I think so to a degree. When the Spurs spread the floor in the fourth and moved the ball around we couldn't counter. I don't know if this was a failing on JVG developing a good enough D scheme or the players inability to rotate fast enough. At the same time the Spurs executed a lot better than we did. They hit their outside shots and held onto balls when we couldn't.
I'm not too devastated about the loss either. It's how we do in the playoffs that matter. Perhaps we can get our 4th quarters back in order before the playoffs.
I dont know if Howard would have made the difference between a win and a loss but certainly he would have helped. With Spoon out there teams are free to double Yao and front him without having to worry about the PF. If Howard is out there he will make teams pay with his jump shooting. Additionally he would have been able to score some points in the post when Yao was out of the game.
I don't see what this whole post has to do with the loss being "good". It's not like the Rockets don't know any of the stuff you mentioned even if we had won. No Rockets player would be dumb enough to think that beating the Duncan-less Spurs would mean anything in the long run, except maybe with playoff positioning. Besides, if the regular season is as meaningless as you believe, then this isn't a "good" loss. But rather a "meaningless" loss. Personally, I don't think there's a such thing as a good loss either. It just shows that the team's weaker. Which, as a fan, I feel is never good news.
I agree with all of your points, and that was not the same game the Rockets played when they were on those nice winning streaks. Let's not forget that Tracy was playing hurt and was obviously limping at times. McGrady usually lives up to the challenge when it really counts and has shown it through most of this season. I think point number 1 should be considered.
I think Rocketeer hit the nail on the head. This was not a statement game for anyone. The Spurs best player was hurt and the Rockets best player was obviously hobbled and their starting PF hurt. This game proved nothing.
I agree with you all for the most part, but you guys/gals speak as if the game was a blow out the whole time. It was s competitive and close game until the 4th quarter, unless the pain of the defeat has clouded my memory. Although an UGLY game up till we lost it, it was a close game nonetheless. Only at the point where it started to slip away did you see them out play us, and quite honestly, it was that simple idea of putting the ball in the basket. We got shots...we didn't hit them, the Spurs did down the stretch. Just my humble opinion of course. I will say this, the defense was very good on both sides, but the Rockets' execution was POOOOOR. Lazy passes, BLAH!
It was one freaking game. Just like the bobcats, just like the hawks, and just like the first game of the playoffs against the suns in 93. Spurs haven't proven crap yet. They generally choke up during the playoffs which is why they lost to the lakers so many times in the playoffs. Everything changes in the playoffs. No one is going to hand the spurs the title and the rockets have as good of chance as any team to beat them. There is no team in the league that we can't beat giving our best effort.
???????? WTF????? 2-2 against the SPURS, and we don't "measure up against" the spurs??? Gimme some of that stuff you're smoking. Yes, I am a HOMER. No, you can't have any of the stuff I'M smoking.
Whomever is embarassed about this loss is not a Houston fan, however, whomever is not embarassed about the T-Wolves loss is an idiot, its kinda hard when to know we got outhusseled, this time we did.
I think we lost because our guards got outplayed. I think Tony Parker is playing inspired basketball because his hot girlfriend from Desperate Housewives was watching. You think if Yao's girl was courtside, he'd play a little harder?
Never a good loss many people say. I disagree. Painful tough losses are humbling and make people look inside themselves. It takes away complacency and false confidence, and forces players to work hard, focus greater, and ask themselves what they are really made of. Jordon lost many times before finally overcoming Cleveland and Detroit. He also said that he succeeds only because he has failed so many times before. Let's see how this team reacts to this loss. Will they loss another game, or do they put on another streak. If they win the next 4 or 5 games with effort over good shooting, then I'll think maybe this team has more guts then I thought and I'll be more optimistic. If they lose again, then you know they are lacking the mental toughness and something might be amiss.
Incredible insight! If they win they will show you they have guts. If they loose, they will show you that they lack guts.... Uhhh...DUH!
The only...let me repeat this...the ONLY way a loss is good is if a team puts forth it's absolute best effort and the other team is in a "zone" where nothing you do stops them. If someone here feels the Rockets put forth their best efforts last Sunday vs. SA....we'll have to agree to disagree.
I actually don't think the lesson should be "they don't measure up to the Spurs." It's pretty obvious that, without Duncan, the Spurs would have a worse record than the Rockets over 82 games. Rather, the lesson that should be learned is: "you're not good enough to take any team for granted." Many of Houston's worst losses come against teams that...suck. The team has a bad tendency to slack off at times.
