<div align="center"> <font color=""Yellow""><font size=""4"">Golden State Warriors</font></font> Houston Rockets Coach (Jeff Van Gundy) Golden State Warriors Coach (Mike Montgomery) <font color=""Green""><font size=""3"">Golden State Warriors</font></font> C – Ike Diogu PF – Troy Murphy SF – Mike Dunleavy SG – Jason Richardson PG – Baron Davis <font color=""Red""><font size=""3"">Houston Rockets</font></font> C – Dikembe Mutombo PF – Juwan Howard SF – Tracy Mcgrady SG – Luther Head PG – David Wesley The Golden State Warriors, a great young team who thanks to Luther Head’s three pointer and Tracy Mcgrady’s game saving block gave us a narrow victory a few weeks back. In that game Yao took Foyle to school, but because the basketball gods can’t bare to see the Rockets do well, we won’t be seeing Yao for a long time coming. Jason Richardson shot lights out in the last game we played, and at the start David Wesley had trouble guarding Baron Davis, everyone on the team besides Foyle can shoot from the outside consistently and we all know how well the Rockets guard the perimeter when it comes to outside threats. Stromile Swift had his best game in a Rocket uniform against the New Orleans Hornets, scoring 26 points and grabbing 13 boards whereas T-Mac was a scoring machine, adding a season high 38 points and only 2 boards and 3 assists away from a triple double, but all didn’t mean anything in the end, as we lost 92-90. To win, well…Everyone will have to play well, I mean I know it’s said a lot, but I can’t see us winning if everyone just has average games, we barely won our last meeting against them and we were a lot more healthy then we are now. Maybe if T-Mac has another scoring exhibit and Stromile has another great game or if all our guards shoot over 50% then we’ll win, but I really can’t see it happening. But I hope I’m wrong. </div> Btw sorry previews little slack, was out all night for new years and I’m still a little tired, writing this at 4am in the morning…
Great preview, I'm not ripping on it but I just wanted to let you know that Ike Diogu starts at center now and Foyle is moved to the bench.
Fixed. The Rockets might be hard-pressed to win this game, even with the return of Rafer Alston. No one on the roster is capable of stopping Baron Davis, who made a game-winning shot last night against the Mavericks. Golden State might be a bit tired on the second game of a back-to-back, but the Rockets are depleted and overmatched at almost every position. This game could be ugly. Warriors by 11.
My preview <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> <div align="center">Golden State Warriors (16-14) vs. Houston Rockets (10-17)</div> Golden State Warriors Starting Lineup PG: Baron Davis SG: Jason Richardson SF: Mike Dunleavy PF: Troy Murphy C: Ike Diogu Head Coach: Mike Montgomery Warriors Keys To the Game - Back to back big games from the wings. Jason Richardson and B-Diddy had huge games last night against the Mavs. If they can do it again, the Warriors most likely will win. - Shut down T-Mac! T-Mac is likely to take the big burden for the Rockets with a Yao-less Rockets. He most likely will try to blow up for 30 points. The Warriors need to contain him tonight to come out with a win Warriors Sixth Men: PG/SG: Derek Fisher C: Adonal Foyle Warriors Notes: None <div align="center">Houston Rockets Starting Lineup</div> PG: Luther Head SG: David Weasley SF: Tracy McGrady PF: Juwan Howard C: Dikembe Mutumbo Head Coach: Jeff Van Gundy Rockets Keys To Game - Shut down Warriors wings. Baron Davis and Jason Richardson combined for 66 points against Dallas last night. Jason Richardson is coming off back-to-back 30 point games. If they can shut them down, they will have a huge advantage. - Hustle points. Last time the Warriors and the Rockets faced each other, Ryan Bowen had many hustle points from offensive rebounds and going for loose balls. If they do that tonight, it will give the Rockets an edge. Rockets Sixth Men: PF/C: Sromile Swift SF: Ryan Bowen Rockets Notes: None </div>
i think its not a good idea to play rafer today.... he said he will try to play... that probaly measn that hes not 100 percetn healed... which is bad... if we play him... baron davis would likely use his speed and go to the drive since alston doenst have his full speed yet.... warriors up by more than 5
Rockets trying to make a comeback right now. We haven't played that good up to now. It seems like we've been playing with more energy since Van Gundy got that tech.
They should've won this game. It was 76-73 with about 6 minutes to go but they let the lead get up to 13 points. If T-Mac could've hit just one of those 3's at the end.
