<div align="center"> <font color="red">Rockets (39-24)</font> vs <font color="purple">Suns (48-14)</font> Monday, March 12, 2007, US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ 9:00 Central; NBATV, FSNSW, SportsRadio 610 AM <font color="red"> <font size="1">(R. Alston, T. McGrady, S. Battier, C. Hayes, Y. Ming)</font></font> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Yao Ming - 25.4 PPG Leading Rebounder: Yao Ming - 9.4 RPG Assists Leader: Tracy McGrady - 6.1 APG </font> <font color="purple"> <font size="1">(S. Nash, R. Bell, S. Marion, B. Diaw, A. Stoudemire)</font></font> <font size="1">Leading Scorer: Amare Stoudemire - 20.6 PPG Leading Rebounder: Shawn Marion - 10.3 RPG Assists Leader: Steve Nash - 11.7 APG </font> <font size=""1""><font color="red">Luther Head (6th Man)</font></font> <font size="1"><div align="center">27.9 MPG, 10.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.5 APG</div></font><font size=""1""><font color="purple">Leandro Barbosa (6th Man)</font></font> <font size="1">32.3 MPG, 17.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 4.2 APG</font> Predictions: <font color=""Red"">Rockets 112</font>, Suns 108</div> Keys To The Game: <font color=""Red"">Rockets:</font> T-Mac had a great game after the great win against the Magic. Yao got many points and has looked like he has gotten back to himself now but also his return has significantly helped the rockets, especially at the 3-Point line. The Rockets had a great offense after blowing a few games before and the Rockets need to continue that. Bonzi may also play in this game so it will be good for the Rockets. The Rockets really need a winning streak of at least 10 games starting now to get the 3rd seed in the West. T-Mac needs to continue the offense but also now the Rockets need to start using Yao on offense alot because the Rockets will need it for the playoffs. The Rockets defense needs to continue and they need to lower the opp ppg. We have to contain Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa because they are great shooters. Juwan needs to continue to do good, and Yao will have a tough matchup with Stoudemire but he needs to come out with his best. The Rockets need to rebound, score, and defend. These March games need to stay positive with wins so we really need this for the hunt of the 3rd/4th seed. The Rockets also need to stop the penetration of Nash, and they need to control the pace of the game. Shawn Marion is a big player to so they need to contain him. <font color=""Red"">Luther Head hit some 3's!! </font> <font color=""purple"">Suns:</font> Keep Tmac from scoring more than 30. The Suns need to control the pace at a fast pace because it does not favor the Rockets. The scoring will not be a problem but the Suns need to defend the Rockets too. Nash should continue what he is doing and keep scoring on and on. Leandro Barbosa will come off the bench so he need to contribute well and they also need Bell to score. The bench needs to produce and Jones needs to give them energy with Points. Diaw is also a key player because he is just coming back from an injury and he needs to start playing well. Stoudemire will have a tough matchup against Yao but he needs to score his anyway. The offense needs to go through Nash and Barbosa. Cover luther head on 3's! <font color=""Black"">Bottom Line:</font> This game is a big game for the Rockets because this is an elite team we need to win against and we havent so far. The Rockets need a streak because every good team has been on a streak lately and they need to prove that they are good and also to clinch the playoff berth. The Suns pose depth problems because they can go really deep in the bench so the Rockets really need scoring from everyone. The Rockets mainly need to score because you cannot win a game if you do not score. All the Rockets need to do is pickup their offense and defense and not play Lazy then they might win. If the Rockets can close the game out well they might come away with the victory. The Suns are a tough team to beat but the Rockets can put them down if they control the pace and score. Hope for a great game and may the best team win.
Man Yao will be tested big today. He gotta play big today, very big. Today, everyone will need to bring out their A game. Battier needs to play good defense on Marion. Hayes needs to do his job on Diaw. McGrady needs to score 40. Yao needs to score atleast 25. The key guy in this game will be Alston. If he is hot, the Rockets are hot. His defense will be key in this game. Hopefully, everyone plays big and we come out with a good win.
<div class="quote_poster">Rock4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Chuck Hayes will be seriously tested tonight. I'm anxious to see how this turns out...........</div> Yeah his hustle will be tested tonight against the run and gun Suns. Too bad Hayes can run faster and move quicker than Howard.
