Comments on: Rockets escape Minnesota with narrow win http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win Where fans of Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets can find out the latest on Yao Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:59:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Nuuj http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10657 Nuuj Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:26:47 +0000 http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10657 John, Thanks for the summary. Totally agree with you on the Live/Die comment! I'm glad you pointed that out. Even when Jack made that big one I was disgruntled with it. It gives him false confidence in his 3 pt shooting ability. He has to learn that he has never been able to rely on it n the play offs. And his clutch magic just wears thinner as he gets older. If he keeps this up, the team will have likely the same result in the playoff this year, assuming that they get that far. John,

Thanks for the summary. Totally agree with you on the Live/Die comment! I’m glad you pointed that out. Even when Jack made that big one I was disgruntled with it. It gives him false confidence in his 3 pt shooting ability. He has to learn that he has never been able to rely on it n the play offs. And his clutch magic just wears thinner as he gets older. If he keeps this up, the team will have likely the same result in the playoff this year, assuming that they get that far.

]]> By: kai http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10652 kai Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:10:30 +0000 http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10652 John, What is your opinion on Trading Tmac? Given that Miami can trade someone like Shaq, who's playing very poorly and has 2 years and 40million left on this contract, and get a guy like Marion. Why can't the Rockets do something similar?? I really don't think Tmac is good for this team. At this point, I would take Tmac for Jefferson + Kidd. <em>The problem is that the Nets want to go younger, and they already have a player like McGrady in Vince Carter. A point guard would need to be sent over, which is not that big of a deal for the Rockets since they have several. But the key is the Nets would want someone who is very, very good and who has a longer career ahead of him - McGrady doesn't fit that since he's more on the down side of his career. No way Jefferson would be packaged in your proposed deal -- the salaries must match on both sides, and he makes too much money where the Rockets would have to throw in alot more players. So it's not as simple as trading McGrady for 2 great players in Jefferson & Kidd. I think the only way the Rockets get Kidd is that they do a 3-way deal involving another team, which is very complicated. And I understand Dallas wants Kidd, they have more assets than the Rockets, and they have a history of doing blockbuster deals. -- John</em> John, What is your opinion on Trading Tmac? Given that Miami can trade someone like Shaq, who’s playing very poorly and has 2 years and 40million left on this contract, and get a guy like Marion. Why can’t the Rockets do something similar?? I really don’t think Tmac is good for this team. At this point, I would take Tmac for Jefferson + Kidd.

The problem is that the Nets want to go younger, and they already have a player like McGrady in Vince Carter. A point guard would need to be sent over, which is not that big of a deal for the Rockets since they have several. But the key is the Nets would want someone who is very, very good and who has a longer career ahead of him - McGrady doesn’t fit that since he’s more on the down side of his career. No way Jefferson would be packaged in your proposed deal — the salaries must match on both sides, and he makes too much money where the Rockets would have to throw in alot more players. So it’s not as simple as trading McGrady for 2 great players in Jefferson & Kidd. I think the only way the Rockets get Kidd is that they do a 3-way deal involving another team, which is very complicated. And I understand Dallas wants Kidd, they have more assets than the Rockets, and they have a history of doing blockbuster deals. — John

]]> By: AirChina23 http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10635 AirChina23 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:59:08 +0000 http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10635 Oh boy, when Tracy put up that last three pointer I almost fell to the ground. I was like "Oh, why? You still have time...Oh okay, wow, great shot!". Then I got goose-bumps just to think what if he had missed that. I know John wouldn't let him live on this blog if he had missed it. I never thought that I'd say this, but the Rockets are one of the league's hottest teams right now, consistent or not. So like you said, let's just take this win as a Chinese New Year's gift and hopefully they will regroup. Oh boy, when Tracy put up that last three pointer I almost fell to the ground. I was like “Oh, why? You still have time…Oh okay, wow, great shot!”. Then I got goose-bumps just to think what if he had missed that. I know John wouldn’t let him live on this blog if he had missed it.

I never thought that I’d say this, but the Rockets are one of the league’s hottest teams right now, consistent or not. So like you said, let’s just take this win as a Chinese New Year’s gift and hopefully they will regroup.

