# [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder



## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*@*

*(6-4)/(1-9)*


When/Where:
*Monday, November 17, 8:00 PM ET*


























*Alston / McGrady / Artest / Scola / Yao*


















*Watson / Durant / Green / Collison / Swift*


_*Preview*_



> The Houston Rockets have been frustrated with their uneven play in the first three weeks of the season. Luckily for them, they've consistently dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder.
> 
> The Rockets go for their ninth straight win - and 15th in 16 games - against the Thunder franchise as the teams square off in Oklahoma City on Monday night.
> 
> ...



_*Next Games*_
vs.








vs.








vs.


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Article says it all. The Rockets better not mess around this game. Hope they can put OKC away early. Will this be Rafer's second game out?


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*



jdiggidy said:


> Article says it all. The Rockets better not mess around this game. Hope they can put OKC away early. Will this be Rafer's second game out?


He should comeback. He didn't play against the Spurs and the Hornets. That's 2 games.


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## Spaceman Spiff (Aug 2, 2006)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Take no team for granted. I hope we come out firing on all cylinders.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

We need to make that run at the Lakers.

When is Shane back? I really think we need someone coming off the bench playing 28mins a game who can defend and spread the floor like Battier can.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Robert Swift cut his hair!


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Alston blows a layup....and makes a three.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

We need to get Yao involved in the offense. Tied at 15.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Scola with 12 going to the line for one more...13 of our 22 pts.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Good drive by T-Mac


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

We should start to play a little defense too, they're shooting 60%


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

56-50 at the half and Luther Head is officially in the doghouse. Von Wafer is the third guard off the bench.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

I hope TMac is OK.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

81-69 at the end of the 3rd. Tracy hasn't returned to the game.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

What happenned to TMAC?

WOW Wafer getting more mins than Barry


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*



hroz said:


> What happenned to TMAC?
> 
> WOW Wafer getting more mins than Barry


EDIT: Wrong. He tweaked his left knee.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Yao is having some problems too, apparently. I hope he's just tired.

****ing Adelman...


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Now Artest??!!!

****!


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

I missed the game

Did TMAC's injury look bad?
Why does Yao keep getting less than 10 touches a game?

Heres looking forward to the next one.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*



Cornholio said:


> Now Artest??!!!
> 
> ****!


What happenned to Ron Ron????????????????

PS How deep did we look at the wing position
TMAC RonRon Batman Barry Wafer Head


WOW imagine those three out...............


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

From Blinebury's chat:



> *Fran Blinebury: * Looks like Yao rolled on the left foot. Anytime that happens the alarm bells will go off.





> *Fran Blinebury: 3 UP, 3 DOWN*
> 
> The Big 3 or the Broken 3. With T-Mac (left knee) and Yao (left foot) already on the bench with injuries, now Artest tumbles over cameras and rolls his right foot. This is the worst trip since Kennedy went to Dallas.





> *Fran Blinebury: ROCKETS 100, THUNDER 89*
> 
> Whew! Talk about your costly victories. The Rockets won two in a row for the first time in more than two weeks. But they limped off with Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming and Ron Artest all nursing injured wheels.
> 
> ...


Link


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Cornholio beat me to it

Its almost like awesome foursome with Battier out as well.


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## mtlk (Apr 25, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*



hroz said:


> Cornholio beat me to it
> 
> Its almost like awesome foursome with Battier out as well.


It's five with Steve Francis out.


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Way to many injuries in this game. McGrady, Yao, and Artest should just sit out the next game. At least let Yao rest. He's the only big man on the team.


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## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*



mtlk said:


> It's five with Steve Francis out.


Its 6 if you include that fact that I'm not playing because I had about as much chance of cracking the rotation this season as Stevie


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*



mtlk said:


> It's five with Steve Francis out.


I said *awesome* foursome 

Those 4 could be the 4 best players in the team. Francis is 12 13 or 14th(Head Dorsey Francis).


