[Game 76] Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers Game Thread

[Jaykoolzboy]

Man, I was in the game in Staples Center, this is depressing that no one on this team is even willing to give to the ball to Yao Ming even he is open. Yao can eat guys like Pau Gasol and BJ Menga alive.

[smapor]

Man, I was in the game in Staples Center, this is depressing that no one on this team is even willing to give to the ball to Yao Ming even he is open. Yao can eat guys like Pau Gasol and BJ Menga alive.

It been this theme the last 5-6 games. After the All-Star game when team was playing without T-mac. Yao was getting plenty of touches. Recently we are not going to him and I really don't want to hear he can't seal his man or they front the full 48 minutes of the game. The last 3 years he was averaging 15-17 FGA a game with 6-8 FT's per game. But a big reason was Wafer was starting and Artest was still injured, so Yao saw more looks after the All-Star break.

This year he is averaging 13 FGA with 5.8 FT's. Essentially it means he is taking less than 3-8 shots per game without T-mac.

With T-mac injuried, you would think Yao would shoot more than 13 FGA. But its been the complete opposite because this offense is no longer a set offense, we don't pound the ball Yao. Its motion offense (or at least fake motion because the ball stops at Artest)

Interesting numbers are from Artest. He is averaging more FGA as a Rocket than a Kings player based on playing 3 minutes less. Indicates our real number 1 option is Artest because he is leading the Rockets in FGA, meaning he is getting the ball more or he is more willing to shoot.

Also AB is averaging 9.9 FGA for 22 minutes. It means he is also averaging just as many FGA as Yao (adjusted to Yao's minutes). Compared to Rafer who averages 10FGA for 32 minutes.

In reality Artest and AB are shooting more (combined) than T-mac if he was on the team if you adjust for 48 minutes. Artest + AB under 48 minutes are averaging 40-41 FGA. T-mac + Rafer under 48 minutes are averaging 39 FGA. '

However the key I think is Wafer was starting for T-mac and when Artest was hurt, Rockets were looking for Yao a lot more, hence why Rockets look great after the all-star for a few games. Than Artest settled in and here we are today.

OR you can just accept the simple answer. Rick's offense is motion offense, not big man in the middle. I think most people knew when Rick finally got his motion offense working Yao's numbers would go down offensively. You all don't remember last year, Rick had to abandon his motion offense and realized Yao was just simply better at the low post and they went back to the inside out game with a dash of motion offense. Today its motion offense and only go inside when Rockets can't score. How many times have you seen Rockets go with out a FG for 5 minutes and guess who comes in and breaks the "did not make a FG attempt in the last 5 minutes" ----> Yao. Last resort, you go inside.

Quite simply T-mac and Yao are not designed for the motion offense. Rick's mistake is forcing the system on the players. Look at Doc Rivers, he doesn't force an offensive system on the big 3, he fits the system around the player.

[tisbee]

Brooks had a pretty poor game,but...
He ran several pick-n-rolls w/Scola getting Scola several wide open jumpers that he buried.
The coaching staff changed the offense and made it the wing's job to feed the post. If Brooks passes it to the wing who doesn't pass it to Yao,how is that Brooks' fault?(The right answer is he should be able to pass to Yao w/out needing someone else,but that's not the scheme.)

Adelman's offense is based on a big who can pass setting up in the high post. For all the talk about Yao's passing ability,I've seen very little evidence of it. Chuck Hayes has been the best passing big,but he is no threat to shoot so his man can slough off into the pasing lanes. and when Yao went high and Scola vacated the low post for Ron,they never got him the ball.

The McGrady-less Rockets are .500 against teams that are currently eligible for the Playoffs. They are what they are,a good team,not a great team.

[dunleavyjr]

Brent Barry? Who is that?

[hackle]

we are like the inter milan of basketball.

[panarama]

It was very entertaining game say the least.
Though, Rockets lost bad.

I think, Artest broke a flow of the the game down the stretch
but overall I am content with Rockets performance last night. =]

Love that rejection from Yao to Pau in 4th Qtr. !!! o_O'
Oh and Pau disturbs me.

[thefranchise03]

Wow, it seemed like The Rockets didnt want to give Yao the ball. Not suprised. That always happens. Its because he's chinese. if he was black and Gangsta like Ron Artest, they would give it to him all the time. it sucks, but that's the way it is.

