2004 NBA Playoffs: **Houston Rockets vs. LA Lakers** Series Thread

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting HoustonHoopa33:</div><div class="quote_post">Amazing...this was a picture perfect game and if anyone is still convinced that Steve Francis needs to be traded, they need to be checked out...</div>

If I'm not wrong, you were big on trading him before.

Back to the game, this game was an amazing display of teamwork and Rockets basketball at its very best. We should now put our minds to Game 4 as the Lakers will come out for blood tomorrow. If this series goes back to 2-2, we have ourselves a competition again. If we drop tomorrow's game, we'll have our backs against the wall as another game lost will end the series for us.

 

steve had a nice game. he controlled himself more and thought before what he did. some game he trys to take over and dribble way too much trying to cross guys up, which doesnt happen in the playoffs b/c there is more help defense. as long as he doesnt try to make someone look foolish and plays like he did in game 3, rockets really do have a chance to beat the lakers. even realistic laker fans would realize that houston has a chance. game 4, biggest game of steve and yao's repsective careers

 

The rockets needs to win tommorws game to even the series, if they win, winning Wednesday's game in LA will be a lot easlier, first they have the confidence, and second Kobe will miss Monday and Tuesdays pratice because of his llegar issues and he will rush to Wednesday's game against the Rockets. Cant expect Kobe to have a great game if he didnt pratice enough. Shots are harder to make when you havent practice a while. Those court stuff is a very big distrastion for Kobe.

 

Mobley has to defend very well against Kobe. He most likely will do so but Kobe is basically unstoppable when he wants to win. The Rockets will have their backs against the wall, but I believe we will have a fighting chance as long as we can take the series to a Game 7. We will have nothing to lose.

 

The Rockets played well in the first half of game 4, but find themselves down 45 to 41. The story has been Malone turning back the clock with 20 first half points. Its been a back and forth game for most of the first half, but the Rockets are in a tough situation coming back to take the lead. As demonstrated by game 2, the Rockets don't play well when they get behind.

The Rockets got good shots throughout the first half, and just didn't convert on good open looks. On the other end of the floor, the Rockets did a good job forcing the ball away from Kobe and Shaq, but that left Malone more free to do his thing. The Rockets need to keep doing what their doing defensiely, except get much tougher inside. Cato needs to continue his strong play, and Francis needs to continue to penetrate and create for team-mates.

 

Malone is playing great! Kobe got a big dunk on Francis, well that's nothing really to brag about because Francis is only 5 feet. Anyways, Jim Jackson has been missing quite a few open looks and Francis foul on Malone to end the half must be killing him. It's still a tight game and the Rockets still have a chance at tieing to series.

 

that malone/nachbar alteracation was grat!

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Peja King:</div><div class="quote_post">that malone/nachbar alteracation was grat! </div>



No doubt man. Rockets down by 8 and Yao with 5 fouls.

 

We got overtime at the Toyota Center.

I don't agree with that last call by the refs. It was a shot clock violation, DURING the Rockets possession. They should have got the ball back with 2 seconds left on the shot clock. Oh well, the Rockets survived the last possession. Man, we should have gotten a better shot than that.

 

Overtime looking good so far. The Rockets need this win entering Game 5 in LA.

 

Cuttino is burning LA

 

Pick and roll from Houston is killing the Lakers right now. Mobley is coming up BIG!! Drats!!!!

 

We have to watch the fouls now. You don't want to be over the limit in the last minutes.

 

Whoo! Malone 3pt play and Kobe lay in and now their up 1. What a fustrating game to watch.

 

Seems like the Rockets lost, barring a magical finish. We now enter Game 5 down 3-1.
Backs against the wall, we have to fight for the win in LA and come back to Houston to try to tie the series.

 

lakers played great at the end of the game..

francin shouldn't be the main guy of the rockets. mobley is better, yao is better..

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Peja King:</div><div class="quote_post">lakers played great at the end of the game..

francin shouldn't be the main guy of the rockets. mobley is better, yao is better..</div>
Did you see what Francis did in games 2 and 3? He came off an amazing game and it is natural that he gets the shots with his hot hand. Mobley is not better than Francis, and Yao might not be better one-on-one as well.

 

he had some great games yeah...

but that air ball, the missed free trhow.. and that stupid lose ball was really needed?

 

Tough loss. Too many "what ifs?" in the game to count, so I want bother with those. This was a well contested game in which the better team won, just like game 1.

The way I see it, the Rockets in my mind are capable of winning a game both at home AND in LA. If the approach is take it one game at a time, and put a strong effort in LA like they did today, then they can win it. In our championship run, we came back from a 3-1 series deficit before (again Phoenix). Its not impossible.

I think Van Gundy has done a great job in these playoffs, though. The Rockets did much better than I expected, and were competitive in all 4 games so far. As long as we put up a good effort and still lose, I don't think there's much to be ashamed about. This is our team's first year in the playoffs and it will be a great learning experience either way.