# Regular Season Game Thread #2: Dallas V.S. Houston



## Dean the Master

*Houston*







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*Dallas*







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Preview


> HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The Houston Rockets were severely shorthanded in their four meetings with the Dallas Mavericks last season. The results were obvious.
> 
> With Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming back at full strength, the Rockets look for their first victory of the season Saturday when they host the Mavericks in their home opener.
> 
> McGrady missed all four encounters against Dallas last season with an injured back and Yao sat out two showdowns because of a toe injury. Dallas swept the four-game season series by an average of 16.5 points.
> 
> A two-time scoring champ, McGrady scored 25 points and had nine assists and Yao added 22 with nine rebounds for the Rockets in Wednesday's 107-97 loss to the Utah Jazz.
> 
> Coming off last season's 34-win campaign, Houston won only 15 home contests, its lowest total since capturing just nine in 1982-1983.
> 
> The reigning Western Conference champion, Dallas managed just 40 points in the second half of Thursday's 97-91 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, which snapped a seven-game winning streak in home openers.
> 
> Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Josh Howard added 20 for the Mavericks, who shot just 28 percent (6-of-21) from the floor in the fourth quarter.


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## Dream Hakeem

Still no word on Bonzi?


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## kisstherim

Dream Hakeem said:


> Still no word on Bonzi?


No, Hayes starts as our PF


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## Hakeem

Finally a good start. 10-0!


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## yaontmac

Hayes starting at PF is a great idea!! :banana:


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## chn353

yao travelling twice in 2 minutes? wtf


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## kisstherim

chn353 said:


> yao travelling twice in 2 minutes? wtf


Those travelling calls were just BS


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## Dream Hakeem

Avery gets Tech lol

I like Hayes,he seems to be playing tough with passion.


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## Pimped Out

chn353 said:


> yao travelling twice in 2 minutes? wtf


but with how dominantly he scores, i can forgive a couple turnovers. 3 of 4 for 9 points.


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## chn353

3:46) [HOU] Yao Substitution replaced by Mutombo

NOOO 


i want yao to score 40 on dallas to remind everyone that THIS IS HIS TEAM


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## chn353

yao: IT'S MY TEAM! and if you dont like it, you can get the **** out


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## yaontmac

What did Dirk get called for? Seems like a lot of whistles for nothing.

Avery better watch it this year or he'll get sent home :biggrin:


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## chn353

ya but as long as they call the same for both teams im fine with it. if they call travels and yao then they better call travels on the rest of dallas.. i dont wanna see no 4 step superstar allowance on travels


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## chn353

tmac 1/5

3 assists though

some screen for tmac goddamn


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## kisstherim

I just wonder why Yao got subbed when he has no fouls. :angel:


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## Dream Hakeem

ooooo big cheers for Bonzi


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## Pimped Out

tmac just missed 3 free throws.

thats 3 ****ING FREE THROWS IN A ROW


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## chn353

3 pt shooting foul from howard.. shame tmac cant capitalise on that


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## yaontmac

Bring in Novak and let's seal this thing and go home!!! :clap:


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## chn353

its only the first quarter.. nothing is seeled yet

and remmember.. the rockets dont pass to yao in 4th.. watch for the shooting slump then


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## skykisser

awww,tracy,tracy...wake..up...


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## chn353

11:37) [HOU 28-16] Novak Jump Shot: Made (3 PTS) Assist: Head (1 AST)

instant assist


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## chn353

(10:50) [HOU] Wells Rebound (Off: Def:1)

good work.. now post up dirk


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## chn353

(10:33) [HOU] Yao Turnover: Traveling (3 TO)

got to be kidding me


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## chn353

snyder, yao and rafer caryying the team.


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## ThaShark316

Bonzi with his 1st steal and pts as a Rocket.


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## chn353

wells HIGHLIGHT


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## skykisser

steal 7-0...lol


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## chn353

van gundy needs to get luther out and tmac in


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## yaontmac

Oohh looks like Yao is hot tonight :banana:


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## chn353

did tmac realise his shots aint falling and deciding to assist to yao instead?

19 pts for yao.. 2 mins left in 2nd... 40 pts please.. 50 pts would be like .. OMG need to put 7 players on yao


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## ThaShark316

Yao > all.


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## yaontmac

I don't mind Yao scoring, but rest of the team need to score more too. They can't depend on Yao all the time.


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## chn353

tmac jacking up another brick :biggrin: 

god damn tmac needs to work on his shooting more or he'll be just like a jkidd type of player


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## ThaShark316

What a half by Yao! That last shot showed how hot he is tonight!