[sook]

Yao is our best player but I don't think he is the answer to this team or RA at least. They played the motion offense without him better last year. I think ultimately it will come down to one of the 2 leaving, Rick's offense puts too much weight on the role players and doesn't believe in the post player getting too many touches. The only reason artest get so many FGA is because he doesn't need other people to set him up and he just shoot on his own accord.

If this could happen, YES i would do it

Rockets and Grizzles, Oj Mayo + Marc Gasol + Filler for Landry + Yao + filler

[smapor]

Yao is our best player but I don't think he is the answer to this team or RA at least. They played the motion offense without him better last year. I think ultimately it will come down to one of the 2 leaving, Rick's offense puts too much weight on the role players and doesn't believe in the post player getting too many touches. The only reason artest get so many FGA is because he doesn't need other people to set him up and he just shoot on his own accord.

If this could happen, YES i would do it

Rockets and Grizzles, Oj Mayo + Marc Gasol + Filler for Landry + Yao + filler

lol wait a minute do you think Yao is the only player on Ric's team that doesn't fit? lol

AB can't run the offense and he hasn't proved it yet.
Artest definitely doesn't run the offense
T-mac doesn't run the offense, and he is hurt.
Chuck Hayes is a defensive specialist (JVG player)
Brent Barry is old
Scola probably would excel more in a different offense, his passing skills are poor

and you want to get rid of Yao first. lol

If you realize this unit is a perfect for JVG besides AB. JVG would start Lowry over AB.

JVG took scrub + T-mac and Yao to 50 win seasons. Unfortunately we Rocket fans quickly think JVG was a failure, when all you need to do is look at the roster under JVG. Ryan Bowen, Mo Tayler, Kirk Snyder, and the list goes on and on.

I rather let Rick go and beg JVG back and get a SG who shoots 45-46%, if T-mac can't be his former self.

How quick people react to situations. You do realize even if you replace Yao, the current Rocket team may still make 15-20 mistakes when executing the offense? lol clearly something is wrong and Yao is only a part of it.

Last year Rick abandon the motion offense mid-way and went back to the trusty JVG style. When Yao was out, we didn't not play full motion because T-mac can't change his style. Last year our defense was 2x better than this year. Last year we didn't give up 15-20 fast break points.

Amazing how people can jump to conclusions so fast. We lost to the best team in the league @ home. We had 1% chance on winning.

Somebody in some other forum analyzed 49 plays that Yao was involved, over 60% of those plays were at the high post or setting picks. ROFL so yep Yao doesn't fit and too bad Rick keeps trying to take our best low post player away and turn him into Brad Miller.

IMHO Yao has never been a clear #1 option playing as a Rocket, he may lead the team in scoring and its only because he is highly efficient. You could make a case for the 25/10 season but it only lasted 50 games. However what holds him back is the "Team player concept". Team players never excel beyond the team.

As of right now, I wouldn't want half of you as my teammates if we were in the NBA.

1st it was Yao can't win with T-mac
2nd it was Yao+Rockets can't make the playoffs
3rd we shouldn't force the ball to Yao
4th Yao needs the ball more now


I already knew Rockets will end up 4-5th seed and I knew Yao will still give the rockets his best effort and be a team player. He will never dominate. However he is not the main problem. You can't blame Yao when the rest of the team can't even execute plays correctly or when Artest goes crazy or when AB decides throw low angle bounce passes to a 7'6 player. Its a team issue, always has been.

This year we were suppose to have T-mac, Artest and Yao play together and how many games did they play together? How long did it take for us to have a set rotation. Other teams had their set Rotation in the 1st month, it took us till Feb. to get one and than we changed PG. If anything our beloved Rocket team (current Unit) had 2 months playing with each other and we expect Rockets to never lose or play pathetically.

[sook]

I don't know, 7 years and this team still hasn't found an answer. Maybe we were destined to be losers after 95'

[smapor]

I don't know, 7 years and this team still hasn't found an answer. Maybe we were destined to be losers after 95'

Do me a favor take notice of the last 7 years Rocket Roster. Than tell me if we underachieve or overachieve based on regular season.

Than you compare our players vs the top teams in the league, we got former d-leaguers playing, almost of them who left the Rockets couldn't achieve crap. Cato, mike wills, mike Harris, Ryan Bowen, Scott padgett, the list goes on. Rockets had chances but they traded the good players away or couldn't keep them like rudy gay and posey are good examples.

Where like the only team that drafts from the D-league. Look at us, we are praying James white will produce.

If we didn't draft Yao, Rockets could have been like clippers or some of those teams that just plain suck.