Game Recaps
The hum of precision machinery: Rockets win Game 6 vs OKC Thunder
by Xiane on Nov 7, 2009 2:34 AM CST
in Game Recaps
5 comments
First, apologies for this recap running a bit late. I had to watch the game on DVR tonight.
This one never seemed in doubt. The Rockets were never able to stretch the lead beyond about 10, but never did I think Houston would be unable to pull away as the Thunder drew within 6 or 8 a few times.
In some respects, this was a battle of identities. Houston's identity as a disciplined, driven, unselfish and intelligent squad clashed with...with what exactly? OKC, at this point, lacks an identity as a team. They have talent, oodles of talent, of that there can be no doubt. But to what purpose? Never was an intensity of will, a drive to win on the Thunder's part, evident to me in this game.
5 comments | 0 recs |
Same old story: Rockets still lack true finisher to replace Yao & McGrady
by Tom Martin on Nov 5, 2009 12:31 AM CST
in Game Recaps
38 comments
You couldn't ignore it. The Rockets countered with baskets, but you still weren't convinced. And then, when it came down to the final 13 seconds of the game, you thought about it yet again.
Who is going to take the final shot?
With the final possession determining the outcome of the game, the Los Angeles Lakers weren't about to let anyone score the easy way.
How about sending Aaron Brooks through the lane for a dwarf-tastic layup? Nope. Andrew Bynum wasn't about give Brooks any space by stepping up late to help again.
Or how about giving Trevor Ariza space to isolate his defender? Nope. Ron Artest wasn't going to give an inch of room for Ariza to beat him off the dribble.
In the end, the Rockets got caught in between both options, and it resulted in a turnover. When we finally got our answer to who was going to step up at the end, it was pretty clear: Nobody.
As extraordinary as they've been, the Rockets lack a go-to guy when it counts, and there's nothing they can do about it. Up to this point, opponents hadn't forced the Rockets into a do-or-die situation on the offensive end. Golden State turned a 108-101 deficit into a single-point Houston victory. Each of the Portland games weren't as close as the final score indicated. And we beat the living Christ hell out of Utah.
Houston's offense revolves around the flow of the game. We want to be able to score when a defense isn't set - when a defense is most vulnerable. That's how we're going to get our points. If we're forced to slow it down, we take advantage of little things, such as backdoor cuts, short passes in the paint, and drive-and-kick opportunities. As the game tightens towards the end, and as the adrenaline picks up for the opposing defense, those "little things" suddenly become much harder to execute. Defenders become more focused on individual plays, and if they weren't giving 100% effort before, they certainly are when the game is one the line.
Yeah, the Rockets will make a clutch shot every once in a while. And no, Trevor Ariza won't have a defender like Artest on him all the time. But at the end of the day, the odds will rarely be in our favor.
That said, when Rick Adelman draws up an ingenious play to win a game, don't say I didn't tell you so. I'm not bold enough to put anything by him.
38 comments | 0 recs |
Game 5 Recap: Lakers Win, Rockets Lose, We All Learn A Little Something
by Only_A_Lad on Nov 4, 2009 11:44 PM CST
in Game Recaps
14 comments
Here we have a game where Kobe was allowed to get to the line freely. A game where the slightest contact by a Rocket in the 4th was cause for a foul. A game that was nevertheless a field goal away from a win.
14 comments | 0 recs |
Game 4 Recap: 40% of Rockets Payroll Destroys Utah at Home 113-96
by Xiane on Nov 2, 2009 11:08 PM CST
in Game Recaps
63 comments
So Utah, how'd you like 40% of our payroll delivering a comprehensive ass-kicking on your home court? I thought it was spiffy. Really neato.
So, speak up if you thought the Houston Rockets scoring would go 87, 107, 111, and 113 in their first four games. Anyone? It is very early in the season, but we may have an answer to the question "Where will the scoring come from?" From everywhere. 8 players in double digits, and the Rockets simply blew past Utah in the 4th, due in a large part to the 44th pick in the 2009 draft - Chase Budinger who poured in 17 on 7 for 11 shooting, and looked smooth, efficient and confident doing it.
