<div align="center"><font color="green">Sonics (28-41)</font> at <font color="red">Rockets (30-40)</font> Wednesday, March 29th, 2006 Toyota Center, Houston 7:30 CT; FSNSW and NBALP </div> [div=50%] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"><font color="green"> <font size="1">(Luke Ridnour, Ray Allen Rashard Lewis, Johan Petro, Chris Wilcox)</font></font></div> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Ray Allen - 24.8 PPG Leading Rebounder: Robert Swift - 5.8 RPG Assist Man: Luke Ridnour - 7.0 APG The 'X' Factor: Johan Petro (5.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 0.7 BPG)</font> [/div] <font size="3">Projected Starters</font> <div align="center"><font color="red"> <font size="1">(Rafer Alston, Luther Head Keith Bogans, Yao Ming, Juwan Howard) </font></font></div> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Yao Ming - 22.1 PPG Leading Rebounder: Yao Ming - 10.2 RPG Assist Man: Rafer Alston - 6.6 APG The 'X' Factor: Luther Head (8.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.5 APG)</font> <font size="3">Keys to the Game</font><ul>[*]<font color="red">Contain Big Two</font> - Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen are two of the NBA's best outside shooters and they can light it up when they're hot. The Rockets have to keep them out of their comfort zone in order to have a chance of winning.[*]<font color="red">Yao Keeps It Up</font> - Yao Ming has been on a tear since the All-Star break, and he'll have to keep it up tonight. Against rookie Johan Petro and second-year Robert Swift, Yao should have his way and go off for 30.[*][*]<font color="green">Draw Fouls</font> - With Yao Ming the biggest offensive threat the Rockets have by far, the Sonics will take away a lot of Houston's advantage in the post if they attack the basket and get Yao into foul trouble early.[*]<font color="green">The Outside J</font> - Seattle lives and dies by the outside jumper, and their shooters will need to have their shots falling tonight. Make some three-pointers and it will open up the lanes for Ray Allen to drive into the lane.[*][/list] <font size="3">Prediction</font> Yao Ming dominates the Sonics' big men down low but gets torched by Ray Allen. Chris Wilcox has been on a tear lately and he should have yet another good game against Juwan Howard, who is much slower and less athletic. Seattle will get out on the break often and get a lead on the Rockets that way. Blowout going Seattle's way. Rockets: L, Sonics: W
Go Sonics!... Rockets plz lose.. And ray allen plz hit another gamewinning 3.. rockets better lose, so we can get a good pick.. Im a be mad if they win!..
If Rockets can lose this won, they'll pull ahead of Seattle in the lottery race. JVG needs to give Juwan Howard, Ryan Bowen, and Rick Brunson plenty of minutes if we're going to pull out the loss.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">If Rockets can lose this won, they'll pull ahead of Seattle in the lottery race. JVG needs to give Juwan Howard, Ryan Bowen, and Rick Brunson plenty of minutes if we're going to pull out the loss.</div> EXACTLY what i was thinking.
give hayes and the other bench players more time... when ur gonnna lose, y not let the bench people get some playing time.. y let them rott on the bench?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Umair15:</div><div class="quote_post">give hayes and the other bench players more time... when ur gonnna lose, y not let the bench people get some playing time.. y let them rott on the bench?</div> Play Hayes too much and the Rockets might actually win. No, I say we stick with the lineup JVG's been using. If it works, why mess with it?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">Play Hayes too much and the Rockets might actually win. No, I say we stick with the lineup JVG's been using. If it works, why mess with it? </div> This is halarious..LOL I can't believe these massages are from Rockets' fans. Hope Rockets can do better next season~
My god, we're up by 30 before halftime. I can't believe how bad Seattle's defense is. It almost makes you wonder if they're purposely tanking the game.
Oh dammit we are up by 40. 76-36.. god dang.. how are we up by like 40 points with like 7:00 to go in the 3rd quarter.. My prediction... Rockets 106- Sonics 74
Seems Swift woke up on the right side of the bed today. He's been a factor. Yao's having his most complete game of the season, too bad I have a bye this week in my fantasy league. Richie Frahm has dropped 3 threes, and Ray Allen was 1-13. Whoever's watching: is Head doing that good a job defensively? Rockets up 29.
Wow. It really makes me wonder if Seattle is throwing this game. Their defense is letting Yao pretty much do whatever he wants out there, and whenever they even try to collapse on him, he kicks it back out for one of the wingmen to drop the jumper. I think this is the first time this year we've blown a team out. I guess its better we're not the ones (almost) purposely blowing it and losing by thirty.
Umm they have a weak rookie guarding him of course yao will dominate. GOOD JOB STRO better do that every game. Time for Mr.Lampe to shine!
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">GOOD JOB STRO better do that every game. </div> LOL. Thats like asking if you'll win the lottery again.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AznxBaller:</div><div class="quote_post">Wow. It really makes me wonder if Seattle is throwing this game. Their defense is letting Yao pretty much do whatever he wants out there, and whenever they even try to collapse on him, he kicks it back out for one of the wingmen to drop the jumper. I think this is the first time this year we've blown a team out. I guess its better we're not the ones (almost) purposely blowing it and losing by thirty.</div> I believe this is the Rockets second blowout, the first coming against the Clippers. Yao has done a nice job of filling up the boxscore, with 29 pts, 10 rebs, 5 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk, 2 to, and 2 pf. Swift looked like he complimented Yao pretty well when he was out there, but I am basing this on the play-by-play on Yahoo. Yao assisted Swift on two dunks, and Swift assisted Yao on one of his shots. I'm glad the Rockets are still trying to win. There is no guarantee that if the Rockets get a high draft pick that he will become a good player. Looking at this game you'll see high picks that have so far not lived up to their supposed potential. Stromile Swift (#2 pick), Chris Wilcox (#8 pick), and you might also call Danny Fortson (#10), Nick Collison (#12), and maybe even Juwan Howard (#5) dissapointing considering their high draft status. The possibility of drafting crap is almost as high as drafting a real gem. They should spend the remaining games to develop the games of the players currently on the team.
