<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Shawn Marion's latest effort apparently wasn't as good as his previous one. Marion, fresh off a pair of huge games, hopes to help the surging Phoenix Suns to a seventh straight win when they visit the Houston Rockets. Marion had 31 points and a career-high 24 rebounds in Phoenix's 136-121 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday. That effort came after a career-high 44-point, 15-rebound effort in Wednesday's 103-94 win over the Boston Celtics. "Shawn Marion scored 31 points and (had) 24 rebounds and didn't play as well as he did in the last game," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. "He is on a roll. He is just amazing." Marion became the first Sun to score at least 30 points and grab at least 20 rebounds since Charles Barkley had 34 points and 26 rebounds on March 24, 1995. Marion easily recorded his league-leading 42nd double-double by halftime -- his ninth in 10 games -- to help the Suns rally from a 74-68 halftime deficit. "We came out with a little more energy in the second half and we were more aggressive," Marion said. "We started getting deflections and we got more active in the passing lanes and that opened the game for us in the third quarter. Then, we got stops when we needed to." Although the Suns are accustomed to playing high-scoring games, the poor defensive effort in the first half against the lowly Bobcats is something Phoenix wants to avoid. "We have to be more active against Houston Rockets to win against them," D'Antoni said. "Our offense is good and easy and we scored so many points tonight and we didn't really have James Jones tonight and we have to get him back." Jones returned after missing two games with a sprained right wrist and was ineffective, missing all nine shots in 28 minutes off the bench. Houston, meanwhile, continues to make a push toward the .500 level. The Rockets won for the 10th time in 12 games, 89-84 over the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Yao Ming turned in his third straight double-double with 29 points and 11 rebounds. Yao is averaging 21.3 points and 10.8 rebounds over the last 12 games, including eight double-doubles. </div> Preview Courtesy of Yahoo
I really think the chances of us making the playoffs go from 30% to 15% if we lose to them. And 30%-45% if we win today. This game means a lot.
With the absence of Kurt Thomas, I'm expecting Yao to at least score in double digits, something he hasn't done when facing Phoenix this season. As of late, Yao's been great, holding up the fort when McGrady has his bad nights. If he can dominate the paint, which is a little unlikely, we will have a great chance to win. This is a very important game. But, we are only 3 games from LA Lakers now, and the playoffs are closer in reach in this season than ever before.
I'm having one of those Tmac feelings tonight......I think he'll go for at least 40...and the rockets will win 110 - 99.
I wonder how Yao will do with the double teams. If Yao buckles, the rockets will buckle and lose. Unless tmac has a monster game. I don't know if the rockets can stop nash. THey should have used Dallas's tactics on nash by trapping him and doubling but I don't know if he can be stopped by the rockets defenders
wooooow the Rockets just exploded into a 11-2 run in the first q and its 23-13 right now keep it up! plus yao got 11 points and 6 rebounds in 9 minutes!
So far Juwan has had two of his shots bocked. Does anyone get their shots blocked as much as Juwan. I am following the game on the internet, and it seems like the Suns have no answer for Yao. To those watching the game, what has been the Suns gameplan against Yao?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting evolidiot:</div><div class="quote_post">So far Juwan has had two of his shots bocked. Does anyone get their shots blocked as much as Juwan. I am following the game on the internet, and it seems like the Suns have no answer for Yao. To those watching the game, what has been the Suns gameplan against Yao?</div> They're not allowing Yao to easily post up, as in the last game. In the first quarter, the Rockets did a good job getting Yao the ball while he's moving, like with lob passes. In the second quarter, they put a more traditional big on him, and Yao got it in the post, but they quickly doubled and tripled him and he passed it out. But our perimeter guys largely hesitated on the outside, and we struggled to get good shots. We're still leaving too many three point shooters open, but it's either that or give Nash a lane to the basket.
I don't think any center in the league can stop yao one on one now and his rebounding and presences is dominating now. Problem is his teammates have not picked it up enough for us to win every game.
Turning point was in the late 3rd quarter. Rafer missed 2 open threes when we were winning by a couple. That's 2 possessions gone and then marion scores 6 straight points and rocks panicked from there. Rafer committed a couple more turnovers so the games over in the 4th. It'ssux since if they kept it close till the 4th we would have had a chance.
crap! only Yao and Howard did great today, everyone else was pretty lame (except maybe Bogans) at least Lampe looked good in garbage minutes!
Lampe did pretty well from a stand sheet point of view but from people who saw the game is there any chance of him cracking the rotation with that performance like be a second back up to yao or maybe get some time in pf?
I was actually gonna jump back on the "lets get to the playoffs" bandwagon but they just crushed my heart, once again. Now I'm just pissed at the team for winning those past three games.
Only positive for Rockets fans is Yao bumps his averages up to 20.4 points and 9.9 rebounds for the season. In the last 4 games, Yao has played well facing a variety of defenses. Against Phoenix, he also got 5 assists and 0 turnovers. Very impressive stuff. If we had even an average game from Tracy and David Wesley, I think we could have won.
Why does everyone think that playoff is impossible in today's defeat? We should have understood the defeat at Suns before it played a game
Mcgrady really needs to come out of his coma of mediocrity. At this point I would suggest we start Keith Bogans. If personal problems are still affecting his game, than maybe it might be best for him and the team to take some time off. For the past few weeks he has been as inconsistent as Stromile. 0 FT's for someone like his is really dissappointing. And ou guards needs to start making some shots. I would love to have one of the Suns shooters.