Speak up, also, if you think Rick Adelman is sleeping now. The old bear is awake, interested, and his team is kicking ass. There, it appears, is a reason he's a million games over .500. Certain of us need to say a little prayer tonight and ask forgiveness for all the nasty stuff they've said about Adelman over the years. JVG love should not equal Adelman hate. Let the hate go, live in the light of 29 assists on Utah.
The defense was excellent, and the players never lost their cool, no matter how many Jazz**** splattered themselves on the floor with no contact. Houston was so quick, so poised, so committed to help defense that Utah was unable to exploit their serious height advantage.
Utah seemed a bit lackadaisical, and appeared to want Houston to roll over and give them the game. Instead, it was Utah who rolled over when Houston applied some pressure on both ends of the court. Utah, with its full complement of players couldn't handle Houston's depth. Depth that does not include our two best players and 60% of our payroll. This result is yet another brick in the shrine we are building to Dork Elvis.
63 comments | 0 recs |
Hey, Utah - your team just got beat by a bunch of midgets. HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!
by grungedave on Nov 2, 2009 10:47 PM CST
in Game Recaps
19 comments
Damn that felt good.
The Rockets overcome Joey Crawford and his band of misfits to beat the s--t out of the evil Utah Jazz. It would have been a 20 point plus victory, but Brian Cook entered the game and ruined that... final score is 113-96. Suck it, Utah!
Seriously, Utah had a massive height advantage at most every position. They had home court. They had Deron freakin' Williams (who is really, really good and sadly misplaced among the rogues he has to call "teammates"). And, as noted, they had Joey Crawford and the other two refs that couldn't possibly be any worse than the replacement refs from pre-season. All of that........ the Rockets overcame. They could not - and would not - be stopped. Not even in Utah, where Rocket dreams went to die in the past.
Dear Daryl Morey,
I was wrong. About everything. I should never have doubted you.
This box score is just awesome though. Its beauty is in the simplicity and all-around consistency. I want to frame it.
Chase Budinger, ftw. My new favorite albino rookie went for 17 points, 5 rebounds and all sorts of clutch in the 2nd half. Then there's Chuck Hayes - who at this rate may lead the NBA in steals for the regular season. Chuck went for 12 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 assists. On 6-8 shooting. Seriously, Utah, you let Chuck Hayes nearly get a double double on you. There's only one way to properly respond to that:
Look at the box score again. The Rockets put 8 players in double figures. EIGHT. That never really happens with our team, and yet that might be a regular occurrence with this unselfish roster. 50% shooting as a team (and a robust 52% from beyond the arc. Nice!). Even better? The undersized Rockets out-rebounded the Jazz 46-38. It's true. I couldn't believe my eyes either. Utah only got 8 offensive rebounds. EIGHT. So much for a size advantage. The Rockets have a heart advantage (not to mention a karma advantage).
The only way this could have been better would have been if Joey Dorsey got to play... got a gorilla dunk... and then impregnated all of Salt Lake City. To mark our newfound territory.
pwn3d, bitches.
19 comments | 0 recs |
Game 3 Recap: Ariza pours in 33 as Rockets defeat Blazers 111-107 in home opener
by Tom Martin on Nov 1, 2009 3:17 PM CST
in Game Recaps
6 comments
I know how home-court advantage works, that it's easier to win at home than on the road. But I had no clue how much of a difference it could make with a team as talented as the Portland Trailblazers. This was just as shocking of a win as it was impressive. Most impressive was Trevor Ariza, who scored a career-high 33 points.
I didn't expect to see a 30-point performance from Ariza this early in the season. I doubt anyone did. But it happened, and while the number may seem like a huge milestone of sorts for Trevor, it was a relatively simple path towards it.
