^foo82 doubt it...not sure if you're being sarcastic in all with that smiley. I think it's a win-win situation though. GS can probably push Dallas to 6 games. The Clippers would get swept unless Cassell goes to T-Mac's doctor in Waco. Detroit lost today, so we're good.
Terrible game. It's a joke that Yao couldn't do anything against defenders half is size. Blame Yao, and blame JVG for not figuring out how to make that a mismatch in our favor.
<div class="quote_poster">igotask8board Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Detroit lost today, so we're good.</div> Who cares about Detroit?
Wow! Thats really good for us. We still have a chance. I still believe we can get 4th spot. We just need Tmac back and healthy and we need to get Yao going. Have Battier be a little more selfish, and most importantly, get all of our guys hitting their outsied shots.
Who cares about the 4th spot now? Better if we have some rest and if JVG finally let's some bench players smell the court.
This is one of those games where I feel Bonzi could have really helped us. He should have been activated.
Man, I think Tmac getting injured, losing to GSW is part of JVG's plan. He's accepting the 5th seed and trying to rest the team (T-mac - leaving game early, Yao - playing 29 mins only). I think he realizes its better to rest and go into the playoffs fully healthy with 3 games at home, and 4 away than to have a tired team with 4games at home, and 3 away. Anybody agree?
<div class="quote_poster">Pakman Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Man, I think Tmac getting injured, losing to GSW is part of JVG's plan. He's accepting the 5th seed and trying to rest the team (T-mac - leaving game early, Yao - playing 29 mins only). I think he realizes its better to rest and go into the playoffs fully healthy with 3 games at home, and 4 away than to have a tired team with 4games at home, and 3 away. Anybody agree?</div> I doubt it, they'd much rather have homecourt in the first round than try to let GS into the playoffs to wear out Dallas. Yao and Luther Head were working their azzes off, Head in particular was completely nuts and literally would not miss. Did you actually watch the game? It seems like a lot of people here just saw the box score, the reason Yao only had 4 shots is because GS completely shut him out, he couldn't even touch the ball. The Rockets were playing better without him and making a big comeback so JVG let him sit in the final minutes because he was ineffective and when he was in the Rockets never gained any ground. It does make sense though that the top teams in the west want GS in the playoffs against Dallas. Golden State is 5-1 in the last 6 games against Dallas and Nellie completely owns them because hes the one who built that team and developed many of those players. He always attacks their weak points and shuts down whatever they try to do, Avery is a poor in game coach and doesn't make many adjustments so they basically jut take it and hope Terry and the other scrubs hit 3's. Even if GS were to lose to Dallas in the first round, we'd completely expose them on national TV. All it takes is face guarding Nowitzki so he has to work to get the ball, if you're good at this, like Stephen Jackson is, Dirk will get lazy and just stand in one place and be passive. You also have to force him to his weak hand and try not to foul him, though he'll flop and get his calls from the refs. Secondly, you have to run the ball off of forced TOs and rebounds off of jumpshots (Mavs are basically just a jumpshooting team which plays right into a running team's game). This takes Dampier and Diop completely out of the game and Dallas has to either play Dirk at C or play through the game with a few gigantic ineffective C's. Having athleticism is a huge help, Dalls isn't used to playing against teams that are more athletic than they are, GS is probably the most athletic team in the league. Guys like Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson basically just crap on Harris, Howard and Buckner because they can post up extremely well (save Ellis), they can drive and finish, and they can shoot. Oh and Dallas is probably the most mentally weak team of all of the top teams in the league and it starts with Dirk. If you attack him constantly and force him to play defense he'll get frustrated, then you deny him the ball by face guarding him and having someone help to get him to give the ball up. He'll start getting pissy and whine like crazy and yell at his teammates. Thne if you deck him a couple times when he has easy layups he'll start taking contested jumpshots. If you shut Dallas down everyone will stop playing and start whining like crazy. Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson, and Matt Barnes play both offense and defense extremely intensely and physically and no one on Dallas seemed to want to go one on one with them. Hell last time the teams met Barnes was bouncing around like a pinball owning the boards and helping on defense, he even checked Devin Harris after a play was over and no one on Dallas did anything about it. In short, Dallas is a jumpshooting team who lacks a true identity. They aren't a pound-the-ball-and-grind-it-out team, they aren't a run-the-ball-down-the-other-teams'-throat team and their defense is complete garbage when the refs stop calling charges (thus why you have to play them extremely physical, the refs will adjust to the aggressor like they did in the finals last year). They play an intermediate style so if you play at one extreme or the other, run like crazy or slow it down and pound the ball inside, they'll struggle because they're built to play decently at both but not great one or the other. Let them take their jumpshots, if/when they miss you have to make them pay by either running like crazy (GSW, Phoenix, Denver) or pounding it inside to your post players (SA, Utah, Houston).
