Detroit comes into Houston on fire sporting an 8-0 record, along with scoring 100+ PPG and allowing below 90 PPG. So far this season, Detroit has been nearly a flawless team, and you can tell by watching them or by glancing at their stats. Detroit is a team that finishes games very well, so if Houston wants to win this game they better not be behind early in the 4th or I can't imagine a comeback. Houston desperately needs someone other than T-Mac and Yao to do something, and playing against a tough defense like Detroit, Houston will probably have to settle for across the board contributions from the role players. Houston has to limit TO's, and has to force Detroit to shoot the ball worse than the 48% they have shot the ball thus far this season.
PS: Hopefully no one minds me starting this thread, I'm sure someone would have done it, but I figured I would start it earlier in the day.
This will be a tough game for the Rockets, even if it werent a back-to-back game coming off a close loss against the Spurs.
The key is to limit Billup's offense. Billups is much stronger than Alston, so I expect JVG to utilize the trap often, either with Yao or Derek Anderson. I would prefer Yao coming out to help against Billups to limit ball movement on Detroit's part. Also, it would be a better idea to force Ben Wallace to take shots rather than leaving Rip open to take shots.
I see a problem in that TMac will likely guard Rip Hamilton. Rip is too good of a slasher to have DA on him and is too clever away from the ball to expect Wesley to be effective at guarding him. On defense, we will have to make too many adjustments, asking TMac to switch between Rip and Prince. On offense, Prince should give Mac a hellova time as did Bruce Bowen last night. Given that Mac will use most of his energy defending the two (of Rip and Prince), he will not have enough energy to be effective on the offensive end, especially coming off an injury and a tough game against the Spurs.
Rasheed should also cause alot of problems as do most Power Forwards that can shoot from long range a la Raef Lafrentz. I would try and double Sheed, too along with Chauncey leaving Prince and Wallace to take shots.
On offense, I dont see any magic happening here. We are a poor passing team and the tandem of Billups, Rip and Prince are excellent at denying the entry pass.
Matchups on Offense: (Man defense as each Pistons player is a great on-ball defender)
Skip - Billups
DA - Rip
TMac - Prince
Howard - Sheed
Yao - Ben Wallace
The only real advantage we have here is Yao. The problem is we cant seem to make the entry pass into him. If we have any chance of beating the Pistons, were going to have to run the ball as much as possible and not give the Pistons a chance to set up their defense. Yao will have to work extra hard to run to the offensive end and take advantage of his size.
Matchups on Defense: (Traps and double-teams)
Billups - Skip and DA
Rip - TMac and DA
Prince - TMac
Sheed - Howard and Yao
Wallace - Open
Having to double team anybody creates problems for our defense... We have to double team Billups and Sheed. Secondly, Tmac has the additional duty of guarding Rip making transition defense especially difficult (there will be confusion as to who's who's assignment in transition). TMac will probably guard Rip and switch to Prince when Prince gets the ball. DA will leave the double on Billups to help on Rip should this be the case. This should cause many matchup problems for us.
We NEED to come out and keep the guards out of the paint. Yao should leave the post often to trap on Billups or clutter up lanes vs. Rip.
This will be a tough game for the Rockets, even if it werent a back-to-back game coming off a close loss against the Spurs.
The key is to limit Billup's offense. Billups is much stronger than Alston, so I expect JVG to utilize the trap often, either with Yao or Derek Anderson. I would prefer Yao coming out to help against Billups to limit ball movement on Detroit's part. Also, it would be a better idea to force Ben Wallace to take shots rather than leaving Rip open to take shots.
I see a problem in that TMac will likely guard Rip Hamilton. Rip is too good of a slasher to have DA on him and is too clever away from the ball to expect Wesley to be effective at guarding him. On defense, we will have to make too many adjustments, asking TMac to switch between Rip and Prince. On offense, Prince should give Mac a hellova time as did Bruce Bowen last night. Given that Mac will use most of his energy defending the two (of Rip and Prince), he will not have enough energy to be effective on the offensive end, especially coming off an injury and a tough game against the Spurs.
Rasheed should also cause alot of problems as do most Power Forwards that can shoot from long range a la Raef Lafrentz. I would try and double Sheed, too along with Chauncey leaving Prince and Wallace to take shots.
On offense, I dont see any magic happening here. We are a poor passing team and the tandem of Billups, Rip and Prince are excellent at denying the entry pass.
Matchups on Offense:
Skip - Billups
DA - Rip
TMac - Prince
Howard - Sheed
Yao - Ben Wallace
The only real advantage we have here is Yao. The problem is we cant seem to make the entry pass into him. If we have any chance of beating the Pistons, were going to have to run the ball as much as possible and not give the Pistons a chance to set up their defense. Yao will have to work extra hard to run to the offensive end and take advantage of his size.
Matchups on Defense:
Billups - Skip and DA
Rip - TMac and DA
Prince - TMac
Sheed - Howard and Yao
Wallace - Open
Having to double team anybody creates problems for our defense... We have to double team Billups and Sheed. Secondly, Tmac has the additional duty of guarding Rip making transition defense especially difficult. TMac will probably guard Rip and switch to Prince when Prince gets the ball. DA will leave Billups to help on Rip should this be the case. This should cause many matchup problems for us.
We NEED to come out and keep the guards out of the paint. Yao should leave the post often to trap on Billups or clutter up lanes vs. Rip.
I dont see the Rockets breaking 90 points tonight.
I can, however, see the Pistons scoring 105 if Ben Wallace splits minutes with Antonio McDyess. Playing Rasheed at C and Dyess at PF half the time should be very advantageous to the Pistons. Sheed would draw Yao out to the perimeter leaving easy high-percentage shots for the superior Detroit guards. Sheed can also find a shot on Yao.
-edit-
anyone know what position Sheed usually plays against the Rockets? In retrospect, they have no need to be playing Dyess that much. All they need to do is play Sheed on Yao and Wallace on whoever our PF is.
Dyess seems to have his best games against the Rockets so i think he'll get some more minutes today. (Not counting the one where he punted the ball out of the arena)
Dyess seems to have his best games against the Rockets so i think he'll get some more minutes today. (Not counting the one where he punted the ball out of the arena)
Wesley - Billups: Billups is a big guard that isnt necessarily the quickest. He is also their biggest offensive threat. I like the adjustment.
TMac - Rip: Rip is great at slashing and and creating off the ball, TMac is just the man to guard him.
Bowen - Prince: Whoever is Prince is assigned to is pretty much reduced to a offenseless waste as a result of his defense. We sacrifice Bowen to him but in turn limit Princes offense with our defensive "pitbull"... well more like sharpei.
I just d/led pplive, but it interferes with the rest of my internet connection!!
still nice to finally watch some bball action though!
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