]]> By: Doug http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10624 Doug Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:08:15 +0000 http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10624 if you had to blame anyone, its yao that was the reason we almost lost to the wolves. reality hurts, but its yao and his inability to guard. on this roadtrip, each guy who faced yao outplayed him badly. its not that yao's not busting his ass on defense, but ts just that yao CAN'T defend a lot of the bigs in the nba today, and its hurting us big time. yao could actually be an asset to the rockets if they played more zone defensive to cover up his slowness --- thus, also blame adlemen, for putting yao on jefferson single coverage out there, exposing his weakness on a night when his offensive output was near none-existence. but on the bright side, aleast shaq is back in the west now. he won't be abusing yao like boozer and jefferson on open, uncontested jumpers :) if you had to blame anyone, its yao that was the reason we almost lost to the wolves. reality hurts, but its yao and his inability to guard. on this roadtrip, each guy who faced yao outplayed him badly. its not that yao’s not busting his ass on defense, but ts just that yao CAN’T defend a lot of the bigs in the nba today, and its hurting us big time.
yao could actually be an asset to the rockets if they played more zone defensive to cover up his slowness — thus, also blame adlemen, for putting yao on jefferson single coverage out there, exposing his weakness on a night when his offensive output was near none-existence.
but on the bright side, aleast shaq is back in the west now. he won’t be abusing yao like boozer and jefferson on open, uncontested jumpers :)

]]> By: jeff http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10605 jeff Wed, 06 Feb 2008 03:49:56 +0000 http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10605 I wonder who is still calling for trading T-Mac away. Fellow fans, the downfall of the Rockets is not because of T-Mac. The real culprit is Idleman. If T-Mac is not in this team, it is sure that it will head for lottery. Obviously, someone upstairs has had a word with Idleman. That is why he begins to start Scola instead of his beloved Hayes when half of the season is gone. Hopefully, the guys from upstairs will keep an eye on Idleman to make sure that he does no more damage. I wonder who is still calling for trading T-Mac away. Fellow fans, the downfall of the Rockets is not because of T-Mac. The real culprit is Idleman. If T-Mac is not in this team, it is sure that it will head for lottery. Obviously, someone upstairs has had a word with Idleman. That is why he begins to start Scola instead of his beloved Hayes when half of the season is gone. Hopefully, the guys from upstairs will keep an eye on Idleman to make sure that he does no more damage.

]]> By: kai http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10575 kai Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:47:38 +0000 http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10575 Given that Yao is not playing so well in the last 2 games. Why doesn't Adelman rest him, I think in the last 2 or 3 games. Yao has to play the whole of the second half. The big guy needs rest, and he will be more efficient in the time that he's actually on the court. Given that Yao is not playing so well in the last 2 games. Why doesn’t Adelman rest him, I think in the last 2 or 3 games. Yao has to play the whole of the second half. The big guy needs rest, and he will be more efficient in the time that he’s actually on the court.

]]> By: K Chin http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10573 K Chin Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:21:56 +0000 http://www.yaomingmania.com/blog/2008/02/04/rockets-escape-minnesota-with-narrow-win#comment-10573 John, Great game commentary. I like the new adage 'live by the T, die by the T' as I cringed everytime he jacked them up but this game, he was on at crucial times. As for Yao, I think he hit the wall as he looked tired in the last 3 games. It is understandable since he was carrying the team in T-Mac's absence and carrying 2 and 3 defenders on his back every night. The timing might be a good thing too, with the team healthy and the schedule a bit softer before the all star break. Hopefully, he could get his second wind to finish the season and bayond. By the way, how is your shoulder doing ? K <em>K, thanks for asking about the shoulder. I'm still going through rehab, but it's coming along each week. The exercises are a little boring, though. -- John</em> John,

Great game commentary. I like the new adage ‘live by the T, die by the T’ as I cringed everytime he jacked them up but this game, he was on at crucial times.

As for Yao, I think he hit the wall as he looked tired in the last 3 games. It is understandable since he was carrying the team in T-Mac’s absence and carrying 2 and 3 defenders on his back every night. The timing might be a good thing too, with the team healthy and the schedule a bit softer before the all star break. Hopefully, he could get his second wind to finish the season and bayond.

By the way, how is your shoulder doing ?

K

K, thanks for asking about the shoulder. I’m still going through rehab, but it’s coming along each week. The exercises are a little boring, though. — John

]]>