# Regular Season Game 68 Thread: Houston Rockets vs. Indiana Pacers



## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

​*(42-25)/(30-35)*

When/Where:
*Tuesday, March 20, 8:30 p.m.*
*Toyota Center*​












































*Alston / McGrady / Battier / Hayes / Yao*














































*Tinsley / Dunleavy / Granger / O'Neal / Murphy*



*PREVIEW

The Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers are coming off two of their biggest respective wins of the season, but for very different reasons.

The Rockets look to continue their impressive run on Tuesday when they host an Indiana club trying to continue to get back on track.

Houston (42-25) has won six of its last seven games, including a 124-74 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. It was the Rockets' most lopsided road win all-time and the franchise's second-largest margin of victory overall.

Yao Ming had 24 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double in eight games since returning from a broken right leg. The center was hurt for the Houston's 81-76 loss to the Pacers (30-35) on Dec. 26, but had 38 points and 10 rebounds the last time he faced them.

Tracy McGrady scored 21 points Sunday while Chuck Hayes and Juwan Howard also had double-doubles for Houston, which shot 53.3 percent (49-for-92) from the field and held a 54-8 scoring advantage in the paint.

"I've never been a part of beating a team by 50 points,'' said McGrady, who had eight assists. "Regardless of the score, we kept playing. There's only a few games left to prepare ourselves for the playoffs.''

Indiana is struggling to hold on to a playoff spot after finally snapping an 11-game losing streak Saturday with a 113-90 win over the Atlanta Hawks. The Pacers avoided matching a franchise record for consecutive defeats.

"We're in position where every game is a must-win,'' said Pacers leading scorer Jermaine O'Neal, who was held to 10 points on 2-of-12 shooting, well below his 19.6 season mark. "Every game has become critical to our team because we've allowed other teams to get back into the playoff race.

"It's one day,'' O'Neal said. "It means we got a win, and we're one step closer to getting back on pace with what we originally set out to do.''

The Pacers are going for their 10th straight postseason berth, but have fallen into the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference, just one-half game ahead of the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks.

Six Pacers scored in double figures in Saturday's victory. Troy Murphy led the way with 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting and Mike Dunleavy had 21 for the Pacers, who shot 53.2 percent (41 of 77) as a team.

"I think we really needed a game where we came out here and hit shots and had an easy win,'' Murphy said. "We needed to win, and we needed to win this way.''

Point guard Jamaal Tinsley set up many of those shots with 14 assists and not a single turnover. The Pacers will now try to end a seven-game road skid, during which they have averaged just 83.0 points.

Marquis Daniels (sore left knee) and David Harrison (left shoulder) are expected to miss this matchup for Indiana, while Jeff Foster (back spasms) is day-to-day and O'Neal (left knee) and Tinsley (left leg) are probable. The Rockets will likely be without Bonzi Wells (sore foot).*

_*Next Games*_
vs.








vs.








vs.


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

Preview says it all. O'Neal and Tinsley are a little hobbled so, we should take care of business. Since we have been scoring the ball so well over the past few games we should win this one by at least 10.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Hey this game is on TNT so anybody who can watch it, DO IT!


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

If someone is able to, can they please put up a link to the game, like in the past game threads? Thanks! I really want to see TNT if able, to see what kinda redonculous things the round mound of rebound would say against the rox...


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## ztpc_lukui (Mar 3, 2006)

i want to bet on .........

Rockets will get the match easily .


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

If they are all fir Pacers are a threat to the Rockets otherwise they arent.

PS I want to bet too.


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

Wow...kinda "ghost town" thread...not even vBookie? WOW!


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## AllEyezonTX (Nov 16, 2006)

I'm looking foward to the Yao/O'neal matchup


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Guess Dean just hasn't had the chance to log in yet. Dammit, I was eager to bet on this game too!


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

^ Totally know how you feel! ARRGH! Oh, and YM...I know you have probably explained this, but why change from Dike to Vodka Soda?!


