<div align="center"> <font color="red">Rockets (36-24)</font> vs <font color="green">Celtics (17-42)</font> Wednesday, March 7, 2007, TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA 6:30 Central; Ch.51, SportsRadio 610 AM <font color="red"> <font size="1">(R. Alston, T. McGrady, S. Battier, J. Howard, Y. Ming)</font></font> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Yao Ming - 25.5 PPG Leading Rebounder: Yao Ming - 9.5 RPG Assists Leader: Tracy McGrady - 6.0 APG </font> <font color="green"> <font size="1">(D. West, P. Pierce, B. Scalabrine, A. Jefferson, K. Perkins)</font></font> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Paul Pierce - 25.4 PPG Leading Rebounder: Al Jefferson - 11.1 RPG Assists Leader: Delonte West - 4.6 APG </font> <font size=""1""><font color="red">Luther Head (6th Man)</font></font> <font size="1"><div align="center">28.0 MPG, 10.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.4 APG</div></font><font size=""1""><font color="green">Ryan Gomes (6th Man)</font></font> <font size="1">32.0 MPG, 12.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.8 APG</font> Predictions: <font color=""Red"">Rockets 85</font>, Celtics 75</div> Keys To The Game: <font color=""Red"">Rockets:</font> T-Mac had a bad game after the terrible loss to the Cavaliers. Yao is back and now the big fella needs the ball in the most and should be our 1st scoring option. The Rockets again didn't have the offense against the Cavs and they really need it to win so we need scoring from everywhere because Yao and T-Mac can't do everything on the offensive end. Bonzi may also play in this game so it will be good for the Rockets. The Rockets really need a winning streak of at least 10 games starting now to get the 3rd seed in the West. T-Mac needs to score along with everyone else because our defense in that last 10 games has been TERRIBLE. I can't tell you how bad the Rockets have played Defense but you can tell by the slippage from 1 to 2 in opp. ppg. The last game T-Mac had a bad offensive game so he needs to take it to the whole. We have to contain Paul Pierce because he is a great scorer. Juwan Howard has been in a slump shooting the ball so he needs to step up. The Rockets need to rebound, score, and defend. These March games need to start positive with wins so we really need this for the hunt of the 3rd/4th seed. <font color=""Red"">Luther Head hit some 3's!! </font> <font color=""green"">Celtics:</font> Keep Tmac from scoring more than 30. The Celtics need to keep their scoring efficiently because the Rockets will be hungry for this win coming of a loss to the Cavs. The Celtics are good with Pierce so they need to use him for the offense alot. Ryan Gomes can provide alot off the bench but Gerald Green needs to help score because the Rockets look like this game will be a Defensive game from the Rockets. The bench needs to produce and Jefferson needs to give them energy with everything. Perkins is also a key player because he has been outstanding and West too. The offense needs to go through West and Pierce. Cover luther head on 3's! <font color=""Black"">Bottom Line:</font> This game needs to be won by the Rockets. There are no more excuses left for the Rockets because they have everyone and is necessary to start winning again and clinch the playoff berth ASAP. The Rockets lost the game earlier last week and it was without T-Mac and Yao and the Celtics came back so the Rockets really need to close out. T-Mac suffered a minor injury in both knees against the Cavs monday but he should be fine. The Rockets mainly need to score because you cannot win a game if you do not score. All the Rockets need to do is pickup their offense and not play Lazy then they should win. If the Rockets can close the game out well they will come away with the victory. Hope for a great game and may the best team win.
Nice Preview! This should be a winnable game for the Rockets. Enough of the bad shooting and half hearted defense. The Rockets have shot poorly in their losses after All Star Break especially at home. Hopefully Yao will have adjusted to playing ball. With TMac and Yao on the lineup the Celtics will have their hands full.
I hope Deke is okay. It looks like he hyperextended his knee. Who was it Leone Powe? He fell on Deke's knee very similar to the injury Yao recieved when Tim Thomas fell on his knee. Let's just pray for the best. Now Yao is hurt. He jammed his finger on Olawakandi's arm........Phew, He's okay. He is trying to get back into the game with his two fingers taped together. Keep it up tracymcgrady_01 Bullard just said it was a bruised knee for Deke. Let's hope it's nothing more, because we heard that before.
