[KokoTheMonkey]

November 17th, 2005 - 8:30 PM (Central Time)
Houston Rockets (3-4) @ San Antonio Spurs (6-2)


Previous Meetings:

N/A


Projected Starting Lineup:

PG - Rafer Alston (7.9 PPG - 4.3 APG - 4.0 RPG)
SG - Derek Anderson (10.0 PPG - 4.1 RPG - 2.4 APG)
SF - Tracy McGrady (24.3 PPG - 6.8 RPG - 3.8 AST)
PF - Juwan Howard (8.1 PPG - 6.0 RPG - 1.0 AST)
C - Yao Ming (18.3 PPG - 8.7 RPG - 2.0 BLK)

Reserves:

G - Jon Barry (7.3 PPG - 2.3 APG - 2.3 RPG)
PF - Stromile Swift (8.9 PPG - 4.3 RPG)
G - Luther Head (6.8 PPG - 1.8 APG)
SG - David Wesley (6.3 PPG - 2.1 RPG)
C - Dikembe Mutombo (2.0 PPG - 3.9 RPG)
F - Ryan Bowen (0.5 PPG - 0.8 RPG)
PG - Moochie Norris (0.0 PPG - 2.0 RPG)

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG - Tony Parker (22.1 PPG - 6.1 APG - 3.4 RPG)
SG - Manu Ginobili (14.8 PPG - 4.4 RPG - 3.1 APG)
SF - Bruce Bowen (7.9 PPG - 3.1 RPG - 1.3 APG)
PF - Tim Duncan (21.8 PPG - 11.4 RPG - 3.1 APG)
C - Rasho Nesterovic (4.8 PPG - 4.0 RPG - 0.8 BPG)

Reserves:

PG - Nick Van Exel (7.8 PPG - 2.1 APG - 1.9 RPG)
F/C - Robert Horry (5.1 PPG - 4.3 RPG - 1.4 APG)
C - Nazr Mohammed (2.9 PPG - 2.6 RPG)
F/C - Fabricio Oberto (3.1 PPG - 3.0 RPG)
G/F - Melvin Sanders (2.8 PPG - 2.8 RPG)
PG - Beno Udrih (2.0 PPG - 1.3 APG)
*G/F - Michael Finley (7.3 PPG - 4.5 RPG - 1.5 APG)
*G/F - Brent Barry (3.5 PPG - 1.0 RPG - 1.5 APG)



Houston has had a serious problem scoring points this season, but they are also giving their opponents a hard time scoring. This year's Houston team has a little more depth with the additions of Derek Anderson, Stromile Swift, Rafer Alston, and Luther Head, but the Rockets still rely a whole lot on Yao and T-Mac. How well the Spurs defend those two basically will be the deciding factor of the game. One thing the Spurs can't let happen is letting guys like Jon Barry, Derek Anderson, or Rafer Alston to have a big game on us, because that would make Houston's offense very tough to stop. Hopefully Parker and Manu keep up their good recent performances, but we'll still need some help off the bench with Finley and Barry expected to be out again. This will probably be another low-scoring halfcourt dual, and those games are tough to grind out and win.


Prediction: Spurs 91, Rockets 87

 

[Yao Mania]

Just remember, this game's not over until the final 35 seconds :biggrin:

 

[skykisser]

interesting to see few people on this board here, nice game thread tho.

 

[www.rmb.com]

Just remember, this game's not over until the final 35 seconds :biggrin:

Just remember, the NBA season doesn't finish after the 1st round of the playoffs

 

[Yao Mania]

Just remember, the NBA season doesn't finish after the 1st round of the playoffs

cold......

anyway we got outplayed today. Our team kinda sucks right now, still lots of things to be figured out.

Where are all the Spurs fans today??

 

[KokoTheMonkey]

Well, after three straight victories against Houston, we can put to rest the T-Mac owns the Spurs stuff.


I loved the defense the Spurs played tonight, because they didn't allow both T-Mac and Yao to dominate at the same time, and they prevented the Rockets' role players from doing much. You gotta like what Horry did tonight, and although Duncan/Parker/Manu didn't finish with all that great numbers, they were collectively good enough to get the W. Houston still needs a 3rd wheel to help that offense.

 

[KokoTheMonkey]

Where are all the Spurs fans today??

Same place they've been during all the other game threads.

 

[qross1fan]

wow was Houston sleeping or what? Bruce Bowen has the ball with 37ish seconds left, they dont foul him, but let more time run out then foul Parker with about 10 seconds less? then at the end, Bowen has it again and again they don't foul him? Rockets needed to wake up during the game, I mean u learn to foul someone in pee-wees in a situation like that

 

[KokoTheMonkey]

wow was Houston sleeping or what? Bruce Bowen has the ball with 37ish seconds left, they dont foul him, but let more time run out then foul Parker with about 10 seconds less? then at the end, Bowen has it again and again they don't foul him? Rockets needed to wake up during the game, I mean u learn to foul someone in pee-wees in a situation like that

That had to be a coach-led decision not to foul at the end of the game. Those Rocket players aren't so brain dead that they would just forget to foul.

 

[Luiz_Rodrigo]

Unfortunately ESPN isn´t broadcasting Spurs´ games in Brazil, so I can´t watch how we´re playing.

Koko, I saw that Ginobili began the season playing poorly, and I know that he played well in the lasts 3 games. Is he playing right now as good as he was playing last season?

 

[MagnusPinus]

Unfortunately ESPN isn´t broadcasting Spurs´ games in Brazil, so I can´t watch how we´re playing.

Koko, I saw that Ginobili began the season playing poorly, and I know that he played well in the lasts 3 games. Is he playing right now as good as he was playing last season?

I just saw the game vs Houston..He played pretty well.. he was not great but good :biggrin:
Anyway trust me if I say this is a great situation for Manu..Starting slowly after the incredible end of last season is perfect to take off pressure from him.. Than u have to consider he has been injured..he will come back huge in the playoffs, don't be scared :banana: