Houston Rockets Complete Domination - -

[Gray Mule]

:no-no:

Just how dominating have the Rockets been at home against the Atlanta Hawks?

The Rockets have a 15-1 home record and have won the last 9.

In their last game, the Hawks went into their "Sleep Walk" mode in the 3rd quarter

and didn't snap out of it until late in the 4th. Their furious comeback brought them

close. Too late. It was all over and they were 2 points short. Actually, 5 until JJ

hit the 3 to beat the final buzzer.

If the Hawks have any hope of winning tonight, they must avoid the "Sleep Walk"

that proved their undoing in their last game. The Rockets have several players

who missed their game last night, a loss. Hawks must take advantage of this and

push, from beginning to end.

History tells us that the Hawks have shot their lowest field goal % against the

Houston Rockets in this 15-1 stretch. Maybe, just maybe, the 3 ball will fall for

us tonight. Maybe we'll push the shorthanded Rockets. Maybe we won't be

dominated and intimidated by their taller than average center.

Maybe they can win this one. They need it. Bad.

GO HAWKS!

[mrhonline]

Pray that Yao Ming gets the flu???

[frosgrim]

I agree the 3 is going to have to fall tonight if the Hawks have a chance to win. We are so outmatched by Ming its ridiculous. This is the type of team the Hawks will always have problems with until we get a legit 7 footer.

I think the only way to nuetralize the Ming factor is to get out running. Smith and Horford need to get the ball to one of the guards as soon as they get a rebound, while the guards and MW have to run the court to get easier looks. Maybe Bibby can bring us back to the old SacTown days?

That said, Ming is the only healthy of their big 3. McGrady is out and Artest has an ankle sprain. Speaking of Artest, he usually kills us too.

That all said, I actually think we have a good chance to take the game. The team just needs to play good rotational D. Make sure that whenever Yao gets the gall there is someone to harras him along with Horford. Thus, shutting down Yao tonight is really the key along with shotting above 40% for the game. Not rocket science, but sometimes the simple things are the keys to success.

[Dsinner]

I agree the 3 is going to have to fall tonight if the Hawks have a chance to win. We are so outmatched by Ming its ridiculous. This is the type of team the Hawks will always have problems with until we get a legit 7 footer.

I think the only way to nuetralize the Ming factor is to get out running. Smith and Horford need to get the ball to one of the guards as soon as they get a rebound, while the guards and MW have to run the court to get easier looks. Maybe Bibby can bring us back to the old SacTown days?

That said, Ming is the only healthy of their big 3. McGrady is out and Artest has an ankle sprain. Speaking of Artest, he usually kills us too.

That all said, I actually think we have a good chance to take the game. The team just needs to play good rotational D. Make sure that whenever Yao gets the gall there is someone to harras him along with Horford. Thus, shutting down Yao tonight is really the key along with shotting above 40% for the game. Not rocket science, but sometimes the simple things are the keys to success.

If we can't beat this team with 2 of their big 3 out and us at full strength something is very wrong.

[Atlsportfanz]

Yao's gonna get his 20 & 10, just don't let it be 40.

I'm more concerned about their other guys going off. Alston, Barry, Head, Battier. If the Hawks can keep those guys under wraps, they should win this game. If one of them explodes (my prediction Head; his quickness will kill Bibby) the then Hawks will put themselves behind the 8 Ball.

On offense, run and run some more. Houston's wants to play the half court game with Yao and Artest. Wear Yao out by making him chase Horford up and down the floor. The same with Josh. Scola can't keep up with Josh on the fast break.

It's a simple thing. Play to your strengths. Try to mask your weaknesses.

[atlien]

All factors are in our favor to steal this one:

- No McGrady and probably no Artest

- Houston played a tough game last night and lost horribly

- We´ve had a few days rest and are hungry for a Texas victory

Also, I think by now there has been a proven way to beat Yao. Just take him out of the game and make him a liability by running. Horf and Smoove should look to attack him all night.

[DrReality]

Agreed and I think Solo can harass him some. Gonna need all the fouls we can get from our bigs.

[DrReality]

From Sekou's blog:

Where’s the bench?

By Sekou K Smith | Monday, December 8, 2008, 12:10 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS - A road trip halfway across the country isn’t exactly the ideal place to try and find yourself.

