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General Discussion => Talk Zone => Topic started by: TheWizard on March 12, 2008, 10:51:53 pm

Title: XX (non-bb)
Post by: TheWizard on March 12, 2008, 10:51:53 pm
20 in a row for the Rockets!  I'm a biased fan, but I think this is a legit team that can make a run in the playoffs.  They are playing great team ball, even without Yao, and McGrady has stepped up his game.  Thoughts?

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280312001
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: MusicMan on March 12, 2008, 11:12:46 pm
I can't remember the last time I was this wrong about a team.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Fredia on March 12, 2008, 11:17:11 pm
lol dont go jinxing em.. but yea umm yea
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: remy on March 13, 2008, 06:34:37 am
Wait, what?  This isn't another beer thread?
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: otterjb on March 13, 2008, 06:46:26 am
I love the fact that they've been on this kind of a run (even as a Spur fan), but w/o Yao, they'll get exposed in the playoffs. The playoffs are just a whole different animal. It'll be fun to see if they can upset some other team once they get there however.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: HudsonHawk on March 13, 2008, 07:30:55 am
20 in a row for the Rockets!  I'm a biased fan, but I think this is a legit team that can make a run in the playoffs.  They are playing great team ball, even without Yao, and McGrady has stepped up his game.  Thoughts?


They couldn't hit squat last night and still won the game by 10 points.  Their defense has been outstanding.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: S.P. Rodriguez on March 13, 2008, 07:53:32 am
Let's not turn this into grounds for predictions and claims of post season success.   Like HH said, outstanding defense, some pretty strong offensive stretches (I love the motion offense when run effectively.  It's simply fun to watch). 

I'm enjoying the streak and it says a great deal that when the offense isn't clicking, they will step up and shut down the opposition on the other end. 
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: otterjb on March 13, 2008, 08:21:12 am
Wait, what?  This isn't another beer thread?

Not beer, not soft-core, but basketball? Whaaa?

Get the printer warmed up and sharpen those pencils, the brackets are set on Sunday. Best sporting event of them all.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: toddthebod on March 13, 2008, 09:04:22 am
Wait, what?  This isn't another beer thread?

I actually thought this was going to be a porn thread.  But I'll always talk about the Rockets.

Charles Barkley was just on Mike & Mike and he opined that this team is not good enough -- without Yao Ming -- to win the championship.  And he might be right.  But the team is a lot of fun to watch.  The ageless Dikembe is reason enough to watch the team.  The two-headed power forward monster of Scola and Landry is going to be a asset for the team for years to come.  And Rafer Alston is turning into a valuable player and I credit the team's success to this more than Tracy "stepping it up." 

Figures that this was the year I decided not to get the NBA package.  "Watching" the games on ESPN.com is a real bitch.

Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Col. Sphinx Drummond on March 13, 2008, 10:22:51 am
It's a players game and it's been a real team effort with everyone stepping up, but I also have to give a lot credit to Rick Adelman's influence.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Astroholic on March 13, 2008, 10:43:03 am
I actually thought this was going to be a porn thread.  But I'll always talk about the Rockets.

Charles Barkley was just on Mike & Mike and he opined that this team is not good enough -- without Yao Ming -- to win the championship.  And he might be right.  But the team is a lot of fun to watch.  The ageless Dikembe is reason enough to watch the team.  The two-headed power forward monster of Scola and Landry is going to be a asset for the team for years to come.  And Rafer Alston is turning into a valuable player and I credit the team's success to this more than Tracy "stepping it up." 

Figures that this was the year I decided not to get the NBA package.  "Watching" the games on ESPN.com is a real bitch.



Chuck can suck my ass.  I am not sure why he is so negative towards the Rockets.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: MikeyBoy on March 13, 2008, 10:46:21 am
Chuck can suck my ass.  I am not sure why he is so negative towards the Rockets.


Chuck thinks that anything that doesn't involve Chuck, is turrabel.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: MusicMan on March 13, 2008, 10:59:47 am
Chuck can suck my ass.  I am not sure why he is so negative towards the Rockets.

Chuck is positively glowing about Houston and their fans; he just doesn't like the current team, and I think he has little use for T-Mac.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: HudsonHawk on March 13, 2008, 11:07:38 am
Charles Barkley was just on Mike & Mike and he opined that this team is not good enough -- without Yao Ming -- to win the championship.  And he might be right. 


