Rockets vs. Kings PREVIEW GAME: Houston Rockets(6-6) vs. Sacramento Kings(6-4) LOCATION: Arco Arena, Sacramento TIME: Tuesday November 23rd, 9:00PM PROBABLE STARTERS SF Jim Jackson/Peja Stojakovic PF Maurice Taylor/Chris Webber C Yao Ming/Brad Miller PG Charlie Ward/Mike Bibby SG Tracy McGrady/Doug Christie Sacramento look to sweep their five-game homestand and extend their winning streak to six tonight. Houston has not won at Arco Arena in nearly six years. The last time these two teams play, Sacramento lost 104-101 in overtime on Nov. 6. The Kings, however, have rebounded to win five straight and six of seven since that trip. Meanwhile, the Rockets improved to 2-0 on their four-game road trip after winning 97-93 over the Trail Blazers on Sunday. It will be a tough game for us in Arco Arena, as it is notoriously known to have tremendous homecourt advantage. Key Points for the Rockets: - We must shut down Mike Bibby as he torched us for 31 points and 7 assists in the last meeting. I know I know, as much as you guys don't like Lue in the offensive end, he might be the guy we look to tonight to defend Bibby. - This can turn out to be an interesting matchup of Yao vs B.Miller. Often thought as the best Center in the Western Conference, Yao must once again prove his mettle by thoroughly outplay Brad tonight. In their last meeting, Yao completely dominated with 33 points, 12 rebounds and 2 steals while shooting 13 for 20. Yao also committed only 3 fouls compared to Brad's 5 fouls. - Sacramento is not known for great defense, so we must take advantage of it by attacking the basket hard and often. The Rockets also need to attack as a team. In the previous game, Tmac and Yao did their job, combining for 56 points, 25 rebounds and 8 assists. The rest of the team must step up again for us tonight. Predicion: 97 - 95 Rockets.
Check out the Kings respective opinons on the Kings board: http://www.justbball.com/forums/showthread...7167#post367167
Check out what the Kings fans are saying on the Kings board at JBB.Everybody's welcome from the Rockets forum to give your all's take on tonights game between the Rockets and Kings. It will be a close game,but the Kings will win by one. Kings 96 Rockets 95
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Sacramento is not known for great defense, so we must take advantage of it by attacking the basket hard and often. The Rockets also need to attack as a team. In the previous game, Tmac and Yao did their job, combining for 56 points, 25 rebounds and 8 assists. The rest of the team must step up again for us tonight.</div>That is the main key for this game. McGrady is not consistent at attacking the basket but he will have to tonight. The Kings do not have a lot of depth off the bench in big men and will be forced to go smaller if Webber and/or Miller get into foul trouble. Brad Miller has a tendency for obvious fouls and we have to make sure he gets called for some tonight. If McGrady shoots as many as the 15 free throws he did against the Clippers, we have a chance of taking this one. However, the Kings are very solid at home and that could prove to be their key advantage. I don't see us taking this one if we play just "average". Extraordinary effort is needed here. Kings by 3.
2:17 in the first, score is 23-20 SAC. Someone named Andrae Berrett has entered the game for the Rockets. I've seen him in "street clothes" during games but not suited up. Any one have any background info/stats on him? He just hit his first shot,a rainbow of a 3pointer, and he's speedy.
EH!, I did this whole thread on Andre Barrett! THis guy is amazing, but noo, no one wants to believe me.. http://www.justbball.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26440 This guy coulda been first round.. Amazing player, just hit a 3 pointer. Wow, and people doubted this guy (*ehem, Need4Sheed, ehem*) <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Are you guys kidding me? Barrett plays Street Ball with Fat Joe. This guy your saying will put up 8 assists/no turnovers a game? Outta your minds, sorry. This is the NBA and a totally different level than this dude is used </div> Hehe, I'm getting excited, sorry. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ba...0/abcd_barrett/ http://www.usabasketball.com/biosme...arrett_bio.html http://www.shupirates.com/sports/mb...t/overview1.asp http://www.usabasketball.com/men/20...-a_Barrett.html All on him, Rockets, please sign this kid.. I don't care if he's 5'10, SIGN HIM!