But for the Hawks (actually for the Hawks’ bench), that’s exactly what’s going on.

What looked like a vibrant unit a month ago has suddenly gone missing, what with starters going down with injuries seemingly every game - the latest being Al Horford, who missed Saturday’s loss to Dallas with a sprained ankle.

The crew that made the pundits eat their words for calling them a “FEMA disaster” during the early stages of this season has struggled to find its niche as Thanksgiving has given way to Christmas.

Granted, the bench is only going to be as potent as it is allowed to be - and to be fair, the minutes have been up and down for the reserves as Hawks coach Mike Woodson tries to strike the right balance between working his starters and relying on his reserves.

It all works in lockstep. And right now the Hawks’ cadence is off. For example, the starters had to play huge minutes to get past New York Friday night, so it would have been ideal for them to get a good breather in the first and third quarters Saturday against the Mavericks. That would allowed the Hawks’ first unit the energy needed, if necessary, to make a late-game push for a win in a place they haven’t won in years.

As it was, the Hawks mustered the juice for that late-game push anyway. And if you missed the wild finish to Saturday’s game you missed a good one.

The challenge for the Hawks going forward is finding ways to keep from needing those sorts of late-game bursts to keep pace.

I know there is now way to eliminate the need for those things completely. But the Hawks finally have the personnel to mix and match their way to competitiveness every night.

There’s no sense wasting it.

And again:

December 8, 2008 11:46 AM | Link to this

I the think problem is two-fold. Certainly a more conrete rotation for the bench would help, but the guys that come off the bench have to be game-changers on both ends of the floor. It’s not enough to come off the bench firing up shots and nothing else. The guards, specifically, have to come in and change the defensive tempo in order to give the Hawks a chance to change things up when they are struggling - sort of like what Kyle Lowry did for Memphis last week when he came off the bench.

But this is not another Mike Woodson bash session, not for me at least. He’s pushed the right buttons more often than not this season (see the 12-7 record folks and the obviously improved overall play from this time last year and know that he deserves some credit for that).

No coach is going to dole out blind trust to his reserves. They have to make it impossible for him not to play them by being game-changers every time they hit the floor.

[Deeman]

The one thing that scares me is that Al vs Yao Ming matchup. I remember last year where Yao just Abused Al in the post.

[Colin]

Is Horford going to play tonight?

As far as I heard he is Questionable/Game-Time Decision.

[HawkItus]

Crazy idea..........

Why not start Solo tonight and at least give us a chance to make Yoa run the court. On Defense a Solo/Horf double team should create some problems with Smith patrol taking care of any wise guys trying to sneak thru the back door to score.

[gsuteke]

two points from Houston's RealGM board

1. Artest is not playing tonight

2. Yao has been "a shell of himself this season"

Don't follow the Rockets so I don't know what that means. I would, however run Smoove and Marvin like hell in this one

[exodus]

Someone should tell Horford that it isn't against the rules to fake a shot. He never does it inside. He insists on going straight up, even if Yao Ming is right in his face. Houston gets an easy block and then hit a 3 on the other end.

Why can't he throw up a fake now and then? He is totally predictable.

[DrReality]

Totally disgusting. We gave this one away.

[exodus]

Totally disgusting. Smith gave this one away.

smith was a complete idiot tonight. This is his 5th year and he should be starting to play smarter now but it isn't happening.

[DrReality]

The domination continues and Smith looked like a high school kid.

[gsuteke]

Not to pile on Smoove but he still doesn't "get it"

When he hit that 3 to put them up 8 I yelled "NOOOO" as it went down and even a second or two thereafter

Low and behold it took him out of his game.

The hated Coach WOodson is on right now talking about how his team was celebrating after they went up by 8 and let the game go. I think he's right.

Woodson can only do so much.

[tremor]

Give the credit where credit is due: Artest is a terrific defender, Joe had no single easy possession, he had to earn hard all his points (BTW, what happened to his FT shooting?). Adelman wisely uses Yao. Rockets are very good rebounding team with Ming, Battie, Scola and Artest on the floor.

Refrees where really nice to Yao. 4 moving screens set by him and no single whistle? He spent also more than 3 second in paint a couple of times.