Barkley's been yammering about how the Rockets are doomed without Yao since the day he went out.  All they've done since then is win 10 in a row.  Mind you, this is the same Yao about whom Barkley once claimed wouldn't last 2 years in the league and would never score 20 points in a game in his career.  Astroholic is right...if it ain't about Chuck, Chuck ain't impressed.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: otterjb on March 13, 2008, 11:21:53 am
Barkley gets paid in proportion to how much of an ass he can be. Odds are, some of the stuff he says, even he doesn't believe.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: ValpoCory on March 13, 2008, 11:28:25 am

Barkley's been yammering about how the Rockets are doomed without Yao since the day he went out.  All they've done since then is win 10 in a row.

I hope it gets to 10 in a row without Yao.  It stands at 7 right now.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/gamelog?playerId=1722
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Limey on March 13, 2008, 11:31:57 am
Just out of curiosity, what puts the Rockets ahead of the Spurs in the standings.  The alphabet?
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Bench on March 13, 2008, 11:37:13 am
Just out of curiosity, what puts the Rockets ahead of the Spurs in the standings.  The alphabet?

I think the Rockets have the better head to head record, though that might not actually be the tiebreaker.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: matadorph on March 13, 2008, 11:37:59 am
Better head-to-head record. The Rockets also have the better conference record.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: MusicMan on March 13, 2008, 11:39:15 am
Just out of curiosity, what puts the Rockets ahead of the Spurs in the standings.  The alphabet?

Rockets hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over both SA and NO with a 2-1 record, with one game left against each.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Greg M on March 13, 2008, 01:23:57 pm
Didn't Alexander cheat Chuck out of a couple million he promised?
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Lefty on March 13, 2008, 01:55:08 pm
Didn't Alexander cheat Chuck out of a couple million he promised?
"Cheat" according to Chuck, "business" according to Les.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: HudsonHawk on March 13, 2008, 01:59:41 pm
Didn't Alexander cheat Chuck out of a couple million he promised?

In short, no.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Andyzipp on March 13, 2008, 01:59:44 pm
"Cheat" according to Chuck, "business" according to Les.

I'm not familiar with this story...please share.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: TheWizard on March 13, 2008, 02:02:01 pm
Its too bad Chuck played in Houston too early to enjoy the company of Berkman and Lee, they could have been legendary on the buffet circuit.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Andyzipp on March 13, 2008, 02:03:50 pm
Its too bad Chuck played in Houston too early to enjoy the company of Berkman and Lee, they could have been legendary on the buffet circuit.

Go a little farther back, Doug Williams before he shot himself in the leg, and Bob Cluck.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: TheWizard on March 13, 2008, 02:09:36 pm
Is anyone else concerned that Landry's injury is more serious than the team is letting on?  He has missed a few games, his swelling is in the same knee that he had surgically repaired, and the team has already taken steps to find a replacement which involved cutting Gerald Green.  Of course, I don't think losing Green is much of an issue, seems the Heat signed Bobby Jones over Green after both were let go.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/sfl-flspheatnote13sbmar13,0,1207685.story

Of course, Yao being out contributed to finding another big man as well.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Lefty on March 13, 2008, 02:10:41 pm
I'm not familiar with this story...please share.
Chuck accepted the veteran's minimum salary and rejected much higher offers (including 1 from the Lakers) to stay in Houston & to allow the Rox to acquire Pippen.  There was allegedly some sort of handshake "make good" deal for down the road.  Then Barkley got hurt & wasn't an asset anymore, just an ass, and that deal never materialized.  I can't find any of the quotes from Barkley talking about it.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Andyzipp on March 13, 2008, 02:14:02 pm
Dr. Jobe (I think...whoever is in Alabama) said there was no damage, structural or otherwise...just swelling.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: TheWizard on March 13, 2008, 02:15:07 pm
Dr. Jobe (I think...whoever is in Alabama) said there was no damage, structural or otherwise...just swelling.
I hadn't seen that.  Thanks for the info.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: HudsonHawk on March 13, 2008, 02:53:29 pm
Chuck accepted the veteran's minimum salary and rejected much higher offers (including 1 from the Lakers) to stay in Houston & to allow the Rox to acquire Pippen.  There was allegedly some sort of handshake "make good" deal for down the road.  Then Barkley got hurt & wasn't an asset anymore, just an ass, and that deal never materialized.  I can't find any of the quotes from Barkley talking about it.


Barkley got hurt and retired.  It wasn't like the Rockets refused to pay him what they owed him.  There was never any dispute.  It would be like Jeff Bagwell commenting now "you know, the Astros told me in 2001 that they'd be willing to sign me for one more year after 2007, so they owe me another season's salary, even though my career is over and I can't physically play anymore".  Besides, Barkley says this in jest.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Lurch on March 13, 2008, 03:26:45 pm
"Watching" the games on ESPN.com is a real bitch.