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

AZNoob said:


> ^ Totally know how you feel! ARRGH! Oh, and YM...I know you have probably explained this, but why change from Dike to Vodka Soda?!


The character is Soda Popinski from the classic Nintendo Punch Out! Just though it made a good avatar. Deke was getting old (well Deke actually never ages, but the picture was getting old)

Next I'll probably have a Yi Jianlian one if I find a good pic to use


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

See that move by Hayes!? WOO!


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## AllEyezonTX (Nov 16, 2006)

alston had Kevin Willis hands on that fast break


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## ThaShark316 (May 7, 2004)

Looked sloppy to start...lookin a lil better now...


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## AllEyezonTX (Nov 16, 2006)

"Ball Control" is the keyword, other than that everything steady


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Yao has to cut down on his TOs... 

Pacers are shooting terribly but still only down by 3


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Ok, I am a ****ing idiot, I was posting in the national TV schedule thread the whole time before i finally say why nobody else was responding


Im a freakin moron

With that
Hayes looked like Hakeem on that one play
We have sloppy butter fingers out tonight
Our turnovers are killing us, 6 in the game so far


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Luther Head is really starting to suck


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

WTF, we cant hit anything


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

OneBadLT123 said:


> Ok, I am a ****ing idiot, I was posting in the national TV schedule thread the whole time before i finally say why nobody else was responding
> 
> 
> Im a freakin moron
> ...


:rofl:

Shooting is terrible, but we're too good to stay like that. I think we'll win this.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

And this is why we can't hate on Luther.


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## CbobbyB (Feb 16, 2006)

OneBadLT123 said:


> *Ok, I am a ****ing idiot, I was posting in the national TV schedule thread the whole time before i finally say why nobody else was responding
> 
> 
> Im a freakin moron*
> ...


LMAO


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Yao Mania said:


> And this is why we can't hate on Luther.


I was hoping Murphy's Law would kick in


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

CbobbyB said:


> LMAO


I was wondering what the hell was going on, no visitors, no guests nothing...

Then I scroll up and i tell myself you ****ing idiot... lol


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Jesus! can we make a inlet pass tonight?


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## CbobbyB (Feb 16, 2006)

hell i didn't even know this game was on, lol.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Yao is looking off tonight...


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

what a freaking ugly game


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

CbobbyB said:


> hell i didn't even know this game was on, lol.


It's on TNT tonight too just in case you didnt know.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

shots not going down? take it inside!

Snyder playing his way back into the rotation. I think he's another guy that's better w/ Yao in the line-up as well.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Damn, nice buzzer beater as the clock went down by snyder...


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Jamal thugg Tinsly starting to yap his lip to Head


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

OneBadLT123 said:


> Jamal thugg Tinsly starting to yap his lip to Head


Tinsley's a streaky player, I'd like to see him try to keep that up the whole game


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Yao starting to heat up...


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

Snyder is looking REALL good today...


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

Uh-oh...Yao starting to get into dominate mode...


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

When Yao's shots fall, there's pretty much nothing you can do about him. 

Rafer with an untimely 3pt attempt...


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

man, our TO's are keeping them in the game...
Anyone know what the points off turnovers are?


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

And that feeling sort of evaps with his TOs...


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Rafer is getting on my bad side again...


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

MAN! 3 chances and nothing...


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

39-37 Rockets at 1/2. Bad news - we're turning the ball over a lot (YAO) and have hit like only 5 outside shots so far this game. Good news - this is probably not gonna keep up. 3rd Q play important as always, get your act together everyone!


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Snyder adds alot when he comes inside offensively and defensively. Battier Luther & Alston's shots arent dropping get more minutes out of Kirk in the second half.

Lucas too needs minutes. Pacers PGs arent that tall. I wish JVG would not be so tight on his 8 man rotation. Especially when they arent firing switch the line up around alittle.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

WOW 5 TOs from Yao.....................

Damn thats way too high...............


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## Pacersthebest (Aug 6, 2005)

Hi guys, 
Let the best team win


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## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

we need to blow this game wide open in the third so i can go to sleep at the beginning of the fourth, im tired


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Gumby's gonna give the team hell for all 'em TOs tonight....


