The Rockets look capitalize on their Road Trip, by winning 3 .. While the Kings look to make it 4 in a row. Rockets @ Kings Sunday, March 13th, 2005 Arco Arena, Sacramento, California. 2:30 CT, ABC <u>Inside the Numbers</u> <font color="red">Rockets</font> Leading Scorer: Tracy McGrady (25.9 PPG) Leading Rebounder: Yao Ming (8.4 RPG) Assist Man: Tracy McGrady (6 APG) The 'X Factor': Bob Sura (10.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.3 APG) <font color="purple">Kings</font> Leading Scorer: Mike Bibby (19.8 PPG) Leading Rebounder: Brad Miller (9.3 RPG) Assist Man: Mike Bibby (6.5 APG) The 'X Factor': Peja Stojakovic (19.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.9 APG) Probable Line-ups <div align="center"><font color="red">Rockets <font size="1">Bob Sura, David Wesley, Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, Yao Ming</font></font> <font color="purple">Kings <font size="1">Mike Bibby, Cuttino Mobley, Peja Stojakovic, Kenny Thomas, Greg Ostertag</div></font></font> <font size="1">Brad Miller will be unavailable for the Kings. </font> <div align="center">Position-By-Position:</div> Point Guard: Bob Sura/Mike Bibby - Bibby has been on a tear as of late, with Webber gone, Peja not at 100%. Sura is recovering from an injury.. Advantage: Kings Shooting Guard: David Wesley/Cuttino Mobley - The former Rocket takes on his old team, and he'll be looking to score. But David Wesley is coming off a big game, and his ability to move off of doubles and get open for jumpers will even things out. Though Cuttino might be quicker, Wes can hold his own. Advantage: Even Small Forward: Tracy McGrady/Peja Stojakovic - Last year, this contest would be a little more even. But an uninspired, banged up Peja will have trouble guarding McGrady. Tracy is coming off a huge game.. T-Mac wins this. Advantage: Rockets Power Forward: Juwan Howard/Kenny Thomas - Thomas is a better rebounder and scorer, but IMO, Juwan can take on Thomas, and win if he really strived for it. I expect Thomas to be doubling Yao, so Juwan should have a nice game offensively. Advantage: Even Center: Yao Ming/Greg Ostertag/Brian Skinner (who might get the start) - Ostertag has never had fun dancing with Rockets Centers. During the Dream Era, he was the one to play Hakeem, now he is assigned to Yao Ming. Yao is coming off a MONSTA game, but he might be winded and tired. I do not expect Yao to have a great game, but a 17-8 statline is reasonable. But hey, Yao, prove me wrong . Advantage: Rockets <div align="center">KEYS TO THE GAME</div> <font color="red">Rockets</font> <ul>Get Yao involved. When the Big Fella got his in Phoenix, the results were unreal. Against Amare, he posted a career night, and probably the Game of His Career so far. He needs to continue that tear, both through his team, and with confidence. He should not shy away from anyone now.[/list] <ul>Role Players, Please stand up. Against the Suns, Wesley, Barry, and Mutumbo had fantastic games, as did Ryan Bowen, who played stellar defense when called upon. They must continue that, or the Kings can take advantage of us. Williamson, and Eddie House, are two players who might've been forgotten, but Williamson just dumped 22 on the Clippers.[/list] <ul>Back Court Presence. Bibby/Mobley/Peja are one of the best 1,2,3 combos in the League. The Rockets, Sura (James..)/Wesley/T-Mac, aren't that bad either, but with Sura coming off injury, the Kings might exploit that using Bibby. Wes, James, and Tracy, all have to pick up the scoring, as well as rebounding and defense, against Bibby, the Kings most potent threat.[/list] <font color="purple">Kings</font> <ul>Undo Yao. Keep Yao out of this game, constant doubles should frustrate the Big Guy, and keep him in Foul Trouble. Ostertag and Skinner are both experienced players, they should look in their 'Ol-Bag-O-Tricks.[/list] <ul>Peja+Cuttino > Tracy+Wes. Peja and Cat combined for 27 points in their last game (against LA). 21 of them were from Cuttino, and the other 6 from Peja .. who played 38 minutes. T-Mac and Wes combined for 58 points, 38 from McGrady, and 20 from Wesley. Bibby will outscore Sura and likely James, but Wesley and McGrady are what seperate the Kings and a W.[/list] <ul>Role Players MUST STEP UP. This is Key for both teams. The Kings, who had, probably the best bench in Basketball a few years back, are lacking serious depth with both BJax and Miller out. Songaila, Skinner (Ostertag, whoever doesn't start), and Williamson have to come up big in this game. The better the bench does, the harder the momentum swings.[/list] Prediction: With the Rockets coming off a Big Win, and Sura, having some time to readjust himself, the Rockets should come out gunning. Yao can have a good game, it all depends on him. The Kings just grinded out two wins on game-winning jumpers, and with Brad Miller out, their injury woes continue. The Rockets should be able to grab this one sometime in the Fourth, or even before that. Rockets: 97 Kings: 88
I'm taking the K's in this game. I think our style of play brings the worst out of McGrady, and keeps Yao out of the game. If the K's can maintain their own pace, they can control the outcome. It always interesting when teams that have very different styles meet up like this, and, for the most part, the team that can force the other into playing their brand of ball ends up winning. Anybody up for another Bibby game winner?
