The Rockets looked much better on offense against the Nuggets, but had a couple of problems, they allowed the Nuggets way too many offensive rebounds, the interior defense was not very good and the free throw shooting was atrocious. Rudy T brought in a variation to the 2 Shakes play to help free up Mobley. Instead of setting Mobley up at the corner of the 3 pt arc, Mobley was moved all the way to the opposite baseline so in a sense he was facing the teammates. The Nuggets were not able to react to this, and Mobley was destroying them going to the basket. Is this a long term solution to free up Mobley in the 2 Shakes play that was bogging down of late? I dont know, it could be or it couldve just been very successful tonight b/c the Nuggets were late reacting. It will be interesting to see how teams adjust to this. This game could very well have been won decisively by the Rockets had it not been for the poor foul shooting and allowing the Nuggets so many offensive boards. Nuggets had 17 offensive boards which is completely ridiculous, and the Rockets shot 23-42 from the foul line. Getting to the foul line 42 times is amazing, and the Rockets were very aggressive going to the basket, but they just had an off night foul shooting. My guess is that this is an abberation considering the Rockets are near the top of the league in this area. Antonio McDyess's going off tonight was not simply b/c he was on fire. The Rockets PFs were doing very little to deny him position and McDyess was getting a ton of easy looks in the paint. I dont remember the exact tally, but the Nuggets had a ton of pts in the paint. The positive sign is that the Rockets did not play near their best game but still managed to pull it out on the road. The Blazers are going to be a tough test on Saturday night; Wallace has been looking incredible and has established himself as their go-to option. ------------------ Check out the Best Source for Draft Info Draftsource.net
Great win tonight, Portland is going to get an ass whooping as well. I got my tickets to that game Saturday, I will be the loudest one booing scottie. ------------------ Vice President of the Jason Collier fan club!
We've never really had an answer for McDyess. Maybe we've just never had a really dominant PF to distract him? My best solution to the McDyess problem would be to "draft" McDyess... (I don't have an answer either) I know the staff has always coveted him. Why is it he wouldn't sign with us again? I mean he even lives here... Oh yeah, $. ------------------
That's what I'm saying. We were so close to getting him at one point. ------------------ Sometimes you gotta do the next best thing!
Was it really money- i thought it was more to do with us thinking pippen would be a better aquisition as we had dream and barkley then and didnt need another bigman. either way, he is damn good, but sometimes inconsistent. Where would you rank McDyess in terms of PF's?? ------------------ Remember.... You are not really drunk until you must hold on to the grass to keep from falling off the earth.
If I remember correctly he didn't sign with us because we were starting to warm up to Pippen instead. Oh what a horrible mistake--but then again, we wouldn't have Ed Gray otherwise....wait a minute... ------------------
Scott was choice number 2. According to an article in the Denver paper Mcdyess said the only reason he did not sign with the Rockets was because of Matt Maloney. He didn't compliment McDyess enough. However I'd be willing to bet that Mcdyess would have galdly came here had he known Stevie Franchise would be proudly wear the Rocket pin stripes. ------------------
sorry, I don't know why that came out again ------------------ Sometimes you gotta do the next best thing!
I wonder if we'll have another chance? At this rate, we might not want to resign either Shandon or Mo... Capspace next year (unless we find someone else or talk Hakeem into another year). When is McDyess a free agent again? Anyone know offhand? ------------------
GOOD WIN! Talking of observation, did you guys notice right after the buzzer went off for the game that Cuttino was practicing free throws? :O His look was like, "How could it happen to me???" Also, during the TV-program-ending clip I noticed that Stevie was the one who used an inhaler during a timeout, not Hakeem. By the way, do you guys think Hakeem was badly affected by the thin air in Denver? His free throws sucked tonight, but he did make several, I mean SEVERAL, BIG plays down the stretch. ------------------
Those steals more than made up for his missed FTs. Wish I could say the same about everyone else... The poor FT shooting was, I think, a fluke. This is normally a good FT shooting team - but we shouldn't expect it every night. We shouldn't hinge any bets on it. Luckily, we had other ways to win tonight. ------------------
MManal, I read the 2 Shakes as Denver choosing not to double it. Big mistake when you are relying on Van Exel to contain him. I agree; that angle gives him a better baseline drive if the double comes over. I've seen him use that angle before. And I've seen heavy doubles of it, too. The D can still take away the baseline and bring an early double to cut off the middle. Then we are back at square one...can and will Mobley pass out of it early if the double is quick enough to take away the baseline and middle.
