<div align="center"> @ <font color="red">Houston Rockets (43-28)</font> @ <font color="black">Portland Trail Blazers (24-45)</font> Time: Sat, Mar. 30, 2005, 10:00 P.M. Eastern Time TV: NBALP Place: Rose Garden, Portland, OR --- Ballers: <font color="red">Yao Ming</font> ( C), <font color="red">Clarence Weatherspoon</font> (PF), <font color="red">Tracy McGrady</font> (SF), <font color="red">David Wesley</font> (SG), <font color="red">Bob Sura</font> (PG) Top bench baller: <font color="red">Dikembe Mutombo</font> Coach: <font color="red">Jeff Van Gundy</font> (88-65 overall with Rockets) --- Ballers: <font color="black">Joel Przybilla</font> ( C), <font color="black">Shareef Abdur Rahim</font> (PF), <font color="black">Darius Miles</font> (SF), <font color="black">Damon Stoudamire</font> (SG), <font color="black">Sebastian Telfair</font> (PG) Top bench baller: <font color="black">Travis Outlaw</font> Coach: <font color="black">Kevin Pritchard</font> (2-12 overall as interim coach) <font size="5"><font color="blue">Top</font> <font color="orange">Ballers</font>:</font> <font color="red">Yao Ming: 27 pts, 8 rebounds, 4 assists.</font> <font color="black">Damon Stoudamire: 31 pts, 6 assists, 3 steals.</font> <font size="5">purpleb0n9's <font color="Blue">Team</font> <font color="Orange">Analysis</font>:</font> <font color="red">- Houston:</font> The Rockets have been quite a force in the last two months, losing only 7 out of 26 games. The acquisitions of veterans David Wesley, Jon Barry, and Bob Sura have played a major role in the team's more crisp passing, penetration, and especially outside shooting. But as always outside shooting can make or break a team... in the last three losses they shot only 12 of 50 from the arc (just 24%). On offense, Yao should take advantage of his mismatch (actually he's a mismatch every night with the exception of Shaq), post down low and score lots of easy buckets. If he is doubled, as a big man's job it's his duty to spot an open shooter or basically just give the ball to T-Mac, who was scorching with 44 pts on 15 of 21 shooting. I don't think he's going to blow up like that again simply because it takes a lot out of him. I think we're going to see the ball distributed evenly. <font color="black">- Portland:</font> Since the coaching change, the Blazers seemed to get even worse, and everybody who cares about this team basically knows they're already looking forward to next season. One of Pritchard's main duties is to nurture young players such as rookie Sebastian Telfair by giving him more playing time and calling plays through him. The organization wants to know if they can afford letting Damon go this summer, now that Van Exel is also considering retirement. Another young player that seems to have some serious potential (and hops) is second year man Travis Outlaw, who has scored 25 pts on 12-22 overall shooting (54.5%) in the last two games. Watch out for a dunk or two from this kid, Yao seems to be a yummy highlight reel target. He's definitely one of the few bright spots thesedays for the Blazers organization and fans. <font size="5">purpleb0n9's <font color="Blue">Predict</font><font color="Orange">ion</font>:</font> This game is no contest, the Rockets will come out and seize control early. The lead will be 12 at halftime, 18 entering the fourth quarter, and they'll hang on to win this 105-90.</div>
Nice preview dude, but we have our own preview-makers here in the Rockets forum. Appreciate the preview but please just post it over there in the future. Thanks a lot. But since this one is already up here, I guess I'll leave the thread open and make this the official game thread. Aznxballer, is it you who got the preview? In this case, feel free to make one of your own and post it here, but it'll be alright too if you don't. It's covered anwyays.
