As mentioned by some others, that was an ugly game, but a win is a win and the Rockets are now 5-1. I kept the sound down for most of the game, so I may bring up some things that were mentioned during the telecast, so if I do do that, then forgive me. Observations and thoughts: 1) The Rockets always seem to have these major droughts in scoring and they always come at the most inopportune times! Thankfully, the 76ers were even more anemic and the Rockets were able to escape. However, this has to be a concern for Rudy and the team, that the Rockets have these prolonged droughts. 2) Kevin Willis had a terrible game in shooting the ball. He rebounded great as usual and played decent defense, but he acted like he was going to get his shot blocked every time by Mutombo. It looked like he was rushing his shot to me. 3) This game wasn't as bad as the Nuggets game, but does anyone else get the impression that the Rockets don't like to pass the ball to Oscar Torres when he's in the game? He finally got some opportunities tonight, but it seems like to me that too many times, he's just out there and the rest of team forgets about him on offense. 4) Dikembe Mutombo looks like the most uncoordinated stiff sometimes. Watching him trying to score is, how can I say this nicely, like watching someone who is getting ready to throw up but is trying not to. He just seems way too clumsy and his shot always looks like a line drive. 5) Is Derrick Coleman ever happy?? Better yet, does he ever smile?? He played good for the 76ers, but he always seemed unhappy. Maybe he wasn't happy that the Rockets kept going to Kenny Thomas. 6) Does Eddie Griffin ever do anything else offensively than shoot 3's? I still think match-ups dictate Rudy's substitution patterns, but I'm beginning to think that EG is not getting the minutes he could be getting because he's jacking up too many 3's. 7) Is Larry Brown still mad at Steve for what happened last year?? I know that they may have talked about it, but I didn't have the sound up, so I don't know if they did. I wish I was at this site after that happened so I could have read some of the threads about it. Although tonight's performance was not a pretty one, and it's one that many can find mistakes with, let's just be glad that this game is over. The 76ers, despite being winless, were a desperate team..I'm just glad that the Rockets weren't their first win.
Yea, I noticed that too, it looks like the only play they run is the pnr with griffin at the 3 point line...maybe they don't think his post up game is quite up to par in the pros yet, who knows?
Manny, you're right and I'm guilty of it probably the most, but I've seen the teams that we're about to play and we are no way playing in the same ball park, period. Most times when the Rockets play, I tape them and watch the other games on league pass and I see us having a tough time against all the powers we're about to play. I mean even Sea at 2-4 are playing pretty good ball. The Kings, Lakers,Mavs, and Spurs are playing real good. We're 5-1 with a chance to go 6-1 tommorrow, but you can't think this team playing like they are are going to win those games. As a staunch Rockets supporter i have faith, but watching those teams play is a totally different story. Its true every game ,we can gain a victory , but a team like this, and Denv ithout McDyess, we should stomp a mud hole in if we are for real. Truthfully, had Iverson played and Francis not, would we have been even in the game like they were? Its always good to be a home supporter which I am, and it is young in the season, but we have to play much better to beat some of the upcoming teams and gain "respect" like everyone else is calling for on this board. It was nice to see punk ass glen score though if i must say so.
The Spurs aren't exactly playing great ball all the time. They just lost to Seattle by 20 not that long ago. And Dallas has been struggling when Dirk hasn't been dominant. The Kings are winnable obviously. The Lakers are rolling. Obviously this team needs to kick it into gear, and I think they will. They may come out with something to prove against Denver, just to send a message.
<b> Does Eddie Griffin ever do anything else offensively than shoot 3's? I still think match-ups dictate Rudy's substitution patterns, but I'm beginning to think that EG is not getting the minutes he could be getting because he's jacking up too many 3's.</b> I doubt it, because it seems that the pnr play is designed so that Griffin takes the 3. I mean, what is he supposed to do with it? He doesn't have the handles yet to slash to the basket from the perimeter. And also, don't you think Rudy would have told him not to shoot the 3's if he didn't want him to? BTW, I think Worrel said he was 5-7 from the 3 pt line during the regular season... let him shoot if he's shooting at that kinda percentage.
An ugly win is better than a pretty loss, but, whoa, what a stinker! I can't decide if I witnessed a great defensive performance, or not very good basketball. What do you think? Is Derrick Coleman an All Star? At times did we look totally uninterested. Can McKee hit the side of a red barn? Does the incessant dribbling bother you? Has passing been outlawed? I can't believe we won. Neither team deserved to win! The next three weeks are going to very interesting. Surely we will start to see better basketball, I hope it is not just being played by the other teams.
RM, the spurs lost to sac by 20 and sea by 6. Sac only loss was last night to indiana on the road. Sac is still playing good without webber and sea has played at orl,mia,nj, and at sa if i'm not mistaken. we have only played 1 road game and other than minn, which we lost, a bunch of cream puffs. I'm just glad we won, but this road trip will say a lot about how we stand in the west.
I was at the game tonight, and in the 4th quarter we couldn't throw it in the ocean until Kenny Thomas came up huge. Kenny scored on several consecutive possessions in the 4th quarter when we needed it the most. Down the stretch, he scored on a spin move, a power move with lots of contact followed by a soft layin off the glass using his body well on the play and then again at the free throw line. He also blocked a shot, stripped the ball several times, and then he tipped or stole a pass or two. What a game by KT!!!
