<div align="center"> <p align="left"><u><font size="5">Rockets vs. Jazz</font></u></p> </p> <p align="left"><font size="3">Starters</font><font size="3">:</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3"><u>Rockets</u></font></p> <p align="left"></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">SF-Shane Battier</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">PF-Chuck Hayes</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">C-Yao Ming</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">SG-Tracy McGrady</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">PG-Rafer Alston</font></p> <p align="left"></p> <p align="left"><font size="3"><u>Jazz</u></font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">SF-Andrei Kirilenko</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">PF-Carlos Boozer</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">C-Memo Okur</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">SG-Ronnie Brewer</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">PG-Deron Williams</font></p> <p align="left"></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">Predictions, comments? Throw them all in here.</font></p> </div>
Even though the Rockets beat the Lakers, I wasn't very impressed with their team. The Rockets scored a lot of their points off Laker turnovers and second chance opportunities. They won't have those same advantages against Utah.</p> They mentioned during the Rocket-Laker game that the Houston players were hurt all summer from the Game 7 loss in the playoffs. They've been waiting the entire offseason to get some vindication back against the Jazz. This will play a factor in the game, but Utah looked dominating in the Warrior game. They finally have a shooting guard who plays on both ends of the floor and everything else was clockwork for them in the Warrior game.</p> Rafer Alston trying to matchup with Deron Williams has doom written all over it.</p>
Well, the Rockets won again tonight, much thanks to TMac's 47 on 13-23 shooting. He's back, ladies and gentlemen; 30 points in the first game and now 47.</p> Yao had a miserable game though, had only 11 points on 5-14 shooting and 6 turnovers. He did have 5 blocks. In other news, Steve Francis didn't play again.</p>
You forgot to give props to Scola! 9 rebounds and 7 points off the bench in just 28 minutes. Another big game by Mike James with 15 points and 7 assists off the bench. Rockets bench has been the difference in their first two games of the season.</p>
Tracy McGrady was phenomenal in this game. After a poor start, I thought the Rockets played some great team defense, with Battier and Hayes leading the way. Yao was a force near the basket with 5 blocks, but he simply can not hope to contain Carlos Boozer. Scola was improved in this game, and should only get better . James will be a great 6th man for us.</p>
Scola did play an awesome game. If we talk about him though we also need to mention Chuck Hayes' rebounding. He's just a beast when it comes to the boards. If the Hayes/Scola tandem can combine for 22 rebounds each game, we'd be set.</p> I'm also reluctant to say anything good about Mike James because I want Francis to get some minutes. </p>
What a game! Tmac lit it up throughout the whole game and I was really impressed by his jumpers. Boozer is still killing us from the mid range and the drive-ins. I love Mike James energy off the bench, he really helped us comeback from the deficit in the first quarter. Great game! Props to Tmac with the big game, he made up for Yao poor performance</p>
Impressive game solely from a Stats prospective. We shot 48.8% from the field and 76.7% from the FT line. We had 9 steals and 8 blocks while only committing 14 turnovers.</p> I think that turnover stat is really impressive considering it was only the second game of the year and that we had 18 versus the Lakers on Opening night. TMAC had a great game 47 points, but whats most impressive to me is that he had those points on 63% shooting. Considering I absolutely hate his shootingform, I do have to commend him so far this season on his shooting (50% vs. Lakers).</p> One area for concern though is we did lose the rebounding battle 41 to 44 and gave up 15 offensive rebounds. Yao Ming only having 7 rebounds in a game is unexceptable. He should grab 10 a game.</p>
Luis Scola had a whopping +18 in last night's victory.</p> Here's the +/- for all the other Rockets:</p> Mutombo +1 Head +9 Wells +6 James +10 Scola +18 Yao -4 Battier +1 Alston +1 Hayes +7 TMac +6</p> Complete Gameflow</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Tracy McGrady was phenomenal in this game. After a poor start, I thought the Rockets played some great team defense, with Battier and Hayes leading the way. Yao was a force near the basket with 5 blocks, but he simply can not hope to contain Carlos Boozer. Scola was improved in this game, and should only get better . James will be a great 6th man for us.</div></p> I don't know why we don't start Scola?...I love Hayes and what he brings to the team, but his lack of length hurts us, because we have to put Yao on Boozer...and like you said that just doesn't work....my bet is that he's starting before the season ends.......and Tmac looked like a man on a mission last night........he's so much better when he takes the ball to the basket..............so far I'm loving the make up of this team.........good defensively, have plenty of scorers, and we have depth........James and Bonzi will be a nightmare for any team we match up against.