Utah is a >50 win team I think many of us are underrating Utah, they have a very balanced team with many focal points which they can go to even though they dont have true superstars like Tmac and Yao, they are still a very very strong team coached by an established coach we really had to grind it out with them in the last two games...and when we grind out games the stats of players dont look that good
I partly agree, we do have to play better - I thought Utah was atrocious in game 2, besides Booze-bus... However I think our team definately has the ability to ramp up their performance several levels higher if and when the situation warrants it (i.e. 2nd round onwards). Because this Utah team, from what I've seen so far, just doesn't seem to have what it takes to win against us. Just another thing - the discrepancy of ft attempts was kind of shocking - Utah 17, Houston 38??? Over one-third of our points came from the stripe??? If I was a Utah fan, I'd be screaming... I did think the refs were slightly favourable towards us overall. We have to be prepared for the situation to be reversed when we go to Utah...
Ah... the fical-ness of sports fans. It's a beautiful thing in an ugly sort of way. We just beat (and beat handily I might add) a near great, upper echelon team (who in the east would somehow have already secured a spot in the ECF) 2 straight games without playing our best ball and 50% of this community is dreary and pessimistic. You know, it seems to me that most of the people that detest JVG and are entirely too pessimistic, even by pessimist standards, would probably get along great with our gloomy coach. Yes, our team needs to step it up in some respects, but our team is outplaying the opposition and, most importantly, our superstars are getting it done. It's a bit odd to say our team needs to ramp up its performance that much more when we're winning. Our team is playing better than FG% can show, our team is playing so good that we havent even needed our roleplayers to score that much. I view the current level of play not as a bad sign, as a sign that we need to elevate our level of play tremendously, I see it like... despite slow starts, the absence of our 3 point threats, our roleplayers not scoring enough, despite all that we got it together and found a way to win big twice. As for you, jjfjj (IF THAT IS YOUR REAL NAME) I predict a 2-2 series also... but if/when that does happen I'm not gonna blow a gasket (you might, considering your sig. you're either a knee jerker, stupid, or an admirer of irony). The Jazz are a good team, are embarassed and hungrier now, and are a damn solid home team; I think even the 96 Bulls would be lucky to escape the next two games without at least one loss. However, after that I think it'll be time for the Rockets to close it out in 6... then it'll be only a matter of days before I'm reading this topic again for round 2, repackaged and posted by a new person.
Like someone pointed out, I did not feel at any time that we would lose the ballgame. I don't know if it's confidence knowing we are the better team or what, but we showed a lot of poise. Despite many shots, I thought we played smart and patient basketball. And that's good. It's great that we can have our 2 top players shoot the way they did and still win the ball game decisively. I think Boozer won't score this much again, and most likely Deron and Memo will score more, especially in their home court. But so what -- Tmac and Yao will play/shoot better. I say this goes 5 games max. But yes, we do need to improve if we are to go against the upper echelon in the next rounds.
What make us believe that playing the way the Rocks has played would not have beaten the better team than Jazz? It is totally irrelevant unless we are talking about lack of energy, not coming to play etc etc because different team comes up with different kind of defence strategy (in Jazz case it is physical) that will have a impact on the outcome of your game. In any case, if Rockets can get 38 FTA against Dallas coupled with 36% FG% that might be enough for a win as well. Not to mentioned the entire Dallas front line could have been fouled out.
I am not going to complain about the first two games after they're both wins. However, the thread starter has got a point. The Rockets have not been shooting well in the first 2 games, in fact, it's been kinda ugly. Fortunately, they've been shooting great from the free throw line. Of course, this is going to be a physical, defensive-minded, grind-it-out series, so we shouldn't expect numbers like in the game against Phoenix. They still need to get into the lower .40's, though. I originally thought the Rockets would win in 6, then in 5 after getting home court. If they continue to shoot like this in Utah, this series is gonna go on. They are capable of playing several levels higher. I'm still pumped like no other, though. A win is a win! CLUTCH CITY BABY!
I agree. We played solid defense like we normally do, but we have to execute better on offense in order to secure games. Why should we only excel at one aspect of the game? Better 3-pt shooting is needed. Imagine if we hit 5-6 more 3s in Game 2? Better shooting is needed.
As long as the Rockets keep winning, I don't give a flying flip how ugly the game is. Winning in itself is BEAUTIFUL ! DD
Exactly, I'm cautiously optimistic to see what will happen when our shots start falling and Yao and Tmac play their game. It could be scary but not sure if we will be able to figure out the Jazz's D.
We have to start making shots, because at home, the Jazz will. We may have gotten 98 points, again, at home, with 38 FT attempts. You know we are not getting that many free-throw attempts in Utah, probably not in 2 games total. We play good D, which will help a lot, but playing like we did in the first half (especially Saturday night) will get us killed in Utah. Even if we step it up, expect to lose a game in Utah, they are pretty good too. If we sneak one, Rockets in 5, if we lose both Rockets in 7, so we'll win anyway. = )
Teams go up and down, hopefully we win these tough ones and advance when we are down, then when we face those better teams, we play better and beat them too.
It's like some of you have never watched playoff basketball before. Do you know how hard it is to win in the playoffs by double digits? Teams are here for a reason.
Unreal...maybe some of you weren't paying attention...Utah has been playing tough defense, and we've able to overcome it now twice. You want us to shoot like we did against the Suns? Well, when Utah plays D like the Suns we will (don't hold your breath)...and I KNOW you didn't talk about the 76ers...I'm not even gonna touch that.
If we keep doing the same thing that we have always done, we will keep getting the results we have always gotten. 2-0
I agree, they've played poorly and still won both. Part of it though is the Jazz. They really try to grind it out and play a very physical brand of basketball. We all know we are defensive oriented as well, so you end up getting a very discombobulated, broken-up game. I bet if you asked Jazz fan about their play, he'd say the same thing.
Obviously, they won't keep winning unless they start shooting better. The Jazz are playing really hard, aggressive defense. If Okur, et all start lighting it up, big trouble. I want game three really, really bad. If Yao and TMac go on a tear, it will happen. Thusfar, they have de-elevated their games for the playoffs and, despite the wins, that is disappointing. It raises the lingering question, do our leaders have the "right stuff?" The Mavs have to answer the same question. The regular season and the playoffs are world's apart.
The sign of a really good team is one that can find ways to win even if they aren't playing particularly well.
