I think the Rockets will win this game if we slow it down. If we try to run and gun we will get blown out.
Agreed. Slow it down, pound it inside with Yao, and play playoff style basketball. Make them adjust to us and our slow tempo. If we play small ball and try to adjust to them, it's over.
the celtics beat them twice because they went with a small line-up and just kept a hand in their face. so, my keys to the game: 1. rebound!!!!! - no second chance points, no fast breaks. 2. contest every shot - they won't miss the open ones. 3. get easy baskets - they get so many we have to get some of our own to stay in the game. now, JVG's keys to the game: 1. rebound!!! - same reason. 2. control the tempo - slow it down and take them out of thier game. 3. get back on defense - hope we can beat the suns down the court.
Stop Steve Nash. Quite frankly, I am concerned that we have no one that can come close to doing that. My guess would be that JVG is going try and push Nash out on the PNRs and force the rest of Phoenix team to be playmakers or go ISO.
make Nash work extra hard, frustrate him, agitate him. If we do all of above, Nash will collapse in early fouth quarter. Don't let Richardson, Johnson and Marion get hot. Let Amare have his day. Don't let Yao waste any fouls on Amare. I cant' believe no one mentioned Richardson, Johnson and Marion when they were talking about the success of the Suns this season. it's not just Nash, not just Amare. Those three guys knocked down so many shots down the stretch, and each and everyone of 'em had a monster game so far, and they are totally capable of scoring 30 poitns any given nights.
I agree with you. Amare and probably someone else (either Q, Nash, or Marion) are going to get theirs but if you can hold the other two down and the rest of the team in check, I think the Rockets will be good. The Rockets have got to slow the game down here cause no one can run we these guys (and their record proves it). And after the Rockets score a bucket, the Rockets better get back on D cuz the Suns we'll be coming fast and hard.
Put Horry on thier PF to slow him down, make thier defense work and hopefully make them pay for doubling if Elie & Kenny can knock down thier shots, Cassell needs a big game off the bench but, more than anything, let 'The Dream' dominate thier small front line. Maybe, if we keep it close, Elie or somebody can hit a huge shot at the end to win it! Oh wait... We just need to do what we have done to them in the mid and late 90's... If our allstar center has a big game and we can make them play half court ball, we win.
Do ya'll remember when Amare dunked on Yao last year and got all krunk?? I'm just anticipating a McGrady tomahawk on Amare going straight down the middle or better yet Yao with a two handed throwdown...but the second scenario probably isnt as likely.
