# Game 40: Official Houston @ Orlando GAME THREAD. 1/20. 7:00 CST.



## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

McGrady returns to the TD Waterhouse Center for the first time since he was traded. A game of high emotions for TMac, and you'll expect atleast 30 points out of him.

Yao will be seeing Cato and Francis for the first time since the trade as well, and shouldn't have too much of a problem against Cato as he is comfortable playing against the bigger, slower centers.

Sura won't be able to guard Francis, so Wesley could see alot of time at the 1. Houston HAS to get off to a quick start if they expect to compete against a very fast Orlando team. Orlando's post defense can be pretty attrocious at times, so Yao has to establish position early and get atleast 15 shots. 

Even if the role players don't show up, I don't think TMac is going to let Houston lose this one.

Houston 94
Orlando 87


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## TManiAC (Dec 19, 2004)

*Re:*

I respectfully disagree... Christie and Grant Hill should do a good job of containing McGrady... Although its a game of high emotion for TMac, I dont think he'll try and take control of the game.... Hes going to try and show that the Mac and Yao duo is effective. I think McGrady will score in the low 20s.

Francis definitely has a point to prove, he'll take advantage of the mismatch at the PG position and run circles around anyone we put on him. Dwight Howard and Cato should easily control the boards. I think in order to win this game, we need a huge performance from Yao and Juwan Howard. Juwan can take advantage of Dwights inexperience and Yao has the obvious size and finesse advantage over Cato... Yao also knows Cato's game as they were most likely matched up against each other in Rocket's practice. 

Look out for Hedo... He should have a great game off the bench. He'll be on point from behind the arc. Although Stevie isnt exactly the best passer, Christie is a great floor general so expect the Magic offense to be much more fluid. We need to rotate quickly and defend agaisnt their guards as well as we can.


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## Cometsbiggestfan (May 14, 2003)

Orlando-107
Rockets-100


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## cheepseats (Nov 3, 2004)

*Re: Re:*



> Originally posted by <b>TManiAC</b>!
> I respectfully disagree... Christie and Grant Hill should do a good job of containing McGrady... Although its a game of high emotion for TMac, I dont think he'll try and take control of the game.... Hes going to try and show that the Mac and Yao duo is effective. I think McGrady will score in the low 20s.


Hill is probably out

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...-bk-hill011905,1,3812714.story?coll=orl-magic



> Look out for Hedo... He should have a great game off the bench.


Hedo will start. Steve and TMac (in this game) could cancel each other out.



> Originally posted by <b>TManiAC</b>!
> I think in order to win this game, we need a huge performance from Yao and Juwan Howard.


Beside the obvious 6th man advantage. I agree with you here the game will decided by bigs.


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## ThaShark316 (May 7, 2004)

Ok....I'm not gonna type about what we need to do to win....THIS IS THE BIGGEST GAME OF THE SEASON (This and monday),...I'm sure we come out and do well and make Francis wish he was still a Rocket...

Rockets 112
Magic 103


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Friggin Yao better not take Cato lightly!! If Cato dunks on Yao this game I'm gonna hang my head in shame for a week....

Anyway we should win this one, Francis is gonna go crazy and his teammates will not be involved at all.

Houston 103
Orlando 90


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## ThaShark316 (May 7, 2004)

Hill will play tonight....gotta up our game tonight.


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

As expected, McGrady has been heavily booed by the Orlando crowd so far.

Yao and TMac are off to strong starts... but Francis is attacking the basket with a vengeance and keeping Orlando in the game.


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

Somehow we managed to outrebound Orlando. Yao had a great offensive night but Houston did a terrible job of getting him the ball. Sura in particular did not look for Yao at all in the 2nd half. 

McGrady had a horrible shooting night but got to the basket and ensured Houston won the game. 

All the starters ended up with double figures, a good sign but I'd like to see this on a consistent basis. Orlando's poor defense allowed Wesley and Sura to penetrate a good number of times, but both were still missing quite a few open shots. 

Sura just missed a triple double, but didn't have a chance at containing Francis. 

Keys to the win:
- Got off to a good start
- Did great on the boards


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## Gambino (Feb 11, 2004)

Good win Houston.


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## JT3000 (Nov 3, 2004)

> Keys to the win:


- Refs that handed you the game on a silver platter


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## Nique21 (Jan 12, 2005)

> Originally posted by <b>JT3000</b>!
> 
> 
> - Refs that handed you the game on a silver platter


*edited* - Do not degrade other posters


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## TManiAC (Dec 19, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>JT3000</b>!
> 
> 
> - Refs that handed you the game on a silver platter


There were some no calls on McGrady early in the game... but when it got down to the wire, I think the refs did a fair job.