Yao wanted to get back in the game after he got his fingers taped, but stubborn JVG wouldnt let him. Yao only played 18 mins. Yao should have played more to "get back in form" against a weak team such as the Celtics. Hopefully Deke is okay. When Yao went down they said it was just a bruised knee too, but we all know that turned into 3 months.
<div class="quote_poster">durvasa Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Great game by the Rockets. Everyone played well (well, except Luther).</div> Luther scored 8 points on 3/5 shooting (2/4 from three), had 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 3 turnovers in 26 minutes. I missed the first 5 minutes of the third quarter, did he make any of his 'rookie' mistakes? Shane Battier played well except for the 5/15 shooting, but most of those shots were 3s in which he went 5/11. How about Juwan Howard and Chuck Hayes? They combined for 27 points on 12/20 shooting, 16 rebounds, 2 steals (Hayes), and 2 blocked shots (Howard).
<div class="quote_poster">igotask8board Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Luther scored 8 points on 3/5 shooting (2/4 from three), had 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 3 turnovers in 26 minutes. I missed the first 5 minutes of the third quarter, did he make any of his 'rookie' mistakes?</div> Those numbers look pretty good. Some dumb ballhandling turnovers stood out for me, though.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Yao wanted to get back in the game after he got his fingers taped, but stubborn JVG wouldnt let him. Yao only played 18 mins. Yao should have played more to "get back in form" against a weak team such as the Celtics.</div> Meh, I'm not really complaining. He'll work himself back into regular minutes. Its probably best to be cautious with injuries and conditioning and just let him rest for all the chances we get. Most the times we're not going to have blowouts like these, so I'm sure Yao will get plenty of chances to play back to the thirty minutes per game form. Besides, he played a decent amount of minutes the last game against the Cavaliers as well, so its not like he's having too many problems conditioning himself for games. Anyways, good game for everyone, and props for not underestimating a team like a Celtics. After what they did to us last time, I'm sure the Rockets didn't take them lightly tonight. Hayes definitely plays much better with Yao in the lineup, and overall the team looked like it was playing very well. I'm sort of concerned about Mutombo though, he's on both my fantasy teams. Oh well, hopefully its nothing because we definitely need him in the playoffs. To be honest though, I'm kind of surprised Spanoulis didn't get much burn time during the garbage minutes of the fourth quarter though.
<div class="quote_poster">AznxBaller Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Meh, I'm not really complaining. He'll work himself back into regular minutes. Its probably best to be cautious with injuries and conditioning and just let him rest for all the chances we get. Most the times we're not going to have blowouts like these, so I'm sure Yao will get plenty of chances to play back to the thirty minutes per game form. Besides, he played a decent amount of minutes the last game against the Cavaliers as well, so its not like he's having too many problems conditioning himself for games. Anyways, good game for everyone, and props for not underestimating a team like a Celtics. After what they did to us last time, I'm sure the Rockets didn't take them lightly tonight. Hayes definitely plays much better with Yao in the lineup, and overall the team looked like it was playing very well. I'm sort of concerned about Mutombo though, he's on both my fantasy teams. Oh well, hopefully its nothing because we definitely need him in the playoffs. To be honest though, I'm kind of surprised Spanoulis didn't get much burn time during the garbage minutes of the fourth quarter though.</div> I have noticed that Head always gets the 2-guard position during our garbage mins. And we rarely "use" our garbage mins. So its not look good for Vspan.
Vspan was soooo out of form last game he played...forgot which but he had 3 TO in like 2 mins... if mutombo has the similar or same injury as yao....maybe that means he's done for his career???...he's so old and indeed, he wont recover as quick as yao
didn't catch the game last night, because I was studyin but it's nice to know we got the W against a team we should beat....
Bill Simmons did a running diary for this game: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/blog/index?name=simmons Just wanted to post this little snippet: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> "8:29 -- Hey, you know who's one of the most underrated guys in the league? Chuck Hayes, that's who. Bangs the boards, solid defender, makes 3-4 hustle plays a game, doesn't do anything he can't do and his name makes him sound like the star of an ABC legal drama. Just a lot to like." </div> Keep it up Chuck.
<div class="quote_poster">THE DREAM Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">didn't catch the game last night, because I was studyin but it's nice to know we got the W against a team we should beat....</div> I wish I had your will power to study over a Rockets game. I ended up doing a presentation on prozac.
