Well, I'm now 0-2 this year in games I've attended. But I didn't leave Staples tonight feeling nearly as queasy as I did after the loss at the Clip Joint at the start of the season. I felt like we actually looked pretty good tonight for a team that was just plain undermanned. We really had no business sticking around as long as we did, and the murmurs in the crowd around me up until the third quarter revealed genuine concern. Some observations: That may have been as close as I'll ever get to seeing someone score 50. It was a valiant effort, I suppose, but there was no way the team that suited up for the Rockets tonight was going to stop Shaq. Just not the right personnel. That stretch when Bull was on him and Shaq scored every time he touched the ball was painful. He looked like I would look posting up a kindergartener. My only criticism was that it took KT until about 2 minutes left in the half to pick up his first foul. Felt like there could have been an early hack or two to keep the big guy from getting into his rhythm. Cat had the best 3-14 game I've ever seen. At the beginning of the game my buddy said, "Is Francis your only good player?" "Watch Number 5," I told him, "He's got the quickest first step you've ever seen." And man, when you see Cuttino live you realize just how devastating that first step is. The man got to the line at will in the first half. Nobody on that court could contain him except himself as he missed several layups and tip-ins that made his shooting line look worse than it really was. I thought his shot selection was pretty good for the most part. By the end of the first quarter, my buddy was convinced that Cat was for real. Stevie is the real deal. Quite simply, he dominated the game for us. He showed everyone the full package -- dropping 3's, shaking and baking, rebounding, pushing the tempo, and driving and kicking. Even hit the mid-range jumper. I know everyone on the BBS knows how good he's going to be, but when you see it in person it's still breathtaking. I hope he retires as a Rocket (yes, that was a jab). I have NEVER, EVER been so happy to see someone get used repeatedly like Kobe was tonight. I had no idea how much respect I've lost for Kobe this year until I saw him in person. I know Shaq got 23 shots, but Kobe would come down the floor and repeatedly look for nothing but his own shot -- and the crowd egged him on every time, practically purring when he would start to make a move. So when Stevie took him to school for all those buckets in the first quarter, and when Cat chimed in with the occasional shake, I got downright obnoxious. Got all kinds of stares as I yelled, "Wassup Kobe?" and "Where's the D, Kobe?" and "Was that Kobe that just got used?" after he was repeatedly torched. Yeah, I know Kobe got his on the offensive end (especially on the breakaway 360 layup in Stevie's grill), but wasn't it a pleasure to watch him get taken? I am psyched about Langhi. Like Cat, the TV just doesn't do him justice. I had no idea how quick his first step was until seeing him tonight. Dude left Horry looking like a stature at least twice. Am I imagining things or are there fewer ISO's? Felt like there weren't as many "guard yo-yo's ball while four players stand around and stare" plays tonight as there were earlier in the season. The offense was flowing. One nice thing about the line-up with KT at center -- having 5 three point shooters on the floor at one time. People were finding spots on the arc and the penetrating guard would feed them. Seemed like there was more continuity. LA "fans" suck. When did they cheer the loudest? When the Lakers hit 110 and we all got free chalupas from Taco Bell. The two women who sat in front of me arrived at halftime. However, I will give them props on one thing -- they all dug Moochie when his face was showed on the Jumbotron ... Hopefully my string of bringing the Rox bad luck will end in the Clip Joint on March 22 ... ------------------
The Rockets will not lose to the Clippers again. Never again. ------------------ "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning how to put food on their family while being put to death."
That was a really fun read, thanks wrath! Way to carry the torch for us rabid fans by yelling at Kobe. BTW, can you describe the stadium. From what I've heard, most of the affordable seats (under $50) are above those huge luxury boxes, like there is no way we good ever be heard by the players if we had a stadium like that here. And yes, I agree completely about the ISOs. They have largely been replaced by 24 High, the high pick n roll. I believe it simply took two months for the entire team play the pnr better than the ISO. I look forward to even more adjustments. Notice how they will do the weakside double pick *and* 24 High on the same possession.
Now we need a similar play from the low block. DaDakota ------------------ If Mankind evolved from monkeys and apes, then why are there still monkeys and apes?
