Ha ha ha. Funny sig. ------------------ "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning how to put food on their family while being put to death."
You don't get it ZRB, as much as you want cry and complain about it, this IS a young team! Mo has never been to the playoffs. Francis hasn't been to the playoffs. Cat has been once. they have a combined 7 or 8 years in the league. COMBINED! Hakeem can't log 40 minutes, he's 38 freaking years old! This is 2001 not 1991. And you complain about Rudy after every freaking loss, my god, this is professional basketball somebody has to lose! This is a young team, you can go into denial and say it isn't so be it. You can blame this on Rudy, go ahead. I doubt if any other coach would have this team winning like this. You can say Dream can log 40 minutes a night, anybody with common sense knows he can't and you can complain about losing a road game to a playoff bound team that is capable of going to the WCF. But it isn't going to change the fact this team is WAY ahead of schedule! Everybody was talking about the 2001-2002 season being the target year for a run to the playoffs. They are in this right now. And overracting and complaining about the coach, which you do after every loss, and even after some victories, isn't going to change that. ------------------ Rocks2001 in disguise. . .
Jeff and heypartner et al, Remember this? http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/Forum3/HTML/010213.html The game that it was discussing: http://www.clutchcity.net/game.cfm?gameID=111 Mango ------------------ Get it right or just don't do it! Special Assignment: ZRB Patrol
ZRB: How long have you been watching the Rockets? I remember when Rudy used to play Winston Garland and Scottie Brooks in the 4th quarter of games. I remember him taking heat for playing Chucky Brown and Pete Chilcutt. Rudy's rotations have always been unique and it is part of what makes him a great coach. He coaches on instinct and plays guys that give him what he feels is the best shot at winning. You may no like it, but it has earned him the reputation of not only being a players' coach but one of the most well-repsected coaches in the NBA. ------------------ "You know what they say about the music business. Here today, gone TODAY! - Chris Rock at the MTV Music Video Awards
Can no one answer my questions on why Rudy doesn't rest Hakeem in the third, rather than the fourth? Rudy has a history of using strange lineups, while the Rockets have a history of blowing huge leads. Think there's a connection there? ------------------ "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning how to put food on their family while being put to death."
The Rockets do NOT have a history of blowing leads. Show me the stats. Prove it. Hakeem DID rest in the 3rd quarter. He also rested in the 4th. He wanted out BOTH times. ------------------ "You know what they say about the music business. Here today, gone TODAY! - Chris Rock at the MTV Music Video Awards
I thought Mango answered your question. "Sitting around during the halftime and the entire third quarter is difficult on the muscles of older athletes such as Dream." Also I'm thinking he didn't take Dream out in the 3rd b/c he was hot. If Rudy took out Dream while he was hitting his shots just so he would be rested for the 4th, you would be complaining about Rudy saying he should never take out the hot hand. You talk about the Rockets as if they're the Houston Oilers. Every NBA team has blown a big lead, the NBA is all about streaks. Rudy also has a history of winning NBA championships with these strange rotations. Think there's a connection there? ------------------
Remember the Phoenix series in 94? Sure, they came back, but they wouldn't have had to if they hadn't blown two 20 point leads. That was pretty much an entirely different team, but they still blew it. Remember game 6 in 97? Rockets up 13 in the fourth quarter with 5 to go- WHOOPS!- Stockton for three, series over. There was a huge game against the Jazz on April 1st 99, and the Rockets had won 9 in a row over pushover type teams. Rockets up 15 with three minutes to go in the fourth, WHOOPS, Malone open, game over. That turned the whole season around, and the Rockets went 9-10 the rest of the way to fall to 31-19 and lose homecourt. There was another game that season against the Spurs. The Rockets were up 23 in the second quarter. They lost on a last second Mario Ellie three. All of last year, they blew leads. They even blew an 18 point lead to the Grizzlies and lost. They still had guys like Barkley and Hakeem, but blew leads non-stop last year. This year- Up 8 over Philly after third, lose in OT. Up 6 over Mavs after three, lose by 5. Up 6 over Blazers after three, lose by 6. Up 31 in third over Mavs, barely hold on for win. Up 12 in second over Sonics, lose by 15. Do I need to go on? The Rockets have a history of blowing leads in games and in series, dating back to the champioship years. ------------------ "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning how to put food on their family while being put to death."
I would rather have a well rested but rusty Hakeem in all of the fourth, than a warmed up Hakeem in half the fourth when the Rockets have blown the lead already. ------------------ "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning how to put food on their family while being put to death."
You do know why the players stretch before a game right? So they won't get hurt. A well rested but rusty Hakeem also has a higher chance of getting injured too. Also don't the Rockets have a really good record when leading after 3 quarters? I remember hearing them talking about it on the radio once. ------------------ [This message has been edited by Band Geek Mobster (edited March 04, 2001).]
Alright, I give up. The Rockets should keep going to their horrible defensive lineups if the fourth, and continue to give away games to half decent teams. Forget Hakeem, he doesn't deserve playing time anyway. 27-13 is just not good enough dammit. Lets put Walt on Finley, and just hope that Walt suddenly improves his defense. We don't need a shotblocker when we've got Kenny Thomas. ------------------ "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning how to put food on their family while being put to death."
