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Really starting to get nervous about this series...

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Artesticles, Apr 25, 2009.

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Artesticles Member

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I was wrong (along with JVG for that matter) for thinking we would blow them out. I thought Game 3 and 4 wouldn't be real competitive, and would resemble our regular season home success against them. Instead, I'm already getting flashbacks of our series defeat to the Jazz in 2006-07, when it seemed like losing a game at home was almost imminent.

I thought we played tremendously HARD on defense. As good as you can ask for considering how talented that young Portland team is. They will look at the tape and adjust, so I'm concerned about us needing to play this amazing defense just to squeak by.

I'm even more concerned about how they've completely shut down Yao's offensive production. Pryz + Oden + Frye combined for more points than him. You think Rudy T. along with the rest of the Lakers' scouts aren't watching this and laughing? You can count on them doing the same thing with Gasol, Bynum, and Mbenga.

No doubt Dream spoiled me, but I remember him putting the team and role players on his back and carrying the team to wins. It seems it's the total opposite with this team. The role players are essentially bailing out Yao's inability to establish consistent position, and of course even when he does, it's still a chaotic adventure to deliver a successful post-entry pass because of his lack of lateral quickness. The role players put Yao on their backs and carried us to this W.

The question is how many games can they successfully pull this off? We know they weren't able to do it in Game 2. We barely made it out alive in Game 3. Now Game 4 and 6 look like tossups when before I thought they would be easy wins (I don't think we have a shot at winning on the road anymore).

Needless to say, I'm not very optimistic we can continue to rely on our role players (especially the young ones, AB, Lowry, Wafer, Landry) to win us games if Yao isn't being productive on offense. I'm not saying Yao was a liability on offense, but we're not paying him $15 million to be a "no stats all-star".

#1 Artesticles, Apr 25, 2009

fmullegun Contributing Member

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They never ever took the lead. Calm down.

#2 fmullegun, Apr 25, 2009
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or maybe the defense they played on yao opened things up for the role players?

#3 sew, Apr 25, 2009
Blake Member

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If we keep playing with this kind of defensive intensity, we will be fine

#4 Blake, Apr 25, 2009
HookemHorns1250 Member

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Artesticles said:

I was wrong (along with JVG for that matter) for thinking we would blow them out. I thought Game 3 and 4 wouldn't be real competitive, and would resemble our regular season home success against them. Instead, I'm already getting flashbacks of our series defeat to the Jazz in 2006-07, when it seemed like losing a game at home was almost imminent.

I thought we played tremendously HARD on defense. As good as you can ask for considering how talented that young Portland team is. They will look at the tape and adjust, so I'm concerned about us needing to play this amazing defense just to squeak by.

I'm even more concerned about how they've completely shut down Yao's offensive production. Pryz + Oden + Frye combined for more points than him. You think Rudy T. along with the rest of the Lakers' scouts aren't watching this and laughing? You can count on them doing the same thing with Gasol, Bynum, and Mbenga.

No doubt Dream spoiled me, but I remember him putting the team and role players on his back and carrying the team to wins. It seems it's the total opposite with this team. The role players are essentially bailing out Yao's inability to establish consistent position, and of course even when he does, it's still a chaotic adventure to deliver a successful post-entry pass because of his lack of lateral quickness. The role players put Yao on their backs and carried us to this W.

The question is how many games can they successfully pull this off? We know they weren't able to do it in Game 2. We barely made it out alive in Game 3. Now Game 4 and 6 look like tossups when before I thought they would be easy wins (I don't think we have a shot at winning on the road anymore).

Needless to say, I'm not very optimistic we can continue to rely on our role players (especially the young ones, AB, Lowry, Wafer, Landry) to win us games if Yao isn't being productive on offense. I'm not saying Yao was a liability on offense, but we're not paying him $15 million to be a "no stats all-star".
Click to expand...

I'm sure Portland isn't feeling to well either, they are the 4th seed remember. The main thing, were up 2-1.

#5 HookemHorns1250, Apr 25, 2009
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No worries mate.

In years past this is a game we would've lost. But we won a game with limited production from Yao, and from Artest. Things are looking up when that happens.

So, don't get nervous yet. We still are sitting in the drivers seat.

#6 Vrazz, Apr 25, 2009
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Artesticles said:

I was wrong (along with JVG for that matter) for thinking we would blow them out. I thought Game 3 and 4 wouldn't be real competitive, and would resemble our regular season home success against them. Instead, I'm already getting flashbacks of our series defeat to the Jazz in 2006-07, when it seemed like losing a game at home was almost imminent.

I thought we played tremendously HARD on defense. As good as you can ask for considering how talented that young Portland team is. They will look at the tape and adjust, so I'm concerned about us needing to play this amazing defense just to squeak by.

I'm even more concerned about how they've completely shut down Yao's offensive production. Pryz + Oden + Frye combined for more points than him. You think Rudy T. along with the rest of the Lakers' scouts aren't watching this and laughing? You can count on them doing the same thing with Gasol, Bynum, and Mbenga.

