Wow, the Rockets have really worked on that defense.

It doesn't get worse than that...

 

LOL! Ok, ZRB, you KNOW I am not a pie in the sky fan, and often agree with you, and happen to here, but it IS getting to the point where I know a thread is yours before I read your name...

 

I'm not watching the game, but I'm glad to see that box score indicating Rudy is resting his players so they can run & gun.

4 guys with ironman minutes.

 

Uggghhhh!

I get this gnawing feeling that Doc Rivers could beat Rudy with his player's or Rudy's players. They are simply a better coached team, esp with their (lack of) talent : they really push the ball, move without the ball, have more assists and play better defense. And they are weaker at the center position than we are. Have observed this over last few years; this is just the latest iteration.


Dallas Rocket

 

Not to mention that their STAR player (McGrady) is actually a smart superstar, whereas our STAR player (Francis) is only a good player.

Come on, equally talented players with HEIGHT always win over smaller talented players.

DaDakota

 

I dont know, according to the Houston Chronicle, all we have to blame is Orlando's offense...

"It wasn't like we didn't have a hand in their face, they made a lot of outside shots," Francis said. "Our defense was pretty decent. We just couldn't match them point for point. They did a good job getting it to the guy who was hot -- everybody."

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/1259261

 

Then why do the Rockets leave the hot guy wide open?

Think think think.

 

Good big people beat good small people, plain and simple. I've been saying it all yr that we don't have good big players. When i say big, i mean 6'6 and taller. Kenny is ok and Griffin isn't developed yet. Thats one of the main reason why we can't win consistently in the west. Good big players can get good shots all the time or create them easily for others.

 

Of course, we did outscore them 75-66 from the 2nd through the 4th quarters. We outscored them 52-42 in the second half. Notice they scored 42 in the first quarter but only that same amount in the second HALF.

I re-watched the first quarter again and Steve was actually right. There were 3 or 4 shots where a defender was in the face of the guy and they still nailed the three. EG was dead on in the face of Garrity and one point and he still hit it.

Layups are inexcusable but hitting like that from the three point line is ridiculous. If the Rockets did that, everyone would say, "Man, their offense kicked ass tonight. They couldn't miss." No one would say, "Sure is a good thing their defense was so bad, they could leave us open for all those three's."

 

Jeff has a point. I remember one shot where KT was on McGrady and I thought for sure it would brick, but no. They were hitting even with D on him.

 

To cite on other example, one of McGrady's first quarter three's was essentially a fadeaway with his legs flailing around. Not exactly a high percentage shot. Frankly, with him shooting only 35% for the year from there, I let him fire those away as much as he wants.

 

Well, with this particular game, it was more that the Magic were on fire.........especially through the first quarter and a half.

They were 10/15 from the 3 point line at one point......right?

 

No, it could have ben DaDakota, too !

The Rockets perimeter defense actually looks better than last year, imo. And Cato and Griffin might be the best shot-blocking tandem in the league in 2 years.

But yes, the defense still sucks right now .

 

granted we're not a very good team right now, and granted we're therefore being outscored a lot...What WOULD be interesting would be to see how our guards match up with our opponents, in that we are ( Griffin's recent solid play not with standing) a backcourt lead team. Whether Thomas or Walt get outscored is less important to me, as neither is a key to our future..But, if anyone has the time, or the computer skills, to see if our backcourt manages to out perform opposing backcourts would be very interesting, and would help resolve the " If Steve scores 25, but his man scores 25 we're not really that far ahead" argument one way or another.

 

I would suggest that it indicates that the Rockets backcourt isn't nearly as poor defensively as some have suggested, including me, and that the regularity with which we have suggested that they score a lot but give up the same isn't anywhere near the factor in our losing as claimed.

 

I am just hopeful that Rudy or CD is actually reading my drivel.

DD

 

ZRB? counting how many posts you have had, I can clearly see that you have no life. What Over RRated was saying that the Magic were just lucky...we did actually play defense for the first time in awhile...Holla...

OverRRated is probaly some African that has no life. he probaly plays PS-2 all day. he needs a job...!!!