*Since a preview isn't up yet, here's a quick thread for the game. Julio, if you made the preview, just post in here. <div align="center"> at Houston Rockets (3-6) at San Antonio Spurs (5-3) Date: November 20th, 2005 7:00 PM (eastern time) Venue: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indiana TV: Fox SW Houston Rockets David Wesley, Derek Anderson, Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, and Yao Ming <font size=""1"">Injury Note- McGrady is suffering from back spasms</font> Indiana Pacers Jamaal Tinsley, Stephen Jackson, Ron Artest, Jermaine O'Neal, and Austin Croshere Prediction- I've got my fingers crossed on this one. Rockets win 95-90. Still, this is going to be a hard fought match. Indiana has shown it is one of the elites in the eastern conference and has beaten several top teams. Tonight you'll be witnessing a battle of the defenses with Carlisle and Van Gundy at the helm for their teams. Each of these teams will be trying to exploit the other's weaknesses. For the Pacers, it will be Tracy McGrady, as odd as that sounds. He's still sufferering from the injury and with Artest on him, it wouldn't surprise me if he'll be ineffective in this game. Meanwhile, Houston will be trying to pound the ball inside to Yao for some easy buckets. Although Croshere has given him some trouble in the past, its probably the closest thing the Rockets have for an advantage. </div>
lets see.. if we shut down all the players we win... its simple as that, but its also simpler for them to do that since all they have to do is shut down yao and t-mac.... does anyone have update of rafer??? is he going to play against indiana?
Low scoring affair so far, Rockets down 6, 52-58 with 11 minutes to go. Head got the start, but is having a mediocre game shooting 2-6 and no assists. Wesley is shooting well again, 4-7 from the field and 2-2 from three. Yao is shooting dismally at 3-14, but has 14 points and 8 rebounds. TMac isn't playing this game.
Head has played well, though the stats may not show it. He's a good on the ball defender, he's adept at penetrating defenses, and he has a nice jumper. He needs to work on finishing on his drive and in the paint, but I still think he deserves to start. Another observation: Derek Anderson is a TERRIBLE post entry passer and he plays too much one on one. For a guy who's barely scraped 40% career field goal percentage, we don't need him taking all those fadeaway 18 footers. Swift continues to struggle on the boards.
wow... we losed again... my brain is out of contol... i think i'm going to die.. i miss t-mac and bob... i miss steve and cutino.. i miss hakeem. i miss ralph samson.. i miss rudy... i miss those clutch days.. i miss those days when i do get a beer and celebrate.. i miss those days when i call my cousins and say rockets woops your ass by 12.... the world came to an end for me... will i have to return my playoff tickets??? its pointless to argue to someone thats going to trash talk about the rockets.... seriously someone laughs at us and say YOUR 3-7.. all we can do is say: t-mac wasn't playing for 4 games and their going to ask what about those 3 games that U LOST with him.. then we;re going to be all silent.. anderson needs to be traded with mooch for 1st round draft picks so we might be able to get a good center too back up yao like how we got luther head... lets think about next season...
Rockets’ Offensive Woes Continue as Houston Drops Third Straight Game To Pacers By Dennis L. Silva, II. 11.20.05 The effort was the same. The intensity was the same. Unfortunately, the result was the same as well. Sunday afternoon’s contest against the Indiana Pacers yielded the same intangibles as the Rockets’ previous game against Detroit. However, just as in the game against the Pistons, Houston’s scrappiness and hard work went without reward. The Rockets suffered another heartbreaking 74-85 loss to the Pacers before 16,024 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Rockets’ offense started off in fine fashion, which is ironic since it would be their offense that would be the cause of their downfall. Houston ran out to a 13-7 lead with 5:40 remaining in the first quarter due to a balanced scoring effort that had not been in effect during previous games. David Wesley (who would close the half with 10 points on 4-5 shooting), manning the point guard spot once more due to Rafer Alston’s right leg injury, scored 8 points early, including a pair of three-pointers. Luther Head, starting in place of Tracy McGrady (who sat out the game due stiffness in his back), played smart and was a great help in getting Yao Ming the ball. Speaking of Yao, he had a solid 6 points early, although was never able to establish any sort of rhythm, while Juwan Howard provided 5 points. The diversity on offense enabled Houston to grasp a 19-15 lead heading into the second period. The Rockets’ defense was stifling and a major distraction for Indiana’s motion offense. Houston forced two early turnovers within the quarter’s first minute (after forcing four giveaways in the first period) as Indiana started by missing fifteen of their first 21 shots in the first half. Houston’s offense maintained a solid pace as Derek Anderson came off the bench to score 9 points on 4-7 from the floor. In turn, Houston’s defense took an apparent break midway through the quarter as Indiana went on a 9-2 run late