[ahem]channelsurfing.net[/ahem]
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: TheWizard on March 15, 2008, 12:12:07 pm
Make it 21.  Big game tomorrow against the Lake Show.  Wonder if Gasol is going to play?
Title: Don't interrupt my Twinkie eating contest
Post by: JaneDoe on March 15, 2008, 03:41:30 pm
Article about the Astros view of the Rockets 21 game winning streak contains the following amazing insight from Fat Elvis.

Quote
When initially approached about the topic, Houstonian Lance Berkman mostly expressed disinterest. That is, until it was pointed out that the Rockets haven't lost since Jan. 27.

"Come to think of it, that is pretty remarkable," Berkman said.


Remarkable?  Yeah.

Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: otterjb on March 16, 2008, 11:43:13 am
It's now the 2nd longest winning streak in nba history.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: matadorph on March 16, 2008, 01:06:18 pm
OMG a Rockets game on TV! In Austin!
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: JaneDoe on March 16, 2008, 05:06:38 pm
Congrats on #22!   Rayfor Alston shot like a madman.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Greg M on March 16, 2008, 05:16:10 pm
Bobby Jackson came up huge too.  Streaky players.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: otterjb on March 16, 2008, 09:45:04 pm
Their next two games are gonna be really tough. At home to Boston on TNT on Tuesday and then the next day they play at New Orleans on Wednesday.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: TheWizard on March 16, 2008, 11:32:29 pm
The big thing is now they are #1 in the West.  What a run.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: xxx on March 17, 2008, 12:24:23 am
you can't leave out Shane Battier....he shut Kobey down.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: matadorph on March 17, 2008, 01:57:01 am
Bobby Jackson came up huge too.  Streaky players.

Offensively, it's a game of streaks, but defense is a constant. They're winning because they play outstanding team defense and they get key offensive contributions from the bench when needed. This Rockets team can go all the way. They're not 31-4 since Jan 1st because of streaky shooting and a kind schedule. They're just fuckin good.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Astroholic on March 17, 2008, 08:21:32 am
you can't leave out Shane Battier....he shut Kobey down.

I don't recall seeing a better defensive effort.  Shane was outstanding.  When was the last time you saw Kobe covered by one man?  Every shot was contested with a hand in Kobes face.  Nice.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Limey on March 17, 2008, 09:06:52 am
Good morning everyone, and...

Fuck the Lakers.

That is all.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: TheWizard on March 17, 2008, 01:13:16 pm
I don't recall seeing a better defensive effort.  Shane was outstanding.  When was the last time you saw Kobe covered by one man?  Every shot was contested with a hand in Kobes face.  Nice.

This Laker homer is a jackass, trying to put a damper on Battier's effort.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7917328
Quote
Spread the floor and run the triangle offense all the way to a satisfactory conclusion. Instead, they depended far too much on letting Kobe go one-on-one against Shane Battier. Relentlessly hounded by Battier, Kobe was 11-for-33 — although it must be noted that Battier face-guarded Bryant on virtually every jumper. The last time I looked at the rule book, face-guarding was illegal.

I'm not even sure his definition of "face-guarding" is correct.  On any team I've played on, face-guarding means turning your back to the ballhandler and facing the guy you are defending, not literally the hand-in-the-face that Battier uses.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: Astroholic on March 17, 2008, 01:17:22 pm
This Laker homer is a jackass, trying to put a damper on Battier's effort.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7917328
I'm not even sure his definition of "face-guarding" is correct.  On any team I've played on, face-guarding means turning your back to the ballhandler and facing the guy you are defending, not literally the hand-in-the-face that Battier uses.

I am not sure of about that rule either.  I have never, ever seen it called. Sour Grapes perhaps.
Title: Re: XX (non-bb)
Post by: T. J. on March 17, 2008, 01:29:52 pm
This Laker homer is a jackass, trying to put a damper on Battier's effort.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7917328
I'm not even sure his definition of "face-guarding" is correct.  On any team I've played on, face-guarding means turning your back to the ballhandler and facing the guy you are defending, not literally the hand-in-the-face that Battier uses.

It's legal, as far as I can tell from reading the rules. (http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_12.html?nav=ArticleList)

From Rule 12, section 5m:  Eye guarding (placing a hand in front of the opponent's eyes when guard-ing from the rear) a player who does not have possession of the ball is illegal and an unsportsmanlike technical shall be assessed.