Francis3 you cant be the loudest one booing Quitten. The loudest fan title is officialy mine. All these old folks get mad at me and start moving to different seats just to get away from me And McDyess didnt come here because we had Charles and Hakeem. He knew he wouldnt get enough touches in the paint due to our 2 top fifty players. Pippen was always the second choice. And when McDyess like a dumbass decided to go to Denver (what the hell was he thinking?) we started to pursue Quitten. ------------------ SUCK POLICE!!!!!! To point out individuals or teams that have managed to reach the pinnacle of SUCKINESS!!!!! - THE SUCK POLICE CHARGES THE REFS AT TONITES ROCKETS GAME AS BEING REALLY REALLY SUCKY!!!!!!!!! ------ President of the COACH SAMPSON Conspiracy Club!
It is inspiring to me to see that we are able to win a close game like this, on the road, against a decent team, when we shoot FTs as bad as we did. We had a lot going against us and we still found a way to pull it out, and that is an aspect of a winning team. I suspect that the FT% was just a freak of nature for a night. The moons were aligned or something, but I couldn't be more happy with the win. ------------------ She hates testicles, thus limiting the men she can admire to Democratic candidates for president. -- John Greenway, "The American Tradition", on feminist Elizabeth Gould Davis [This message has been edited by RunninRaven (edited December 01, 2000).]
To solve the McDyess problem: Hope that the Nugz have a horrible year so he'd want out during the summer. Maybe he'll get sent East or we can get him for Wizard and Mo (resign and trade) and picks. Yeah, it's a lot to give, but you have to give to get. And as I recalled, someone's thread in the summer had his account of talking to McDyess in a Houston theater and him saying that he'd love to play here now.
No offense guys, but it'll never happen. Dice is a Nugget for life. He loves the franchise, he loves the area, and he's happy with the team. ------------------ Nuggets4 The Pinnacle - Rising to the Top With the Denver Nuggets http://www.NugsPinnacle.com
Yeah, so why did he cry a couple of years ago right after a loss? I'm not saying McDyess is definetly going, but losing big time does create a possible situation for him to leave. In this age of basketball, no body is garunteed to be with his team for life. It's just a scenario that could happen, and I hope for it.
I'd hate to lose Walt after all that everyone's been through. Maurice, at this point.... But I'd pull the trigger on that in a second. Hell, if worse came to worst, then Lanky can fill in at SF until we get a good replacement. I WOULD NOT pass up that deal for McDyess. But I highly doubt such a deal would ever be offered. Nuggets4: He lives here. His family lives here. Denver is a lovely city - who doesn't want to romp around there every once in a while? But home is where the heart lies... The Nugz won't willingly let him go, but if they see a good deal pointing towards Houston... Yer in trouble. ------------------
Actually, and to this day he admits it, he was crying because he was so frustrated because he felt that he could be doing so much more. Not the team. Him. Treeman, I hear you. However, the fact is McDyess is finally becoming the player many thought he would be. Trading him would be like Minnesota trading Garnett (note -- I am NOT saying Dice is as good as KG, but he is as valuable to the Nugs as KG is to Min). I just honestly don't see it happening. ------------------ Nuggets4 The Pinnacle - Rising to the Top With the Denver Nuggets http://www.NugsPinnacle.com