in the period to take a 36-33 lead with 1:07 left. But Yao (who finished the half with 10 points and five rebounds) scored four points within the half’s final minute as Houston closed to within 37-38 heading into halftime. Houston’s bench outscored Indiana’s bench 12-5, but the tandem of Pacer forwards Ron Artest (8 points, 3 rebounds) and Jermaine O’Neal (13 points, 5 rebounds) allowed the Pacers to stay close. The third quarter started with five consecutive points scored by Indiana’s Stephen Jackson as the Pacers took an early 43-37 lead. Houston’s offense began to break down and play sloppy as the team tried desperately to establish Yao in the low post, but was unsuccessful. The Pacers’ post defense that consisted of Scot Pollard and second-year player David Harrison managed to block out Yao on the boards and to force Yao to take difficult, rushed shots. And since Houston had no other go-to offensive threat, they kept insisting on throwing the ball down to Yao, no matter how ineffective that strategy was. Fortunately for Houston, the Pacers missed eight free throws in the quarter that allowed the Rockets to stay in reasonable distance of Indiana. For all of the Rockets’ shortcomings, Indiana only held six-point advantage heading into the fourth and final stanza. Those noted shortcomings were exposed like a downtown prostitute as Indiana went on a 14-4 scoring spree to gain a 72-56 lead with 8:09 remaining. The lead would reach its max of 19 midway through the period as the Rockets’ defense, with no help or support coming from the offensive end, became tired and worn down. The Pacers capitalized on the fatigue by having Ron Artest bully Rockets defenders in the paint, accompanied by the outside shooting of Jackson and rookie Sarunas Jasikevicius. Houston made a late run in the fourth quarter due to baskets by Juwan Howard and Yao, but those scores were otherwise meaningless in a game that had become one-sided in a matter of minutes. It was a commendable exhibition of desire and effort on the part of the Rockets. Without the assistance of McGrady or Alston, Houston played smart for the most part on both ends of the floor, particularly on the defensive side. The Rockets’ were able to get solid contributions from Wesley (12 points on 5-9 shooting, 6 rebounds, 4 assists) and Anderson (13 points on 61-4 shooting off the bench). Yao finished the game with nice numbers of 24 points and 13 rebounds, but that was by no means indicative of how he played. He was forced out of position time and time again by the Pacers’ smaller and less experienced defenders, and was not able to take advantage of his height and positioning in the low post, hitting only 8-21 from the field. Houston again did not box out effectively defensively, allowing 12 offensive rebounds, while also showing no creativity or ball movement, as evidenced by their 11 assists. McGrady’s back injury is listed as day-to-day, and Alston’s timetable of return is also unknown. Therefore, the Rockets will have to rely on stingy defense and smart, mistake-free offensive basketball in order to have just a chance at a victory. Houston will play at Dallas on Tuesday, which will be another game that will test their transition defense and attention to rebounding. ROCKETS RECAP · In the first start of his NBA career, Luther Head tallied 7 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in his 33 minutes on the floor. · The Pacers outscored Houston 34-24 in the paint. · Indiana exposed Houston’s lack of height, youth, and athleticism along the frontline as the Pacers’ forward combo of Artest and O’Neal combined for 39 points and 16 rebounds. · Stromile Swift finished with 0 rebounds during his 15 minutes on the floor, and contributed only 5 points. · Indiana out-shot the Rockets at the free-throw stripe. Indiana claimed 32 free throw attempts, while Houston only had 13 attempts at the charity stripe. http://www.nba.com/games/20051120/HOUIND/boxscore.html
Rockets’ Offensive Woes Continue as Houston Drops Third Straight Game To Pacers By Dennis L. Silva, II. 11.20.05 The effort was the same. The intensity was the same. Unfortunately, the result was the same as well. Sunday afternoon’s contest against the Indiana Pacers yielded the same intangibles as the Rockets’ previous game against Detroit. However, just as in the game against the Pistons, Houston’s scrappiness and hard work went without reward. The Rockets suffered another heartbreaking 74-85 loss to the Pacers before 16,024 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Rockets’ offense started off in fine fashion, which is ironic since it would be their offense that would be the cause of their downfall. Houston ran out to a 13-7 lead with 5:40 remaining in the first quarter due to a balanced scoring effort that had not been in effect during previous games. David Wesley (who would close the half with 10 points on 4-5 shooting), manning the point guard spot once more due to Rafer Alston’s right leg injury, scored 8 points early, including a pair of three-pointers. Luther Head, starting in place of Tracy McGrady (who sat out the game due stiffness in his back), played smart and was a great help in getting Yao Ming the ball. Speaking of Yao, he had a solid 6 points early, although was never able to establish any sort of rhythm, while Juwan Howard provided 5 points. The diversity on offense enabled Houston to