Going Streaking!
T-MacThe Rockets rattled off a franchise record 16th consecutive win last night, downing the Pacers 117-99. Last night’s win was a perfect example of how Houston has notched sixteen straight:
* Chemistry: The Rockets share the ball. Last night, they finished with 30 assists as a team, which is just two shy of their best mark this season. Rafer led the way with seven dimes, T-Mac and Chuck Hayes added five, and Luther Head had four.
* Match-ups: During the game’s very first possession, Jim O’Brien had Kareem Rush check in, thus forcing Dikembe Mutombo to step out onto the three-point line and guard Troy Murphy. Down 13-9, the Rockets replaced Mutombo with Head, and Houston made 12-16 shots to finish the quarter up 34-27.
“I was going to let Deke stay and see what they were going to do,” Rick Adelman said. “It was pretty obvious it wasn’t working. Chuck showed his experience when he came in. Carl and Luis were still trying to figure out what to do as the lone big man out there.
“(The Pacers) obviously had a plan to try to run us off the court. I thought our guys responded well by running back at them and attacking them. We’re playing with so much confidence.”
* Bench Play: Despite Yao being out for the season, Houston hasn’t hiccoughed on the front lines. That’s because Mutombo and the two-headed monster of Luis Scola and Carl Landry have emerged to fill the void. The Houston Chronicle’s Fran Blinebury calls them Carluis Scolandry - not the greatest nickname - but does so to illustrate that splitting time between the two of them creates one super-forward. They both tallied 13 points and 7 boards last night.
* Confidence: Even when the Toyota Center seemed funereal after Yao’s injury, the Rockets locker room remained upbeat. “The atmosphere in the building that day, it felt like there was a funeral going on,” Rafer said. “Everybody just thought the season was over.” But the players didn’t pay any attention to that.
“We believe,” McGrady said. “We don’t care what anyone says about us outside this locker room. We as a group believe, we know how good we are and we’re showing it. We’re a focused group, a group that understands how to win ballgames.”
March 6th, 2008 at 11:34 am
007 says:
If the playoffs started today the Rockets would be taking on Utah. Houston could redeem themselves from last year’s playoffs.
March 6th, 2008 at 11:39 am
SWAT says:
LOL. thx dime. now i feel a little bad about my previous comment. anyway…i was looking forward to facing off with the mavs tonight but w/ dirk suspended it was kind of a letdown. i wanted to see where we really stand against one of the best of the west. still, it should be a good game. Clutch city baby!
March 6th, 2008 at 11:48 am
GEE... Imma turn this mutha OUT! says:
I am in my world right now! This is better than a Popeye’s two piece and a slurpee! I mean 16 straight and currently # 5, and Dirk can’t play tonight. Just by chance even if we lose, just to see the effort is so wonderful. I applaud Rick (notice how his teams excell at passing) and the players for working the system wonderfully.
For real I want us to win the next 5 and I think the Rockets will be second in the L. with the longest winning streak behind the Lakers at 33 I think.
Don’t scoff, winning the next 5 is certainly possible depending on tonight.
Either way 16 is certainly my favorite number.
Yea SWAT!
CLUTCH CITY always!
March 6th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
Rockets suck!
Yall getting all happy for nothing. Punks prolly gonna get swept in the 1st round.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Prof. TX says:
If it doesn’t end against a Dirk-less Mavs, it may not end for a while. Five or six games from now is the real test, several in a row against +.600 teams.
I’m just glad to turn on sportcenter in the morning and see my team making news. How crazy would it be if McGrady’s first trip to round 2 is when his co-star isn’t playing?
March 6th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
grungedave says:
Carluis Scolandry?
Jeez, we coined the “Luis Landry” moniker right after Scola became a starter - which just so happened to coincide with the Rockets beginning the Streak.
Is the Chron ripping us off?
http://thedreamshake.blogspot.com
March 6th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
y is dumb ass gee still allowed to post here?
we need a council on this site to remove lames
March 6th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
rangerjohn says:
the streak is great and all but lets be realistic, the rockets have had one of the weakest strength of schedules in the league over the last month anda half. 16 wins and only 4 +500 teams (one being borderline +500). i expect they will lose to the dirkless mavs but even if they dont, they WILL lose to the hornets on saturday. then real off 3 more meaningless wins over sub 500 teams and then the real test, lal, bos, no, gs, pho and then a sub 500 team that could make some noise sac, then mn then SAN ANTONIO. realisticly that could turn into a 6-8 game losing streak in a blink of an eye. that would pretty much put them out of the playoffs. (i dont expect them to make it anyway)
i hope i didnt hurt rockets-fans feelings since they are so sinsative and all but lets face the facts, the fairytale is over soon.