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hunter)</div><div class='quotemain'>One area for concern though is we did lose the rebounding battle 41 to 44 and gave up 15 offensive rebounds. Yao Ming only having 7 rebounds in a game is unexceptable. He should grab 10 a game.</div></p> Yeah, we got whooped on the boards. 32% offensive rebounding percentage for them, compared to only 24% for us. But Utah is the best rebounding team in the league, and our defensive rebounding is bound to go down because we're looking to run more.</p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (THE DREAM)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> I don't know why we don't start Scola?...I love Hayes and what he brings to the team, but his lack of length hurts us, because we have to put Yao on Boozer...and like you said that just doesn't work....my bet is that he's starting before the season ends.......and Tmac looked like a man on a mission last night........he's so much better when he takes the ball to the basket..............so far I'm loving the make up of this team.........good defensively, have plenty of scorers, and we have depth........James and Bonzi will be a nightmare for any team we match up against.</p> </div></p> Dream, I have to correct you here. Chuck Hayes defended Boozer when Yao went to the bench, not Scola. And Hayes did an excellent job on him.</p> The reason Yao is assigned to Boozer isn't because Hayes isn't capable of doing a better job (he absolutely is, based on games last year, including the playoffs, and this game). It's because it would kill our team defense to have Yao defending Okur on the perimeter.</p> </p>
I think Adelman prefers Scola off the bench because of his passing ability in the high post. If he starts, then who does Houston use in the high post when Yao goes to the bench? I don' think you want the offense running through Chuck Hayes. LOL.</p> You're right about James/Bonzi off the bench. Those two are eating up the opposing teams second units. Bonzi really thrived under Adelman in Portland, so if he can work himself into better shape he could be a big lift for them down the stretch and into the post season. He's the Gino stopper!</p> Here's a funny story actually about Bonzi and Gino. They share the same agent, and after Bonzi declined to stay in Sacramento, Ginobili was trying to get his agent to move Bonzi to a team in the East, because Gino cannot stand the matchup. Gino was irrate after he found out Bonzi's agent worked out a deal to bring Bonzi to Houston, which meant Gino would have to face him at least four times a year. Hahahaha.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (shapecity)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> I think Adelman prefers Scola off the bench because of his passing ability in the high post. If he starts, then who does Houston use in the high post when Yao goes to the bench? I don' think you want the offense running through Chuck Hayes. LOL.</p> </div></p> Actually Adelman has said he's very impressed with Chuck's passing from the high post. And he got rave reviews from the Rockets staff in that area in training camp. Of course, he's far more limited on offense than Scola -- not denying that.</p> As for starting Scola, if Yao went to the bench he's be replaced by Chuck or Mutombo. Scola would still be in the game, so the high post offense coudl still be run through him. The Rockets will rarely play Mutombo and Chuck together, so there'll almost always be a potent offensive player available to play the high post.</p> </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (THE DREAM)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Tracy McGrady was phenomenal in this game. After a poor start, I thought the Rockets played some great team defense, with Battier and Hayes leading the way. Yao was a force near the basket with 5 blocks, but he simply can not hope to contain Carlos Boozer. Scola was improved in this game, and should only get better . James will be a great 6th man for us.</div></p> I don't know why we don't start Scola?...I love Hayes and what he brings to the team, but his lack of length hurts us, because we have to put Yao on Boozer...and like you said that just doesn't work....my bet is that he's starting before the season ends.......and Tmac looked like a man on a mission last night........he's so much better when he takes the ball to the basket..............so far I'm loving the make up of this team.........good defensively, have plenty of scorers, and we have depth........James and Bonzi will be a nightmare for any team we match up against.</p> </div></p> </p> I'm not sure whats up with the Hayes hating. You gotta look more in depth. When Yao went out, Scola was put on Okur. Adelman knows that Hayes is the best guy to guard Boozer and it showed. When Hayes was on Boozer, Boozer barely got anything up. A Scola+Yao would still have Yao being abused by Boozer because there is no coach in their right mind would send a 7 ft 6 center chasing a 3 point shooter out on a the perimeter.</p> </p>
