Comments on: Rockets rookies shock Blazers

By: Anong

Anong — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:34:57 +0000

I disagree whole heartedly that you suggest t-mac should come off the bench especially when you have Hayes starting(should be scola) who seems to play well only with both Yao/t-mac on the court. The Rockets have been playing catch-up near the end of games due to a slow start with no t-mac in the starting line up. He is our best play maker and we need him and yao to start and hopefully build a good lead before half-time to carry the momentum into the 2nd half. I don’t know what the exact percentage are, but our changes of winning are very slim when trailing at the half for the exception of yesterday’s game.

RA should and will probally start him in the next couple of games(don’t be surprise if he starts against Utah, our nemesis). Sure he needs to nurse that sore knee, thats why you rest him in the 2nd/3rd qtr and that he should be fresh to close out the 4th qtr.

T-Mac seems to always have more energy in the 4th qtr b/c thats his time to shine, where in the beganning he would defer to teammates and tries to get them going.

Anong, I have to disagree with you on one point, but disagree with you on others. I agree that Scola or even Carl Landry should be starting in place of Hayes.

Now here’s where I disagree with you: the one thing about the Rockets is that they can be competitive enough in the first half to stay in games no matter who is playing. I don’t think there is that much of a difference in the point differential in the first half with McGrady starting the game, or not starting. And it seems no matter how big of a lead they build in the first half, they often times blow it anyway. I think I read a stat where they have lost 5 games this season when they have held double-digit leads in those games. That’s way too many losses due to blown leads, and makes you think they need to finish stronger.

When McGrady has started and played lots of minutes in the first half, it hasn’t helped his cause to make big shots in the second half, and especially the fourth quarter. McGrady has gotten the knock throughout his career that he isn’t a leader, and that is due in large part because he hasn’t been that clutch of a shooter late in games over the past couple of seasons. Perhaps that’s because he loses his stamina by the fourth quarter if he has been logging lots of minutes before then, kind of like how Yao seems to do. So I’d rather see them finish strong then start strong, as we saw against Seattle this week when McGrady had enough energy down the stretch to help pull that game out. Just a thought. I kind of like coaches who do things unconventionally to get the most out of their players, like Don Nelson of the Warriors. He gets more out of that roster than anyone because he knows how to keep the other team guessing.

By: BOBBYNYC

BOBBYNYC — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:43:36 +0000

John I’m confused now. So is the team better without T-MAC or better without Yao? Without T-MAC I hear so much about the rockets playing team ball and great ball movement and getting other guys involved. That team went something like 8-3 without T-MAC. Now with T-MAC back, the Rockets have won 4 in a row! Not only that, they won a much needed game against Portland without YAO’s presense much of the game. Who do you think the team responds to better on the floor. Yao or T-MAC? In any case, I guess this is a great problem to have. Oh and btw, can we start a partition to sway management to change these rockets uniforms? I think as fans we should have a say, no? These are disgusting!

Bobby, they are better with both McGrady and Yao if McGrady attacks the basket, keeps the ball moving, and doesn’t jack up stupid jumpers and three-pointers. He has been doing that for the most part, except last night against Portland when he shot 6 three-pointers, way above the 2 or 3 he has shot in the past few games. I don’t think it’s a matter of who the team “responds” to better on the floor. It’s a matter of how they play as a team when either, or both, are on the floor.

Regarding the uniforms, I haven’t had much of a problem with them. They are so much better than those clown uniforms they wore in the late 90’s with that goofy looking Rocket logo on it. — John

By: Allen

Allen — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 14:57:42 +0000

Mac won’t be on the bench for long. It is a simple fact that he is our best player, and come playoffs, if we make it, he will be a starter. It is a dangerous game to get players used to one thing (ie Bonzi starting, etc.) and then change it up for the playoffs. Anyone remember the great Sacramento team that lost Webber for most of the season and then tried to bring him back in the playoffs? Terrible idea.

Also, I am not a fan of this three forward lineup that Adelman uses when Yao isn’t on the floor. Call me old fashioned, but it is just too small. I am sorry, but you don’t play a 6′7″ guy at center. Period. Maybe if he is a beast strength wise like Maxiell or Craig Smith, but Landry is super undersized there. But I do like him at PF. There is a lot of loyalty to Hayes, but in all honesty I think he has more or less played his way out of the lineup for next year. Landry is basically the same player with a little better offensive skill. He doesn’t play the “team” D that Hayes does, but I like Landry better for now. I miss Deke.

To be honest though, neither Landry, Hayes, or Scola is really what Yao needs IMO. I know that I may be dreaming, but God how good would Jamison with his knack for rebounding and scoring, or Haslem with his size and perfect mid range jumper look next to Yao? Yao needs a legit PF with size and toughness, not three undersized guys with bigger hearts than game.

The interesting thing about this game is that Roy almost was in Houston. If that were the case, our team would be so much different. Battier wouldn’t be here. Roy would be at the 2, Mac at the 3. Roy would probably relieve Alston of some of the ball handling duties. JVG would probably still be here. Crazy to think.