March 6th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Bust Jlaze says:
This is way off-topic, but I wanted to say it somewhere…
That fan that rushed the court and was all over ‘Bron ‘Bron, that seems reminiscent to back when mad fans would rush the floor at the end of sick games, right? That was a bit before my time, and it hasn’t happend in a GOOD MINUTE. But it seems like something the game is missing. I know it’s not the SAFEST thing in the world, but that passion is missing!
March 6th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
GEE... Oh LORD I done found my swaaag says:
LOL no “Ranger” John. No way are we hurt. Why hurt when you are defying odds and have the longest winning streak this year and your team is showing heart if nothing else. Even if they do lose and whenever they lose, they are still in good position cause of all the other teams taking l’s as well. If you got a problem with the schedule Ranger you should probably take that up with Sterny and the crew.
And even if by chance McGrady gets hurt and they don’t make it, oh well, at least we ain’t the Heat!
It’s funny how those that critize though never come forward with who their team is.
For YallAllready I see it’s your highschool computer hour again. How is that trailerpark pimpin going homey?
What’s funny is you been gone for a minute, did a storm mess the trailerpark wi-fi up or something? Well welcome back you big ol’ lame you. By the way fat boy, I notice other people who post been getting at you for your dumb remarks and thoughts. I am a little jealous I didn’t plan on others to roast yo lame @#$ too. The more the merrier though.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
rangerjohn says:
well “GEE” i am assuming you are refering to me when you say “It’s funny how those that critize though never come forward with who their team is” kind of a funny story, i am by far a spurs fan yet i am a rockets season ticket holder. lmao long story short, i generally root for the rockets when they are not playing the spurs and i root of the spurs no mater who they play.
i have no problem with the rockets schedule, i just hate people who dont take factors such as this into account. sure a 16 game streak is great and good for the rockets BUT you put them against a more ballanced schedule and they in no way get 16 in a row. they are about to hit that wall, spurs are about to hit the toughest part of their schedule (besides the rodeo roadtrip) and we will see how they do also. the other thing that gets me, people are all about the 16 games AND yao being out, yao has missed 4 GAMES it is not like he has been out for 20 games, and those 4 games where against 2 bad teams (chi and was) one of the 3 worst (mem) and one of the most inconsistent teams in the nba (den). no big feat of heart or will in any of those games.
i will agree, at least they are not the heat.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
SWAT says:
all that shit yall talkin bout when we face N.O. when we already blew they ass out. that’s cools though because yall boys probably bandwagon jumpers anyway. And that schedule talk pisses me off because at any given moment, with exception to the heat and the knicks, any team can win in this league. especially when we have a bullseye on our back with this streak, which is the longest in the NBA right now. i feel your pessimistic remarks rangerjohn but i prefer to look at the glass half full. AS i stated before the west is up for grabs so why not let us have it. I agree tho we will be tested here over the next few weeks. Gee…i always appreciate your comments brah. Yall boys don’t sweat the technique.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Prof. TX says:
When LeBron carries a team of role-players into the playoffs, then he’s the best ever and a legend and the next MJ and all that. If McGrady gets this group of roleplayers and back-ups into the playoffs it will be ‘lucky’ or a ‘fluke’ or because of a supposedly soft schedule. A 50 win season is a 50 win season, and one where you lose your all-star C and keep winning is really something rare. Nobody blamed the insanely difficult schedule when the Rockets had trouble early in the season, but so many people are giving the schedule all the credit now.
I’m not saying T-Mac is the same as LeBron, but they’re in similar situations and one has reporters lining up to take shots at him and the other has reporters lining up to bear his children. They have comparable supporting casts, but one gets all the credit and the other gets almost none.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
GEE... Oh LORD I done found my swaaag says:
Ranger actually I was referring to more than just you, but yea you was included. I am saying you are a Spurs fan and they are great and all, but they have lost some they should have been going on streaks against. I don’t see how you can discredit the streak simply because, when it came time to beat the teams they needed to, they did. Also sure Yao was there for most of it, but people marvel that it just wasn’t a total collapse without him like it has been in the past against mediocre and great teams.