Nice of you to go out of you way since you have no relation to either team, im guessing, and nice preview as well. Not that i have a bed time or anything, but kinda late start, for the Rockets at least.
portland has no chance, and i was wondering if u guys could tell how to set up an avatar im new <font color="red"><font size="-2">Welcome to the forum t-macfur3, but please use the edit post function to add to posts in the future. Refrain from double-posting, and I'm sure you'll enjoy JBB as much as we all do. ~Trip</font></font>
Welcome t-macfur3! To set up an avatar, go to the Edit Avatar option in the quick links menu up top. Alright, back on topic, thanks purpleb0n9 for making the preview. I actually don't have a preview done yet Trip and since I have a fairly lot of work to do tonight, I'll just use his. Very nice preview by the way. Basically, this should be an easy game for Houston, but like always, never underestimate the opponent. We've had a ton of scares from these kinds of teams like the Warriors so its best to keep the guard up. What I'm looking for in this game is role players and mostly importantly Yao stepping up. He hasn't really had that great of a game for the past weeks so this should be his time to shine. Prediction- Houston win, 102-94.
prediction: there will be an evenly distributed scoring points for houston, T-mac will lead but wont reach 30 points, Yao will nearly reach 20 points, and 5 rockets' players will have a double figure scoring points.. and houston win 98 - 85
Trip, yeah I will next time, I made this for another site I just thought I'd post it since noone did yet but thanks for making this preview official
Nice preview. The whole on-court player thing is cool. I'll forgive you for this one since you're not a Rocket fan, but you do have too much of an emphasis on Yao which take away from T-Mac who is by far our go-to guy. Yao will probably have 20 point night but doubthe will reach 27. Portland being a weaker team with a young core (we shouldn't under-estimate though) I'd say the scoring will be relatively evenly distributed. Wither one of two scenario's (assuming we win) will happen. Either T-Mac will go for 25+ points while 4 more or even five more players reach doublt digits. Or 4 or 5 players reach the teens, and out leading scorer is a role player scoring in the low 20's hwile T-Mac goes for 18 or 19 points. Look for either Wesley, James, or Barry to lead us in scoring this game. If it hapens to be a blowout, T-mac won't play many minutes anyway, especially with the injury he sustained a few days ago.
Should be an easy game for the rockets and with the kings playin the pistons, we can take that sole posession of 5th seed again, even if we really dont want to. Yao should have a good night with his advantage, but he has these every game and he really doesnt take the oppurtunity on them. Rockets control this game, 98-83
what happened to T-mac? According to the flash thingy, he's only got 2 points and isnt on the floor? injured?? please no... Go Yao!!! I hope he doesnt get into foul trouble and maintains his cool. I want to see that behind the back dribble you guys were talking about. I'll wait for it come NBA tv daily tomorow!
no T-mac is fine, but he got 2 really early fouls, i think he got the second foul when there was still 7 minutes in 1st quarter so JVG put him on the bench
Whew...nice to know that. Yes! Yao is back on the floor. dominateee Jesus, Przybilla is a shot blocking machine. 5 blocks already with 5 mins still remaining in the 2nd quarter.
houston win 100-84, damn it, nearly hit my predicition (98-85) I think JVG did a good job on keeping Yao on the floor in the 4th quarter eventhough they already lead almost 20 points, it made him the go-to-guy and therefore boosted his confidence... he got a game high 29 points , 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. I hope this is the start of a good-game streak of Yao
Nice and easy win by the Rockets. TMac and Yao were scoring machines and they did it playing less than 30 mins. Anyway the Blazers gave up early and began playing their youngsters most of the second half. Aside from Spoon,Yao and TMac the rest of the Rockets didn't contribute well offensively and has missed most of their shots. It would have been a balance scoring game. Yao's behind the back dribble going to the hoop would probably be on the Sports Center top 10 tomorrow. BTW good preview purplebOn9!
Yao's haft court behind back drible and dunk as #2 of TOP 10 sports center tonite, should be #1 my opinion for 7'6". The VC's dunk kinda boring, but viewed #1 as they always do. EDIT:just found this video link,not sure where it goes,so i will just put it here. yaobehindtheback