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## kisstherim (Jul 15, 2004)

wow,this game was sooooooooo great to watch.i think the offsensive rebs were the keys to the win: Sura went crazy,he grabbed at least 4 offensive rebs in the crowd,Yao and Deke combined for another 6 offensive rebs.
unfortunately,yao got 2 fouls in the 1st quarter again and was put on bench soon.when could he avoid such foul trouble?i guess he better not try to chase those guards,especially when he was already in or close to a foul trouble,that's almost meaningless.and yao was on fire in the 1st half(7/7) but didn't even touch the call in the first 6 mins of the 3rd quarter,maybe rockets guards just couldn't manage to pass the ball to him.:| 

I like welsley,good FGP,no TOs :greatjob:


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Another near triple-double by Sura! If Sura shows up in games our chances of winning go way up...

nice win for us on the road, now let's keep the momentum going!


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## kisstherim (Jul 15, 2004)

torrent 

torrent of the game,i dunno if it works in ur place 


another torrent of 1st and 3rd quarter of this game 

1st quarter 

3rd quarter


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

T-Mac leaving the court. He loves being hate :laugh:


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## kisstherim (Jul 15, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>Yao Mania</b>!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


wow,i like this pic


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## ABC (Nov 4, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>kisstherim</b>!
> wow,this game was sooooooooo great to watch.i think the offsensive rebs were the keys to the win: Sura went crazy,he grabbed at least 4 offensive rebs in the crowd,Yao and Deke combined for another 6 offensive rebs.
> unfortunately,yao got 2 fouls in the 1st quarter again and was put on bench soon.when could he avoid such foul trouble?i guess he better not try to chase those guards,especially when he was already in or close to a foul trouble,that's almost meaningless.and yao was on fire in the 1st half(7/7) but didn't even touch the call in the first 6 mins of the 3rd quarter,maybe rockets guards just couldn't manage to pass the ball to him.:|
> 
> I like welsley,good FGP,no TOs :greatjob:


yao hardly touched the ball because Houstan guards are stat padders and ball hogs. 

You thought getting rid of Francis was bad, this bench player Sura is even worse. 

For Yao's sake, I hope he leaves this franchise after next year or he will never develop his game.


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## TRACIELOVESCOMETS (May 14, 2003)

I honestly enjoyed this game!


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## JT3000 (Nov 3, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>TManiAC</b>!
> 
> 
> There were some no calls on McGrady early in the game... but when it got down to the wire, I think the refs did a fair job.


We must have been watching two different games. Since I was at the arena, I know for sure which one I was watching. And in THAT game, Yao had _at least_ 9 fouls. Including a criminally blatant one in the 4th quarter that everyone in the arena saw but the blind people calling the game. I heard every obscenity in the book screamed in a span of 30 seconds from everyone with their eyes open. All 17,000 of them. Yao almost killed someone (can't remember who) and no whistle. And then what happens? The Rockets take the ball down the court and they call a touch foul on us. A TOUCH FOUL. And then there's T-Mac and his magical forcefield that protects him from whistles. Single worst called game I've seen during my 16 years of watching the NBA.

Nique, isn't it past your bedtime?


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## farhan007 (Jun 6, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>JT3000</b>!
> 
> 
> We must have been watching two different games. Since I was at the arena, I know for sure which one I was watching. And in THAT game, Yao had _at least_ 9 fouls. Including a criminally blatant one in the 4th quarter that everyone in the arena saw but the blind people calling the game. I heard every obscenity in the book screamed in a span of 30 seconds from everyone with their eyes open. All 17,000 of them. Yao almost killed someone (can't remember who) and no whistle. And then what happens? The Rockets take the ball down the court and they call a touch foul on us. A TOUCH FOUL. And then there's T-Mac and his magical forcefield that protects him from whistles. Single worst called game I've seen during my 16 years of watching the NBA.
> ...


but if you won it would be different right?


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## JT3000 (Nov 3, 2004)

I refuse to dignify that with a response.


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## ThaShark316 (May 7, 2004)

JT...go complain somewhere else...the Magic had more FTs and fouls were even...damn man,u act like u lost game 7 of the NBA Finals.


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## JT3000 (Nov 3, 2004)

Just because it's a regular season game doesn't make that BS right. But of course it helped you win so you couldn't care less.


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