GT: Rockets at Mavericks (1/16) <div align="center"> <font color="red">Rockets (25-13)</font> vs <font color="blue">Mavericks (31-8)</font> Tuesday, January 16, 2007, American Airlines Center, Dallas 7:30 Central; FSNSW, SportsRadio 610 AM </div> [div=50%] <div align="center"><font color="red"> <font size="1">(R. Alston, T. McGrady, S. Battier, J. Howard, D. Mutombo)</font></font> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Tracy McGrady - 22.0 PPG Leading Rebounder: Chuck Hayes - 6.6 RPG Assists Leader: Tracy McGrady - 6.3 APG </font></div> [/div] <div align="center"><font color="blue"> <font size="1">(J. Terry, D. Harris, J. Howard, D. Nowitzki, E. Dampier)</font></font> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Dirk Nowitzki - 24.8 PPG Leading Rebounder: Dirk Nowitzki - 9.4 RPG Assists Leader: Jason Terry - 4.9 APG </font> </div> [div=50%] <div align="center"> <font size=""1""><font color="red">Luther Head (6th Man)</font></font></div> <font size="1"><div align="center">28.6 MPG, 11.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.5 APG</div></font> [/div] <div align="center"> <font size=""1""><font color="blue">Jerry Stackhouse (6th Man)</font></font> <font size="1">23.6 MPG, 10.3 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.1 APG</font> Predictions: <font color=""Red"">Rockets 101</font>, Mavericks 98</div> Keys To The Game: <font color=""Red"">Rockets:</font> T-Mac is coming off a great game in Sacramento so I expect the same in Dallas. Others still need to make shots because Dallas is a great Defensive and Offensive team. Play some good D and guard the 3 point line. Howard needs to score on the wide open jumpshots. Mutumbo more BLOCKS!!! Basically, cover everyman on their team because they can shoot the ball. <font color=""Red"">let Luther Head hit another 3!! </font> <font color=""blue"">Mavericks:</font> Keep Tmac from scoring more than 30. Use Dirk to your advantage along with Terry. Get on the offensive boards and watch out for mutumbo. Use Nowitzki to your advantage on the outside jumpers and try to make the Rockets shoot 3's instead of easy layups. Cover luther head on 3's! This game is going to be another good test for the Rockets. They are playing the best team in the NBA so it should be a good one. Nowitzki we all know is great so he will have one of his 30 pt nights. Terry and Howard have really grown so they are very dangerous offensively and Erick Dampier is a great rebounder so the rockets will have a tough time on the rebounds. T-Mac should be great in this game and if it goes down to the wire he will be clutch. So get ready rockets fans for a great game.. Hopefully, the officials wont ruin it.
Probably out toughest challenge of the season. Yao is usually our big advantage over them. I wonder how we're going to defend Dirk and Josh Howard. I'm guessing Juwan will defend Dirk initially, but if that's not working out we might go to a small lineup and put Battier or T-mac on him.
Dallas was almost run out of the gym by the Raptors last night, only Dirk and a Raptors' defensive breakdown at the end of the game allowed Dallas to sneak off with the win. If the Rockets can play with the kind of energy the Raptors did, we should be fine. That said though, this is Dallas we're talking about...
i say if the rockets can keep the mavericks to under 95 points then they should be good. but they also have to stop jason terry he can light it up
Come to think of it, the Mavs start a very small and quick backcourt. Don't be surprised if the Rockets alter their starting lineup to match up with them better. I think this sounds likely: PG - Alston SG - Head SF - T-Mac PF - Battier C - Mutombo Battier or T-Mac will probably share responsibility on Dirk initially.
Damn, this game's tomorow? The preview got hyped up on it already. Anyway, with the Harris and Terry backcourt, I think this would be a good time to put Head and Alston in there as well. Like Durvasa said, it matches up with them a lot better considering McGrady's probably going to have Terry blow by him while Howard will get killed defensively. With Battier on Nowitzki, it'll at least give him some problems around the perimeter while Mutombo can help him out whenever Nowitzki posts up.
Mavs are playing back to back after playing yesterday in Toronto and are playing the 10th game in 2 weeks or something like that. If the Rockets get a double digit lead in the first half, it'll be hard for the Mavs to make a comeback. I think the Rockets will win this one, but you never know.
<div class="quote_poster">dallasdude Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Mavs are playing back to back after playing yesterday in Toronto and are playing the 10th game in 2 weeks or something like that. If the Rockets get a double digit lead in the first half, it'll be hard for the Mavs to make a comeback. I think the Rockets will win this one, but you never know.</div> The game is tomorrow, so they'll have a day's rest. This will be their 9th game of the month, but 7th consecutive game in a different city. It will be the Rockets 8th game of the month, and 6th consecutive game in a different city. Both teams have played 2 back-to-backs this month. I think we have a chance to practice today for the first time in a few weeks, so we *should* be prepared. Still, the Mavs are on a roll, at full strength, and at home -- they should have the edge.
Snyder is back but he barely plays. He played like 2 minutes against Lakers. Ever since then, he's been on the bench.
All this Bonzi trade talk should come to a cease after tonight. Notice when Mcgrady gets outta the game the offense SUCKS!! We don't have a creator with Mcgrady out (right around the time Dallas makes up ground). We NEED Bonzi on this team......I don't care what excuse some of you make
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rock4Life:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't care what excuse some of you make</div> Bonzi Wells is a fatass. Anywho, Rockets are keeping the game close with some nice defense, but other than McGrady's no one's shots are really falling. Nowitzki's having a great start as expected, but we really need to stop Josh Howard from scoring on us.
What a match guys... Watching a game like this, W or L, is always a pleasure (at least during the regular season in case of L )
<div class="quote_poster">AznxBaller Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Bonzi Wells is a fatass. Anywho, Rockets are keeping the game close with some nice defense, but other than McGrady's no one's shots are really falling. Nowitzki's having a great start as expected, but we really need to stop Josh Howard from scoring on us.</div> That Fatazz could be the difference between us winning a championship. Have some respect
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rock4Life:</div><div class="quote_post">That Fatazz could be the difference between us winning a championship. Have some respect</div> Nah, I prefer not to worship someone based on assumptions. I thought you didn't care? So quit standing up for Fatass. Back to the game: McGrady starts the second half hot as well, making two consecutive jumpers. Hope he keeps it up, I want to see what he ends up with at the end.