I had not heard that statement from Adleman about Hayes passing. Doesn't surprise me though, since he was Mr. Everything for Kentucky. I still think he's better suited in the starting lineup and I actually agree with using him and Scola on the court at the same time when Mike James is in the game. Those two guys can do the dirty work by screening defenders while James comes darting in for a layup.</p> Hayes led the team in Help Value (HV) last night with 17.</p> *<font color="black" class="text1">HV=Reb+Ast+Blk+Stl-TO</font></p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> I'm not sure whats up with the Hayes hating. You gotta look more in depth. When Yao went out, Scola was put on Okur. Adelman knows that Hayes is the best guy to guard Boozer and it showed. When Hayes was on Boozer, Boozer barely got anything up. A Scola+Yao would still have Yao being abused by Boozer because there is no coach in their right mind would send a 7 ft 6 center chasing a 3 point shooter out on a the perimeter.</div></p> </p> I'm not hating on Hayes, lol....I've always stuck up for dude when others have downed him.....but Yao went out because of foul trouble.....Boozer killed Chucky last year because he was too big....Yao is too slow, but Scola is the perfect fit to guard him (long and quick enough).....I know folks don't like to see Yao out guarding Okur on the perimeter, but it's better than him being used up, exhausted, and being in foul trouble.....Scola is also better offensively....I love Hayes as much as the next guy, but when we go against Duncan, K.G., Amare, Boozer, Dirk, etc. Scola will be much more valuable......</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (THE DREAM)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> I'm not sure whats up with the Hayes hating. You gotta look more in depth. When Yao went out, Scola was put on Okur. Adelman knows that Hayes is the best guy to guard Boozer and it showed. When Hayes was on Boozer, Boozer barely got anything up. A Scola+Yao would still have Yao being abused by Boozer because there is no coach in their right mind would send a 7 ft 6 center chasing a 3 point shooter out on a the perimeter.</div></p> </p> I'm not hating on Hayes, lol....I've always stuck up for dude when others have downed him.....but Yao went out because of foul trouble.....Boozer killed Chucky last year because he was too big....Yao is too slow, but Scola is the perfect fit to guard him (long and quick enough).....I know folks don't like to see Yao out guarding Okur on the perimeter, but it's better than him being used up, exhausted, and being in foul trouble.....Scola is also better offensively....I love Hayes as much as the next guy, but when we go against Duncan, K.G., Amare, Boozer, Dirk, etc. Scola will be much more valuable......</p> </div></p> </p> I still think you are underscoring Hayes defensive abilities. Scola isn't really known for his defense. Hayes is a much stronger body to go against. The stars you name will always be stars for that reason. You can't expect them to be shut down every time.</p> For some reason people seem to set the bar high on Hayes. Everytime defense is mentioned names such as Duncan, Garnett, are thrown out. Yet, I never see this with Juwan last year. I also never really see this on any other teams. I guess its because Hayes lack of scoring raises the bar considerably higher for his defense to the point where the opposing pf superstar has to play badly for it to be justified playing Hayes at all.</p> </p> Battier is known to be a damn good defender, yet no one ever throws out names like Lebron or Kobe when mentioning his defense.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Scola isn't really known for his defense.</div></p> Well if he isn't known yet he will be known.....great at stripping the ball, great at sticking with his man, and can take the charge....he made an immediate difference defensively as soon as he got in the game last night.</p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Hayes is a much stronger body to go against. The stars you name will always be stars for that reason. You can't expect them to be shut down every time.</div></p> he "might" be stronger, but length matters in the post...you don't want Yao guarding the other teams best post player, because that makes him exhausted and gets him in foul trouble.....Hayes is not long enough to guard certain guys in the post affectively........Scola won't "shut down" any of these superstars but I'd take my chances with his length any day.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (THE DREAM)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> he "might" be stronger, but length matters in the post...you don't want Yao guarding the other teams best post player, because that makes him exhausted and gets him in foul trouble.....Hayes is not long enough to guard certain guys in the post affectively........Scola won't "shut down" any of these superstars but I'd take my chances with his length any day.</div></p> </p> Actually strength matters a lot more in the post. The reason being is you want to prevent them from being able to establish any position at all. Length doesn't make much difference when they can back you up. They may be able to shoot over Hayes, but I can tell you, they are not usually in a comfortable position when they do so. Length helps a bit more when you are helping from the weakside to get the blocks and trap, but when you are getting guarded 1v1, length isn't as important.</p>
