.
     
    #16 Verbatim, Apr 30, 2004
  17. HAYJON02

    HAYJON02 Member

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    Also Yao most likely won't be playing anyone near as good as Shaq.

    Also next year, guarenteed deeper bench no matter what.
     
    #17 HAYJON02, Apr 30, 2004
  18. dragonsnake

    dragonsnake Member

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    Max, I don't question their efforts in general, but I DO question their efforts in those 4 quarters. Also, how many times in the regular season do we see them build comfortable lead, then suddenly lost their intensity and let opponent come back to win the game. Stuff like that happened AGAIN AND AGAIN. This group of Rockets always talk the right thing to the media, and then DO THE WRONG THING ON THE COURT, and it is really getting old....
     
    #18 dragonsnake, Apr 30, 2004
  19. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    you won't find an argument on that from me. i agree entirely. they say all the right things...but i rarely see it put in practice. very undisciplined.
     
    #19 MadMax, Apr 30, 2004
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