<font color="Green">Seattle Supersonics</font> at <font color="Red">Houston Rockets</font> </font> Keys to the Game -Play tough perimeter and man to man defense. Houston is on an eight game winning streak- mainly because of the acquisition of Wesley and Barry. Many players on Houston can hit the open three so Seattle needs to make sure no one gets an easy shot or create turnovers. -Crash the boards. With great interior defense players like Evans, Seattle needs to make sure Houston doesn't get second chances like they have in recent games. -Shut down the role players. McGrady and Yao can't win it alone, so most of it has to do with players like Sura, Howard, Wesley, and Barry. Basically shut those guys down and Seattle will the take the game easy. -Move the ball around and find the open man. Seattle is a great shooting team, so this is kind of obvious. Open man equals two or three points. -Slow the game down and win it with defense. Seattle is a pretty athletic team and trying to keep up with them would almost be suicide- exception being against Dallas. Basically just not giving up any open shots, looks, or passes would do here. That way, it would create turnovers, stupid shots, and shot clock violations in Houston's favor. -Add into the mix the transition game. Houston has been converting on fast breaks like crazy, so hopefully they'll implement fast breaks with their tough defense. Through these strategies, Houston should be able to control the tempo and put the game in Rocket favor. -Get everyone invovled. A key to Houston's winning streak is from passing the ball around and finding the open man. If everyone does this again, players hopefully will be knocking jumpers down and contributing some points. -Get Yao and McGrady hot early going into the game. Usually whenever this happens, its a Houston win. But with them hot, Houston will be getting more rebounds, three pointers, jumpers, and free throws- things that can tip the game in our favor. Prediction 104 100
Yeah thanks Sniper. I just made the thread, then looked at your thread and quickly edited it. It sure doesn't look good if Sura's out.
This might really suck, i dont really think we can win without sura. Just please dont put rod strickland into the game. Rockets will loose 118-105
Aww cmon, this is a forum for the Houston Rockets. How can you predict a loss? You can't win games if you don't think you can win games. I predict: Houston 102-94
you never know if were gonna lose or not.... when mcgrady was out the team stepped it up, so with sura gone ill admit its a big place to fill but im pretty sure we will find something that will work out
Strickland has been ok so far, but he seems to be completely out of gas. I think Yao can have a big game just get it to him more. And from the early goings i can tell we need a way to stop Allen *Edit* This is why we gotta give Barrett more playing time, look at that young-un go
finally barrett gets some playing time and some good minutes too and look at how wesley is shooting hes on fire
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Sniper:</div><div class="quote_post">I could really use less "T-Mac to the rack!" from Billy boy.</div> lol, bring back C-Murph
Well, the first half is over and the Rockets are comfortably ahead by 7, 51-44. I can't watch the game but it seems as if the point guards on our team are struggling to cover Sura's production. Yao, McGrady and Wesley have been carrying us, but I'd like to see Howard step up in the second half to take some pressure off that trio. Padgett doesn't seem to be having a good game from the live update, but we're doing a good job guarding Seattle's small forwards. Radmanovic and Lewis are combined for 4-14. I'm late on the prediction but the way things are going now, I'd take Rockets by 5.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting T-Clutch-Mac:</div><div class="quote_post">lol, bring back C-Murph </div> Well I agree they should bring him back to replace Van, but not Bill.
Yao's having a stormer. It seems like Barry is also having a great game. We've gotta box out defensively though. It seems as if Seattle gets an offensive rebound every three possessions. Update: Going down the wire here. Deke at the line with a chance to put us ahead by one with 19 seconds left. I'm yelling in my seat watching numbers and words change on my screen. Sure beats watching the game live... Double Update: Down by 2 with 16.7 to go. Yao is fouled out so McGrady will take the last shot.
87-85, Padgett missed a three with 5 ticks left to go. There's the end of the streak boys and girls. Heartbreaking, no doubt, but at least we show once again we could hang with the big boys.
UGHHHH this loss is so frustrating... why the hell didnt mcgrady take nthe last shot, was the freaking padgett?? if so im gonna kill someone for why he was even in the game after making that one shot that one game... dang
Man, I'm not one to blame anything on refs, but wow. Calling Yao's 6th on that hook was so weak. If they actually called that consistantly in this league, Shaq wouldn't average 20 minutes per game. The finish of this game really pissed me off.
MUTOMBO! ALL BALL! NO FOUL! NO 2 PTS! NO LOSS! But we also got beat on the boards 50-37, Sura or no Sura, thats unexceptable.
The Rockets deserved that win, they really did. I feel we got cheated. Nothing against Sonic fans. The Refs just didn't call it our way. Oh well, our new streak can begin against the Spurs, hopefully it won't be a losing one.
Whenever refs make bad calls the losing team is always going to feel cheated. Whether houston got cheated or not the rockets gave up too many second chance points.