The thing with a streak is you are not losing at all, and to that, whether its against your local jv team to the best in the NBA you are beating who you are up against and whose in front of you. 16 is a feat regardless.
Trust me if you all lost TD and were on a streak against sorry or great teams, there would be the same type of commotion.
On top of that it’s not like the Rockets are stacked like the Spurs and other teams, and still doing well.
You don’t have to own up, and that is cool. Just remember back to them days before TP, Manu, and TD. When there was just David lol and yea it was a big deal then when they went on streaks then. Same as now for the Rockets pimpin.
SWAT thanks for clearing up that whole NO situation. Plus now you know every team wants to be the one to “break” the streak. 16 in and no one has. Even the Institute of the Deaf and Blind recognize that and applaud.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Amar says:
i’d be happy for my jazz if they face the rox again in the first round . . .
March 6th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
GEE... Oh LORD I done found my swaaag says:
Amar I would gladly take you up on that…
Dang the bell must have rung on “YallAllReady” to change classes either that or the Wi-Fi went out in that trailer park. I would have expected some lame comment back by now. Dang.
Ranger I will say this though I am seriously jealous that you have 3 NBA teams in your state and 2 NFL teams.
I have none sadly. Dang commishes.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
rangerjohn says:
well remember, earlier in the season the spurs lost duncan for 4 games, the spurs beat a tough dallas team and then a tough utah team 2 night later. rockets have come together no doubt but you have to be realistic and not live in a dream world.
the reason t-mac is considered lucky if they make it in the playoffs, HE HAS DONE NOTHING in his career, he has been a bust everywhere he has played and i have no respect for a guy who ADMITEDLY didnt even try to play because he didnt like his teams in toronto and orlando but still took their millions. labron comes out and plays hard EVERYNIGHT no questions asked. tmac mails it in every 5th night or so.
now a 16 game streak is grreat no mater who you play but what good is it if you are playing lesser teams. as you said GEE the schedule is what it is, jv or nba elite BUT how do you get respect for beating up on a “jv” team? when the rockets go on a streak and win against the best in the league that would be different.
bottom line, let the rockets get the 8th seed, spurs will have the 1st seed and i can get some spurs rockets playoffs seats damn it lmao! at least i could get 2 games of the sweep that would insue.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
gee
yous a straight puss. lame ass punk. how you on here everday all the time? u must be lifeless like the rockets.
and aint you a knicks fan? u be flip flopping.
no one cares about your stupid juvenile posts.
high school?…if thats the case, you must be on a GED little negro
March 6th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
rangerjohn says:
holy shit, can we PLEASE type in ENGLISH i mean damn.
“YOUS A straight puss” what the hell. “u be flip flopping” come on man bad english does not make you tough and it does not give you street cred or what ever. really.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Prof. TX says:
When the Celtics cruised through the easiest start in NBA history, people were ready to give them the trophy. Funny how schedule only counts when you want it to.
The Rockets are far enough ahead that they don’t need to win that many more games to make the playoffs. Most people pick the last spot to have 48-50 wins and that means a losing Houston record from here out would still be enough. But to have any chance at seeing the second round, they need to keep a high seed so they can draw a lower opponent. Their best bet might be Phoenix, based on how the Suns have been playing lately, since Houston won’t be high enough to get the Warriors or Nuggets. New Orleans might be a favorable match-up too, given the season series and lack of playoff experience.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
SWAT says:
cmon ranger john at least dude spelled juvenile right…lol! did you have to spell check that homeboy? “You must be on a GED little negro…” how exactly are you on a ged…either you have it or you don’t. obviously you don’t. thanks for the laugh guy!
