I'm rooting for the Rockets. They looked good tonight. No way they beat the Lakers in this series. However, I now believe they can win another game or two and force this thing to 6 or 7 games and make things interesting. I didn't think that a few hours ago. I thought Lakers 4-0 or 4-1. It still may go down like that, but if Houston wins a game or two at home we at least have a series. Lakers will get Gasol off in Game 2 and win by 12-20 pts. No question. Yao plays 40 minutes again tonight (even after the collision) Adelman seems content to let this guy play until the wheels fall off.
He has to play atleast 40 minutes a game. We have no size at the backup C. This is where we get hurt the most by not having a tall defender like Mutombo. Our backup centers are Hayes (6'6) and Landry (6'9). Yao has to stay in there to defend Bynum/Gasol. If it's Gasol by himself, I think Adelman put in Scola.
why are yao's minutes an issue? it's the playoffs. there is plenty of rest between games. there are no back to backs. yao has played 40+ minutes four games in a row now with no ill effects. his minutes are not a problem. he is capable of playing 40+ minutes a night in playoff scenarios.
Not so fast. The identity of this team w/o T-Mac might be what makes them tick. They realize they have to play a physical, grind it out, one possession at a time brand of basketball and they've all bought into it. I've never seen them play defense like this with T-Mac. Well, maybe during that 20 game win streak last year. I should revise that - I've never seen this team play defense like this when Yao AND T-Mac are playing together. Plus, what do you do with Artest and Battier if T-Mac was healthy?
yao played in the first 12 games of the 22 game win streak. a healthy tmac would make this team much better. healthy being key though. the tmac of this season was a detriment to the team. but a healthy tmac makes the team basically impossible to defend and he was a good defender himself when he needed to be. no real reason to get too caught up on it though. the old tmac likely is never coming back.
He might be able to do this for one series. But two is pressing your luck. We've seen Yao tire and wear down before and it's ugly. Tonight was his 4th straight game of 40 minutes or more. That's just crazy for a man his size. If this series goes 6 or 7 games and Yao keeps logging 40 minutes, he WILL wear down - it's inevitable.
Not necessarily. From what I saw the Lakers weren't making him work nearly as hard as Joel and Greg did by fronting him or us having an additional person shadow him.
he hasn't and he won't. in the playoffs there is always a day between games and sometimes even two days. he'll get plenty of rest.
Well I guess we'll find out. If this series goes 7, it will be 7 games in 14 days. One day off between each game. And this after a rough and tumble series with Portland. I actually hope you are right Rocketeer - I hate the Lakers. But I think you are kidding yourself if you think Yao can play 40 minutes/night game after game and not wear down - especially for a guy who isn't known for world class stamina. Like I said - we'll see.
I am totally rooting for the Rockets. I have always despised the Lakers. And the better the Rockets do, the better Portland looks. iWatas
I was thinking the same thing last night. He is a great coach but until he wins a championship I don't think people will give him the credit he deserves.
Yao must think this last game was a vacation. Bynum and Pau didn't so much body Yao as lightly caress him. If it wasn't for Kobe's knee I am guessing Yao would have walked away from that game in better shape then he did in any one of the Portland games. Lakers are STILL soft. That will bite them in the ass sooner or later. I am really hoping for sooner.
It still all comes down to how the series is officiated and if Yao can stay in the game. If yes? I don't see how the Lakers can beat the defensive strengths that the Rockets possess. If it goes back to hand checking fouls and "Kobe Time" than this series could change in one game. We'll see!
with a healthy tmac, the rockets would have been the 2 seed and won 60+ games. but you are correct, the blazers and lakers would be playing right now.
