<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. 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>
lol nice pics...unique and different, yet nice. Staright up, I don't think Portland will able to contain T-Mac. Ruben Patterson is still out isn't he? So T-Mac should take advantage of the Blazers even more. Hopefully though the Blazers can play good at home and stay competetive in this. Telfair is a little too quick for Sura and Wesley, same can be said for Stoudamire, so I look for the Blazers guards to have big games but still come up short. Prediction: Houston 95 Portland 84
no. Ruben Patterson is back i think. but i dont agree that Yao Ming is the best on the Rockets. T-Mac is.
Very interesting preview format. I love the pictures! I see Houston wining this one though, 90-88 in a close one.
The Blazers have the worst TV commentators. I hope as hell I won't see them commentating another game again. They were so full of crap and knew no facts. On to the game, the Blazers were seriously depleted and had only 8 dressed players. Joel Przybilla had a great game on the defensive end, blocking shot after shot. He's leading the NBA in blocks for the whole of March. They had no answer for Yao and a few players didn't even box out after Przybilla went over to help a beaten defender. Yao was just able to eat offensive rebounds up.
