Merged: Von Wafer out tonight

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

Press Release from the Houston Rockets:

Wafer Out for Tonight’s Game 6

Houston Rockets guard Von Wafer has been ruled out for tonight’s Game 6 playoff contest against the Portland Trailblazers due to muscle spasms in his lower back. Wafer underwent MRI and X-ray tests at Memorial Hermann—Texas Medical Center yesterday afternoon which revealed a bulging disc as the cause for the spasms. He will be listed as day-to-day.

 

[OddEnormous]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

Wafer is stupid, but he has very bad judgment.

wreppt

 

[jwhoops11]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

Press Release from the Houston Rockets:

Wow, talk about momentum switch. Not that losing Wafer is a crusher, but there are real signs here of the Rockets starting to lose grips on this series. If nothing else, the fact that instant offense Von won't be playing means that the Rockets will continue to struggle scoring the ball. I'm not sure if it's been talked about, but haven'ty they scored fewer points then the game before, each game this series. Portland has figured out how to defend this team, now they just need to finish on the offensive end!

 

[Shooter]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

Oh, my.

This is truly a good break for us.

The Houston fans must be thinking they are indeed cursed. First McGrady, then Mutombo, then Wafer . . .

 

[ehizzy3]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

It basically means Houston is left with Aaron Brooks as their loan dribble penetrator. Also, like the Mutombo injury, it forces the Rockets to have to change their rotation.

Artest and Battier are already at 40 mpg, so they can't go there. I doubt they really want to throw Barry into the fire. My guess is Lowry and Landry sop up those minutes, going from around 12 mpg to 20 mpg each. They may throw in Barry in offense situations for a play or two.

It often seems like the playoffs are about who is healthy more than who is better.

lowry is a dribble penetrator. thats his whole game

 

[Ghost Pepper]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

Wafer fucking kills us and the whole Rocket team feeds off his enery, throw that into a home game for them, and IT'S GREAT NEWS FOR THE BLAZERS!! That said.... I don't wish injury on anyone.

 

[ehizzy3]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

yeah wafer seems to be the spark off the bench that gets the crowd going. but i doubt the crowd will need a spark tonight, to be loud. if they do, houston fans that go to the games are pathetic

 

[THE HCP]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

I like it! He's been lighting us up!

 

[alex42083]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

Yeah, no doubt. Wafer is a guy that can change the momentum in a few possessions just like that with a dunk or three-pointer. He must seriously be hurting if he can't go in a game like this.

 

[EPIC FAIL GILDERHUS]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

One bad trip down the lane against Oden and he may be out anyways.

Brent Barry is a good 3 pt shooter and is, IMO, a little more smart in his play. Maybe smart is a bad word, I don't want to call Von Wafer stupid, how about veteran saavy? I think in terms of driving to the basket and defense, Wafer being out gives us an advantage but in other aspects, Barry is better.

Yeah, perhaps, but has Barry even played one minute in this series? I think that Houston being forced to rely on a guy that hasn't played in a couple weeks has to be good for us...right?

 

[alex42083]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

I have some doubts whether we see Barry for more than 4-5 minutes, it'd be like us losing Travis and using his minutes to give to Channing for 15-20 mins. Houston is going to go all out and play their key guys the whole game to end it tonight. Brooks, Lowry, Battier, Artest might as well be prepared to play 40-45 mins.

 

[garden of oden]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

Brent Barry wont beat the Blazers.

Von Wafer didnt beat the Blazers.

The Blazers played like the youngest team in the league at the end of games 3 and 4. simple as that.

 

[durvasa]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

It basically means Houston is left with Aaron Brooks as their loan dribble penetrator. Also, like the Mutombo injury, it forces the Rockets to have to change their rotation.

Artest and Battier are already at 40 mpg, so they can't go there. I doubt they really want to throw Barry into the fire. My guess is Lowry and Landry sop up those minutes, going from around 12 mpg to 20 mpg each. They may throw in Barry in offense situations for a play or two.