Below is a breakdown of every point that Ariza scored for the Rockets. After a while, it becomes clear that Ariza's career night was aided by some uncharacteristically poor defense from Portland.
1st Quarter
-- Luis Scola runs the break, dishes to Brooks, who passes it to Ariza in rhythm for the slam dunk in transition.
-- Ariza trails the break and spots up at the top of the key. Brooks dribbles to the corner, then drives right at Steve Blake towards the paint, drawing help from Brandon Roy, who is currently guarding Ariza. Brooks recognizes the help, and swings it back out to Ariza. Scola sets a pick on the rotating defender, allowing Ariza a wide-open three-pointer.
-- Ariza takes the ball up the court as the point, and immediately dribbles left towards Scola. Scola sets the pick, and the Blazers unwisely decide to switch, leaving Aldridge to pick up the ball. Ariza turns the corner and doesn't slow down, blowing by Aldridge to the basket until he is fouled on the layup attempt. Knocks down 1 of 2 free throws.
-- Ariza recovers rebound, brings ball upcourt, dishes it off to Shane Battier in the corner. Battier swings it back to Ariza off the drive, who blows by Roy towards Greg Oden and goes up strong, receiving the foul call. Hits 1 of 2 free throws.
-- Off the free throw miss, Scola recovers the rebound. Rudy Fernandez and Brandon Roy get mixed up on who to guard, picking up the same man. Fernandez rotates to Steve Blake's man, then rotates to Shane Battier. This leaves LaMarcus Aldridge to pick up Ariza, who is standing in the corner assuming that Aldridge won't come out to guard him. Battier swings it to Ariza, and sure enough, Aldridge doesn't leave the block until he realizes how far away from Ariza he really is. Trevor knocks down the open three. Great job by the Rockets to recognize the defensive breakdown.
-- Chuck Hayes runs the break (?) and makes a great pass to Ariza in transition. Trevor meets his defender in mid-air and switches to his left hand to make the layup. If there's any area of Ariza's game with which he's the most comfortable, it's finishing around the rim.
-- Rudy Fernandez receives the ball in the corner for a catch-and-shoot, but since his defender closes out well, he looks to rotate it. Ariza recognizes this and leaves Brandon Roy on the opposite wing to jump the pass intended for Travis Outlaw. He makes the steal and beats Roy to the basket for the slam dunk. It's always a defensive gamble to leave Roy, but it paid off.
-- Kyle Lowry steals the ball and is seemingly off to the races. However, Outlaw catches Lowry as he attempts a layup and swats it off the backboard. Alertly, Ariza trails the break and is able to catch the blocked shot and slam it home.
-- Trevor fouls Roy on a three point attempt with 9 seconds left in the quarter. Couldn't help but make a note of this.
2nd Quarter
-- Ariza comes around a pick and receives a pass at the top of the key from Battier, who sets a pick on Brandon Roy. Rudy Fernandez switches onto Ariza, but plays off of him. Ariza dribbles once and pulls up in rhythm for a three-pointer. It's a good make by Ariza, but it's ridiculous how much room Fernandez gave him.
-- Trevor loses his dribble around a pick, but recovers it in time to step back and bank in a long two from the elbow. Good defense from Brandon Roy - sometimes, they just go in.
3rd Quarter
-- Rudy Fernandez just doesn't understand how to close out on defense. Ariza receives a pass from Aaron Brooks at the top of the key, and Brooks sets a bit of a ghost screen on Fernandez. However, Fernandez doesn't fight through, giving Ariza plenty of time to get set and knock down his fourth three-pointer.
4th Quarter
-- Ariza handles the ball as the shot clock counts down. He can't find anywhere to go, so he pump-fakes and gets Greg Oden into the air. Ariza then jumps to shoot and gets fouled. Makes 2 of 2 free throws.