Sorry but Yao caused Rocket's loss to the Kings. There was like 55 secs I think in the 4th quarter and the score was 96-99 in King's favor. A rocket passed Yao the ball and Yao started going to work on Brad Miller. Brad Miller gave a little shove with his left arm and Yao Ming just acted like he got shot and then he threw it out of bounds. I mean come on...Yao didn't get the call but you have to be stronger than that! You have to be a freakin strong player to fight in the post and Yao showed that he isn't clutch with his clumsy play in the last seconds of the game. Yao just plainly turned it over...now everything went downhill from there and the Rockets lost. I seriously thought we had the game won...good game i guess....but IMO no game is good unless the game is won. BTW Rockets lost 102-96
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting l2emix:</div><div class="quote_post">Sorry but Yao caused Rocket's loss to the Kings. There was like 55 secs I think in the 4th quarter and the score was 96-99 in King's favor. A rocket passed Yao the ball and Yao started going to work on Brad Miller. Brad Miller gave a little shove with his left arm and Yao Ming just acted like he got shot and then he threw it out of bounds. I mean come on...Yao didn't get the call but you have to be stronger than that! You have to be a freakin strong player to fight in the post and Yao showed that he isn't clutch with his clumsy play in the last seconds of the game. Yao just plainly turned it over...now everything went downhill from there and the Rockets lost. I seriously thought we had the game won...good game i guess....but IMO no game is good unless the game is won. BTW Rockets lost 102-96</div> wasnt quite as simple as that. Yao was making his shots, especially early in the game. but as the game went on it was clear that Miller & Ostertag were starting to get to him... forcing him to take the entry pass higher than he likes... forcing him into that turnaround jumper that is makable for Yao, its just not his best shot and how can you blame the whole thing on Yao when T-mac did not hit a single shot in the last six minutes? and a lot of that time Stojakovic was defending him. If you want to really put the blame somewheree.. blame poor shot selection a non existant bench and 17 TO's and by the way... the officiating in this game was just plain bad... but it was one of those games where it was so bad that it evened itself out for both sides.
I didn't most of the game on tv, but I saw some highlights. Yao needs to work on holding on to the ball. He fumbles the ball on a regular basis whenever there's contact. Every game he seems to fumble an offensive rebound for apparently no reason, and that play in the closing minute where he just lost it out bounds was ridiculous. One thing I liked was the play of the new point guard we signed. He pushed the ball up the floor nicely, was quick to loose balls, hit his 3 pointers, and most importantly didn't turn the ball over. I hope he continues to get minutes and hopefully he'll prove to be more effective than Ward or Lue.
So Barrett gets his first minutes of this season, and he has a great showing in his first game. Realistically, if he were to continue to get strong minutes, one of Lue or Ward would have to be knocked out of the rotation. Ward will undoubtedly get his because of his affiliation with Van Gundy, but would Van Gundy want to bench Lue? Even though he hasn't played well, he was still getting 20 minutes a game.
Barrett had a fantastic game, if he can do that consistently, i think he should take Lue's place or even start. I was very impressed by him. On the side, does anybody know why TMAC isn't blocking many shots? In Toronto he blocked over 1 shot a game, and comparably, Kobe and Lebron are blocking atleast 1 a game. Why isn't McGrady blocking as many?
The Kings played a really decent game,and our Defense was really decent..not great but good enough to win. Houston has a really good team,i just wanted to say that you guys have a really good squad this year,and i expect great things to come from Houston in the next few years.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting ZhuangCorp:</div><div class="quote_post">Barrett had a fantastic game, if he can do that consistently, i think he should take Lue's place or even start. I was very impressed by him. On the side, does anybody know why TMAC isn't blocking many shots? In Toronto he blocked over 1 shot a game, and comparably, Kobe and Lebron are blocking atleast 1 a game. Why isn't McGrady blocking as many?</div> I doubt that Barrett's height at 5-10 would allow him to be a full-time starter. He's too short to be able to defend well against guys like Francis and Baron Davis. Also, he lacks the experience to be consistent with his performance every game. I see him taking the Brevin Knight route, and becoming a similar player. As for McGrady's blocking, he used to average 1.9 in his last season in Toronto. It dropped after he went to Orlando though, for no reason. I'd like to see it go above one per game too.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">I doubt that Barrett's height at 5-10 would allow him to be a full-time starter. He's too short to be able to defend well against guys like Francis and Baron Davis. Also, he lacks the experience to be consistent with his performance every game. I see him taking the Brevin Knight route, and becoming a similar player. As for McGrady's blocking, he used to average 1.9 in his last season in Toronto. It dropped after he went to Orlando though, for no reason. I'd like to see it go above one per game too.</div> He played forward in Toronto, and has played and defended on the perimeter since moving to Orlando. That's the reason.
Whos this Barret kid I'm hearing about? I checked magnomonkey's links and this guy was phenomenal in college and high school. If he keeps lighting us up, he may be getting some consistent minutes if he proves to be a great defender for Van Gundy and great distributor. If that happens by the end of the season, I think by offseason we will make some moves concerning our buildup of guards. Right now, the Rockets have Sura, Lue, Ward, Gaines, Barrett, and of course, McGrady. Just too many bench players once Sura comes back and makes it into starting position. Perhaps Lue/Barrett can pick up SG backup and Ward as a backup for Sura? I dunno, we still haven't played Gaines yet, who will probably end up staying alot on the bench. BTW, does anyone have Barrett's stats from last night?
