HOUSTON we have a problem!!!! (also rockets offseasonTHREAD)

[kevC]

They clinched it already

[COOLmac©]

hehe

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and the Houston Rockets prevented the Memphis Grizzlies from clinching a playoff spot on their court.

Yao collected 28 points and nine rebounds and McGrady added 23, eight and eight assists as the Rockets won their fourth straight game, a 100-92 triumph over the Grizzlies.

Despite a career-high 37 points from Mike Miller, the Grizzlies (44-34) were unable to secure the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot. They have a three-game lead over ninth-place Minnesota (41-37) with four games remaining and hold the tiebreaker.

Memphis, which trailed by 15 points with just under 5 1/2 minutes to go in the third quarter, pulled within 69-66 entering the fourth period and got within one point on three occasions, including 89-88 after a 3-pointer by James Posey with 1:52 remaining.

But McGrady split a pair of free throws, Houston guard Mike James stole the ball from Memphis forward Pau Gasol and Yao converted a three-point play for a 93-88 edge with 1:09 to play.

After a dunk by Miller nine seconds later, James nailed a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left, and Memphis did not threaten thereafter.

Houston (48-31) moved within one-half game of idle Sacramento for fifth place in the West.

Pau Gasol contributed 20 points and eight rebounds for the Grizzlies, who attempted just 14 free throws, making 10. The Rockets went 26-of-33 from the line.

we just blasted the sonics now the grizz.......we are dangerous i tell you....we have adapted well even without Juwan for the rest of the playoffs..... the sonics wont be much of a prob as long as they're not healthy

[kevC]

I was at that game it was very fun! I won a T-Mac Celebriduck!

[COOLmac©]

really?.............i envy you very much.........
take good care of the duck now ok?
wish our team well in the playoffs......

[Sauru]

i personally believe any of the 8 teams out west are dangerous if you sleep on them. top to bottom you will have to play hard to win in the west this year imo. being said i dont really see the rockets or nuggets(only mentioned them due to other posts) passing the first round. its alot different beating good teams in the playoffs when you face them over and over again.

of course i like the rockets so i will actually be rooting for them.

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

The West is a Lions' Den... I mean the 8th seed is headed for a 46 - 36 overall record... Near 50 wins for the last seed! Kinda makes us GS' fans swallow our pill easier...


Oh, here's something about the Rockets' cap situation:

http://www.nbadraft.net/stateofthecaphouston001.asp

[COOLmac©]

you are fast becoming a news guru DW..keep it up PARKER.........

[Timothy Duncan]

Houston needs to worry about Denver. If Denver wins the game against the Rockets they'll go to 6th seed and Houston will face the always dangerous Spurs... And Duncan is back...

[Amphatoast]

Houston completely turned the temperature down in denver with a 28pt blow out

[COOLmac©]

wow two blowouts in a row.......and now we are in the 5th spot.......just in time to dodge the sonics because they have their individual starters back....YAY for the rockets.....

[COOLmac©]

GOLLY GOLLY 3 games in a row BLOWOUTS.........are we playoff ready or what.

LOCK IN 5th SEED HURRAY

[THAT_WAY]

I think Houston puldown Dallas and stride next

[COOLmac©]

whatever you say is true T-MAC.it's true

anyways th inexperience of a.johnson in coaching in the playoffs will be his teams downfall.......Jeff Van Gundy is not a choker poeple......the rockets will fly.....with our motto "why aim for the moon....when we can shoot for the stars!!!!!!!!!!"

[Mazzocchi]

yeah, Houston is pretty good, too bad the Mavs are going to have to beat their ass

[Keo]

Ya Houston's done. Sorry CoolMac. Sacramento's actually better off in 6th, the have to play an inexperienced (in the playoffs)and struggling Sonics while Houston's gotta play red hot Dallas.

[COOLmac©]

haha let's see who has the last laugh now......Peja's groin is hurting again like last year or the previous years before.....he should have the balls to fight a well rested sonic team but i'm liking our chances with dallas.....red hot or not ..haha

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

i'm liking our chances with dallas.....red hot or not ..haha

Even if you guys get past Dallas, which I doubt, There's no way that Van Bundy van beat San Antonio in their own game. So that's teh end of the road for the Rockets, C-Mac...

[COOLmac©]

remember the last time Jeff Van coach the knicks in 99......he was using an 8th man rotation ad having some brunso guy as his 9th man......not much talent there......in that knicks lineup........a couple of ballhogs and an injured shot blocker......yet they all played as a team and played for their coach.....that attitude propelled them to the nba finals.........the rockets now have a better suited team.........and they seem to have the same attitude that knicks have..........kudos to Jeff van and his coaching styles.....we'll just be silent on this one.........but silent air is deadlier than loud noised one.......

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

but silent air is deadlier than loud noised one.......

All true. But you still can't get past a nose-to-the-grindstone type of franchise like the Spurs. If you played in th eEast, you'd be competing for the Finals...

[COOLmac©]

okay.......i'm giving credit to dunky and the spurry......but IMHO the rockets are a contender for the west....the east is too easy but look what the lakers last year experienced.........we can neve tell what the opposing teams have in their own arsenal......the spurs were eradicated 4-1 last year.....all in close games..........Houston has won 95% of closed games they played this season.....and a dramatic one against the spurs(mcgrady's superb 30 second show).......all in all as a former coach i like Houston's chances in the playoffs....i can relate to the underdog situation.......i have won 3 championships in a row with my college teams back then, and poeple never started to talk about us until we were winning the finals.......that's a good shout of PROVING YOUR CRITICS WRONG.....or silencing the CROWD.......as we all use to say

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

that's a good shout of PROVING YOUR CRITICS WRONG.....or silencing the CROWD.......as we all use to say

Trade for Duncan and I'll root for you anytrime...

[COOLmac©]

who'd we trade for YAO? not a chance

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

So Yao is betten than TD? In a paraller universe, maybe...

[COOLmac©]

i mean to say....houston will never give up Yao.......he's a walking stock market exchange for crying out loud........he sells more mechandise than dunky

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

Good point. I'd love to see a TD/Yao frontcourt though, even if it means trading away the entire rest Houston squad...