-- After a 7-0 run from Portland, the Rockets need a bucket. Ariza takes the ball on the wing, guarded by Roy, who has done a much better job on him than Fernandez. Battier attempts to post up, then comes to set a pick. Ariza fakes towards the pick, to his right, then drives left along the baseline. Roy gets thrown off and loses his footing while Ariza drives towards LaMarcus Aldridge, absorbs the contact, and finishes with a layup. Knocks down 1 of 1 free throws.
-- Battier drives towards the lane. Foolishly, Travis Outlaw steps towards him to help, leaving Ariza open for a kick-out pass. Battier dishes it out to Trevor, who pump fakes Outlaw and then knocks down the three. Clutch.
And there you have it. While Ariza made 11 of his 17 attempted shots, it was the shots that he didn't take that made an impression on me. If he wasn't open, he'd move the ball and spot up elsewhere. I'd say he only forced up one shot all night, a double-pump three pointer against Travis Outlaw late in the game. Otherwise, it was an efficient performance that must have sent Daryl Morey to the bars for a celebration.
Short recap for today, but really, it was one of the better wins we've had in a while.
Three Up
Aaron Brooks - Not to be overlooked, Brooks had a fantastic game, scoring 28 points while knocking down clutch shots at the end.
Trevor Ariza - I think it's safe to say we've been over this.
Carl Landry - Finally, some offensive production from Cuddly Carl.
Three Down
Forget it. This was a pretty sweet victory. No need to delve into negatives.
Next Game: Monday @ Utah
6 comments | 1 recs |
Game 2 Recap: Scola, Ariza fuel Rockets' 108-107 victory over Golden State
by Tom Martin on Oct 29, 2009 3:14 PM CDT
in Game Recaps
33 comments
Game Analysis
It's easy to say that there were two Rockets teams on the floor in Oakland last night. But when you think about it, the only difference between the two was whether or not the shots were falling.
Since when do the Houston Rockets more than double the total number of three point shot attempts of the Golden State Warriors? Matter of fact, since when does anyone double-up Nellie's crew from behind the arc? Evidently, the Rockets are going to live and die from behind the arc.
33 comments | 0 recs |
Game 1 Recap: Outlaw's offense, Oden's defense lead to 96-87 victory over Rockets
by Tom Martin on Oct 28, 2009 3:04 AM CDT
in Game Recaps
29 comments
Game Analysis
Ladies and gents, your beloved Houston Rockets have returned. Notice anything different? Okay, notice a whole lot different? Yeah, me too.
Many NBA teams discuss shifting to an up-tempo offense throughout the course of an offseason. Few teams, if any, actually do it. Based off last night's game against the Portland Trailblazers, it's clear that the Rockets intend to put their money where their mouth is; they will be off and running in 2009-2010. Not so much due to choice, but rather due to necessity. Feeding it to Yao Ming is no longer an option, and feeding it to Luis Scola will not suffice in the same manner.
Last night, in stepped a pair of new cast members at the center position: Chuck Hayes and David Andersen. Hayes played his role brilliantly, virtually eliminating the hype surrounding Greg Oden's supposedly drastic improvement on the offensive end during the summer. He was one step ahead of Oden each time Portland fed their big man the ball, forcing Greg to throw up awkward hook shots eerily reminiscent of his underwhelming rookie season (and that's when he even got a shot off - other times Chuck knocked the ball loose or forced a travel). On the other end, Chuck made lay-ups. That is -- and should be -- 100% of his offensive production.
Where Chuck wisely chose not to contribute on the offensive end, Big Dave Andersen thrived. It's time that Houston fans embrace Big Dave's "Mehmet-ness." He's much quicker than I had imagined, though Gersson Rosas, of the Rockets front office, once called him "a less athletic [Andrea] Bargnani." That seems accurate enough. Dave won't drive through the lane like Andrea, but he showed that he's a lethal pick-and-pop shooter and can post up comfortably on the block. Andersen provided a much-needed spark in the second half, prompting a Rockets comeback that fell just short in the final five minutes.
29 comments | 0 recs |
Showing 1 - 8 of 77 Older
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