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## chn353

(0:00) [HOU 52-38] Yao Jump Shot: Made (24 PTS) Assist: Alston (3 AST)

WOOOOT


tmac better not start shooting like alot just so he can beat yao in PPG........ goddamn if he does.. :curse: :curse: :curse:


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## Khm3r

OMG!! WHAT A SHOT!!!! :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:


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## WhoRocks

Yao's turnaround J > Jordan's? :wink:

Okay I've got to sleep now, go Rockets! :banana:


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## PriceIsWright

Wow lol that shot was sick!!!! i still can't believe it lol


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## kisstherim

Hope the rockets guards won't stop feeding Yao in the 2nd half


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## yaontmac

Yao had only 1 foul in the 1st half?!?! :banana: 


Great 1st half. But I bet JVG is gonna lecture them about finishing. They got to keep up the momentum. Maintain the lead. They can't slack off against this team. :clap:


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## chn353

the team will forget yao in the 2nd half, book it

it always happens


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## skykisser

ThaShark316 said:


> What a half by Yao! That last shot showed how hot he is tonight!


yeah,he's on fire. :clap: hope he keeps it up in the 2nd half. But I'm a little bit worrying about his stamina after having played almost 20mins in the 1st half.

T-mac's cold so far, maybe things wud turn around in the 2nd half...
Wells showed how eager he wants to play. But he needs time to get well with the whole team.


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## chn353

tmac needs to posterize dampier or dirk to get his confidence up again


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## skykisser

Tracy: '2nd half is mine!!!'


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## chn353

like i said tmac is goina try n outscore yao now


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## yaontmac

Damn refs are gonna try to even out the foul calling this half :curse:


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## chn353

alston, showing his worth.. stepping up this 2nd quarter


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## yaontmac

It's time to bring in Novak and seal this thing.


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## Ballscientist

Who defends Jason Terry?


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## PriceIsWright

one long *** quater


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## chn353

everytime i see J.howard score i keep thinking its juwan.. god damn

now yao is subbed off for juwan... you have got to be kidding me, no yao or tmac


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## skykisser

Yao looks tired now. Juwan for Yao!
GOOOooOOoo..J. Howard!!


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## yaontmac

It's good to have the depth huh? We can throw fresh bodies at them all night long. Give the starters a rest. :clap:


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## yaontmac

It's good to have the depth huh? We can throw fresh bodies at them all night long. :clap:


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## skykisser

Damn should I say Juwan Howard,lol


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## chn353

snyder 10 pts.. 

if rockets can play like this every nite... 60 wins easily


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## chn353

yao needs 10 pts to have a career high in PPG and only 2nd game of the season


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## HayesFan

story of my life.. I miss the beginning of the game and Chuck starts!

Yao is playing like a beast! Let's hope this continues!!! Lots of fun to watch!


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## yaontmac

I like Snyder a lot. He's an attack dog. Snyder, Hayes and Battier will need to play extra dirty in the final minutes.


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## chn353

god damn luther head... 2 to's in 1 minute


alston, triple dub? OOoooOoOoOooo


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## ChiBron

Dropping in to say how good you guys look. I'm especially liking the overall court speed. Rockets were one of the slowest teams in the league the last few years.

IF T-Mac can come along then I expect great, great things out of this team.


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## chn353

god damn alston and luther head

trying to take the shine away from yao


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## lingi1206

WOOOOOO it hurts me not being able to see this!!!!!


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## chn353

hayes fouled out... didnt play too well 2day


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## Hakeem

This is how it's supposed to work. Yao gets a lot of single coverage in the first half, and he scores every time. Instant doubles in the second half --> open three after open three.


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## kisstherim

C'Mon, give V-Span some mins :biggrin:


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## HayesFan

chn353 said:


> hayes fouled out... didnt play too well 2day



He did his job, he played hella defense. I would imagine that was the only reason he was on the court. The hand check foul wasn't good, nor was the body foul that gave him his 5th, but he did pretty good for his first regular season NBA start~ 

Would have liked to see more rebounds, but... it was good to see everyone else crashing the glass and taking them away from him


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## HayesFan

kisstherim said:


> C'Mon, give V-Span some mins :biggrin:


I second that request!!!


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## skykisser

kisstherim said:


> C'Mon, give V-Span some mins :biggrin:


lol,we want V-Span...we want V-span :banana: 
...to even the TO for us :biggrin:


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## HayesFan

He's in!!!!


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## Pimped Out

im going to need to find a way to watch this game.

legally, of couse.