ha... I had a preview working & then as soon as I posted it, I saw that this had been posted 5 minutes after I started mine... hows that for timing... well, lemme just share some of the points that I was making in mine as this one looks muuuuuch better. For some reason, there is an old Rush tune floating through the air here in Sacramento & if you listen carefully in the direction of Arco you can hear it... <font color="black">"Plus ?a change, </font><font color="black">Plus c'est la meme chose... The more that things change, the more they stay the same". If you cant relate, just read the Sig & that will explain it.</font> Miller being out for the amount of time that he will be puts the kings in a slightly bad spot for this game. They really need the help of Miller to deal with Yao. That doesnt mean that Skinner & Tag cant do it, but they are not going to get the type of offensive production that a Miller Yao matchup would normally give the Kings. My starting lineup? I got Bibby, Mobley, Stojakovic, Songaila and Skinner as the starting lineup. Thomas is probably a more talented 4 than Songaila, but Songaila still knows the offensive scheme better and has been starting in Webbers absence all year. Skinner on the other hand both has the hot hand (probably from all the balls he has been smaking down) and is more mobile defensively than Tag which is why he will start at center in front of tag. On the bench: Right now the Kings may be missing Miller & BJax, but the reality is that House has quitely made a name for himself spelling Bibby and if Jackson returned today, House would still see more time than Jackson anyway. At the 2 guard, Mo Evans has been a monster on the boards, can shoot the long ball if he has enough time to set himself has a terrific game above the rim and is quick defensively and behind him you have the Rookie Martin who is not the best defender the Kings have seen in a while, but doesnt suck defensivly either and has a pretty good long range shot for a rookie in this type of offense. The backcourt looks pretty good to me depth-wise. As far as the front-court goes, take Miller out of the lineup & what are you left with? Stojakovic, Williamson, Thomas, Songaila, Skinner and Tag to cover the 3-5 positions. With the exception of Stojakovic Skinner and Tag, the rest of those players are interchangable and even the case of Skinner is argueable because I think he could play the at the 3 if the Kings needed him to. This is an interesting back-court combination that can switch positions on the fly, has some defensive teeth to it and can still keep the offense going by not detracting from it... sounds to me like the Kings are a bit deeper than anyone really thinks. I have to take the Kings in this one in what will probably be an up & down game for both teams. Kings 106 Rockets 102
'I hope that you guys are right and that the Kings find a way to pull out the W in this one. Sadly, I don't see how they will be able to match up down low against Yao. Miller is (maybe) 7'1" and a big body, but Skinner is 6'9" meaning that Yao has a 9 inch advantage. I hope that the Kings prove me wrong, but I just dont see it happening.
Nine is a lot of inches. If the K's want to neutralize that matchup, there's a number of things that they can do. 1: Run like the wind. Yao can't keep up with anybody except maybe the Big O. Two positive things can happen here. One, Skinner gets easy baskets before Yao crosses the foul line. Two, Yao gets winded and needs a nappy poo. 2: Double team him. Hopefully they can find a guy who's having a bad game, and let him shoot open j's all day. 3: Get him in foul trouble. I've seen Yao commit dumb fouls many a times. Look for Bibby and Cat to penetrate whenever they beat their man. They might not get to the rim, but a foul on Yao holds more importance than two points does.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sactomofo:</div><div class="quote_post">. Ostertag could be the fat O .</div> O'Neil has the lock on that one.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sactomofo:</div><div class="quote_post">'I hope that you guys are right and that the Kings find a way to pull out the W in this one. Sadly, I don't see how they will be able to match up down low against Yao. Miller is (maybe) 7'1" and a big body, but Skinner is 6'9" meaning that Yao has a 9 inch advantage. I hope that the Kings prove me wrong, but I just dont see it happening.</div> If Skinner goes agressive at Yao and forces him into making a few key fouls that is how you take Yao out of the game when you are that much shorter.
wonderful. rockets are already into the bonus and Skinner already has 2. Tag has just entered the game.
Skinner is in foul trouble. Who are we gonna see on Yao now? Ostertag? Or the 6-7 Thomas? The Kings are screwed. Yao is gonna kill you guys with a 30/13 night, or something close to that. Foul trouble is the last thing you need right now.
oh joy... more crappy refs too... that was completely over the back on Yao but a loose ball offensive foul was called on Skinner... so now we have skinner playing with 3 PF and we arnt even to the half yet.
ugh.. getting out rebounded AND outshot. Rockets are shooting 58% to the Kings 41%. add that to a -8 in the rebound differential and a 66% FT% its a wonder that the Kings are only down by 14. The Kings are going to have to come out swinging in the second half. Probably going to see some zone defense to start the third Q.
Ugh, I'd like to see Peja get some consistent touches instead of Mobley taking so many bad, errant shots. It seems like this team has forgotten it has one of the best pure shooters in the NBA in Peja... and it annoys the hell out of me...
Frustrating loss here. 111-96 Rockets. I had hoped that the Kings would have gotten their offensive game going, but that never really happened. Once the Rockets took over the game in the first, they pretty much stayed in control the whole way.
Once I learned of Millers recent injury i didnt give the kings much of a chance in my mind.Aside from the rockets just being a good team Yao was being guarded by a 6'9 bench player.Not much surprise here,I do hope Sac remains in the 6 spot for the playoffs.
it want so much that Skinner was just too small, he got himself into foul trouble early & that limited his minutes. As soon as that happened the Kings dug themselves into a hole that was going to be very tough, if not impossible to get out of especially when the starting backcourt was not hitting their shots.
Yao didn't even play much this game. It was our role players who killed you guys, and the fact that Mike Bibby was dead cold from the floor. James, Wesley and Barry combined for 53 points.
