What are you talking about? There was no ball movement, and no motion offense. Our sole offense was giving TMac the ball and watching him go solo in the last 5 minutes. There were few cutters, few slashers, and few easy layups like the offense was running before (refer to the wins without TMac).
We get better quality shots in our half court offense with T-Mac. It's more predicated on pick and roll and drive and kick plays rather than basket cuts, but I still think the offense is better.
I don't think so. The pick and roll is good for TMac, but the rest of the team stands there and watches him. The main advantage of having TMac back is the reduced double team on Yao. Otherwise, the rest of the team just stands there and watches TMac and Yao go to work. That's not what we want. We need the rest of the role players involved in the offense, especially getting easy layups. Otherwise, our offense devolves into watch TMac and watch Yao and we are back to JVG offense. If we are back to JVG offense, why not just fire RA and rehire JVG?
I think that if Rockets didn't win those 5 games in a row you wouldn't be saying this. That was good scheduele, when you play twice Knicks,Wiz without Gilbert Arenas, and Timberwolves that gotta be scheduele in your favor. Since Rockets wanted to prove they can win without T-Mac they won. Soon as New Orleans came they lost. Why? Rockets without T-Mac < NO Hornets, Lakers, Warriors, Jazz, Nuggets, Trailblazers With him, we have a chance to win against those teams, because our veterans and some players didn't show up.
As part of this 3 game streak there was an ugly win against San Antonio. I just think it is a chemistry issue of them trying to implement Tmac into what they have been doing and it is causing the rest of the guys to have to adjust their roles. Particularly Bonzi and Luther. DD
You mean like the ugly win the Rockets got a few days ago against San Antonio?? T-Mac's first game back?
The Sonics were playing zone. 2 ways to beat a zone defense, and thats to penetrate and dish, or shoot over the top. I'll take the former thanks.
same feeling. Rox live or die on TMac's jump-shots, which is barely bove 40%. its fine in regular games, because we can win some when he is off. but playoff? no, he cant carry the team by this inconsistant jumpshooting.
Are you kidding me? Yao is getting to the line and scoring so many more points because of t-mac. The team had 25 assists and scored 109 points. Our Defense sucked last night but it tightened up when it needed to.
The wins without T-mac were against sub-.500 teams. And the one good team they did beat is a horrible home team (Magic). With T-Mac we have 2 wins against the Spurs, and a win against the Pistons, Suns, Jazz, Lakers, Blazers, Nuggets, etc... Without T-mac, as seen in the 4th against Philly and NO, Yao can be doubled or fronted, and no one else can consistently create their own shot or finish on the open looks they get from the perimiter. When T-mac runs the pick and roll with Yao, it effectively achieves what the high post offense with Yao does...brings Yao's defender out to perimiter, and when T-mac rounds the corner he attracts up to 3 defenders. This is where Battier and Alston get their open 3's, and where a guy like Landry (who has played great with T-Mac) and Hayes get their open layups. And last night the high pick and roll was used very little until the 4th quarter...before that everything T-Mac got was off ball or he made a quick decision as soon as he got the ball to drive to the rim. Isn't that what everyone wants from him?
And they won on the road last year WITHOUT Yao, and lost on the road this year WITHOUT T-Mac. In a 7 game series, we'd need both.
T-Mac shoots well, the Rockets score 109, and they come roaring back to win on the road. Pick a different game to complain after.
Man, this bbs will find any reason to moan and complain. The Sonics had a very good game this game. Don't discredit them. We have one dude to thank for pullin out the game. Everyone was a part, but without that one person we probably lose both games vs. Seattle and the game vs. San Antonio. What would people here say then? We haven't looked our best...heck, we haven't even really looked good. But they are wins, and you take them at this point. You can talk about ball movement this or that...truth is, as much of a Luther (and others) fan I am, you can move great and make a play here or there, but if I know you are going to screw up when the game is on the line I lose a lot of confidence in you. Give me a hurt TMac any day of the week. He's the reason we have won the recent games. Or offense is better with him in the game, period. There is cutting, there is motion. He's making passes NO ONE else can make on this. Sometimes they lead to buckets, sometimes they lead to an easy pass to a bucket. C'mon guys...let them work on it.
at least we won the game, which is the only thing matters, 1 month later, who cares if it's a ugly win or not.
