- The first interesting development was the announcement pre-game that Marcus Camby would be starting at center in lieu of Samuel Dalembert. Via Jason Friedman, Dalembert is no longer suffering from the flu. Also via Friedman, when asked if the switch would remain in place going forward, McHale said, “we’ll see.” To those of you wondering if Kevin Martin would regain his starting spot upon returning, I think you pretty much got your answer. Kevin McHale does not care about hurt feelings.
- While watching Roy Hibbert tonight, understand that he is one of the restricted free agents whom the Rockets will have an opportunity to pursue this summer, if they choose, and hope to lure away from his current team. It’s a long shot.
- 3:38 remaining in the 1st and Courtney Lee has already taken like thirty shots. Methinks someone is warming up quite nicely to their starting role.
- Speaking of starting, Camby already has four boards and two blocked shots with time remaining in the first. I don’t see him giving up the starting spot…which leads me to wonder how Dalembert’s psyche will be affected. We all know about his track record in the past to allegedly loaf through parts of entire seasons.
- 2:05 remaining and George Hill checks in actually wearing an undershirt beneath his jersey. This is one of those things which has no chance of catching on.
- Leandro Barbosa seemed a lot faster when he was a Sun.
- Is it weird that upon seeing a kid a few rows in front of me wearing an Aaron Brooks jersey, my first thought was, “Marshon Brooks never played for the Rockets…?”
- 1:14 remaining in the first and Marcus Morris checks in. Morris, on his first offensive possession, grabs an offensive board and dishes to Budinger for the lay-in. As I said previously, rebounding will need to be his focus if he wants to earn minutes on this team.
end of first quarter
- Dalembert checks and goes to work on Hansborough, throwing up a patented airball hook.
- Re: George Hill. Remember when people thought his emergence would make Tony Parker expendable? Actually, remember when people thought Darren Collison’s emergence would make Chris Paul expendable? Both guys now play point guard for the Pacers and neither guy made his previous teammate expendable. (Collison was dealt before Paul.)
- 6:32 remaining in the second: David West checks back in and I actually agree with those who felt he worked better with Chris Paul than Blake Griffin does.
- Dalembert with 5 boards already in the quarter.
- Timeout, 5:51 remaining in the half. After watching the Heat and Thunder respectively this morning, I realize more that the Rockets are actually basically a really great college team. Those teams revolve around one or two central hubs on offense. The Rockets, when they’re clicking, come at you in 5-man waves of motion, side screen & rolls and misdirection. I’m not saying one makeup is superior to the other, but the difference is striking. We’ve already been watching March Madness for the past two years.
- 4:59 remaining in the 2nd, Roy Hibbert with just five points is denied position once more by Dalembert. I’d feel extremely weary about paying this guy the $10mill-$15mill/annually which he will likely command. In all honesty, I’d be content to roll with Dalembert, Camby, and Motiejunas at the position for the next few years. You’d obviously need some sort of upgrade at one of the other spots, but I’d be fine with that center combo.
- The Rockets are shooting just 33% from the floor as I write this. They should have saved some of that shooting from the other night.
- 2:47 remaining in the half as Courtney Lee hits a game-tying triple. It’s never been this stylish to have a hitch on your shot.
- The Rockets are a really interesting Motley crew of players ranging in age and abilities. You basically have youth all along the perimeter and then veteran experience up front. Patterson, the only ‘young’ frontcourt regular basically plays like a veteran with his IQ.
- After 24 minutes of play, the Pacers lead by two. A Dalembert dunk a few plays earlier had tied it. He’s definitely come out with intensity tonight, despite the benching. The question is whether he will sustain this after the initial anger/motivation wears off.
end of first half
- I stayed in the media room for too long gorging on popcorn. There is now only 3:46 remaining in the third. The Rockets apparently took the lead during my absence as it is now 65-57.
- The Rockets have gotten 27 points from their starting backcourt so far tonight. This is how things will and must be for this team to win.
- 1:43 remaining in the third and Scola tries the little spin move where he fakes left and comes back right. Again, as I’ve asked all year, why does anyone ever bite on anything Scola does going left? He’s not going that way.
