Yet another big game and early test for the Rockets as they take on the 2-0 Timberwolves at the Compaq Center tonight. The Rockets have struggled of late against the T-Wolves, but they did win their last 2 meetings breaking, I think, a 6 game losing streak to the T-Wolves. Here's a look at the probable starting line-ups for both teams: SF - Glen Rice vs. Kevin Garnett - No contest, here. Even though I'm a homer, I'm not stupid enough to even say that Rice is even close to being in the same league as Garnett. KG will get his points but Rice will have help (he may not even be guarding him) and as long as the Rockets make KG take tough shots, then that is all you can ask for. Meanwhile, Rice has to get his shot off and do that early. If Glen can get his shot going early, then that will push Garnett even farther from the basket on the defensive side, if he's guarding him. Advantage - Huge one to Minnesota. PF - Kenny Thomas vs. Joe Smith - On paper, you would think that this would be another lopsided match-up in favor of Minnesota; however, Joe Smith is one of the most chronic underachievers in the NBA. KT meanwhile has shown a lot of heart and hustle in the first 2 games and I feel that he will outplay Joe Smith. If JS can get his act together and decide to play up to his potential, then it will be a long night for the Rockets, but I'm betting it won't happen. KT must keep Smith off the boards and he needs to take the shot if it's there for him. That doesn't mean to jack up any unnecessary 3's, but he shouldn't try to drive every time if he has a 15 footer available to him. Advantage - Even. C - Kelvin Cato vs. Radoslav Nesterovic - Tough match-up to talk about because Nesterovic starts but doesn't play a lot of minutes for a starter and the T-Wolves can use Smith, KG at center as well as bring in rookie Loren Woods. If Cato can play like he did against Atlanta then he along with Willis give us a huge advantage over Nesterovic, Woods, and Dean Garrett. But, if Cato struggles like he did against the Clippers, then it will be a lot closer. Advantage - Rockets, with the possibility of being a huge advantage. SG - Cuttino Mobley vs. Wally Szczerbiak - Although Wally is really a SF, he started at SG last night against Memphis & I'm guessing he'll start here as well. Wally is a solid all-around player, but there's no way he can stay with Mobley. He will have to back off him and let him shoot from the outside or Mobley will blow his doors. Defensively, Wally gives us some match-up problems. It looks like Cuttino will have to guard him despite giving up 3 inches. Hopefully, the Rockets will be able to play good help defense on Wally. Wally's size advantage and Cuttino's speed sorta neutralize each other. Advantage - Even, with a possibility of a slight edge to Minnesota because of the size difference. PG - Steve Francis vs. Terrell Brandon - A match-up of 2 of the better point guards in the Midwest, Brandon will be able to hold his own against Stevie, but he is still a notch below Stevie. Francis has to have a big game against Brandon for the Rockets to have a chance of not having another close game or worse a blow-out loss. It looks like another performance similar to the one against the Clippers may be what he has to do, however, Brandon will be a tougher opponent to do this against. Advantage - Rockets but not as big as you might think. Bench - Kevin Willis, Eddie Griffin, Moochie Norris, Walt Williams, Terrence Morris, and Oscar Torres vs. Chauncey Billups, Loren Woods, Anthony Peeler, Gary Trent, Sam Mitchell, and Dean Garrett. The Wolves may have the better bench from 6 all the way down to the 12th guy, but the Rockets' top reserves, Willis and Norris, are better than the Wolves guys. Don't be surprised to see Eddie get more playing time tonight than before because the match-ups will seem to favor him being in there. I know I'm a homer, but I think the Rockets bench is better overall despite the fact that Minnesota's 11th and 12th men are better than ours. Advantage - Rockets. Coaching - Rudy Tomjanovich vs. Flip Saunders. Flip has quietly become one of the better coaches in the NBA having led the T-Wolves to the playoffs 5 straight seasons. He reminds me a lot of Rudy in that he's a player's coach. Rudy must do a better job with his substitution patterns, IMO, for this game. Some of his patterns in the first 2 games were questionable (like sitting Francis so long in the first game during the 4th quarter). Advantage - Even. Well, who will win, then? Even though the game is at home, the Rockets are still not a sure thing to win this game. Minnesota is probably a better team right now than the Hawks and Clippers although I think at the end of the season, this will change. I feel that the Rockets will win yet another close one, but if Rice struggles and Wally and Joe Smith have good games, then we could get clocked because KG will get his..it's making sure that the other T-Wolves players don't hurt us. Also, Steve may have a hard time putting up great numbers against a quality PG like Brandon. Tune in tonight and we will see exactly what will happen.
11/3 - Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Something has to give on Saturday when the undefeated Minnesota Timberwolves play their first road game of the season at the Compaq Center against the Houston Rockets, who have opened the campaign with consecutive overtime victories. Minnesota faces its first real test after defeating the injury-depleted Philadelphia 76ers and the lowly Memphis Grizzlies. The Timberwolves outscored Memphis, 28-17, in the third quarter of a 111-102 victory on Friday. Kevin Garnett led the Wolves with 30 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Wally Szczerbiak added 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds for Minnesota. Houston is undefeated after posting a pair of overtime wins against the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers. Steve Francis, who scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in Tuesday's season opener, had 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists to power the Rockets to a 98-92 win over Los Angeles on Thursday. Cuttino Mobley added 18 points and 10 rebounds and backup center Kevin Willis had 12 points and 13 boards. Houston went 3-1 against the Wolves last season. http://www.sportsterminal.com/sports/news.asp?news_id=16429&league_id=638&back_url=%2Fsports%2Fleague%2Easp%3Fleague%5Fid%3D638 got this off sports terminal.... what i like about this article is that they know we're better than all the rest of those shmucks the wolves beat and the two teams we beat.
Well I'm hoping the Rockets win cause I'm going to be there! IMO Garnett can have his. Wally can have his. I think the key is slowing the penetration of Brandon and Billups. If those two guys are penetrating and shooting that jumper behind the pick, everyone is going to get theirs. Of course easier to say than do I'm also somewhat curious to see how Woods plays (defense of course). No matter what, it's going to be entertaining. Go Rockets!!! Woohoo
We got a defensive minded francis on him and mobley... Plus we got moochie and his fro. Blind him Moochie!! Shove that fro to his FACE!!!
Rockets will win and cover the spread... Minnesota had too tough a time last night against an Ugly Grizzly team that they should have run circles around... Then they got on a plane and flew in late last night... Look for the Rockets to pull away in the fourth. Rockets 93 Wolves 88
I can't believe the ticker said this..Rockets were 2-2 against the Wolves last season: Home L 106-98 Away L 106-96 (was on New Year's Day) Away W 89-83 Home W 114-87 What makes this even crazier is that ESPN uses the same article in their preview on their site, but yet they still have a link to the Rockets' results from last season..you think that they would check these things more carefully. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/teamsched?team=hou&season=2001
I'm curious to see who will start at the 2 guard for the T-Wolves, Wally Szczerbiak or Anthony Peeler or Chauncey Billups.
I would think that Flip Saunders wouldn't want to match up Wally against Mobley, that would be a massacre. Whatever match-up problems Wally will cause us with his height, will be, IMO, negated by the fact that Cuttino can penetrate against Wally at will. Heck, if Saunders didn't have Garnett roaming around, he wouldn't even think of putting Wally at SG. The key to this game, in my mind is going to be the SF's hitting their open shots, and Francis and Mobes getting the midrange game going.