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Yao still not getting enough touches. It just doesn't appear to be an emphasis. When he got the ball, he mostly scored or made passes that led to quality shots.


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## Spaceman Spiff (Aug 2, 2006)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

None of the injuries looked severe. I expect all 3 to be back in full effect against Dallas. 

If not then there's no denying someone in the organization worships the devil.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*



Hakeem said:


> Yao still not getting enough touches. It just doesn't appear to be an emphasis. When he got the ball, he mostly scored or made passes that led to quality shots.


He should ask for the ball every time down the floor, but in some plays he didn't even get position down low (just because he was tired, I think). And another thing is that our guards still can't make good entry passes or they just ignore Yao completely.


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## HayesFan (Feb 16, 2006)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*



Hakeem said:


> Yao still not getting enough touches. It just doesn't appear to be an emphasis. When he got the ball, he mostly scored or made passes that led to quality shots.


I think this is a bit overblown. Part of it is pace of play. If we get out and score quickly, which we were doing last night, Yao is going to get less shots.

But there was a good post in that land we all love to hate that showed he did get his hands on the ball, just made the good play rather than forcing it.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Behind the box score



> A few things to take from this ...
> 
> Robert Swift started. He started and he played 25 minutes with six points and eight rebounds and two assists with two blocks and he started. Jokes aside, good news. Albeit three years too late.
> 
> ...


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

In order for the rockets to continue winning with TMac in question it will require Yao continuing to play tough and for Scola and Artest to play well together.

Wafer has been a breathe of fresh air but something tells me he is actually one of those guys who will begin to decline as he gets more playing time. Sounds crazy but Yes, I am saying he will play worse as he gets more time out on the court. His days are numbered.


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## Legend-Like (Mar 25, 2006)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*

Welcome to the Rockets Ron.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*



HayesFan said:


> I think this is a bit overblown. Part of it is pace of play. If we get out and score quickly, which we were doing last night, Yao is going to get less shots.


Really nice breakdown there, but I'm not sure how much it tells us. OK, he was passed the ball a bunch of times. But what are we comparing it to? We saw the game, and we saw him get the ball on relatively few possessions for a guy who's the best offensive player on his team. 

And it's not just that one game. His usage rate is only 23%, which is very low for a star player. Last year it was 27. The year before that 33.5. Even as a rookie it was 22%. So basically Yao is being utilized in this offense only slightly more than he was as a rookie. He's only taking 12.6 field goal attempts per 36 mins, down from over 18 two years ago. He's the most efficient scorer on the side. It's in the team's best interests to maximise his shot opportunities.


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## HayesFan (Feb 16, 2006)

*Re: [Regular Season Game 11] Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder*



Hakeem said:


> Really nice breakdown there, but I'm not sure how much it tells us. OK, he was passed the ball a bunch of times. But what are we comparing it to? We saw the game, and we saw him get the ball on relatively few possessions for a guy who's the best offensive player on his team.
> 
> And it's not just that one game. His usage rate is only 23%, which is very low for a star player. Last year it was 27. The year before that 33.5. Even as a rookie it was 22%. So basically Yao is being utilized in this offense only slightly more than he was as a rookie. He's only taking 12.6 field goal attempts per 36 mins, down from over 18 two years ago. He's the most efficient scorer on the side. It's in the team's best interests to maximise his shot opportunities.


Yes you want to maximize them, but the key to it is getting him good opportunities to shoot. If you just keep pounding it in to him over and over again you clog the lane and make it more and more difficult for him to be as efficient as he was in this game.

Part of it is match up too. When you play against a team that has someone like Yao, in a Shaq for example, it's easier to give him the go ahead to post up because they aren't as likely to double team as hard. If you have someone like Swift or Collison guarding him, they are going to double immediately and passing back out is the most efficient thing to do with the ball.

I think this team is still working out the balance again. Before he went down during the streak it seemed like he was "in the flow" much more than he is now.

Also I don't think he's at the same speed physically as he was then.

I just meant to point out that just because he only had 8 shots, doesn't mean he wasn't involved.


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