No doubt Dream spoiled me, but I remember him putting the team and role players on his back and carrying the team to wins. It seems it's the total opposite with this team. The role players are essentially bailing out Yao's inability to establish consistent position, and of course even when he does, it's still a chaotic adventure to deliver a successful post-entry pass because of his lack of lateral quickness. The role players put Yao on their backs and carried us to this W.

The question is how many games can they successfully pull this off? We know they weren't able to do it in Game 2. We barely made it out alive in Game 3. Now Game 4 and 6 look like tossups when before I thought they would be easy wins (I don't think we have a shot at winning on the road anymore).

Needless to say, I'm not very optimistic we can continue to rely on our role players (especially the young ones, AB, Lowry, Wafer, Landry) to win us games if Yao isn't being productive on offense. I'm not saying Yao was a liability on offense, but we're not paying him $15 million to be a "no stats all-star".
Click to expand...

well thought out and written.

but that one right there, you can't be moron... oops, i mean... more wrong.

#7 ibm, Apr 25, 2009

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seriously?? come on now...we're up 2-1, with homecourt, should be up 3-0 really and we've given them our best only once, they gave it to us once also and almost lost, we blew them out...at least wait until next game, then we'll know if we should worry or not. We solved the Roy problem tonight, which was THE problem to solve, Yao being fronted is a problem, but we're proving we can still win that way, but we cant win with Roy scoring 40 AND yao being fronted...we're in a good spot now..

#8 RV6, Apr 25, 2009
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Actually, Portland fans (from what I've seen) are feeling pretty good right now. They feel that we've lost the edge in the series (despite being up 2-1).

Honestly, we have to win the next one. If we go into Portland tied 2-2... well, I would be really worried.

#9 UTAllTheWay, Apr 25, 2009
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I hope we can win this series on the 6th. Based on today's game, I can not see a good chance for us to beat Blazers on the road at the 5th.

If this series goes to 7th, I don't think we can win. Yao's completely shut down on the offense end. Given the refs, road game factors, you can not believe role players bring you a win on the 7th game.

#10 zzphilipjulia, Apr 25, 2009
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I really think we are going to beat this Portland team.

Yao did a much better job of passing when attention was being focused on him in this game.

Landry off the bench was also helpful.

Scola has to look at this game and think that even though he might have been the best player on the court, and he played better than he had in game two, he could have made this a blowout.

Lets Go Rox!!!!!!

#11 rcketsfan1, Apr 25, 2009
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There is nothing subtle about the impact Yao is having on these games.

In no uncertain terms he is dominating each trip down the floor, sucking up the Portland centers, and drawing constant attention. This frees up the rest of the team for 16-18 foot jumpers all night long.

You put another guy in there tonight who scored 15 points but drew less attention, and we lose.

Yao cannot creat ehis own shot, but the effort opponents use to take him out of games is extremely important to us winning.

It is amazing to see the way Yao's play forces us into the bonus, and the way Lowery makes them pay by seizing every opportunity to draw fouls. Big-time stuff.

#12 pentajigga, Apr 25, 2009
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game 4 will be a blowout!!! by 15++++++++++ yao&ron will get back on track!

#13 CHAD444, Apr 25, 2009

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CHAD444 said:

game 4 will be a blowout!!! by 15++++++++++ yao&ron will get back on track!
Click to expand...

I thought it would be a blowout today but it turns out I am wrong.

#14 zzphilipjulia, Apr 25, 2009
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Yao just told me he enjoy relaxing on the bench and slacking off while watching his bench warmers working their butt off. He said all of these while laughing.

#15 Yao4REAL, Apr 25, 2009
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If we can keep Roy below about 20 points for 2 more games, it's over.

#16 topfive, Apr 25, 2009
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UTAllTheWay said:

Actually, Portland fans (from what I've seen) are feeling pretty good right now. They feel that we've lost the edge in the series (despite being up 2-1).

Honestly, we have to win the next one. If we go into Portland tied 2-2... well, I would be really worried.
Click to expand...

i'm guessing you're talking about message boards fans? most of them are young, like here, they havent been in the playoffs in years, they dont really know much about momentum, homecourt, etc. They dont know any better. The same way Portland's young guys didnt know any better in game 1 and got taken for a ride, fans are thinking the same way. the older fans, most anyway, who have been through playoff battles probably dont have time to sit on a computer and chat

#17 RV6, Apr 25, 2009
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Dude, it's the playoffs.. you can't expect the same effort as the regular season.. regardless, we got this.

#18 bravo six, Apr 25, 2009

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It's a hard dose of reality. I saw a lot more people feeling the same way tonight during and after the game. I would rather prefer to see Yao take some jumpers and pass the ball from the high post instead of just trying to hold position while being fronted.If he misses,try to go back on the low block. They have to mix things up,if we lose I can live with it.

#19 saleem, Apr 25, 2009
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Dream did not face this kind of "illegal" defense. Yao was dominant tonight. If they commit 2-3 guys to Yao for the rest of the series, I am totally fine with our PF's getting the down low looks...

#20 Tom Bombadillo, Apr 25, 2009

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