JVG's strategy is what is going to be put on the line today. Lets see how the defense holds up against a team like Suns now that we have everyone back.
I've been looking forward to this game for a long time seeing now that everyone's back. The Rockets do have the people to beat the suns but speed will be the issue as the suns are a fast team so one of the keys to this game will be to determine the pace of this game from the get go. Amare is not in optimal form and Yao is playing some of the best basketball in his NBA career so expect to see a great matchup. More importantly th rest of the team has to step up especially against the likes of Nash and Marion.
Yao dominated Amare early --> blocking him and hold him scoreless in 8 mins. However, Yao got tired and Amare hit 2 jumpshots on Mutumbo. Hayes did a nice job so far. It seems the suns are doubling Yao everytime and Hayes is always open at the foul line. Hopefully JVG can PUT THE PIECES together and play a Howard/Yao combo soon.
<div class="quote_poster">Umair Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Man Yao will be tested big today. He gotta play big today, very big. Today, everyone will need to bring out their A game. Battier needs to play good defense on Marion. Hayes needs to do his job on Diaw. McGrady needs to score 40. Yao needs to score atleast 25. The key guy in this game will be Alston. If he is hot, the Rockets are hot. His defense will be key in this game. Hopefully, everyone plays big and we come out with a good win.</div> that's obvious..u basically covered all the possibilities there is....haha....
Halftime, Rox down 10. Only 5 players on our team scored ( 0pts from Rafer and Battier. Battier hasnt shot)
Battier needs to stop being so unselfish. He needs to stop standing at the three point line (even though he can hit it) and start posting up. Rafer needs to stop jacking up three pointers and go in. JVG needs to switch up Hayes and Howard often. When Hayes is in Yao gets doubled and Yao needs to find Hayes under the goal, and when Howard is in, Howard needs to shooting his 12 footers. McGrady, I see is starting to drive in a bit more but isn't getting his calls. But he is starting to hit his shot from the outside. Two key guys who need to step up are: Rafer and Battier BTW, I see Hayes was playing awesome as a starter scoring 8 points early on and Howard scored 12 points on 6-6 shooting. Lets go ROCKETS!
I dunno, maybe its my bias speaking, but does it seem like yao was getting hacked to pieces while they were calling touch fouls on us? Anyways phoenix is a tough team to play against on the road at the end of a back to back. Didnt really expect us to win.
Yes, yes, Yao is not at his best, T-Mac had a bad night... But we had to show signs of excellence against big teams, instead we shown the same mediocrity. JVG does not understand Phoenix's play at all and no chance we can beat Suns this year 4 times during the playoffs. We can only hope the Spurs will kick Suns ass.
phx is better. our best card is our defense... their best card is offense their best is simply better than our best. phx definitely not a good team to play in the playoffs....yao will be drained and we would be happy to see him still have gas around game4
<div class="quote_poster">Umair Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Man Chuck Hayes is awesome. I hope Rock4Life is watching this.</div> Chuck played good offensivley, but it came at the expense of Yao(who didn't get nearly enuff touches). I was more disappointed at KURK SNYDER NOT PLAYIN! I've come to the conclusion that JVG just doesn't understand the benefit of having athletes on a team. He damn sure knows how to use old players. But young athletes with quickness always end up either inactive or just simply sitting on the bench. I KNEW if we tried to out-shoot Phoenix it was gonna be impossible to win. WHY IN THE HELL DOES JVG INSIST on makin us a jump shooting team . THAT'S SUICIDE AGAINST THE SUNS! When you have Snyder sitting over there, it's only logical that he A) be inserted for defensive quickness or offensivley for getting to the rim. With Skip literally jackin up quick 3's and Battier non-existent, you'd think Snyder get some playin time (I thought the reason we signed him was strictly for quicker teams) JVG has know idea how to beat the elite teams in this league...........I hate games like this
God, I hate games like these. Yao has had perhaps his two worst games of the season against the Suns. I hope he can turn it around somehow if we meet them in the playoffs. Juwan hasn't missed a shot the last two games. Good to see him playing well off the bench. We need that extra offensive boost from there.
