Spurs find a way to handle Houston and then hang tough with Sonics and nip them to tie tiebreaker in that series. Spurs with Duncan out have played better against stronger teams and this should not be an exception.
Sunday is the huge game! Spurs take Rockets without Duncan it sends a message. LJIII may be just the thing to put on McGrady awhile (if he is able to go)
Yao scares me. I'm still not ready to be sold on this team yet. Tonight was a good showing, but I'm taking it with a big ass grain of salt.
Sunday to me is going to be a much better indicator of just where this team is at and what we can expect from them. It is time to sac it up and bring it.
no way mcgrady plays on sunday.
Ginobili is back, we'll be compe ive
I'm actually going to agree with SequSpurs! I'm 90% sure that McGrady willl sit the game out. It's a back to back for them and they probably won't risk further injury to a player that has a bad injury report.
Plus they might feel they have a good chance of winning without McGrady since we're without Duncan.
Look, McGrady isn't nearly as important as some of you are making him out to be. He has been extremely detrimental to the growth of Yao Ming by refusing to go inside when he needs to, and by jacking up unnecessary shots. He takes so many shots on a team that's supposed to have two superstars that it isn't even funny. I think that the fact that McGrady is out makes Houston a better team - Sura will go inside to Yao a lot - expect Yao to get MANY touches tomorrow also because supposedly he has a favourable matchup. I sincerely believe that they're not really at a disadvantage because McGrady's out
You've got to be joking, right?!
Houston's offense went up about 12ppg when VanGundy had a talk with McGrady about taking more charge of the offense. Until then, McGrady was going out of his way to fit in, coming up the floor dumping it in to Yao and waiting for a jump shot. Now that it flows through McGrady, Yao and the others have an easier time because they're working off of McGrady's drives, slashes, pick-n-rolls, etc.
If you've watched a fair number of Rockets' game since about January or so, you'd see what a difference he makes offensively, and believe it or not, defensively. Look at his numbers, across the board, and the team's record from that point on and figure out who's making that engine go. He and Yao are making it easier for each other the longer they play together, but right now it's still McGrady who's better equipped to adapt to different defensive tactics and adjust the team's offense accordingly.
If the Rockets had figured out McGrady/Yao sooner and played better in November and December, McGrady would be a serious MVP candidate.
"back to back for them"
If it's back to back for Rockets, it's a back to back for Spurs, too.
The rockets are for real..get use to us because we will be your main compe ion for the next 6 years.
Think back to how you guys were just one or two small but necessary pieces away from beating the lakers during the 3 peat. Thats how the rockets are right now to the spurs. Van Gundy respects the spurs maybe more then any coach in the NBA and he understands his mission over the next few years is to create a spurs killer.
If we meet in the playoffs this year we will play defense and turn it into a slugfest. You can expect the game to be slowed right down with scores in the low 80's. I think the rockets have the best shot against a healthy spurs team
Rasho always played good D on Yao!!!
I think the Spurs have a chance against a McGrady-less Rockets team, but if he's healthy and plays... I wouldn't count on it. The Sonics if they show up will be tough too. I'll say the Spurs take one of two however, the Spurs will have to figure out sooner or later that they can still play without TD.
Their are more and more fans of other teams joining the forum. It's cool if they bring more than Lakergod and Wolwe009. I wonder why they disapeared? Maybee are they waiting for the next lotery?
Even if he does, he will play a diminished role!
Van Gundy has quietly done a Coach of the Year job in rebuilding the Rockets on the fly with trades and signings. They now play better defense than anyone in the West outside the Spurs and have better outside shooting than the Spurs with McGrady and James. I bet no one in the West wants to meet them in the playoffs.
Last edited by wildbill2u; 03-26-2005 at 10:54 AM. Reason: hit the wrong button
Houston still has the tools to kick the out of us.
Houston = only team in the west that might take the Spurs to a game 7.
mcgrady isn't even injured. when they showed the replay there was no contact with any other player. I dont know how he could have hurt his back
the commentator said he landed stiff legged, no contact, and jammed or sprained his hip, not in contact with other players.
Devin's injury was the same, hurt in jarring contact with the floor stiff-legged and bent sideways.
Tell that to Bo Jackson.
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