- 1:22 left in the third. Last call. A few in the stands in front of me panic, reaching for their wallets.
- Courtney Lee scores a fastbreak lay-in putting the Rockets up by 8. He’s effectively priced himself out of mid-level range.
mid fourth quarter
- Some great music selection here at the quarter break, headlined by Sir Mix-a-lot and MC Hammer. Yes, I grew up in the suburbs in an upper-middle-class household.
- If you watch Earl Boykins, he spins on basically every possession, as I noted a few nights before. He’ll start his man going one way, then spin back the other way. Most guys use a crossover, but this is how he gets his advantage against the defender.
- 7:54 remaining in the 4th: George Hill posts up Boykins, spinning and hitting the turnaround. This is the first time so far we’ve seen anyone take Boykins to the post and will be one of the last times. As I explained before, his size isn’t and shouldn’t be much of a concern because few point guards feel comfortable operating with their back to the basket.
end of fourth
- 6:23 left in the 4th: Granger lines up a 3 cutting the lead to two. Everyone groans. Just when it seemed like the Rockets would pull away, it’s apparent this one will go down to the wire.
- 5:44 left in the 4th: Timeout. Kevin McHale stands near midcourt. I notice he’s wearing a greyish blazer with some strange tinge of brown pants. The sight is painful.
- 5:30 left in the 4th: Danny Granger lines up another 3, giving the Pacers the lead. Everyone groans.
- The same guy has walked past me at least ten times tonight, up the aisle. Someone needs to notify security.
- 3:57 remaining: Camby has four blocks to go with seven boards. They got a starting center for the 09 busts. Look, I’m not saying they traded for Dwight Howard, but not enough is being said about how good a deal that was.
- 3 minutes left in the fourth and David West has only twelve points. A far cry from the days he would average seemingly 35 a night against Scola, Landry and the gang.
- 2:16 left in the fourth and Patrick Patterson misses a floater going to his right. He’s one of my favorite players, but Pat wouldn’t know the meaning of the word ‘touch’ if the Dictionary was open right in front of him. The Toyota Center rims have required regularly new paint jobs because of Patterson.
- 2:16 timeout and they start doing the thing where they throw stuff deep into the stands. There is going to be a premises liability claim based on one of these incidents one day. The big surprise is that no one has yet to get hurt.
- Chandler Parsons hits a fadeaway in the lane to tie the game, the first move of that sort that I’ve ever seen from him.
- 50 seconds remaining and Courtney Lee dances and hits a pullup in his defender’s face to tie the game. Lee now with 20. He has effectively priced himself out of mid-level range.
- Danny Granger comes back and hits a long pullup right over Chandler Parsons’ outstretched arm. Granger with 27 so far.
- With 38.1 remaining, the Rockets trailing by two with the ball, I’d expect them to involve Dragic in a side screen and roll with Camby.
- Just as I predicted, they do it, except at the top of the key, getting Patterson an open look which he misses. Of note is the fact that Luis Scola was not on the floor.
- Darren Collison misses the first of two free throws, giving the Rockets life. 19 seconds remaining. Once again, I’d expect a screen & roll with Dragic.
- The Rockets come back out of the huddle. That Luis Scola is not on the floor is surprising, to say the least.
- No screen and roll this time. Dragic catches and rolls straight to the hoop for the bankshot. 1 point game with 16.5 remaining. If this goes to overtime, luckily I brought my charger today.
- Again, Collison misses 1 of 2! But the officials differ on possession after the ball is knocked out of bounds.
- The fact that they have to put up ‘Make some noise!’ on the big screen with twenty seconds remaining in a close game in the midst of a playoff push is….[insert word]
- Why do people let Dragic go left? Dragic ties it at the line after a hard drive left, drawing the foul. Force him right and dare him to beat you with the pullup. I’ve never seen him attempt a right-handed layup.
- Overtime. Patrick Patterson plays about as good defense as you can on someone, forcing David West into an errant jumpshot. He waves both hands in West’s face prior to the shot attempt, similar to the Battier strategy. After the shot clanks, Roy Hibbert is there for the follow-up but that too rolls out. The Rockets live. At least for another five minutes. The people who have purchased tickets this month have really gotten their money’s worth.
