Once again, the Rockets were playing down to a weak team after a big win. They showed no intensity for three quarters, but the fourth was like a new game. It now appears that the Rockets are learning how to close out a game. They successfully turned a bad loss into a good win. Still, why can't they play this way for four quarters? ------------------ 2000-2001 Rockets Game Formulas: End of 1st quarter: "They're playing so well!" 2nd: "What a great game!" 3rd: "Theres no way they can lose now!" 4th: "What the ******* **** happened?!!" Revote! Revote! Revote!...... Rocket's Championship 2001!! [This message has been edited by ZRB (edited November 09, 2000).]
... because they are the Rockets! (sarcasm) The reason why they can't play 4 quarters with intensity is that they are still a young, yet proud, team. Also, they were playing streetball-like basketball in earlier quarters. Intensity comes when they realize how far behind they are in the game, and that is usually the 4th quarter. As we can see in the past 3 losses, they were all close because the Rockets were playing with intensity in the 4th and thus up to their potential. Anyhow, the Rockets are not going to be a consistent team any time soon (I don't want to say it, but it appears like the fact here). Not until they learn how to play solid for 48 minutes, I would say. Again, there gotta be some growing pain! ------------------ [This message has been edited by Rocketability (edited November 10, 2000).]
What team does play well for 4 quarters ? To quote Dan Patrick, "this is the nba, everyone makes runs." I'm impressed that this young team gets better in the 4th. They beat the champs, and a 4-1 Vancouver team, not too shabby. ------------------ "I know how hard it is to put food on your family." George W. Bush
gr8-1, You're right. None plays well for 4 quarters ...... but the game could well be lost if there is a half-quarter collapse. They don't need to play extraordinarily well, but solid, through 4 quarters. ------------------
Thank you gr8-1. I so often see people say that the Rockets can't play good defense for 48 minutes, or that we need to play 4 quarters of good basketball. This is simply not the case of any teams except for (MAYBE) the best in the league. The main problem I would say that the Rox have in this respect is that they need to learn to stop their bad streaks before they get into too large a hole. ------------------ She hates testicles, thus limiting the men she can admire to Democratic candidates for president. -- John Greenway, "The American Tradition", on feminist Elizabeth Gould Davis
ZRB, I have to disagree that the Rocks were playing down to a weak team. Vancouver is playing very well right now. Shariff is outstanding (man, I wish he were on the Rockets and the Grizz had a feather up their a..)Dickerson is very quick and was shooting better last night than he has so far this season, Bibby is above average, Country is getting boards, Othello works his butt off, Grant Long is playing well and Damon Jones and Ike Austin are playing very well off the bench. The Grizz massacred the Mavs night before last. So, I would say the Rocks won a great game at crunch time against a good team. ------------------
I know that the Rockets can not play a perfect game for four quarters. All I ask is that they show a high level of intensity for the entire game. As a young team, this should be easy. For the first three quarters of that game, the Rockets looked like they didn't care. By the way, about Vancouver's record: I still think they will struggle to record 30 wins this year. ------------------ 2000-2001 Rockets Game Formulas: End of 1st quarter: "They're playing so well!" 2nd: "What a great game!" 3rd: "Theres no way they can lose now!" 4th: "What the ******* **** happened?!!" Revote! Revote! Revote!...... Rocket's Championship 2001!! [This message has been edited by ZRB (edited November 10, 2000).]
You could be right about their record. They are playing well right now. The problem is virtually every team in the west has improved. Even Golden State is leading the league in rebounding if I'm not mistaken. It's going to be a terrifically competitive season. ------------------
