Game 7 - Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers, Sunday-8:30PM CST
by UofTOrange on Nov 9, 2008 8:26 AM CST
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The Rockets come into an early season match up with the Los Angeles Lakers a bit off. The offense isn't flowing right now, and I think it's going to take another 2-3 weeks before it fully does. The defense is playing well until Ron Artest gambles. And that's not to say I don't enjoy the gambling, just that the rest of the teams needs to learn to anticipate that and cover the hole up if he doesn't get there. Those gambles are what makes Artest as good on D as he is, and they simply cannot be taken away.
The Match-ups:
Alston vs. Fisher -Fisher is the better shooter, but at 36% from the field, it's nothing to brag about. Rafer has the edge at 4.7A to 1.5 TOs, but not many of those have been of the drive and dish variety that the team gets from Aaron Brooks.
Edge - Tossup - Both give their teams what they need. Neither is outstanding, though Fisher has had the better career. It is potentially possible that both will get surpassed by their backups as starters. It's also possible that the coaches are set in their ways and like the veteran there.
McGrady vs. Bryant - Tracy has found a way to play through his ailments this year by driving at the appropriate times and not hoisting up unnecessary three pointers. Kobe Bryant is the MVP however and deservedly so.
Edge - Lakers - Again, you don't get an edge over the MVP
Artest vs. Radmanovic - I haven't seen any Lakers games this year, but I've never been a big Radmanovic fan. Artest has been hit or miss this year so far. The Rockets need to find out exactly where he fits into the team offense. Tonight, we know what his job is, put up about 15 points and D up Kobe. With the need for fewer points from him, I'm hoping that he can have similar results to what Shane Battier did last year.
Edge - Rockets - I think I'll say this a lot this year, Artest is just better. And in this case it's in every way.
Scola vs. Gasol - Pau Gasol has actually fallen his career points averages this year, but I think most of that can be attributed to all the blowouts the Lakers have been producing. Scola has had two phenomenal games in a row, really showing his potential out there this season. Unfortunately he gets called for 1 or 2 hustle fouls a game, also known as fouls that refs think are there but are not because his hair flops around.
Edge - Lakers - But as I've said in the past, this edge isn't as big as you would think on the surface. The Rockets simply have another very good PF behind Scola in Landry and also have one of the best defenders in the league in Chuck Hayes as well. Their stats on the season are really close, in their per 36 numbers Scola is actually playing better.
Yao vs. Bynum - Bynum is young, and good. Contrary to the opinions of Lakers fans, even if he has a huge game tonight, he is too inconsistent to be considered even close to great. Every NBA player with some skill has a great game every now and then. Yao finally seemed to break out of his struggles against the Clippers. The only reason he didn't have 20+ was they weren't running the offense through him as much, I think to take some pressure off of him. His defense was really good, and his confidence seemed to be back.
Edge - Rockets- Yao is the better player, he always shows up in these center match-ups and I don't expect tonight to be any different.
My prediction: Lakers by around 5. I think we have about a 43/57 chance of winning this game, but the Lakers already know how to play together and the Rockets are still working out the kinks.
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I have to favor the Lakers, too
I’m not drinking the Rockets kool-aid so much that I think we can beat the Lakers without Battier and with Yao being like he is.
That said, I wouldn’t be too surprised if we hand LA their first loss.
Wow
Looks like I showed up just in time for a collapse.
I’ve got bad Texans mojo sauce ALL OVER me.
Also – McRib.
I went to the Texans' game today, as did Dave
Or should I say Raven’s game? It really sucked, almost as bad as Rosencopta
UGH
You had to witness that firsthand??
Oh… my gawd.
by HoustonDiehards on Nov 9, 2008 9:43 PM CST up reply actions
Yes, the momentum shifted quickly.
