Battier actually lobbed it over the fronting defender on one possession, even though there was a help defender coming from behind. Yao caught it and managed to draw a foul without turning it over. I don't remember seeing that before. It would be nice if that's something we could consistently go to. I think, generally speaking, you don't have to get Yao the ball when he's fronted. If that's the defense teams are going to resort to, the Rockets can get a good shot elsewhere as long as the spacing is right and they reverse the ball. Players need to be confident to take the open shot when its there, or penetrate when they see an opening.
Is it me, or does it make you nervous watching this game as a potential playoff preview? I can already hear the crys...the ref's obviously won't call the palming/carry that Roy does when he crosses over off the high pick, they barely call fouls on pryzbilla/oden for the wwe style moves they put on Yao... This looks like it is going to shape up to be a very frustrating playoff series indeed (kinda like the last 2 years).
Sigh of relief! To lose this one would have been a disaster. I didn't get to see the game but sounds like Wafer had a huge fourth. He may be unpredictable, but as a wild card he could be the difference in a playoff series with a couple of big games. Don't underestimate Portland as a first round opponent; they will be a tough out. Call me chicken if you want, but I'm good with any opponent except Jazz/Lakers in the first round. After that, who cares.
oh yeah, forgot to add that Ron sucks too, Adelman needs to be fired, and If they don't win a ring this year, Morey should be shipped as well!! I'm not too happy about Clutch the Bear either, he's got one more game to show me he's worth his minutes, otherwise I'm done with this team.
I don't think it was an off-game for Portland, they had just finished beating four straight teams by 20+ points. We just match up really, really well against them. Chuck Hayes turns LaMarcus Aldridge into a nonfactor. LaMarcus Aldridge cannot hang with Scola when he's in. Yao owns Przybilla and Oden even worse. Roy is contained for the most part. Their PG (Blake, Rodriguez) is not good enough to make us pay for our lack of size at that position. In the wins Portland has had against us, their SF's (Batum and Outlaw) have done well. They didn't today. Aldridge had his way with Scola and Landry in that overtime game, but since then Adelman has realized that Hayes should be playing him as often as possible and Aldridge has been a zero essentially. It's fun to watch the strategic part of basketball take over the talent aspect. In this case, it works in our favor, and I hope we face Portland in the first round, with home court advantage, while somehow not being the 4-5 seed. And in my dreams Utah is playing LA as the 8 seed also.
That's one of those "no, no no, yes!" plays. In the past, Yao will catch that and there will be more space between him and the defender, but with the defender quickly closing in, and Yao will get stuck between making a move or dribbling, so he'll travel or get stuck. I think today he was lucky, i believe it was Przybilla, fouled him the moment he caught the ball. I think he should go over his options in that situation and practice different moves/shots when he's sandwiched like that, if he doesnt already.
Did anyone notice that crazy boy Barry didn't see the floor. We have to limit his minutes with Von, Lowry, and Chuck on the court. I have zero faith in Barry contributing in the playoffs
Adelman called out the team in his post game about not getting the ball into Yao when he's fronted. Said they're still not in the right positions to get him the ball when Yao is fronted, said they talk and work on it all the time but the team still can't beat the front. He seemed frustrated.
I don't understand why this is a problem....Hakeem never had these problems, I don't know if it's Ming or the pg's fault. Batt is pretty reliable
yeah. and i was surprised we didn't lob it to battier when rudy f. was fronting him in the first half. how hard is a lob pass?
agreed. but to say chuck turned alderidge into a zero is way overstating it. (love the chuck wagon btw, almost a 2double tonight. )
Did i mention deke is a horrible influence on the Rockets? I hope he doesn't comeback after this year. Actually, just leave him off the playoff roster, he's worthless.