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

wow, we dont deserve to win this game

We are playing like ****


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

We dont deserve to win it but we better win it............

And now we are behind..................


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Put Jake Kirk and Lucas on for more mins.

Cant do any worse than the rotation is doing right now..............

Kirk has been playing well the few minutes he has got.
He should get 20+ mins today take it from Battier Head and Alston.


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## Pacersthebest (Aug 6, 2005)

I saw you guys beat Toronto so easy, and now this....I don't care though 

I like your team anyway.


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

^ WHAT! No comment on the Philly game? Anyways, I hope the Rox get it together, and start hitting some outside shots...


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

Kirk needs to be back on the court.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

We have got to get with the program from now on. Atleast go for a run right now


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Alston with a retarded 3 pointer


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

wow +10 on points off turnovers, thats why they are in the game still...


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Jake will get mins as Chuck is about to foul out.............


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

PS Jazz are about to win made another of their amazing comebacks............


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Damn it Alston, gaurd Tinsley!!


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Tinsley playing to win tonight... owning Alston and Head.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Wtf!!!


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

wow Boozer with a 25/21 game for Utah 

Someone get me my sledgehammer, Alston's asked for it this game.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Alston sucks tonight. And 5 fouls on Hayes... 

This is getting ugly


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

OMFG...the 3ball god hates us today!


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

Yao keeps falling this game...


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

Can they stop with the 3 pointers? It's not going in.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Garnett meanwhile is 24-13 against Suns not even half way through the third.

This game is too frustrating I cant watch.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Im glad Juwan is in he is more of a scoring threat than Chuck.

I love Chuck but Juwan needs to be in there right now when nobody can hit their shots.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

If Juwan Howard and Chuck Hayes can fuse into one player, we'd be the best team in the league


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Utah wins, good game for them.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Ok Tmac is being stupid


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

We should have broken away in the 2nd & 3rd..........

Lackluster play.
Wonder who will be on the court in the 4th..............


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

2pt lead heading into 4th... game plan: get it to Yao, he creates for himself if its single coverage, dumps it back out to the open man if he gets doubled. Our guys HAVE to hit their shots.


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

The good thing is that we are still winning. The bad thing is that we are making to many poor shots and turnovers. I hope the Rockets can get their shots in and make fewer turnovers in the 4th.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Yao 5TOs
Chuck 5PFs
McGrady 5-16 FG 0-4 3s
Alston 1-7FG 0-5 3s
Head 1-6 FG

And still Snyder gets next to no minutes?


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

forget a sledgehammer, gimme a shotgun. Rafer needs to get out of there NOW


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

God, this game is ugly


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

We just CANT get any rythm going tonight. No runs, or anything. This is crazy. Stupid bad passes all over, and our shots just are not falling.

Bad bad bad game...


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

We should just put the bench players in.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Garnett 28-13 entering the 4th......... And the T-Wolves are down by 17.................


This game is embarrassing to watch. JVGs tight 8 is frustrating. Snyder is off now............


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

wow 0-11 for this span...


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Unbelivable how our team can score 120+ pts one game and hit absolutely nothing the next. Thank god we still have the beast known as Yao Ming.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Finally something went down...


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

nice, 7-0 run...Finally soemthing going


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

I feel so much safer when TMAC & Yao are out there


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## Pacersthebest (Aug 6, 2005)

hroz said:


> I feel so much safer when TMAC & Yao are out there


Not so weird huh, your best players


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Was that 9-0 run?

Yeah feels nice having our two best out there after not having one or the other for over 2 months


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

A nice rhythm right now. Keep it up! :clap:


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

far from over yet... gotta keep it up and make stops


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

or have T-Mac put it away


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Juwan Howard's like a sniper with those mid-range shots. Gotta love it.


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## Pacersthebest (Aug 6, 2005)

Well, it looks you won the game now.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Finally


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

TMAC & Yao double doubles


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

PS 10 point lead looks alot more confortable now. But still anxious.