Good recap wrath_of_kahn, the Rockets don't seem bad if you're at the game, do they? When I went to the Utah game, I thought that Cat only took like 7 or 8 shots, but when I came home and went to cc.net, the boxscore said 17. I have no idea how he had so many shots. The game is a lot different without announcers. You can't here a guy critiquing the game, you get to critique it yourself. When you are at a Rockets game, the game doesn't look as bad. You can see the Rockets working, Rudy jumping up and down (he still got more hops than some players), sometimes hear the players getting frustrated with working their asses off but can't get anything to go in. Steve Francis is just amazing. He's getting rebounds, passing, and scoring almost at will. In addition to that he also plays around with the crowd. Missing layups is frustrating. I know it's a layup, but you can't blame someone for getting up a fast sloppy layup with Shaq and Kobe on the court. Don't tell them to just dunk it in because that's only easy to say. Espicially if you are an over weight man sitting down on you ass eating some nachos yelling at people to run faster and jump higher. ------------------ Cuttino Mobley Online
oh yeah, heypee, I meant to tell you that on the UPN broadcasts, they've been picking up Rudy a lot more (does he have a mic on?). At one point, you could very distinctly hear him yell "24 for Cuttino". Sure enough on the way down the floor, Cat got into the iso mode, and was given a pick by the "4" (Walt) getting a nice mid range jumper above the free throw line (missed it though). Do you know if there's a difference between "24" and "24 High"? ------------------ The Serious Police are watching. Follow the rules or be assimilated. Shandon is underrated. [This message has been edited by NIKEstrad (edited January 20, 2001).]
Staples Center is absurd. What you were told is exactly correct. The luxury boxes are about three levels tall, and the affordable seats are all above those boxes. Basically, the first row in the section above the boxes is like sitting near the top of the Compaq Center. So you can imagine what the last row of Staples (we were 3 rows down from the last row, for which I paid nearly $30 per seat) feels like. It also kills the noise level (not a huge factor since LA fans aren't noisy until the Western conference finals) since the place is so cavernous. It's a complete joke -- totally takes the common man out of it. I feel sorry for families -- there's just no point in not watching the game on TV. I really like how they play the pick and roll now. Stevie seems to make the right decisions when they run it. The great thing about how the offense is mixed up is that, I think, it makes the ISO's that much more effective. I just think the offense has looked great lately. I am firmly entrenched in the pro-Rudy camp. ------------------
NIKE, I've heard both 24 and 24 High, and seen the same play. I seriously doubt there is a difference.
I totally know what you mean. However, that's why you need contacts(I go to clipper games cuz my friends' mom is the principal of the high school that elgin baylor's daughter went to), and you get the courtside seats...or in my case, very good at sneaking down ------------------ Draftsource.net
In response to hearing rudy more.... did anyone else notice that when he got that 1st technical what he was yelling??? "THAT WAS 2 F@#@#KING FOULS!!!!" I always love it when I hear them cuss... =) ------------------ -jbond77
Doesn't that prove my point? If you "need" contacts to go to an NBA game, something's wrong! Of course, if I had contacts for game tickets, I'd be the first one to milk them for all they're worth ... let me know next time you have an extra courtside seat, RF34 ... ------------------
I have to agree. Anyone who says the Rockets only run ISO's just hasn't been watching the games. The offense is really starting to take shape. The transition offense has also slightly improved. I've noticed that Steve goes down the middle of the court when running the break, as opposed to heading to the wing as he did before. I think our problem now is that our fast breaks all start out with one of our guards taking the rebound and then running with it. You usually want your guards to take off after the shot is thrown up and your big men to outlet. If I were Rudy, in one of our games against a weak opponent, I would tell the guards to take off after every shot and leave the rebounding to the big men, just as an experiment. Let KT and Mo gain confidence and feel like they are capable of handling the boards on their own. Of course, in the long run, a rebounder needs to be acquired. Also, in the past few games, I have seen a beautiful play run atleast once a game. It consists of the big man (Walt or Bullard) set at the 3 point line with Francis bringing the ball up. Mobley is on the right side of the court. Steve fires a rocket pass to Bullard and cuts around the Bullard pick to the right side at the same time that Cuttino cuts around the Bullard pick, receives the ball, and slashes to the hoop. Heypartner, do you know of this play? ------------------ It is no rumor that Matthew Bullard is 30th on the NBA's all-time 3 point accuracy list. [This message has been edited by thacabbage (edited January 20, 2001).]
yes, I've seen that for about 3-4 games in a row. I don't know the name Rudy uses, but I'm trying to find out. I've got tape of it, but it is hard right now to tell what all the options are. We have to see it more. thecabbage, do you agree most of the new plays are being rolled out in the 1st quarter it seems. I see a new one about once a game. Like Rudy is testing them one at a time or something. The alley-oop to Francis is a great play.
