The Rockets take on the Toronto Raptors tonight at home. The Raptors have the worst record in the league, but they should not be taken lightly, as Houston is very depleted. Missing Yao Ming, Rafer Alston, Derek Anderson, Jon Barry, Dikembe Mutombo and Bob Sura, the Rockets have just nine players suited up and two inexperienced youngsters in Stephen Graham and Lonny Baxter will be expected to be part of the rotation tonight. The Raptors have a budding superstar PF in Chris Bosh, who is consistently putting up 20/10 numbers. He can hit the outside shot and has the quickness to beat most defenders off the dribble. It is very unlikely that Juwan Howard or Stromile Swift can contain him. However, the Rockets might have their way with Bosh down on the block as he is fairly weak and not a good post defender. The Raptors' starting center, Rafael Araujo, is foul-prone and shouldn't bother the Rockets at all. Jalen Rose, though, played a rejuvenating 34 minutes against the Magic on Monday, scoring 15 points after a few weeks of bench duty. Mike James has put up 36 and 38 points this season and against the Rockets team that traded him in October, he might go off. The Raptors are a team that lives by the three and the Rockets will have to contest every shot. Toronto is also a much better team on the road than at home and the game might stay tight. Houston will need TMac to step up in order to win. (Blueracer, if you have a full preview, post it here)
What a pathetic game by the Rockets. McGrady played like he was still injured; completely lifeless. There was absolutely no good reason to leave Swift out of the game in the second half. It's like Van Gundy doesn't even want him to succeed. They were playing, and JVG was coaching, as if it was the preseason. What, because Yao is out these games all of a sudden don't matter? I'm just disgusted right now.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">looked like magic without tmac</div> Worse, McGrady couldn't even score twenty points.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AznxBaller:</div><div class="quote_post">Worse, McGrady couldn't even score twenty points.</div> not even ten
It seems that TMac is not on his dominating self tonight. Lots of lost possessions on the rebound play by the Rockets that gave the Raptors second chance points. TMac seems to slack off and he's not moving without the ball when the guards makes a play. If he's on you usually see opponents chasing him around but that was not the case tonight. He surely misses Yao's screen play as no one provided a screen for him. Swift looks the same as Araujo. Instead of dominating the match up he looks useless. I just hope Moochie and Swift's injury are not serious otherwise we might lose the healthy ones due to overfatigue. I have never seen anyone like this wherein more than half of the team's players are injured. Is there any thing such as disability benefits in the NBA? Surely the Rockets needs it badly. BTW Locke(trip), i'm scheduled on the next game not this one. Just PM me early if there's any changes.
I think JVG needs to go........ frickin keeps running pick n roll when it aint fricking working!!!! this team could be a small fast team but that aint JVG's style and with that he ruins the potential of players like swift and tmac.... **** i think even moochie is a better fast paced player, in the past games he has been drivin to the hole and he aint been doin that bad... about the only players on this team who are better suited running a slow game are Yao, howard, Dike and Rybo but Dike is gettin damn old, also lets face it any time rybo plays they dont defend him at all for a good frickin reason!!!! the only decent one's are yao and juwan and i'll say this juwan can still shoot but i think we should trade him while he has value and Yao well hes not a dominant big man and i'm not complaining but i think we could run a faster paced offense..... dont get me wrong i think JVG is doing an excellent job on defense but his offense imo is lacking and we should be looking to change it......
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting viertelasiat:</div><div class="quote_post">I think JVG needs to go........ frickin keeps running pick n roll when it aint fricking working!!!! this team could be a small fast team but that aint JVG's style and with that he ruins the potential of players like swift and tmac.... **** i think even moochie is a better fast paced player, in the past games he has been drivin to the hole and he aint been doin that bad... about the only players on this team who are better suited running a slow game are Yao, howard, Dike and Rybo but Dike is gettin damn old, also lets face it any time rybo plays they dont defend him at all for a good frickin reason!!!! the only decent one's are yao and juwan and i'll say this juwan can still shoot but i think we should trade him while he has value and Yao well hes not a dominant big man and i'm not complaining but i think we could run a faster paced offense..... dont get me wrong i think JVG is doing an excellent job on defense but his offense imo is lacking and we should be looking to change it......</div> How else could we have played it last night? Without putting the ball in TMac's hands and running a pick-and-roll, we don't have anyone who can isolate his defender and score by himself. TMac at least drew double-teams and as a result found the open man on the pick-and-roll. He was just too passive last night, refusing to show any emotion and attacking the basket. Luther Head and Juwan Howard were the only bright spots last night. Now that Toronto has succeeded so overwhelmingly by double-teaming TMac and forcing the other guys to beat them, I'm worried if other teams would employ the same strategy. McGrady was a HUGE disappointment last night.
Here's a quote from JVG after last nights game <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> "The season is slipping away right now," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "This is the time. It doesn't matter when those guys (injured players) come back in three weeks. We have to hold the fort right now, for six weeks or 10 weeks."</div> It looks like he's trying to motivate this team. Hopefully the Rockets can play better after last nights game.
TMac said he was up to the challenge of taking the O in his hands, but without Yao he was double and triple teamed and will continue to be because it works. STRO was kicked in the game and was hurt. Dont blame JVG for the failures of Swift though. At times he looks awful out on the court. Whether its the system or not he has shown in his career that he has a below average BASKETBALL I.Q. not aggresive, unmotivated, and no court sense.JVG problem? too much is expected from him. he is a 8pt 4rb guy, and has been his whole career. so anyone that thinks he will wake up and be a star one day should stop. Gifted doesnt mean talented
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting moeinhouston:</div><div class="quote_post"> not aggresive, unmotivated, and no court sense.JVG problem? too much is expected from him. he is a 8pt 4rb guy, and has been his whole career. so anyone that thinks he will wake up and be a star one day should stop. Gifted doesnt mean talented</div> But it's kind of tough to be more than an 8pt, 4rb guy when you don't get more than 20 minutes a game, right? Per 40 minuets, let's compare Howard's and Swift's stats this season: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"><font face=""Courier New""><font color=""Green"">Juwan Howard 11.5 pts 43.2 efg% 9.0 reb 1.7 to 1.8 asts 0.7 stls 0.1 blks Stromile Swift 16.0 pts 48.7 efg% 7.9 reb 2.7 to 0.7 asts 1.3 stls 1.7 blks</font></font></div> So, even though Stomile Swift is having his worst season since his rookie year, he's STILL playing significantly better than Howard. 82games.com shows that the Rockets play better with Swift on the floor than Howard as well, so it's not just an individual statistical edge he has. For his career, Stro has the following numbers, per 40 minutes: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"><font face=""Courier New""><font color=""Green"">17.1 pts 46.8 efg% 9.5 reb 2.5 to 1.1 asts 1.4 stls 2.8 blks</font></font></div> Those are very decent numbers, and would be a huge upgrade over what we're getting from Howard. Now's the time for Swift to start playing 30+ minutes a night and get comfortable on the offensive and defensive end.
If a guy is not aggressive and unmotivated then he should get more playing time? OK there is a reason he only gets 20min.
This was a disappointing game, I thought the Rockets had this one. I love the raptors but I know just how good the rockets are.
Is there a reason Stromile Swift gets 12 minutes at center when no one else can play it other than Baxter? (Ok, he did get kicked, but if he didn't he should get more minutes)