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## kezhou (Nov 10, 2005)

I just wanna heard anything I mean anything but lose.
that' all

Tmac looks right one the rhyme,and we just lead by 7,that's only decent news all night long.we just need another 3min can wrap this nightmare.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Pacersthebest said:


> Well, it looks you won the game now.


Well hope your team gets itself back of its feet soon. The team's desperately lacking scoring options right now since the departure of SJax and Harrington. Granger and Dunleavy are just not getting it done consistently.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Luther with a disgusting shooting night uke:

T-Mac 2rbs away from a triple double!


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Ugly win, but a win is a win...


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## Pacersthebest (Aug 6, 2005)

Yao Mania said:


> Well hope your team gets itself back of its feet soon. The team's desperately lacking scoring options right now since the departure of SJax and Harrington. Granger and Dunleavy are just not getting it done consistently.


You are right. But thanks.

Congrats with the win and thanks for joining 'your' board.

:cheers:


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Yao with a HUGE game, now if only he can cut down on them TOs... T-Mac showing that he can carry the team without hitting shots, assists on 3 consecutive shots that helped put this game away.

Alston and Luther, lets not talk about them...

7-2 since the return of Yao!


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## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

The Indy bench looks so dejected...I feel bad for the Pacers, as they really gave us a hard time...in any case, next game vs. Detroit...the only team in the East currently better than us. Finals preview? HAHA!


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

The Rockets played hard in the fourth which got them the game. It's good to see Yao with 30 points and 14 rebounds. I hope the next game will be better than this one.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Games like these worry me about us not having a backup PG. Alston & Head went 2-17 FG shooting.

Terrible. When Alston isnt shooting properly we desperately need someone to fill the void, it isnt Head. This is my main problem with this side if it wasnt for that I would make us a lock for a ring..........

I know grand statements but thats how I feel.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Pacersthebest said:


> You are right. But thanks.
> 
> Congrats with the win and thanks for joining 'your' board.
> 
> :cheers:


Thanks for stopping by.

Hope to see you next time we play.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Yao hit 6 of 8 shots in the first half, but the rest of the Rockets made only 8-of-29 and Houston led only 39-37 at the break.

link


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## Legend-Like (Mar 25, 2006)

Off night for T-mac but we still manage to pull off a W


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## AllEyezonTX (Nov 16, 2006)

Nice win, had to wait until the 4th to get control of this one...check out what Darrel Armstrong said about Deke'

_"I'm not surprised at all he wants to keep going," said Armstrong, 38. "He knows how to play the game. He's a big man, so he doesn't have to use up as much energy defending guys up and down the court. He can stand right there in the middle of the lane, and once he blocks your shot, he wags his finger at you. That's funny."_


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

Didn't want to skim over all 8 pgs again so, if this was mentioned my bad.

TMac was only one rebound away from a triple double.

20pts, 10asts, 9reb

Ugly game for us but, even when we play bad like this we should figure out ways to win like we did against inferior teams.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

AllEyezonTX said:


> Nice win, had to wait until the 4th to get control of this one...check out what Darrel Armstrong said about Deke'
> 
> _"I'm not surprised at all he wants to keep going," said Armstrong, 38. "He knows how to play the game. He's a big man, so he doesn't have to use up as much energy defending guys up and down the court. He can stand right there in the middle of the lane, and once he blocks your shot, he wags his finger at you. That's funny."_


he's just trying to get some of the attention Deke's been getting lately. Armstrong's a tough cookie himself, but he'll be out of the league by next season.


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## AllEyezonTX (Nov 16, 2006)

Yao Mania said:


> he's just trying to get some of the attention Deke's been getting lately. Armstrong's a tough cookie himself, but he'll be out of the league by next season.


man, I still remember that block he got in that Dallas/Houston series...ugh


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

This game just shows us that we need a good back up point guard. Luther is not a PG, and when Alston sucks (which is more often then not) we have nobody to replace him with.

The Francis idea of mine is looking a little better....


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