I really liked Kenny taking it into his own hands late in the game. But, he looked like a defensive liability against Derrick Coleman. DC was shooting over him and muscling him around. Eddie Griffin fared no better against DC. Hopefully our defense improves or else Duncan, Malone, etc. will have career nights against us. Other than that, Rice showed signs of coming around early in the game. Walt sucked as usual. Oscar Torres might turn out to be halfway decent. One of these days the open 3's will start falling and we will win by 50.
I didn't see the game. But it sounds like a few guys had bad games (Willis & Mobley in particular). They still won. There is a major upside when two of your major pieces aren't clicking and you still win. I can't wait to see what happens when everyone's clicking. This team will be awesome, and the Fakers can only hope our offense doesn't click on their night.
A few points-- This was ugly, sloppy basketball. I was pleased to get the win. The Rockets can and will play much better than this. I don't think we can compete consistently yet with LA, Sacramento, or San Antonio, but we can play with anyone else on a good nite. For Example, we almost beat Minnesota with KG playing major minutes-Minnesota fought hard for the win--I bet the wolves left the Laptop thinking they just squeaked by. We will play well against Eastern teams. We are not going to be dominated by Phoenix, Seattle,or Utah like last year. Call me naive, but this team will rise to the occasion and play better against the good teams. Scottie Pippen will make more than 17 million this season.....We have Cato and Walt and got the better of that deal
The Rockets can and will play much better than this. I don't think we can compete consistently yet with LA, Sacramento, or San Antonio, but we can play with anyone else on a good nite. For Example, we almost beat Minnesota with KG playing major minutes-Minnesota fought hard for the win--I bet the wolves left the Laptop thinking they just squeaked by. We will play well against Eastern teams. We are not going to be dominated by Phoenix, Seattle,or Utah like last year. I for one be watching them closely, and it seems that they are playing to the level of the other team. Tonite, It was like they didn't want to spend to much on this game because they knew they had another game tommorrow. They are young , but they need to learn to put away teams early, so they can rest for those back to back games.instead of just putting enough out to get the win.
The game was so bad I found myself reading my book instead of just sitting there with an unread book on my lap while watching the game. Is anyone else afraid that we might have just seen the future of the NBA with the new rules and a big shot blocker in the rear of the zone?
Unfortunately, I was at the game. That was really bad. Rocks turned the ball over a lot. The box score only lists 14 which sounds good but there were a lot of bad passes or poor decision making too. EG looked lost all the time. The other guys on the court kept waiving him all over the place. He could never figure out where he was supposed to be. I guess that is why he camps out on the arc cause that's the only spot on the floor that he knows. At least the Rocks have another "easy" game to work out the kinks.
glynch, Well, at least you were able to pick up a book. That game was so bad, I did something that I've never done while watching a Rockets game....I went to sleep! But if this team makes the playoffs, it will be on account of their defense. They have really turned it up a notch this season.
Some thoughts on the game (damn, it has been awhile since I last saw the rocks) Kevin Willis: Sigh. Talk about deja-vu. This game brought back baaaaaad memories from that series against the jazz. Willis was rushing shots all over and his jump hook remains the stuff of my nightmares. Nice job on the rebounding, but I really hope he isn't a black hole like this usually. Francis & Cuttino: They rushed a lot of shots too. Scoring droughts aside, it seems like we have to take better care of the ball and spend more the shot clock in some possessions. Francis will probably never be a pure pg, and though he is great, sometimes I wish we had a point guard that could create more for others. Just look at what Kidd is doing for the nets. The point is moot I know, as the backcourt is obviously our greatest asset. KT: Looked very good out there. I was impressed with his quickness, and his shot selection seems to be greatly improved. Great game for him, and he came up big when we couldn't buy a basket to save our lives. Cato: though the box score may not show it, I was pleased with his play. He challenged Mutombo a lot, gave him a nice elbow that the refs didn't catch, and fouled out whenhe had too, on a key possession by the 76ers. Rice: The bright spot of an otherwise ugly game. He is starting to find his rhythm, and a dozen games from now, he should be filling the higher expectations that many around here had for him, expectations I really didn't expect him to live up to. Griffin: He may be hitting his threes, but I really second the thoughts that he really isn't playing like a 4. Maybe we'll see that part of his game when he adds more bulk. Still can't get why we are not seeing Tmo on the court, and Oscar looked good in his limited minutes. Now, one thing's for sure. We REALLY are missing Mo. I just don't see us having those scoring droughts with that nice jumper of his. When he gets back, we are going to be a very dangerous team. A win is a win, and it's impressive that we are winning with defense instead of offense. If the firepower kicks in we may end up getting a higher seed than any of us predicted. Oh, and I also thought that our picks should be a helluva lot more agressive.
How many times last year did we watch the Rockets beat a contender such as LA, SA, or whoever you want, then go on to lose big to a team like the Clippers (last years Clippers, not the new version). Although its not a team full of rookies anymore they're still young and have the problem of not getting their concentration on for 48 minutes of every game. Everyone has a bad game, but Steve and Cat should have run those guys off the floor. Does Rudy see EG as a sort of Robert Horry? He's long and slender like Horry. Who knows. Now if he could just start slashing and dunking like Horry then jacking threes to keep the defense honest wouldn't be such a bad thing-as long as he makes them.
Whew, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who did that. I was laying on my bed watching the game and in the middle of the second quarter I was out. I woke up around 12:30 am and I was in a panic trying to find out what happened. I'm just glad this BBS is here so I don't feel like I missed the game. Hopefully I won't have the same problem with tonights game. B