<div align="center"> <font color="red">Rockets (31-17)</font> vs <font color="blue">Mavericks (40-9)</font> Friday, February 9, 2007, American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX 7:30 Central; FSNSW, SportsRadio 610 AM </div> [div=50%] <div align="center"><font color="red"> <font size="1">(R. Alston, T. McGrady, S. Battier, J. Howard, D. Mutombo)</font></font> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Tracy McGrady - 24.0 PPG Leading Rebounder: Dikembe Mutombo - 6.9 RPG Assists Leader: Tracy McGrady - 6.3 APG </font></div> [/div] <div align="center"><font color="blue"> <font size="1">(D. Harris, J. Terry, J. Howard, D. Nowitzki, D. Diop)</font></font> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Dirk Nowitzki - 25.2 PPG Leading Rebounder: Dirk Nowitzki - 9.4 RPG Assists Leader: Jason Terry - 5.3 APG </font> </div> [div=50%] <div align="center"> <font size=""1""><font color="red">Luther Head (6th Man)</font></font></div> <font size="1"><div align="center">28.9 MPG, 11.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.4 APG</div></font> [/div] <div align="center"> <font size=""1""><font color="blue">Jerry Stackhouse (6th Man)</font></font> <font size="1">23.3 MPG, 10.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.1 APG</font> Predictions: <font color=""Red"">Rockets 100</font>, Mavericks 95</div> Keys To The Game: <font color=""Red"">Rockets:</font> T-Mac is coming off a great game against the grizzlies and had an OK shooting night. We need to really control the tempo of this game because last time even though T-Mac had a good shooting night, we still ended up losing. This is a big test for the Rockets and also we play the Mavericks again on Thursday. This game will prove alot and we can take the lead on the season series. This will also raise our confidence for some of our other games coming up. We cannot give up the lead in 3rd quarter if we have one because the Mavericks never lose if they are winning after the 3rd and we haven't won a game yet this season if we are trailing after 3 quarters. Mavericks are holding a 16-game winning streak at home so it will be tough. Mutumbo more BLOCKS!!! Dont give the lead on runs and transition D is a key. Also, don't give up the lead close the end of the 4th quarter. Contain Jason Terry and Josh Howard's jumpshot and the Rockets should be in it. Of course, it will be hard to contain Dirk but we can do our best with Battier or McGrady. Not sure if Bonzi will play in this game but if he doesn't we need points from Battier, Howard, Head, Alson, and others because its not guarenteed McGrady will have a great night. Also, Luther Head was snubbed by not being picked in the Foot Locket 3-Point Shootout so he needs to come out with energy and just shoot the ball. <font color=""Red"">Luther Head hit some 3's!! </font> <font color=""Blue"">Mavericks:</font> Keep Tmac from scoring more than 30. They have to exploit the matchup of Dirk and Howard because he can just shoot right over him. They are riding a 16-game winning streak at home so they need to use that to their advantage. The bench needs to produce and Stackhouse needs to give them energy with points. Terry is also a key player because he has been struggling in the season and he needs to hit some shots for them. The offense needs to go through Terry and Harris. Howard needs to give them some energy and Diop needs to defend and rebound inside. Cover luther head on 3's! This game is a big, big game for the Rockets. This game will prove that we are an elite team and also this will help incase we lose the next matchup which is just next week on Thursday. After coming of a great win against the Grizzlies, the Rockets have had plenty of rest and so I look for a good game from both teams but I wont be surprised if its a low scoring game. Also, the Rockets can take the lead in this season series and maybe finish this week off 4-0. This should be a great matchup for Rafer again because Jason Terry is good. I don't know who will guard Howard, im guessing Battier but he will be tough so the Rockets need to do good offensively. All the Rockets need to do is pickup their defense and not play Lazy then they should be in the game. This team is not a chippy team and they dont mess around and is considered the best team in the NBA not only recordwise but by skill too. If T-Mac has a bad shooting night he has to take it to the basket or someone has to pick up the slack offensively or the Rockets will be toast. Hope for a great game and may the best team win.
Great Preview......We're gonna need our role players to step up offensivley. Juwan is gonna have to give us 15+pts and Battier the same. Slowing the game down is not gonna work against teams like Dallas. We're gonna have to eventually score. Hopefully Bonzi's gonna play......
Nice Preview! To win this game which I think would be very hard, the Rockets must have a good shooting night as well as good defensive game. JVG must have learned his lesson well the last time when he failed to let his players defend the Mavs 3 point shooters that turned the tide around in Mavs favor. The Rockets need exceptional efforts from either Bonzi or Snyder if the Mavs goes small. Stackhouse and George is a mismatch for Head. It would be surely nice if we could steal this game from the Mavs to build momentum. This is where Yao would be missed but if our frontcourt continues to step up and TMac dominates again we might have a chance. Go Rockets!!!
We're down after the 1st half. But I like our energy tonight. I'm also please with the job Snyder gave us. NOTE TO JVG: PLAY SNYDER MORE!!
Blowout by the Mavs. Nice effort by the Rox, we held Nowitzki down, but the rest of the Mavs just love sticking it to the Rockets. At least our bench looks good, well after the game doesn't matter anymore...before that they only had 2 points. Sad that our starting players didn't stick around to support our bench and went to the bench, but eh...I guess it's better to put this game behind us and look for a win tomorrow and a 3 game win streak by the ASB. The NBA just had to wait until today to announce that Josh Howard is an All-Star. He kicked our as... EDIT: 1,000th post! Couldn't have come at a worser time.
Crap. I'm worried that the Rockets are going to trade Luther Head. I can feel it, he had a terrible game with turnovers and bad shooting, JVG got on his case. Corey Maggette is on my fantasy team, and he didn't play AGAIN tonight, and he said some bad things about Coach Dunleavy. I don't want him on the Rockets he's too injury prone damnit. I'm guessing the trades going to look something like Maggette for Luther, Sura, and Snyder (he got some pt today), and it looks like they probably didn't like what they saw so Bonzi is a big question mark. Bonzi, (Sura), and Head are way too much depth for Maggette. Err, I need Head!
Crap. I'm worried that the Rockets are going to trade Luther Head. He had a bad game with turnovers and not so great (1/9) shooting, JVG even got on his case. Corey Maggette is on my fantasy team, and he didn't play tonight AGAIN, and he said some bad things about Coach Dunleavy the other night. I don't want him on the Rockets he's too injury prone. I'm guessing the trade would look something like Maggette for Luther, Sura, and Snyder (he got some pt today), and it looks like the LAC probably didn't like what they saw so Bonzi is a big question mark. Bonzi, (Sura), and Head are way too much depth for Maggette. Both deals work! The Clippers would basically get to take there pick between Snyder and Bonzi. http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/trad...ams=12~12~12~10 I thought with Snyder it wouldn't work, but he makes enough. http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/trad...ams=12~12~12~10 I know the Rockets probably think Luther Head's stock is at an all time high and that the Clips could use some 3 point shooting and another post up presence, but this trade would be messed up. We never get to keep our youth. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3336 Maggete gets free throws and shoots them pretty good, and he attacks the rim, but he can't shoot from outside at all this season. I guess Head would fit nicely next to Livingston. --- Edit: I feel a little better knowing that the Rocekts probably wouldn't want Maggete's lucrative salary for the next 3 seasons. I don't know why I got so worried, I doubt the Clips need Head when they have Cattino Mobley.
I don't think the rockets are trading anyone.....we loss last night and it was expected....we can't compete with the mavs or suns without Yao and Bonzi....
