I really don't have much to say. It took two days to get a (pre-written) game recap for crying out loud. Speaking of crying out loud, that's what I will be doing over the Thanksgiving Break if we can't win a darn game.
It's hard to keep writing about a team that doesn't win. Plus, the Texans suck. Did anybody here do anything to upset the sports gods? Because this is just straight unfair. While we're losing, my Cowboys- and Mavs-loving roommate is in hysterics. And my Spurs-fan roommate is bouncing off the walls with glee. What is wrong with us? I love this team, and yet nothing goes right. Can't win a close game. Can't get a rebound. Can't play defense. Can't stay healthy. It's like getting punched in the gut daily. Sometimes twice a day.
But, if there's anything I love more than the Rockets, it's being right. I hate to say I told you so, but what other team came into the season with high expectations and haven't done well? The Cowboys. Someone should write about how similar the Rockets and Cowboys are. Oh, wait. Someone did.
When I'm bringing back old stories to start discussion, you know it's a slow season.
Tonight, we'll see if the Rockets have any fight left in them.
Keys to the Game: Pretty much the same as always a.k.a. "What to do in order to not suck completely"
REBOUND-Please you guys. Please. I will beg if I have to, but just get a board.
DEFENSE-which ends in a REBOUND
Bench play-just because you're a bench player doesn't mean you don't have to rebound
FREE JORDAN HILL!!!-because he gets boards.
Do you see how it all comes back to rebounding? Maybe Sleepy will figure this out before it's too late. No wonder Morey wanted to trade for DeMarcus Cousins leading up to the draft.
And I'm still waiting for the Rockets to hit their Steve Novak shot and turn this thing around.
Check out the matchups after the jump. Or don't.
Matchups:
PG: Kyle Lowry vs. Goran Dragic:
Nash is doubtful, so Dragic gets the start. It's nice that the Rockets get a break and don't have to face one of the top 5 point guards in the league, but we all know Dragic is going to go off anyway. Remember this?
I had never seen a back-up go off like that before in such a big game.
Hey, Lowry didn't commit any turnovers until the fourth quarter. Then he committed three. So there's that.
Advantage: Rockets, maybe. Nah, Suns.
SG: Kevin Martin vs. Jason Richardson:
J-Rich will probably kill us. He'll even cancel out Martin.
Also, I'm going to start calling him K-Mart again. I'm not superstitious, but I'm willing to try anything at this point. When he was K-Mart, we won at least half of our games. He became Speed Racer exclusively and we're 3-9. Might as well try, right?
Can you tell I'm depressed?
Advantage: Even
SF: Shane Battier vs. Grant Hill:
It's a medical miracle that Grant Hill is still playing basketball. And he's been playing well. Hill is averaging 13 points on 51% shooting, which is damn impressive.
Hill will score 25 points. Guaranteed. Most likely a couple of dunks too. Book it.
Advantage: Suns
PF: Luis Scola vs. Hedo Turkoglu:
Hedo will have a field day with our defense. Clearly, white shooters are our kryptonite. When Linus Kleiza is killing you, there's a problem.
I don't want to make this a race thing, but COME ON.
Look at the stats if you don't believe me:
White/International Raptors against the Rockets: 58% shooting
Non-white Raptors against the Rockets: 38% shooting
The proof is out there.
Advantage: Even. Yeah, even. You can't argue with science. Or math.
C: Brad Miller vs. Channing Frye:
Over or under three triples for Channing Frye tonight? I'm going over.
Way over.
And Brad, stop taking dumb shots. When you're open, plug away. When you're not, tone it down.
Advantage: Suns
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Bench:
Suns: Josh Childress, Hakim Warrick, Jared Dudley, Earl Clark
Rockets: Ish Smith, Courtney Lee, Chuck Hayes, Jordan Hill, Jared Jeffries, Chase Budinger
Advantage: Their bench is more depleted than ours. So I guess we have the advantage. Maybe.
Injuries:
Suns: Steve Nash doubtful, Robin Lopez out
Rockets: Brooks out, Yao out
Prediction: No Nash, but we still lose.
Yaseer: "Rockets win handily. By more than 10."
Ben: "Rockets win by 5 or less."
Kyriacos: "Suns win 108-88."
Prediction records:
Yaseer: 2-2
Ben: 2-2
Kyriacos: 2-0
AK: 6-6
Suns vs Rockets coverage