ZRB, You are missing the point about this team. Holdovers from the Pippen-CB4-Dream team of two years ago: Dream, Bullard and Cat Everybody else is new and running an entirely new offense as opposed to either Dream or CB4 on the low block. Despite all that, they still have a shot at the playoffs. You had a post in a previous thread about the youth of the team not being a valid excuse and I believe you cited Duncan-San Antonio as your example. The Spurs were a veteran team when Duncan came aboard and it is entirely different from the current Houston situation. Dallas is not a bad team and there should be no embarrassment in losing to them. Now going to double OT at home to beat the Bulls would be embarrassing. Mango ------------------ Get it right or just don't do it! Special Assignment: ZRB Patrol
Alright Mango, you're right to some extent. I've given up on the argument. Nothing you guys can say will change my opinion, and nothing I can say will change yours. You guys are relentless debators, you know that. God I can't wait til Wednesday. I just want to see another game already. ------------------ "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning how to put food on their family while being put to death."
Thank you for finally realizing when you are wrong. As for blown leads, you picked about 8 games spread out over nearly 10 years??? That's your proof? Puhleeze!!! As for this year... Up 8 over Philly after third, lose in OT. There is no shame in losing to a very good Philly team at all. We couldn't make shots in the fourth. This is a common problem for young players. Up 6 over Mavs after three, lose by 5. We've been over this one enough. Up 6 over Blazers after three, lose by 6. Again, we are talking about the Blazers here. I'd like to win them all as well, but, at this point in this team's development, I'll take staying in games with teams as good as the Blazers. Up 31 in third over Mavs, barely hold on for win. We did the same thing to the Mavs 4 years ago. These two teams have a history of this type of play. We did win. Up 12 in second over Sonics, lose by 15. This was probably the worst game of the year for the Rocks. To be honest, we are fortunate we aren't seeing more of this type of thing this year. When you have this much youth, you will have many mistakes that won't be made by veterans. ------------------ "You know what they say about the music business. Here today, gone TODAY! - Chris Rock at the MTV Music Video Awards
While I think it is a little stressful to read ZRB's posts because he keeps repeating the same point over and over again, I have to agree with him on the point he is making (maybe because I read it so many times ;-)). The suggestion to rest Hakeem more in the third and then have him in there in the fourth to defend the lead is not a bad one at all. Also, Walt should not be in there in the fourth quarter defending anyone (not like he defends much anyway). In fact, he should preferably not be in the game at all, unless you need a few threes and he starts hitting them, which is quite rare. I'd rather go with Bullard for that. If there is any way to let Walt go, I think we should pursue it. Someone mentioned that Finley is the Mavs best player. I don't think that is true anymore. Nowitzki is the Mavs' best player now already and he will be a top 5 player in the league for years to come. I would rather have him on the Rockets than Webber, who is great, but a bit injury-prone. Nowitzki is only freaking 22, younger than Garnett, 4 years younger than Mobley and even younger than Francis. This guy would be perfect for the Rockets. What he did to them in the end by hitting these two threes is exactly what makes him so lethal - he can go inside or kill you from the outside - and you can't even foul him, because he is a fantastic free-throw shooter. 7 feet tall and one of the best three-point shooters, while being a 10 rebound guy...wow.
Something else, I was almost sure I had more than 400 posts a long time ago already, am I getting deductions all the time or something?
You had 393 on Oct 2, 2000. http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/Forum3/HTML/008772.html Mango ------------------ Get it right or just don't do it! Special Assignment: ZRB Patrol
Thanks Mango - that is strange, then, because I have definitely posted a lot more often than five times in the meantime... (and that doesn't even take into consideration all my posts with usernames with which I have been banned )...
Because, Rudy is worried you would yell at him for losing the lead in the 3rd. Seriously ZRB, you are just retreating now. Saving up minutes does not mean someone can go 12 full speed 4th quarter minutes in a row, and being able to give his most in the final 2. You can't stack up minutes by saving them earlier in the game. That is not how the body works. sheesh you show no common sense sometimes. Do you not know how hard it is to go 12 minutes full speed? Even in Hakeem best years, he rested at the beginning of the 4th. The most important thing is a strong Hakeem at the end. Every coach does that with their big men. Also, do you not look at the other team at all. Most all teams rest their big men for 4-6 minutes starting at the end of the 3rd and into the beginnning of the 4th. You watch this game like a Dreamcast simulation where your players can play forever at full speed.
ZRB, your main point is poor defensive rotations in the 4th all year long. Man, we had no Center for like 2 months. sheesh. Rudy does not want Kenny playing Center nor Mo', that is not their position and, Rudy would be the first to say it. But he had no center or one center for this entire year, pretty much. Putting a tired Hakeem out there as a decoy is all you can say? sheesh. Rudy, just like Nellie, chooses to get around his size problem by going small and creating mismatches to improve offensive efficiency to combat defensive liabilities. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, should you accept So, I have answered all the questions you've asked. Now I have a mission for you: When you have only one center or none, would you ever go with a fast, small line-up like Dallas, Houston, Milwaukee, New York? If so, why? And who would you play, and when? If not, who on the Rockets do you play at center when we don't have a center: Rogers, Mo', Kenny. And when do you play that man at center during the 14 minutes Hakeem needs to rest, remembering that Hakeem and has never gone more than 10 4th Q minutes in a row, in his whole career. [This message has been edited by heypartner (edited March 05, 2001).]
