1st Rd: Rockets vs. Mavericks

[Brian in Mesa]

Game 1: Rockets by 12. 98-86.

I didn't see it, but it sounded like the Tracy McGrady Show.

 

[Chaplin]

I watched bits and pieces, but it looked like Mutombo was a much bigger factor than Yao was.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I watched bits and pieces, but it looked like Mutombo was a much bigger factor than Yao was.

Only because Yao was in foul trouble I think.

Crazy game...Dirk couldn't hit anything...Tracy was unbelievable.

I never commented on it before, so it will seem lame now, but I was more afraid of facing Houston next than Dallas...and I stil am.

Mike

 

[Chaplin]

Foul trouble or no, if Yao continues to be in foul trouble throughout the playoffs, you can't discount that. Even Jake Voskuhl would be more effective if he didn't foul twice a minute.

Based on today's game, Houston is scarier, but remember, Dirk had a horrible game today, just horrible. That's not going to continue.

 

[TopGamer]

Basically I'm not more worried about a particular team between Dallas and Houston. Whoever comes out of that series is going to give us trouble and will be tough opponents. If Houston can beat a much improved defensive Dallas team they are going to be a tough opponent and if Dallas can beat a much improved Houston team that are able to hold off Dallas defense and offense it's going to be tough. Whoever we get is going to give us trouble so there's no need to worry about which one. We just have to be prepared. They don't call it the playoffs for nothing.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I still would rather face Houston than Dallas. I believe going in that Tmac would win at least 1 game for the Rockets. Dallas will not shoot that bad again.

The chances of Dirk, Stackhouse, Finley and Van Horn shooting so badly in the same game is similar to the chances of Amare, Nash, Q and JJ shooting badly in the same game.

 

[cly2tw]

I still would rather face Houston than Dallas. I believe going in that Tmac would win at least 1 game for the Rockets. Dallas will not shoot that bad again.

The chances of Dirk, Stackhouse, Finley and Van Horn shooting so badly in the same game is similar to the chances of Amare, Nash, Q and JJ shooting badly in the same game.

Bad shooting, more often than not, has something to do with opponent's defense. Nobody on Mavs' can single-handedly destroy you like TMac. You seem to be so sure that he can't do it more than once?

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Bad shooting, more often than not, has something to do with opponent's defense. Nobody on Mavs' can single-handedly destroy you like TMac. You seem to be so sure that he can't do it more than once?

Oh I think he can do it more than once. Of course, with the Mavs woes they were never really out of the game. One good run takes the lead back. Tmac can win you a game as long as the opponent in this case has a bad game as well. Dallas is by far a better team than Houston.

I don't believe that the Mavericks shot badly entirely because of the defense. At least not Stack and Dirk.

 

[Chaplin]

I don't believe that TMac going for 40 is enough to beat an entire Dallas team. It happened today, but it isn't going to happen again.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I don't believe that TMac going for 40 is enough to beat an entire Dallas team. It happened today, but it isn't going to happen again.

Way to just echo my post Chap

 

[Chaplin]

Way to just echo my post Chap

Just showing some support...

 

[George O'Brien]

I wish I had seen the game. Obviously the Rockets winning in Dallas was just huge and gives them a real chance to win this series. But, based on the replays, it looked like T-Mac had one of those games where he hit everything including some amazing shots.

Obviously if he shot like that every game, the Rockets would be unbeatable. But MJ was the only player I've ever seen who could shoot that way consistently. If T-Mac shoots that way every game, then all bets are off.

 

[WaywardFan]

Before the series, I was thinking it would be better to play the Rockets than the Mavericks. The Mavs were playing inspired late season ball and seem to match up well with us (or at least would be able to keep up with us).

Now, the Rockets have taken two from Dallas with two at home. It looks like the Rockets seem likely to take the series.

What does this mean for a potential second round matchup?

 

[Amare32]

It means It will be just as tough, no matter who we would face in round two would be really tough. Both have a superstar and good support players. That said Houston would be tougher as they play better defense.

 

[scotsman13]

over a 7 games dallas or houston dont scare me that bad. both of these teams dont have the man power to match up with the suns in an up and down game. how long with yoa stay in the game if we run at him? how will dallas guard amare? with KVH? are you kidding me.

the suns can go to amare, hunter and marion up front and be able to do a good job matching up with both of these teams on defense but when it comes to offense both dallas and houston cant match up with the suns.

 

[fordronken]

I'm also pretty confident in Amare making adjustments with Yao in a seven game series, and eventually, playing pretty well.

 

[Cheesebeef]

over a 7 games dallas or houston dont scare me that bad. both of these teams dont have the man power to match up with the suns in an up and down game. how long with yoa stay in the game if we run at him? how will dallas guard amare? with KVH? are you kidding me.

the suns can go to amare, hunter and marion up front and be able to do a good job matching up with both of these teams on defense but when it comes to offense both dallas and houston cant match up with the suns.