It was a good effort. I can't wait till Yao gets back, but by then our record will be bad if we keep up with this pace. Stromile seems to be doing very very well these days so I guess that is a good sign.
yes... this is a game where we lost.. but i'm happy... it seems like tracy needs to work on his freethrow this season... hes not been consistance with it... last game must be swifts turning point casue once again he was dominate... howards been also stepping up... ( i think he still wants to be a starter when yaos back, and hes worry about swift) wesley and alston can't hit their three.... i expected alsto to have a shacky night... but not wesley... i think wesleyys surgery he had this summer made him a streaky shooter...
Man if stromile swift reallly does continue to play like this for the rest of the season we got ourselves something. Even though he displayed great post moves he should gain more accuracy down there which will come through time but man he was really explosive today. Imagine when yao gets back and stromile continues this and we have ourselves a great playoffs team ready to beat spurs becuz they only have one great player up front.
Stromile Swift has just had two good games in a row, let's not get caught up and call him a "great player" yet. He's had two-game stretches of brilliance earlier in the season, and our optimisim had already bitten us in the behind. I'd love to see him keep it up, but somehow I'm not willing to bet a cent on it. TMac is doing all he can to win but the help just isn't there. Rafer Alston went 1-5 from three, Wesley went 0-5, and the two guards combined for just six assists. Even more frustrating is the fact that Alston had one turnover for every assist he had, which was just 2, almost unheard of for a point guard who plays 35 minutes. TMac's free throw shooting is a concern too; he seems at times to not care about making them.
I was actually at the game tonight(first complete Rockets game I have seen this year). First off let me say the stats for this game are highly misleading. Tracy McGrady looked like a first team all-star on the stat sheet however he had a piss poor game. Period. Anyone who watched the game knew that for the first 42 minutes he was unimpressive but filled up the stat sheet in the last 6. His shot selection is piss poor. His shooting fundamentals are horrible. He never squares up on his shots and is always shooting off of one leg fading in one direction or the other. If it wasn't for his ability to get to the rim and the free throw line, he wouldn't be worth a damn. He really needs to get a shooting coach over the offseason, one that will teach him to square himself to the basket and stop fading. Overall I learned two things tonight for the Rockets. One is their shooting or lack their of. They are very hot/cold and when they aren't hitting, boy is it ugly. They don't really understand the concept of taking it to the rim when your shots aren't falling to help build momentum. Instead, they settle for contested, off-balance three pointers with 6 seconds or less left on the shot clock. Tracy McGrady is the worst at shot selection, his is absolutely deplorable. Another thing, is Mutumbo is not the answer on the offensive end. With Yao Ming out, the Rockets really need to let Howard/Swift play together for most of the game. Both showed tonight they can hit the midrange jumpshot. My only critique of them is when they are in the post. Neither of them will make a move when they are guarded by only one guy. Instead of scoring like they should with only one guy on them, they kick it out to the wing. Granted when the guards are on, that isn't a bad idea, but most of the time they are not. They are on the team for a reason, they need to go score. Here are the things I learned tonight in cliff notes form: 1. Tracy McGrady is a horrible shooter(form, accuracy and shot selection wise) 2. Swift and Howard aren't too shabby. 3. Moochie Norris needs to be cut. 4. Luther Head needs more touches in the offense. 5. The Rockets are very streaky shooters.
well... tracy isn't the problem except for his freethrows.... its just the guards... tracy is shooting when doubled casue i think he lost his faith in our guards.... swift looks confident...i'm pretty sure it wasn't for only 2 games.. we were all wating for alston and swift... unfortanly alston got injured but swift is looking great... last game IS SWIFTS TURNING POINT OF HIS CAREER
Good to see at least one more guy from the starting lineup actived. I still think, once Yao gets back, SKIP is the key to success. Drive and pitch is his game and the only other Rocket that does that is TMac to get others open shots. (Last game it was clear L.Head should be taking less outside jumpers and taking it to the basket). Swift. Double digit rebounds, commanded double teams at times, 2 games in a row. Hustle and motivation is what he has shown, and thats all he has ever needed. Lets go back and see how long its been since 2 games in a row with double digit rebounds? (Serious question) Somebody knows it!!!! Barry's shooting, D.A.'s threat, and big Yao. Who's quickest back playing? ALL Star Break at HOME is comming up and the Rockets need a run just like they had last year to even be considered as a playoff potential team.
T-Mac played great except for his FTs, and the second last shot. I think he knows it is too much burden to make a playoff comeback this season. He seems disappointed about the season so far. Swift looked awesome. Alston needs to pick up his game. I don't get how all of our role players all of a sudden can not hit an open shot and are streaky with their jumpers. Its really pissing me off. DAVID WESLEY IF YOU HIT THAT DAMN TECHNICAL with 3 min left T-MAC WOULD HAVE TIED THE GAME WITH 30 seconds (i think 30) left! Missed FT's cost us the game (except for Swifts).