I hate to say I told you so, but I DID. We're a JUMPSHOOTING team. Despite how some of you spin it, it's the truth. Golden St. played us exactly like Phoenix did and we crumbled. It's either hit or miss with the Rockets. If Tmac & Yao don't have their superman cape on, we're not gonna win. That's too much pressure we have on our stars. Despite the one-dimensional offensive approach JVG has, he seems to be satified w/ playin like that in the playoffs. Some of you underestimated the importance of having Bonzi. Should it have taken Tmac's back spasm for ppl to take Bonzi serious again. Despite all the lame excuses on why we don't need Bonzi, -"Bonzi's a fat azz" -"Bonzi takes shots away from Tmac" -"We don't need Bonzi, we're already good enuff" -"Bonzi's a poor free throw shooter" It turns out that we could've actually used Bonzi this whole time. It shouldn't take a injury for somebody that talented to play. So it all comes back to JVG. Will he activate Bonzi? Or is really stubborn enuff to "stick it out" with our current jumpshooting squad. I don't know. NOTE:After the game I called 610 Radio in Houston (live on air) and actually talked to Matt Jackson about my Bonzi theory lol. I wonder if any of you heard it
And no, I did not watch the game. Thanks for the breakdown RUN BJM, I have a better feel for the game now. But on the boxscore, Yao taking only 4 shots was completely UNREAL.
<div class="quote_poster">Rock4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I hate to say I told you so, but I DID. We're a JUMPSHOOTING team. Despite how some of you spin it, it's the truth. Golden St. played us exactly like Phoenix did and we crumbled. It's either hit or miss with the Rockets. If Tmac & Yao don't have their superman cape on, we're not gonna win. </div> I agree that Bonzi should have played in this game. But I don't know how you can make that statement based on this game when T-Mac didn't even play. As I've said, there are scenarios in which Bonzi can help us. Yao was taken out of the game, and we didn't have Tracy. Our guards (Rafer/Luther) were too small to defend against their guards. This was an ideal situation for Bonzi to contribute. And it is the reason why he should be activated for the playoffs and made available, in case we're in the same situation.
<div class="quote_poster">durvasa Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I agree that Bonzi should have played in this game. But I don't know how you can make that statement based on this game when T-Mac didn't even play. As I've said, there are scenarios in which Bonzi can help us. Yao was taken out of the game, and we didn't have Tracy. Our guards (Rafer/Luther) were too small to defend against their guards. This was an ideal situation for Bonzi to contribute. And it is the reason why he should be activated for the playoffs and made available, in case we're in the same situation.</div> My point is why wait till Tmac's back stiffens up to activate Bonzi. JVG said Bonzi's attitude isn't a problem, he just hasn't "changed his mind". C'mon, he's playing mind games in favor of wins. You guys should've listen to me on 610 radio lol, even Matt Jackson had to agree about Bonzi.
<div class="quote_poster">Rock4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I hate to say I told you so, but I DID. We're a JUMPSHOOTING team. Despite how some of you spin it, it's the truth. Golden St. played us exactly like Phoenix did and we crumbled. It's either hit or miss with the Rockets. If Tmac & Yao don't have their superman cape on, we're not gonna win. That's too much pressure we have on our stars. Despite the one-dimensional offensive approach JVG has, he seems to be satified w/ playin like that in the playoffs. Some of you underestimated the importance of having Bonzi. Should it have taken Tmac's back spasm for ppl to take Bonzi serious again. Despite all the lame excuses on why we don't need Bonzi, -"Bonzi's a fat azz" -"Bonzi takes shots away from Tmac" -"We don't need Bonzi, we're already good enuff" -"Bonzi's a poor free throw shooter" It turns out that we could've actually used Bonzi this whole time. It shouldn't take a injury for somebody that talented to play. So it all comes back to JVG. Will he activate Bonzi? Or is really stubborn enuff to "stick it out" with our current jumpshooting squad. I don't know. NOTE:After the game I called 610 Radio in Houston (live on air) and actually talked to Matt Jackson about my Bonzi theory lol. I wonder if any of you heard it</div> I heard you "Rock" I call all the time myself. I knew it was you because of it sounded like one of you posts.