I don't know. I think a Houston series will be MUCH tougher for us than a Dallas series - one that will at least go 6 and likely go 7. They have effectively slowed the game down against in two of the last three meetings and then ran past us at our own game in another. We don't have anyone that can stop T-Mac, but it will be to our advatange running Yao ragged - although the Mavs play the same style and he's still producing against them. Their ability ot play either game - the slow down, shut you down game - or run at will (like they're last game with the Mavs) is what makes thema tougher matchup for us. A match-up I think we'd ultimately win, but it wouldn't shock me if we lost to them. If we were to lose to that soft as hell Mavs team - that would shock me.

 

[elindholm]

Houston bothers me more, but Dallas would hardly be a pushover. Dampier would guard Stoudemire, and most likely do a pretty good job of it.

The only potential opponents that figure to let Stoudemire run rampant are Seattle and Sacramento. Everyone else has strong, athletic bigs that they can dump on him. It will up to the Suns' outside shooting to carry them through the later rounds.

 

[Chaz]

The bit players are the Xfactor for Houston. It is not McGrady and Yao that worry me, you can figure that they will be effective. It is Sura, James, Barry, and Wesley that can get hot and make the difference.

Houston will go as far as thouse 4 can take them. They just have to keep the Rockets in the game because thay have McGrady to hit shots at the end to close the game.


Dallas just looks lost right now. KVH was horrible the other night. Left wide open for a three and he wouldn't take the shot. I thought he was there to shoot.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The bit players are the Xfactor for Houston. It is not McGrady and Yao that worry me, you can figure that they will be effective. It is Sura, James, Barry, and Wesley that can get hot and make the difference.

Houston will go as far as thouse 4 can take them. They just have to keep the Rockets in the game because thay have McGrady to hit shots at the end to close the game.


Dallas just looks lost right now. KVH was horrible the other night. Left wide open for a three and he wouldn't take the shot. I thought he was there to shoot.

Is it really that surprising what is going n with Dallas? Finley and KVH have always been horrendous in the playoffs.

You know what scares me the most - Jon Barry playing the role of Mario Elie - for some reason, I have this gigantic fear of him hitting a HUGE three in a possible series with Houston. He was a BIG pickup for them.

 

[jibikao]

I've read so many posts that Suns would rather play against Rocket than Mavs because Mavs is also a high scoring team and they have much better defense.

I don't agree at all. I think Rocket is much harder to predict than Mavs. Sura just made 4/5 3pt in Game 2 when he has not made ANY 3pt before that night. What a surprise! Mavs certainly didn't anticipate that.

Another reason is Amare has trouble with tall centers like Yao/Mutumbo. So if Yao/Mutumb can guard Amare one-on-one then we are in big trouble. Our shooters won't get open and we may lose the game.


Mavs.... all I can say is they have all the weapons but they don't know how to use them. Their offense looks stiff at best. There is no offense flow and they refused to let Dirk be the go-to guy, or Dirk chicken out in the end. All the Mavs talk about is how good their defense is without Nash. Well, we'll see how far they can go this year. Cuban claimed that this is the BEST, well-balanced team they've ever had. We'll see about that.

Mavs is the 2nd highest scoring team but their team assist only ranks #26 which means they have terrible ball movement (yes, Terry is the worst PG I've seen), a lot of one-on-one and rely on Dirk too much. When Dirk gets the ball, they just stand there waiting for something to happen, much like how Lakers players watch Kobe does his own thing. lol

 

[jibikao]

Is it really that surprising what is going n with Dallas? Finley and KVH have always been horrendous in the playoffs.

You know what scares me the most - Jon Barry playing the role of Mario Elie - for some reason, I have this gigantic fear of him hitting a HUGE three in a possible series with Houston. He was a BIG pickup for them.

Yup, Jon Barry scares me off. He reminds me of Steve Kerr... hopefully Mavs can beat Rocket so we don't need to face them.

 

[elindholm]

Sura scares me more than Barry. Barry has one good game every two weeks, but other than that he's a non-factor. Sura can hurt you in a lot of different ways. He's a surprisingly complete player.

 

[jibikao]

Sura scares me more than Barry. Barry has one good game every two weeks, but other than that he's a non-factor. Sura can hurt you in a lot of different ways. He's a surprisingly complete player.

Yeah, Rocket got a lot better after they got Sura and then they add Wisely. Who was their PG? Man, he sucks... I forgot his name.

 

[Errntknght]

I think it was after they picked up Mike James that the Rockets went on their winning spree. Of course, Sura had been out for a while and was rounding back into form but James gives them a tough perimeter defender and he's gotten hot late in quite a number of games. I think Tyrone Liu was their PG early on.