It often seems like the playoffs are about who is healthy more than who is better.

I agree. I think we'll see a lot more Brooks and Lowry on the floor together. Lowry has done a pretty good job on the boards, and he can definitely cover Rudy Fernandez if need be. The Rockets lose three-point shooting and scoring punch off the bench, though.

I expect to see Barry in the first half if the Rockets get out to a good lead. If he plays well, then he'll return in the second. Otherwise, Brooks may have to go the enitre second half.

 

[mook]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

I have some doubts whether we see Barry for more than 4-5 minutes, it'd be like us losing Travis and using his minutes to give to Channing for 15-20 mins. Houston is going to go all out and play their key guys the whole game to end it tonight. Brooks, Lowry, Battier, Artest might as well be prepared to play 40-45 mins.

Exactly. Houston needs to treat this like the last game of the year, because if they lose tonight they most likely lose game 7. In a game this big, you just can't afford to insert a guy who hasn't played all series long.

Counting regular season, these teams will be on their 9th game against each other tonight. They've got such a feel for what the other team likes to do. You put Barry in there (who has suited up against the Blazers for a grand total of 23 minutes all year) and you are putting him well behind the curve of the other players.

 

[EPIC FAIL GILDERHUS]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

Brent Barry wont beat the Blazers.

Von Wafer didnt beat the Blazers.

The Blazers played like the youngest team in the league at the end of games 3 and 4. simple as that.

ACTUALLY-he scored 12 in game 4 and 6 in game 3, which obviously made the difference in a close game, no? He is averaging 10.6 for the series, and his being out will affect the Rockets offense now that they don't have the threat of Wafer driving to the hoop and kicking it out to open shooters-plus Barry is a step slower in the defensive end...

 

[Ghost Pepper]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

IF?????? AND THAT'S A BIG IFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!! We push tempo, and attack the glass, make the extra pass, and for THE LOVE OF THE BLAZERS not turn into a half court jump shooting team we can beat these guys. Without Von the tempo of Houston even becomes slower than it is now. This should be a major break for us, if we use our BRAINS, and NOT PLAY HOUSTON BALL!!!!!

 

[Wheels]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

ACTUALLY-he scored 12 in game 4 and 6 in game 3, which obviously made the difference in a close game, no? He is averaging 10.6 for the series, and his being out will affect the Rockets offense now that they don't have the threat of Wafer driving to the hoop and kicking it out to open shooters-plus Barry is a step slower in the defensive end...

I agreed with you until you said Wafer kicking it out to the open shotoer lol.. but its ok we still can be friends.

 

[garden of oden]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

ACTUALLY-he scored 12 in game 4 and 6 in game 3, which obviously made the difference in a close game, no? He is averaging 10.6 for the series, and his being out will affect the Rockets offense now that they don't have the threat of Wafer driving to the hoop and kicking it out to open shooters-plus Barry is a step slower in the defensive end...

ok so literally subtracting his 6 points in game 3 would have helped the Blazers, but you cant play that game. "if LMA hadnt missed a couple of those FT's in game 4 we would have WON!"

sure Von Wafer being out certainly helps the Blazers, he has been a lightning rod at all the right times so far in this series. but he didnt beat the blazers. yes, he may have hurt the blazers.

Portland had multiple opportunities in games 3 and 4 to win, tie or make it more interesting but simply didnt do it. why? not boxing out, offensive rebounds, Battier shooting wide open 3's, poor clock/shot management amongst many other things. young team mistakes. none of which are Von flippin' Wafer.

 

[bluefrog]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

It basically means Houston is left with Aaron Brooks as their loan dribble penetrator. Also, like the Mutombo injury, it forces the Rockets to have to change their rotation.

Artest and Battier are already at 40 mpg, so they can't go there. I doubt they really want to throw Barry into the fire. My guess is Lowry and Landry sop up those minutes, going from around 12 mpg to 20 mpg each. They may throw in Barry in offense situations for a play or two.

It often seems like the playoffs are about who is healthy more than who is better.