grasp a 19-15 lead heading into the second period. The Rockets’ defense was stifling and a major distraction for Indiana’s motion offense. Houston forced two early turnovers within the quarter’s first minute (after forcing four giveaways in the first period) as Indiana started by missing fifteen of their first 21 shots in the first half. Houston’s offense maintained a solid pace as Derek Anderson came off the bench to score 9 points on 4-7 from the floor. In turn, Houston’s defense took an apparent break midway through the quarter as Indiana went on a 9-2 run late in the period to take a 36-33 lead with 1:07 left. But Yao (who finished the half with 10 points and five rebounds) scored four points within the half’s final minute as Houston closed to within 37-38 heading into halftime. Houston’s bench outscored Indiana’s bench 12-5, but the tandem of Pacer forwards Ron Artest (8 points, 3 rebounds) and Jermaine O’Neal (13 points, 5 rebounds) allowed the Pacers to stay close. The third quarter started with five consecutive points scored by Indiana’s Stephen Jackson as the Pacers took an early 43-37 lead. Houston’s offense began to break down and play sloppy as the team tried desperately to establish Yao in the low post, but was unsuccessful. The Pacers’ post defense that consisted of Scot Pollard and second-year player David Harrison managed to block out Yao on the boards and to force Yao to take difficult, rushed shots. And since Houston had no other go-to offensive threat, they kept insisting on throwing the ball down to Yao, no matter how ineffective that strategy was. Fortunately for Houston, the Pacers missed eight free throws in the quarter that allowed the Rockets to stay in reasonable distance of Indiana. For all of the Rockets’ shortcomings, Indiana only held six-point advantage heading into the fourth and final stanza. Those noted shortcomings were exposed like a downtown prostitute as Indiana went on a 14-4 scoring spree to gain a 72-56 lead with 8:09 remaining. The lead would reach its max of 19 midway through the period as the Rockets’ defense, with no help or support coming from the offensive end, became tired and worn down. The Pacers capitalized on the fatigue by having Ron Artest bully Rockets defenders in the paint, accompanied by the outside shooting of Jackson and rookie Sarunas Jasikevicius. Houston made a late run in the fourth quarter due to baskets by Juwan Howard and Yao, but those scores were otherwise meaningless in a game that had become one-sided in a matter of minutes. It was a commendable exhibition of desire and effort on the part of the Rockets. Without the assistance of McGrady or Alston, Houston played smart for the most part on both ends of the floor, particularly on the defensive side. The Rockets’ were able to get solid contributions from Wesley (12 points on 5-9 shooting, 6 rebounds, 4 assists) and Anderson (13 points on 61-4 shooting off the bench). Yao finished the game with nice numbers of 24 points and 13 rebounds, but that was by no means indicative of how he played. He was forced out of position time and time again by the Pacers’ smaller and less experienced defenders, and was not able to take advantage of his height and positioning in the low post, hitting only 8-21 from the field. Houston again did not box out effectively defensively, allowing 12 offensive rebounds, while also showing no creativity or ball movement, as evidenced by their 11 assists. McGrady’s back injury is listed as day-to-day, and Alston’s timetable of return is also unknown. Therefore, the Rockets will have to rely on stingy defense and smart, mistake-free offensive basketball in order to have just a chance at a victory. Houston will play at Dallas on Tuesday, which will be another game that will test their transition defense and attention to rebounding. ROCKETS RECAP · In the first start of his NBA career, Luther Head tallied 7 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in his 33 minutes on the floor. · The Pacers outscored Houston 34-24 in the paint. · Indiana exposed Houston’s lack of height, youth, and athleticism along the frontline as the Pacers’ forward combo of Artest and O’Neal combined for 39 points and 16 rebounds. · Stromile Swift finished with 0 rebounds during his 15 minutes on the floor, and contributed only 5 points. · Indiana out-shot the Rockets at the free-throw stripe. Indiana claimed 32 free throw attempts, while Houston only had 13 attempts at the charity stripe. http://www.nba.com/games/20051120/HOUIND/boxscore.html
TMac came back to early the first time. I knew he would end up sore or hurting again. This back thing will be an ongoing problem the rest of his career. Good to see Wesley and DA finally show up to a Rocket game in the first half. JVG game plans puzzle me more and more. Anybody else think that letting STRO go one on one to get his offense is just idiotic. He is just not that type of player. Somebody needs to drive, draw his man, and throw an ally, like Cato use to, or something along those lines. But there he is over and over at the top of the key with the ball looking to drive. Its getting hard to watch. JVG has got to be smarter than that, even though he has never showed it on the offensive side of the ball anywhere he has been. For a team that struggles so much on O, he hasn't stressed off the ball screens or as much motion as this team needs to score.