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## chn353

i wanted yao to finish playing to get 40,10


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## chn353

Pimped Out said:


> im going to need to find a way to watch this game.
> 
> legally, of couse.


highlights of rockets games are out on youtube usually 2 days later


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## reno2000

Man...great game by the rockets today...

I guess we aren't to angry with Alston anymore...almost a triple double today. Mcgrady struggling for the second consecutive game, was the only low I think. Overall, a great way to show some contender credentials against the WC Champs.


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## bronx43

Great game overall. My problem was Dallas' bigs constantly harassing Yao when he goes up for a rebound. At least four times this game, Yao was nudged in the air so he wasn't able to come down with the ball.


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## Pimped Out

reno2000 said:


> Man...great game by the rockets today...
> 
> I guess we aren't to angry with Alston anymore...almost a triple double today. Mcgrady struggling for the second consecutive game, was the only low I think. Overall, a great way to show some contender credentials against the WC Champs.


im still angry with alston. i know he can play well, but he is inconsistent, and that has been my issue.


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## CrackerJack

great game from the bench, i guess someone told them the season had started, but whats up with mcgrady only 50% now on the season from the charity stripe??


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## ztpc_lukui

Where is t-mac?


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## chn353

Pimped Out said:


> im still angry with alston. i know he can play well, but he is inconsistent, and that has been my issue.



alston was fair consistant during the midseason of 2005-2006. it'll take time, at least a good game 2day is a confidence booster for him. 4 steals 0 to's

i hope he can replicate against CP 2morrow. i remember last season when he has 6 steals 1 TO against iverson. it was gold


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## yaontmac

chn353 said:


> hayes fouled out... didnt play too well 2day


Dude that's good! Hayes played good because he took all the fouls away from Yao. That's what Hayes, Battier and Snyder need to do. Play physical and get all the fouls away from Yao :clap:


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## Hakeem

Pimped Out said:


> im still angry with alston. i know he can play well, but he is inconsistent, and that has been my issue.


And for all his assists, he just isn't a particularly good playmaker. He played well today. It seemed like he was grabbing every other defensive rebound. And his shot has improved.

I don't know why JVG left Yao in for so long. They weren't going to climb back from a 24-point deficit with 10 mins left. Then again, we did look incapable of scoring when both Yao and T-Mac went off earlier.

T-Mac spent the entire time on offense just getting others involved. He does it very well, but it looked like he was deliberately avoiding attacking.

I like Snyder.


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## Hakeem

bronx43 said:


> My problem was Dallas' bigs constantly harassing Yao when he goes up for a rebound. At least four times this game, Yao was nudged in the air so he wasn't able to come down with the ball.


I thought the refereeing was pretty consistent. We got away with a bit too.
Dampier is a tremendous offensive rebounder. He's extremely strong and he can jump.


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## yaontmac

TMac will be cool. He's just going thru a phase right now. I hear he doesn't like the new ball. Teams still have to focus on him, it doesn't matter that he's having a few bad games. He'll be back! :clap:

What's amazing about this year is that we can beat the Mavs without a big effort from TMac. We were 0-4 against them last year without TMac. We still need to spread out the scoring. We can't have Yao scoring 30+ points every night. Save that for the playoffs. Everyone has to contribute. :biggrin:


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## debarge

That may have been the best game I've ever seen Rafer play. He got Yao the rock consistently and didn't stop feeding him. Great PG play, great D, we were hustling and making the open jumper. The total opposite of the Utah game???

Tmac's shot was off in the first half but he did the right thing, he passed up long shots to get better shots for someone else. Nobody worry about Tracy and Bonzi, they will take longer to get in an offensive rhythm individually I think, by Dec, they'll be ON No worries. *Tmac's not playing bad, he's shooting badly, that's not the same thing.*

Overall a very entertaining game, I hope they look back at this tape to see their defense and maintain that nightly. 4 games in 5 nights this week, gotta win Tommorrow against "NewORlans" :cowboy:


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## Dean the Master

Hell Yeah!
New Team in the West Represent


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## Dean the Master

Yo, Novak had 100% FG!


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## Hakeem

The four things I remember Novak doing before garbage time:
Pump faking from the arc when he had a fairly clean look
Sinking a three seconds later when the defender stupidly sagged off him
Wildly overcommiting on Nowitzki
Making a bad pass that was knocked out of bounds


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## Auggie

congrats! nice win!
keep up the good work yao.. and very impressed by alston


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## Legend-Like

Yay I hoped Rockets would win but I never thought they win by that much.


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## Goubot

Nice win. I'm just hoping that McGrady picks up his shot soon.


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## Dream Hakeem

Gah i forgot Tmac was going through a shooting slump last season


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