March 6th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
rangerjohn
who made you the english professor on here?
suck me like you are john amechi
March 6th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
swat
you right. i ain’t got no ged. ur on a ged when i crumble one and shove it up your ass.
why everybody on here got a smart mouth today? all yall typing tough.
i aint mention nothing about no swat or no rangerjohn and here yall all are taking shots at me. will i say bring it dammit. yallallreadyknow good and well i bring the fire to this board. yall be bored on here without me.
anytime yall wanna test me in bball knowledge or anything else….bring it bitches
March 6th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
rangerjohn says:
ohhhh i am sorry mr yallallreadyknow sir
LMAO really, do you kiss your mommy with that mouth?
it is people who talk like you do that bring this country down in IQ. i mean i bet you blame the man for your lack of edumacationon too right. you know people might take you seriously if you type/spoke like a normal person REALLY.
you are right, you ahve not taken any shots at me but i took one at you and your retarded smack you try to spew, you sound like one of those goofy white kids from all those stupid movies trying to act like he is “street hard” and shit. come on vanila ice, cause that is how you sound.
ICE ICE BABY! mmmmm good shit
March 6th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
quoting vanilla ice; you can’t get anymore lame.
and as if ‘rangerjohn’ ain’t goofy.
as in forest ranger? when did they teach yall how to use computers?
March 6th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
rangerjohn says:
sorry there buddy boy but RANGERJOHN as in ARMY RANGER
see tehy teach you a lot of things in the military, like how to speak proper english. i would not expect you to “alreadyknow” about all that though
SUA SPONTE
March 6th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
marcus says:
easy games or not theres a reason not many teams have hit 16 wins in a row ever. Its just not easy to do.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
alex says:
16 games in a row ain’t easy for sure. The last time they won 15 straight, was when they had Olajuwon and Drexler. Big difference maker is Tmac finally trusting his teammates and knowing when to pass / score by himself. I think that maturity level comes with age (TMAC, KOBE, MJ) although Lebron and Brandon Roy learned it pretty early.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
GEE... Oh LORD I done found my swaaag says:
LOL SWAT and Ranger don’t you all spend your time with YallAllReadyKnowhe’sgay
Either his wi-fi will mess up in the trailer soon or either the bell will ring for him to go get special services (504).
He tries hard though, or tries to be hard rather lol.
Like a little limp wee wee.
Anyway
Ranger I guess time will tell.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
army ranger huh. no wonder you dont know shit about bball.
shit shower and shave. u skinhead.
so what happened to you…you couldn’t be all you could be and now your in bball chat rooms?
lame loser.
you worry about me lowering the iq of the country
but its bitches like you that enter the army that have made this country soft.
not ppl who mispell on a computer. get it together you puss.
damn…now i actually feel sorry for you.
March 6th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
YallAllReadyKnow says:
gee
u again? ur like a string of pube hair that wont go down the drain when someone takes a shower.
get lost punk!
go visit a board where you can talk about womens bball.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
rangerjohn says:
Prof. TX says:
The Rockets are far enough ahead that they don’t need to win that many more games to make the playoffs
i dont think this is true, rockets are only 4 games out of the lotery. they have 22 games left, and 11 of those are against +600 teams (or there about) then they have portland and sactown (both tough teams with records that are not great) not included in those 11 games.
rockets lose 4 games and denver win 4 and rockets are out. not going to be easy.
and yes gee time will tell.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
GEE... Oh LORD I done found my swaaag says:
Look impotence,
I thought you liked “Slam” magazine anyway. Most everyone on here that follows your lame comments knows that your a poser.
You obviously have little man problems cause you try to be so hard through your typing.
It be different if you came correct with your comments, it would be all good. But trying to be hard without cause pimpin??? That ain’t impressin nobody. I mean I am sure them yeast, urinary, STD infected trannys you with probably think you are the man. Again you ain’t broke no sweat this way lil boy.
So in the mean time keep tossin the soap to the ground on purpose and between your dungeons and dragons and pokemon adventures, we will look for you.
Oh yea get you some real tampons and stop stuffin napkins in ya lil pannies boy. Get some work.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
SWAT says:
lol…man you’re a joke kid. it’s funny how dudes be on here like tough guys. check yall after my boys beat dallas tonight. 2 fingers and i’m out. peace.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
GEE... Oh LORD I done found my swaaag says:
Holla SWAT I am up out this one too, although I may check back later just to see what flacid man is going to post. I think it’s time for his meds though.
Anyway Houston up!
March 6th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
E$ says:
Thanks Dime, I’ll continue to read & post - You almost lost me with the LBJ post! Go Rockets!
It’s a shame when most teams can’t even go on a 10 game win streak & playing in the East
March 6th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
pillbox says:
The Houston Chronicle’s Fran Blinebury is a fat ass douchebag.