Wow, I'm not suprised that no one is posting...while maybe they are on vacation...anyway another loss, but considering we lost to teams like New Orleans and Orlando without TMac and considering the fact that we are on a losing streak with Rafer Alston out and that we are playing against a true title contender (forgetting about the 122-90 loss to the Bobcats) I thought we didn't do so badly...not bad but certainly not good. Yao was dominated by smaller, less experienced no name power forwards and centers, which I thought was pretty sad, and I heard Artest totally owned Stromile Swift. I was proud that we actually took a lead, and we actually had an 8 point lead early on (19-11) but we really need to improve. Derek Anderson had one of his better shooting nights, 6-14 from the field, which is nothing to get excited about but certainly an improvement, a positive note. Luther Head didn't do that well, but someone did say he did well defensively. Anyway, this loss wasn't too much to be ashamed about, but the 3-7 record is. But then we can make a lot of excuses for the 3-7 record, like new teammates, injured TMac and Sura, hard schedule. But those really aren't good excuses, and I'm ready to see some effort, teamwork, heart, less turnovers, and a colossal blowout to Dallas (meaning we win by a margin of 40 points), especially rub it in their faces after they blew out Detroit. We need to see more clutch play, too. After all, we are Clutch City.
Well, the only good news is Yao seems to do well no matter how good the oponent team is. I guess there is no excuse for DA, Wesly, and Swift. They just can not get anything done. Why do I have feel that, we better learn Chicago Bulls, just to screw up couple seasons(actually Rockets has been on the track now LOL) and get some top new players. Rockets suck so bad now. I daubt if Rockets can even beat Bobcats now. I just feel frustrated. How can a team only reply on two players, Yao and T-Mac? Somebody else gotta score! Players on Rockets team besides Yao and T-Mac don't even look like NBA players now. So slow and don't make open shots! I watched Cleveland's game on TV yesterday. Players in Cleveland are so talented and energetic. They make Lebron's life so much easiler. I think we should learn from Cleveland. Getting more energetic young players who can score. Lastly, god bless Rockets. : (
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Well, the only good news is Yao seems to do well no matter how good the oponent team is. I guess there is no excuse for DA, Wesly, and Swift.</div> Uh...did you look at Yao's fg%, it was pretty bad, and that was against Pollard, probably the worst starting center in the NBA right now. The good news was he was rebounding well. DA and Swift are just garbage, but Wesley played great for the Rockets (esp. in the first half). Why does everyone hate on this guy? He got off to a slow start, but he's starting to get going.
Yao Ming played a wooping 42 minutes in this game!!! Woa, is that the longest Yao has played in a game?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting drm2dnk:</div><div class="quote_post">Does yao have a religion. Maybe god is punishing the rockets</div> the world may never know
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting virve119:</div><div class="quote_post">How did Pollard and Harrison shut down Yao so well?</div> by forcing him out of position and contesting every shot...Yao was shooting either fadeaways or jump hooks most of the night, and he always had a hand in his face...he really shouldve ended up with 16-18 points cuz he scored 6-8 points late in garbage time when it didnt matter...
Yao really need help since T-mac is away Yao didn't do a good job in the game, although the stats are all-star worthy. But he is really tired. Other players did not give Yao sufficient assistance. He has to scorre in the low post and to combat for rebounds. The most unblievable thing is that he need to go to the perimeter to run pick n' rolls. Sometimes he gets double teamed, and he passes the ball to teammates who are wide open, but they cant make the shots. He is really hurting. Who can stand up and do somthing. Don't rely too much on the effort from Yao. Please, fight for dignity, Rocket players.
i wouldnt say our season is over yet. i think we were the same last season, as soon as tmac is back at 90% our team should get some wins.
