More thoughts from win #22 in a row
March 17th, 2008by John
I had full intentions last night to follow-up what I had posted after the Rockets victory over the Lakers with another detailed post, but I was so tired last night after a long day, I felt like Shane Battier after an exhausting game guarding Kobe Bryant. I didn’t have any more energy left in me. But I’m now rested and ready.
The good thing is that I’ve had about 17 hours to reflect on yesterday’s historical win (they’re all historical now during this streak) and write about what stood out from yesterday’s game.
First, any Rocket fan who comes to this site who didn’t see yesterday’s nationally televised game probably had some obligation that had them kicking the dog or yelling at the wife. You knew how big of a game this was: the top teams in the West, the No. 1 seed and a long winning streak at stake, the Rockets trying to get respect nationally. If you missed it, my sympathies go out to you. Try to find a friend somewhere who has it on a DVR.
Not that the victory was a thing of beauty. That 15-point halftime lead getting whittled down to barely anything after the Rockets started the third quarter 0-for-12 made the game a little too interesting. But they righted the ship when necessary, held on to maintain the lead, then blew the game open with a 14-2 run midway through the fourth quarter to win #22 in a row and take one more step toward national credibility on a big stage: ABC on Sunday afternoon.
That scoring run that decided the game seemed to come out of nowhere. A few long-range jumpers that seemed ill-advised at the time made it feel kind of gimmicky, but that outburst reminded me a lot of what the Spurs would do to blow out the Rockets and other teams in previous seasons: they turned it on when they needed it.
To me, that’s the thing I’ve been impressed with the most during this streak. I just hope they have enough left come playoff time. But good teams usually do. This streak has been a confidence builder that they can turn it on when times get tough.
Of course, Rafer Alston’s eight 3-pointers had me yelling out loud in a sports bar every time one of them fell. I couldn’t believe myself how I was reacting to them: I’ve seen big shots before, but these were jaw-dropping. I didn’t mind my reaction in public to it because they were so special to watch. He was on the biggest stage and blocking out the gravity of the situation, and stepping up in light of Tracy McGrady missing all 9 of his shots and going scoreless the entire first half.
Rafer’s 16 points in the first quarter alone was impressive enough, but to add another 15 to finish with a career-high 31 on 10-of-22 shooting, and eight 3-pointers (a Toyota Center record) was unbelievable. No one expected after it looked like he was starting to cool off this season, hitting only 9-of-37 shots (under 25%) his previous two games and 4-of-18 from 3-point land.
Alston’s emergence this season reminds me of what Tony Parker went through a few seasons ago before he became a force: everyone wanted him replaced a few seasons ago (remember the Spurs wanting Jason Kidd instead?) because he was still pretty raw and couldn’t hit the outside jumper consistently, but then blossomed just in time to prove that HE should be the man running the team and quiet his critics (like many of us).
Bobby Jackson also showed up big on the nation’s stage, hitting 7-of-9 shots for 19 much-needed points. Where did that offensive explosion come from? Jackson had only hit 12-of-36 shots in his last 6 games, including many missed layups, and had everyone wondering if the trading of Bonzi for him was a mistake. But he came up big when it counted.
As great as Alston and Jackson were, Shane Battier also got plenty of recognition from the ABC announcers for the job he did on Kobe (11-of-33 shooting). It didn’t hurt that his former coach Jeff Van Gundy was one of the announcers, and he gave Shane plenty of credit for how hard of a defensive worker he is. I also loved how ABC showed him getting a hand in Kobe’s face on almost every jump shot he took. On top of his defense, Shane had enough energy to make 5-of-12 from the floor for 14 points.
Luis Scola was incredible as always, leading the team in rebounds (11) despite playing only 28 minutes because of foul trouble. Although he was only 3-of-9 from the field, he made 7-of-9 free throws to score 11 points, all which were big.
Mike Harris also followed-up his breakout performance from Friday night’s 12 points against Charlotte with 6 much-needed points on 3-of-6 shooting. I love Harris’ game, but that doesn’t diminish my desire for Carl Landry to get back into action. It has to be any day now.
There is so much more I want to write about this game, but my time is running short. However, if I find time later tonight, I may write more about it. Or maybe I should just save it for their game against Boston on Tuesday: a game that’s just as big against the Eastern Conference’s best team.
March 17th, 2008 at 9:09 am
You know, I’m willing to take back all my comments on Rafer’sTHree Point shooting when he is raining it like yesterday:)
But we really need a stabil offensive presence in the post.
Next victim: the best record in the NBA, Boston Celtics. Hope Landry will play, so he can help contain KG.
March 17th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Next please…………bring on the celtics
March 17th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Its just nice that Rafer is finally getting some reward for his hard work. He was on the outs this summer, with management obviously pushing him away, and what did he do? Did he bitch whine or complain? No. He showed up and busted his ass and won the starting spot and the reigns to the team. He works very hard and I am glad that he is settling in well. The team is better for having him on it.
