<div align="center"> <font color=""Green""><font size=""4"">Seattle Supersonics</font></font> Houston Rockets: 8-12 Seattle Sonics: 9-11 Houston Rockets Coach (Jeff Van Gundy) Seattle Supersonics Coach (Bob Weiss) <font color=""Green""><font size=""3"">Seattle Supersonics</font></font> C – Nick Collison PF – Reggie Evans SF – Rashard Lewis SG – Ray Allen PG – Luke Ridnour <font color=""Red""><font size=""3"">Houston Rockets</font></font> C - Yao Ming PF – Juwan Howard (or Stromile Swift) SF – Ryan Bowen SG – Tracy Mcgrady PG – David Wesley The Seattle Supersonics, they’re the boulder in between us and a 4 game win streak, currently on a 2 game losing streak but still shouldn’t be taken lightly. Their most recent game was an overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors, whereas thankfully ours was the exact opposite. Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis and Luke Ridnour are all major threats to us, each can shoot the lights out and will burn us when left open or uncontested. Tracy Mcgrady may be able to give Ray a difficult night and Wesley may be able to keep up with Ridnour but I think it will be Rashard Lewis who gives us the most grief. Luther Head just doesn’t lose confidence, even if he’s missed his first 5 shots, you can just tell that he knows he’s going to make the next, I think Swift will have a fairly good game, maybe a double double and Derek Anderson will play well too, recently his game has started to look better, he’s grabbing the boards, getting some assists and hitting some of the most difficult fade aways. To win, we need T-Macs shot to come back, we need our guards to make their open shots and most importantly in my opinion, to let Yao dominate, last game he had 30 points on 12/18 from the field and grabbed 16 boards as well, he normally plays well against Seattle because simply put, no one can really guard him on their team, only when they play small and bring their big man out to the perimeter is where we might be in trouble regarding our C’s. It’s a pretty close match here, both teams with similar records (but we have an excuse ), I expect this game to be a close one with the winner decided in the last 2 or 3 minutes, and like I said, I expect Yao to do well. </div>
^^ where is the pi of tmac a rybo since it says they're in the lineup?? hope we win tho... swift wont start since he gets in foul trouble and hes better at the end of the game....
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting viertelasiat:</div><div class="quote_post">^^ where is the pi of tmac a rybo since it says they're in the lineup?? hope we win tho... swift wont start since he gets in foul trouble and hes better at the end of the game....</div> Oh thanks for that, I forgot to edit it, this was based on my last preview and that was before T-Mac came back.
Isn't Reggie Evans the Power Forward and isn't Rashard Lewis the Small Forward, I expect a win tonight for our 5th straight win. Im staying up all night watching it, now I have exams tommorow. But its only 1.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Isn't Reggie Evans the Power Forward and isn't Rashard Lewis the Small Forward, I expect a win tonight for our 5th straight win. Im staying up all night watching it, now I have exams tommorow. But its only 1.</div> Dan, you're really slackin LOL. Kiddin, we all got our off nights. Edited.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AznxBaller:</div><div class="quote_post">Dan, you're really slackin LOL. Kiddin, we all got our off nights. Edited.</div> I swear, I thought so too but...I was following this http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2005121525 From the boxscore it's SF,PF,C,SG,PG I wasn't sure of this either so I checked the Spurs game and Timberwolves game and Duncan and Garnett are both second down the list for each team, and I know both of then don't play SF, so against my instinct, I decided to follow the Yahoo NBA Sports thing and this is what I get lol.
3 point shooting team..against a rockets team that don't know how to guard the 3. Looks like a loss here if they keep on leaving the 3 OPEN!!!!!!!!!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">3 point shooting team..against a rockets team that don't know how to guard the 3. Looks like a loss here if they keep on leaving the 3 OPEN!!!!!!!!!!</div> They're doing a pretty good job guarding it. Van Gundy changed his defensive scheme up a bit where he's focusing more on the outside than inside to negate Sonics' three point shooting. On a side note, Luther Head has hairy armpits.
Tmac made 6 difficult 3s...allen made 4 open 3s..yao and tmac combined well today ..had to do it in the 4th since they lost their lead again!
Man! Did I call it or did I call it? Yao dominated (To an extent) Swift played rather well, and the game was decided in the last few minutes...
5th straight and 4 on the road for the Rockets. It seems that they're starting to play better in pressure situations. The Sonics got a run of their own in the 4th and took the lead but once the Rockets have the lead back, the Sonics panicked. Like all the games they've won, the opponents' hot three point shooting has gone cold in the closing minutes while the Rockets did the opposite. TMac, Yao, Howard and Swift had a good game while Moochie showed that he can still contribute despite lack of playing time.
I'd love to see the Lakers and Rockets continue their streaks before they meet each other in a few games. Tracy McGrady was ridiculous down the stretch. He made so many tough shots and the Sonics couldn't defend the pick and roll to save their life. Nice to Yao show some emotion on the court getting that technical foul. I think it gave the Rockets the energy to comeback and win the game. The Rockets have to improve the defensive rebounding though. They gave up far too, many second chance points to the Sonics. Yao has to do a better job of boxing out and accounting for his man. Same goes for Swift, he was getting out hustled on the boards and left his man a lot going for the shot block. Anyone still doubt Jeff Van Gundy?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post"> Anyone still doubt Jeff Van Gundy?</div> Hell, when you have T-mac and Yao on the same team, it just diminishes a coach's significance in the game. I'd take Pat Riley over JVG anyday, both coach with similar style, but the teacher does it more effectivly than the student...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">I'd love to see the Lakers and Rockets continue their streaks before they meet each other in a few games. Tracy McGrady was ridiculous down the stretch. He made so many tough shots and the Sonics couldn't defend the pick and roll to save their life. Nice to Yao show some emotion on the court getting that technical foul. I think it gave the Rockets the energy to comeback and win the game.</div> It'll be fun to see McGrady and Kobe go at it. Hopefully both players will be at full strength and put on a show. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Rockets have to improve the defensive rebounding though. They gave up far too, many second chance points to the Sonics. Yao has to do a better job of boxing out and accounting for his man. Same goes for Swift, he was getting out hustled on the boards and left his man a lot going for the shot block.</div> We're actually one of the better defensive rebounding ball clubs, but Seattle is always tough on the offensive boards with Evans and Fortson. It's like they've got two Rodmans on their team. I think fatigue was probably an issue for us as well. Our interior defense wasn't very good.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting devin:</div><div class="quote_post">Hell, when you have T-mac and Yao on the same team, it just diminishes a coach's significance in the game. I'd take Pat Riley over JVG anyday, both coach with similar style, but the teacher does it more effectivly than the student...</div> You don't give any credit to JVG for exploiting the Sonics all game long with this play? He was responsible for putting in the right players to make the pick and roll work. Also how about the move to put Bowen in the starting lineup to give the Rockets a boost on energy since they just played a tough OT game the night before? How about keeping his team focused and motivated to win back to back road games? JVG came up with an effective game plan and his players executed it.
Great to see Yao with attitude when the refs called a bad call on him.. RIGHT after Yao Got called a technical, the rockets started winning.....definite turning point
If Raefer wasn't our only true PG, I'd think he be trade bait.......but what can I say the Rockets are rollin..........it's amazing how we start winning all these games since Tmac came back.
I think the best move by JVG is when he put T-mac on Ridnour on defensive end,before that the Sonics made very good ball movement,T-mac has the length,so Ridnour can't see the floor very well and pass at ease.And T-mac didn't have to chase lewis in the pick and roll,so he saved engery at the end to make his usual clunch plays. Very good game over all,I am looking forword to this weekend.Go Rox!
