<div align="center"> <font color="red">Houston Rockets (44-26)</font> vs <font color="green">Milwaukee Bucks (25-43)</font> Monday, March 26, 2007, Toyota Center, Houston, TX 7:30 Central; FSNSW, SportsRadio 610 AM <font color="red"> <font size="1">(R. Alston, T. McGrady, S. Battier, C. Hayes, Y. Ming)</font></font> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Yao Ming - 24.6 PPG Leading Rebounder: Yao Ming - 9.3 RPG Assists Leader: Tracy McGrady - 6.3 APG </font> <font color="green"> <font size="1">(M. Williams, M. Redd, C. Bell, E. Ilyasova, B. Skinner)</font></font> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Michael Redd - 26.9 PPG Leading Rebounder: Brian Skinner - 5.5 RPG Assists Leader: Maurice Williams - 6.3 APG </font> <font size=""1""><font color="red">Luther Head (6th Man)</font></font> <font size="1"><div align="center">27.6 MPG, 10.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.4 APG</div></font><font size=""1""><font color="green">Earl Boykins (6th Man)</font></font> <font size="1">30.3 MPG, 14.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 4.3 APG</font> Predictions: <font color=""Red"">Rockets 95</font>, Bucks 85</div> Keys To The Game: <font color=""Red"">Rockets:</font> T-Mac had an good game after the loss against the Hornets. Yao was playing pretty good but needs to stay more positive on the offensive side of games. The Rockets had a great offense after blowing a few games before and the Rockets need to continue that. Bonzi may also play in this game if JVG lets him so it will be good for the Rockets. T-Mac needs to continue the offense but also now the Rockets need to start using Yao on offense alot because the Rockets will need it for the playoffs. The Rockets defense needs to continue and they need to lower the opp ppg. We have to contain Maurice Williams and Michael Redd because they are great shooters. Juwan needs to continue to do good, and Yao also needs to continue and do a good job on Ilyasova. The Rockets need to rebound, score, and defend. Charlie Bell and Brian Skinner are big players to so they need to contain them. The Rockets have to contain the penetration of Maurice Williams. <font color=""Red"">Luther Head hit some 3's!! </font> <font color=""green"">Bucks:</font> Keep Tmac from scoring more than 30. The Bucks need to rebound and get points in the paint. Williams should continue what he is doing and keep scoring on and on. The Bucks need to run Redd off of picks and screens so he can make shots. Earl Boykins will come off the bench so he needs to contribute well and they also need Skinner to score. The bench needs to produce and Patterson needs to give them energy with Points. Bell is also a key player because he is offensive minded and he can help the Bucks on the offensive end. Williams needs to use his perimeter offense to force the Rockets to open the paint a little bit. Use Redd to space out the offense and give Skinner the ball from time to time on offense to score on Yao so he can ware Yao down. The offense needs to go through Williams and Redd. Cover luther head on 3's! <font color=""Black"">Bottom Line:</font> This is another game to help the Rockets to get a home court advantage in the playoffs so the Rockets need to win this. The Rockets need a streak because every good team has been on a streak lately and they need to prove that they are good and also to clinch the playoff berth. The Bucks have been struggling with injuries and just not playing good so the Rockets would just need to close the game out early. 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 defense and not play Lazy then they will win. If the Rockets can close the game out well they will come away with the victory. The Hornets are still a tough team to beat because they have Skinner at the C to contain Yao and Ilyasova at PF and they are both tall players, nonetheless the Rockets should do good. The Rockets won the game earlier in Milwaukee so the Rockets need to do the same here in Houston. If the Rockets can win this, they will clinch the playoff berth. Bogut is out for the rest of the season so the Rockets just need to keep feeding Yao the ball because Skinner cannot guard him. Hope for a great game at Toyota Center and may the best team win.
Nice preview! and please, no more of these posts: "Prediction: Rockets 108, Hornets 91" "My prediction: Houston 87, Hornets 73" "They have no peja and with Yao back i think we should take this game" Well, not so much the last one. It seems like the Rockets players go with the tide (in Houston.)
<div class="quote_poster">igotask8board Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Nice preview! and please, no more of these posts: "Prediction: Rockets 108, Hornets 91" "My prediction: Houston 87, Hornets 73" "They have no peja and with Yao back i think we should take this game" Well, not so much the last one. It seems like the Rockets players go with the tide (in Houston.)</div> blah.. I cant stop putting that, I just have to predict the win.. The Hornets loss is just a bad history that the Rockets have with them since T-Mac has come over, just like the losses to the Hawks.. They seriously had no peja so we should have taken it.. In reality, jynx is a myth.. I dont believe in it so I just wanna state my opinion on the outcome of the game.. But if we lose this game, ill stop putting that
Rockets in a blowout. This is encouraging after what we saw last night. At least the team doesn't seem to get down after losses. Seems like Chuck Hayes isn't okay.
<div class="quote_poster">igotask8board Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Please tell me Chuck Hayes is okay!</div> Noooo what happened? Couldnt watch the game today.
Wow, Rockets in a blowout but I think Jeff is trying to make a point by leaving the starters in.........so far T-mac looked like he tweaked his shoulder, Juwon was holding his knee in pain, Damn were up by 20 what in the hell goes thru this guys head???