March 17th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
man the more the rockets win, the harder it is on being a yao fan for me.. what bad luck. i was hoping the rockets could just lose and get a lottery pick. What are people going to say about Yao the longer this streak extends?? What will people say if the Rockets make it past the first round this time.. ? horrible… this streak is horrible for me as a yao fan
March 17th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Arthurko, I completely agree with you. I’m hoping Rockets will lose the 1st round of the playoff cause that proves Yao is the most important player on this team.
Go Yao!
March 17th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
you guys are losing it. i know this is a yao fan sight, but get off of living vicariously through yao and enjoy the rockets as a collective unit…
March 17th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
i dont give a damn about the rockets! how dare all those useless players (tmac, rafer) suddenly step it up in the past 2 months! when yao is back and healthy next year, those guys better keep up the consistency.
the two shining studs of the rockets this year for me though are definitely scola and landry.
March 17th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
I agree with ROCFAN. The game is greater than the guys who play it…
But I sure do feel bad for Yao. I think Tracy will get the playoff monkey off his back, but they will lose in the Western Conference finals. During that series EVERYONE will be talking about how they need Yao to match up with the other teams big guys. They’ll say things like “Yeah, they are a great team, but without Yao they don’t have enough firepower”.
The streak is awesome, but having a healthy Yao gives them more flexibility with match-ups and rotations.
You can quote me….
March 18th, 2008 at 12:38 am
A lot of people here are Yao only fans and don’t really care much for the Rockets. Please respect each other and not turn this into a flaming war. Thanks for your time.
March 18th, 2008 at 6:12 am
Guys, you are unbelievably ridiculous. How can you be a Yao fan and hope to Rockets to lose? That´s crap, embarrasing me as a fellow Yao Fan. In fact, I dare to say that you are not a true Yao fan, because you don´t really care about what Yao feels - you want him to be an egomaniac like that doesn´t care about his team, which is so un-Yao.
I really enjoy the Rockets and hope for a miracle comeback in the playoff or, dare to say it, finals a la Willie Reeds from the Knicks, but to hope for the Rockets to lose? Are you crazy?
Everything happens for a reason. The team grew a lot during T-Macs absence, now they grow even more during Yaos absence, they will be so much better when Yao is back.
March 18th, 2008 at 7:28 am
To yao fans who feel bad about this winning streak:
1. It’s not about how others feel about yao but how YOU feel about yao.
2. Yao was the player that led this team shake off the struggle and start the streak.
3. and the team affected or LED tmac to play true TEAM BASKETBALL.
4. the whole thing just showed bball is a TEAM sports and how vital chemistry, toughness and confidence are to team success. check Nuggets if you want an opposite example, a team with two of the most talented scorers and 1 defensive player of the year still sitting outside looking in.
5. we got to give the management and coaching staff a lot of credit and believe they will make it work even better when yao returns next year.
March 18th, 2008 at 7:36 am
I believe that in this world that everything and anything is possible - but you have to sart with thinking and believing so. So, as I said a few times here - the Rockets can be the black hourse as George Mason University in NCAA - to win all way to the NCAA final, if they continue to play hard and play smart as a team, no Me-Mac attitute, such as the comments T-Mac made before the Laker game (”this will be my fine momnets of my career” or something like this).
I also have believe that Yao Ming should be back to join the NBA final - this will also be the best preparation for Olympic game.
As a Yao fan first (and Rockets fan second), I would like to see Yao Ming gets more involvement with the Rockets now. Instead of feeling isolation and frustration, he should do whatever he can do to help the team and help himself, thing like to study the tapes of the other teams and give ideas to the coaching staff, to shoot free throw to reach above 99%, to practice catching ball (to decrease the turn-over), to study all of the turn-over and personal fault he had in order to prevent it in the future games, to sit at the courtside with his teammates to encourage them in key home games like tonight against Celtics. Be a part of the team. Not just totally disappear.
Again, everything is possible. Yao Ming and Rockets meet and play again together in the NBA final.
March 18th, 2008 at 11:29 am
GREAT WIN NUMBER 22 IN A ROW!!!!
I agree that I wish Yao was still in the line up for this historic streak…but at least he was part of it in the first 12 games of this run!!!
I hate when Rockets fans say that the Rockets play better without Yao and they don’t need Yao and should trade him and that stuff!!!
What they forgot is that Yao was part of the streak in the first 12 games, and should have been more than 22 games in a row if Yao had played against the Jazz at Houston’s game!!!
The Rockets will win NBA Championships next season and beyond when Yao is back!!!
March 18th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
I got back to watching basketball because of Yao. So, I am a Yao fan first and Rockets fan second. I never wished that Houston should lose because Yao is out. Yao had done his part and had sowed the seed for the momentum the Rockets are having now. He would wish his teammates to carry that momentum forward.
Like Wendy says, everything happens for a reason. After the stunning news about his injury was announced, his teammates determined that they should not falter and should carry on; everyone steps up — and the result is the present winning streak. Now, they believe in themselves and trust each other,
they will go far in the playoffs.