- The second unit started to struggle offensively – all bench players out there. Brooks was on fire with 14, then he stopped scoring, offense collapsed
- Adelman had none of the three main scorers on the floor, then waited too long to bring them back
- Ariza had three game changing offensive rebounds when nobody put a body on him. I think it was Barry’s fault on the second, Head’s on the third. Not sure about the first.
- A bunch of turnovers hurt too
- Rockets starters are out of rhythm because they’ve been sitting so long
The Rockets are fighting hard though. Great effort
I'd like to point out to Lakers fans that Bynum has 6 of his 8 with Yao out
I’d also like to say a big screw you to the way the NBA officials ref Yao on the D end
the human mojo killer
Chuck Hayes……. killing our momentum. Ouch.
though putting Luther Head on Trevor Ariza was amazingly dumb. Backfiring huge.
Time for Tracy to wake up, stop shooting 3s and start going to the basket. You, too Crazy Pills.
Pao Gasol is a terrible flopper. Landry should really have elbowed him to show him the difference.
Luther Head played tonight??
Did someone else on our roster die?
by HoustonDiehards on Nov 9, 2008 9:44 PM CST up reply actions
This is one of those games where the Rockets lack of Mutombo and Battier stands out like an eye sore.
The panic after Artest picked up his second foul. Nobody to defend Kobe.
Then nobody long enough to defend Bynum/Gasol once Yao sits down, allowing LA to take advantage of the second unit.
I really have a feeling that Mutumbo gets here sooner than later. Also, hopefully Shane is back in a week or so.
I desperately wanted Roy Hibbert in this draft. I’m glad we got what we did and it worked out to get Artest here, but we NEED a backup C. Next year we have to draft one some way, somehow. Of course we’ll only have 2nd round picks.
I wished they just signed Deke for the start of the season. This situation seems unnecessary.
by NBR on Nov 9, 2008 9:55 PM CST up reply actions
Can't stop reading the dumbass chatters on the stream chatroom
kill me
by HoustonDiehards on Nov 9, 2008 10:00 PM CST reply actions
yeah - NBR pointed me to a stream of the game online
and there’s a chat window next to it that I guess I can’t turn off.
by HoustonDiehards on Nov 9, 2008 10:03 PM CST up reply actions
Really? UGGHHH
It’s pretty much people talking about how great Kobe is, and people making racist remarks about the Chinese.
by HoustonDiehards on Nov 9, 2008 10:05 PM CST up reply actions
Got ya, makes sense.
I’ve been reading some of TheLakersNation chat and it’s interesting to say the least.
Like Adelman did with Scola against Portland? LOL
by HoustonDiehards on Nov 9, 2008 10:07 PM CST up reply actions
McGrady can’t get off the floor. He’s not healthy.
I’m not sure he should be playing these games. I’d much rather see him rest and come back at close to full strength.
Both of these teams are CONSTANTLY in the lane for 8 seconds.
It’s being let go on both ends, but it’s infuriating as a basketball fan.
Odom has been surprisingly aggressive with Landry. Smacking into hard a bunch of times, being aggressive and taking him into the low post.
That's strange
Considering over his career that Odom is soft enough to play defense for the Texans.
by HoustonDiehards on Nov 9, 2008 10:21 PM CST up reply actions
Okay, I'm out
Stream is really, really choppy for me – can’t really make anything out.
Hopefully I’ll be back for the next National TV game – Phoenix I think.
by HoustonDiehards on Nov 9, 2008 10:26 PM CST reply actions
That Lakers 9 man rotation is very good. Those four bench players - Farmer, Vujacic, Ariza and Odom - put a lot of pressure on you. Impressive. Very quick, multi-skilled, hard to defend.
They’re the guys that decided this game.
The team did a good job on most of the starters, well except Pau Gasol.
I normally don't complain about the officiating but...
the officiating has been horribly lopsided. It’s hard to watch.
I wasn't blaming the loss on the officiating
Just look at McGrady’s line. But it’s been painful to watch- even when we were winning.
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