Good game...Horrible coaching. Chuck Hayes unfortunatley went down with a shoulder injury. But gotta luv the fact that our lead increased with Howard in the starting line up. Within the first few minutes of Howard starting, he got a steal, a few offensive rebounds along with some points. If Hayes is out for some time, atleast we know we have somebody who's gonna get the job done. NOTE TO JVG: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING? In a time where teams are tryna get everybody healthy for the playoffs, is it really neccesary to play ur starters in a blow out? If that's not bad enough, Howard left the game with a banged knee In my opinion, these are the little things that prevent JVG from bein a "great" coach in this league. A "great" coach doesn't risk a silly injury by leaving his starters out in a blow out game. Another wreckless decision by JVG
<div class="quote_poster">Schaddy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">^ What point would he be making? We already know we're really, really bad </div> Not a point against the Bucks, we blew a lead last night and I think Jeff is trying to get the guys to "finish" a game properly. I just hope his decicion making doesn't backfire! Chuck is down and like I said earlier Juwon went down and was holding his knee. Anybody got a update on J-ho?
<div class="quote_poster">Rock4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Good game...Horrible coaching. NOTE TO JVG: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING? In a time where teams are tryna get everybody healthy for the playoffs, is it really neccesary to play ur starters in a blow out? If that's not bad enough, Howard left the game with a banged knee In my opinion, these are the little things that prevent JVG from bein a "great" coach in this league. A "great" coach doesn't risk a silly injury by leaving his starters out in a blow out game. Another wreckless decision by JVG</div> JVG has control issues............
<div class="quote_poster">Blurr#7 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">JVG has control issues............</div> Absolutley! Which is why he isn't mentioned in the same breath as other great coaches, he's too damn stubborn. At this point in the season, why risk injury in game like this Also, when the HELL is Bonzi gonna be activated!
<div class="quote_poster">Rock4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Absolutley! Which is why he isn't mentioned in the same breath as other great coaches, he's too damn stubborn. At this point in the season, why risk injury in game like this Also, when the HELL is Bonzi gonna be activated!</div> When everyone is on the injured list because JVG has to make a point!!!
^(Rock4life) Yea, umm if Hayes misses a few weeks (don't get too excited now Rock - j/k) I wonder if he will be used in the playoffs if he does come back around that time. Now, let's see if JVG sticks to his word about that 8-8.5 man rotation. Exit Chuck, insert Bonzi. It only makes sense. J-Ho, and Battier are the only two players who can play the 4 so I'm assuming Battier will log 10-12 minutes at the 4 opening up some playing time for Bonzay. <div class="quote_poster">Blurr#7 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Not a point against the Bucks, we blew a lead last night and I think Jeff is trying to get the guys to "finish" a game properly. I just hope his decicion making doesn't backfire! Chuck is down and like I said earlier Juwon went down and was holding his knee. Anybody got a update on J-ho?</div> Not sure, but I think it was just a bruised knee. I saw him on the bench with an ice pack on his knee. Ugh, the Jazz won. Edit: Any one else think we're gonna finish the season with only one loss to the Jazz? Point is, Phoenix will be resting there players for the playoffs against us...I'm sure they'd want us to tire out if not beat Dallas. They (Phoenix) know they match up well against us.
I doubt we'll see Bonzi, despite the injury to Chuck. If Chuck misses any games, Juwan will just have to play heavy minutes (probably 35-40 minutes). He's proven he's capable of playing effectively with heavy minutes, so I'm not too worried. Hopefully Dikembe will be available on the road trip to help out defensively and on the boards. The team didn't look very good to me again, but Milwauke is such a sorry team right now that we didn't have trouble beating them anyways. Yao is slumping a lot the last few games. He needs to play better. We're going to have to play even smaller if Chuck misses games, so Yao has to rebound better.
Chuck will hopefully be ok, He is a very strong player, Nonetheless we clinched the playoffs and now its on against Utah who just freakin won against the Wizards, but we still play them twice and they play dallas so theres no excuses for the Rockets not to get it, We need to win this west coast road trip first in LA... Then we can talk about the Utah game coming up on Sunday. Yao needs to get his shooting stroke back.. T-Mac had a great game and hopefully again Chuck Hayes can play, Mutombo needs to get back ASAP so we can get our final rotation ready for the playoffs, and MAYBE just MAYBE get Bonzi in the rotation because he gives us a load off the bench if we have him before the playoffs come so we can sort out the chemistry and such
Yup....Bonzi should've BEEN activated. But now is time more than ever. Like I said, at this point of the season the best teams are getting everybody healthy for the playoffs. That's what any good coach would do. Why Bonzi isn't playin is JVG's personal reasons. But to hold silly grudges that could backfire in the long term is something "great" coaches don't do. I can't control if Bonzi plays in the playoffs. But if he doesn't, then it'll reflect the team and the coach. JVG is on the hotseat right now. So if sabotaging Bonzi's minutes actually costs JVG his job in Houston, then so be it One thing I DO know in a blow out win, theres NO WAY in hell ur starters should be playin in the 4th quarter. Another mind boggling decision by our coach On a brighter note, Juwan did in a EXCELLENT job of coming in and starting alongside Yao (like I've been sayin) Despite a couple naysayers, Howard proved that the Rockets can be just as, if not more dominant with him starting . It shouldn't have taken a injury for Howard to be starting, this could've been like this ALL year.
good win. congrats on playoff clinch. we knew it was gonna happen, but feels good. its official like a referee with a whistle.
<div class="quote_poster">jealous? Wrote</div><div class="quote_post"> its official like a referee with a whistle.</div> how long have u been waiting to get that out?
<div class="quote_poster">Rock4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">On a brighter note, Juwan did in a EXCELLENT job of coming in and starting alongside Yao (like I've been sayin) Despite a couple naysayers, Howard proved that the Rockets can be just as, if not more dominant with him starting . It shouldn't have taken a injury for Howard to be starting, this could've been like this ALL year.</div> We could have been playing a tanking Bucks team at home all year? Juwan played ok, not great (4-12, 3 turnovers), and this was about as unimpressive a win as it gets. Not surprised you thought otherwise, though.