Agreed.

The health of young teams is more consistent than older ones.. This could be the X factor in this series.

 

[EPIC FAIL GILDERHUS]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

ok so literally subtracting his 6 points in game 3 would have helped the Blazers, but you cant play that game. "if LMA hadnt missed a couple of those FT's in game 4 we would have WON!"

sure Von Wafer being out certainly helps the Blazers, he has been a lightning rod at all the right times so far in this series. but he didnt beat the blazers. yes, he may have hurt the blazers.

Portland had multiple opportunities in games 3 and 4 to win, tie or make it more interesting but simply didnt do it. why? not boxing out, offensive rebounds, Battier shooting wide open 3's, poor clock/shot management amongst many other things. young team mistakes. none of which are Von flippin' Wafer.

Wasn't trying to mean that Wafer is the only reason that they won, obviously we shot ourselves in the foot plenty. What I meant was that the dynamics of Houston's offense do change a lot without Wafer in, and they really don't have any other offensive spark off the bench...

 

[hasoos]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

I am betting Houston actually is using this as a ruse to throw off game preparation, and then Wafer will play tonight. After all, it said "doubtful" not "out".

 

[alex42083]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

I am betting Houston actually is using this as a ruse to throw off game preparation, and then Wafer will play tonight. After all, it said "doubtful" not "out".

Von Wafer comes out of the tunnel in a Willis Reed, Kevin Duckworth moment!

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

Actually Von Wafer has been a net negative for the Rockets. He has their worst +/- at minus 13. The good news is that Brent Barry WOULD have a much worse +/- if he'd kept up the same rate for more minutes, but just hasn't played enough. Also, Lowry has a net negative. Their best +/- rate guy was Mutombo.

(Surprise, surprise - Battier has been their best +/- guy. He really is the Anti-Durant.)

 

[mook]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

Are the +/- stats really that relevant, though? I mean, wouldn't the 30 point blowout in the first game pretty much skew all the numbers?

If you just looked at the +/- numbers for the series, you'd think Houston had swept us. We don't have anybody who is higher than +6 for the series. Aldridge is a -14.

 

[Natebishop3]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

The one thing Wafer has been great at during the series (especially at home) was firing up his teammates and the crowd. In game three especially, Von was the guy who had the big dunk or the big three that got the crowd back into the game. I'm glad he's out. Von is one of those guys who can murder you if he's on. He hasn't been on the last couple games, but he could have easily gone off tonight.

 

[MickZagger]

Von Wafer doubtful tonight

That could be pretty big, he's their best scoring option off the bench.

 

[SodaPopinski]

Re: Von Wafer doubtful tonight

[video=youtube;-f_DPrSEOEo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f_DPrSEOEo[/video]

-Pop

 

[Wheels]

Re: Von Wafer doubtful tonight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f_DPrSEOEo

-Pop

dammit.. when I saw the name of the thread I was gonna get the same thing!!! although I did do that video a while back.. beat me dang it!

 

[Nate Dogg]

Re: Von Wafer out tonight

I'm not going to believe it until I see it online or hear it here in Portland from a solid source.

Nothing about it right now at the Houston Chronicle.

http://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/

Its stated at that website now.
And also here !
http://www.click2houston.com/sports/19334928/detail.html#-

 

[ChadWick]

It's also on NBA.com that Wafer is out for sure

HOUSTON (AP) -- Von Wafer will sit out Game 6 of the Houston Rockets' first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night with back spasms caused by a bulging disk.



The Rockets lead the series 3-2.

The 6-foot-5 Wafer has been a key reserve for Houston in the series, averaging 10.6 points and 1.2 assists. Wafer averaged 9.7 points during the regular season and was the team's second-best 3-point shooter (39 percent).

Wafer played 16 minutes in Portland's 88-77 victory in Game 5 on Tuesday. He underwent X-ray and MRI exams on Wednesday that revealed the bulging disk. He's listed as day to day.

I'm still a little shaky..I just have a feeling he will play...But we'll see!