MVN - Most Valuable Network

Game six as it happens………… Rockets lose another round one

It’s 10:24 and I’m watching what could be the end of the season for the Houston Rockets.  After falling down 0-2 in the first games of the series at home, it was quite clear they just didn’t have what it takes to beat the Jazz in a long series without your All-Star center and a gimpy point gaurd.  The Jazz were bigger inside, tougher and meaner, the absolute BEST floppers the NBA has ever seen.  Houston can’t hit their free throws or play consistent offensively.  McGrady has played just awesome - enough to keep his detractors at bay - but the pundits will continue to harp on his inability to get past the first round and he doesn’t deserve that kind of criticism.

38-23 Jazz

Second-chance points are killing em’.  It’s like the bucket is magnetized for Utah as the ball just goes in easy whereas Houston’s shots rim out, bounce out like an evil force is working in Salt Lake.  Luis Scola continues to impress me,  making tough shots look easy.  He’s so composed and plays like an animal.  I still think Durant and he made it the closest Rookie of the Year contest.  Kudo’s to Durant for winning it, but I don’t think the NBA would have been second-guessed if they have given it to Scola.

Another bad TMAC pass.  There were plenty of those all series long.  Bad passes, missed free throws, yet he was still - there’s another easy bucket on an interception (dammit!) - the best player for the team in the series.  A couple games he flirted with a triple double.  Damn, these guys can’t miss.  I hate Utah with such a freakin’ passion.   

46-27 Jazz now. 

It’s just about over.  I’ve never seen so much successful penetration since the stag film at my bachelor party.  How they play inside and just rip through Houston’s defense - now Okur just forearmed Deke Mutumbo (2 early fouls, thanks refs) - is impressive.  TMAC has 17 now and surely on pace for 30+.  He just can’t do it himself.  His numbers are going to be indicative of a Rocket win, but Utah has slammed the door shut on the rest of the team, it seems. 

50-34 with five minutes left in the half. 

Not insurmountable.  I suppose even Britney Spears could also reliven her singing career with similar odds.  Whoa..     TMAC just went off.   He just hit a series of shots, trying to take the game over and now Houston is down…

50-40.  

He will need to score 50+ tonight at this pace, I think, but he seems insistent on doing just that.  He’s not looking at his teammates to end the first half.  He’s on a mission.  I can bet the though of listening to every interviewer asking him what Round 2 team he thinks is going to make it to the Western Conference finals..    He scored 22 ppg during the season and he’s hitting an average of 28 points per game in the playoffs.  Three minutes left and down by 10.

A scoring machine.  We have a brand new game in Salt Lake, Ladies and Gentlemen..     55-50 as TMAC is taking over!

55-54, are you kidding me ??????????    that’s a 18-pt turnaround, folks…  in the 2nd quarter.  McGrady is on the bench to finish the half with 29 points already.  Damn.. Darren Williams get a 3 pointer to end the half..    

There’s a fight going on in Salt Lake…………….      more to come after the half.. 

The news out of the locker room isn’t good, as Rafer Alston is now out of the game with a sprained ankle.  So, keeping score for you, no Yao, no Alston and TMAC with a knee that is kept numb with injections because of the pain.  The Jazz?  Only their feelings are hurt.  Injuries are a part of the game, unless you’re a Rocket opponent. 

63-56 Utah, after some early scoring.    65, after Okur (looks like a ferret) hits his 2 free throws.

Jackson misses a jumper and Battier missed a 3, but Mutumbo got both rebounds and passed off to a teammate for two points.  He’s going to be huge if the Rockets are going to have a chance.  Got to stay out of foul trouble.   Jackson misses again and the Jazz hit a 3..     sigh..

71-59.  here we go again..      I dare not hope for another Houston hot streak.   

Dikembe Mutombo is just ruling the boards.  TMAC draws another foul.  A miss.  Boozer misses.  Jackson and TMAC both miss their 3’s - argh this is getting so frustrating.  Then, as expected, Utah hits a trey by Williams.  It’s just maddening.

74-59

Another close miss and Okur rebound.  Williams hits another - en fuego.  If they don’t man up on him, he’s going to win this for Utah himself.  Amazing kid.  Houston rookie Aaron Brooks is now the Rockets hope at the point.  That just perfectly illustrates their season for them this year..   

Man, how does Boston allow Atlanta to make them go back for a Game 7????

Utah now back up by 18 points..  this has to be it.  Here’s where winning teams put the proverbial foot on the neck of their prey.     78-59 and well on their way to going to Los Angeles.   Three minutes left in the fourth quarter with a 19 point lead..      Here’s where Houston succumbs after a season mixed with excitment and frustration.    I just hope that the Lakers take Utah out quickly.

80-63    

Shots are again spinning out for the Rockets..  they can’t buy a bucket.  TMAC gets his 10th board, his double double.  Landry finally ends the scoring drought.  Foul…..  Utah shoots..   Ball bounces six times before it goes in..  of course.  Second shot drops and it’s..

82-65

Utah is doing a good job keeping the ball out of TMAC’s hands.. the wrong guys are shooting for Houston, hence the lack of scoring.  It’s going to take a rehashing of the second quarter to even get close.  TMAC will have to get 15-20 just on his own.  Now it’s a 20-point game..   the fat lady is warming up…   End of the 3rd quarter and Utah has its biggest lead..       I hate this team.

Rockets were outscored 27-11 in that last quarter and TMAC held to nothing.  They are just locked up on him and wearing him out.  Missed his free throw…………….. again.

89-65   10:47 left in the season….

Novak hits a 3 as he’s now in for Houston in what might indicate a new offensive scheme for coach Adelman.  Just give it to the tall white guy and see if he can shoot you back into the game from downtown. 

McGrady hits for his 34th point.  He’s done what he’s supposed to do..    I can hear the echoing sound of sportswriters from all over furiously working over their keyboards to get their story out about his continued failure to get out of the first round.  The post-game player interviews are going to be horrible tonight.    

95-74  -  the Utah players are already celebrating on the bench.   Only 8:00 left…

TMAC has 37 points:  half of his team’s points.  Scola is the only other Rocket that has more than two FG’s on the team.  That, Ladies and Gentlemen… is the story behind the story.  This is a team sport.

99-82

Yup.. miss another free throw guys.. why not.  We can’t get enough of those.  Okur draws the foul inside and he’ll shoot.  I got ten bucks before he shoots that he doesn’t miss.  Boom.  Easy money.

Under five minutes and we’re still missing layups.  McGrady’s shots are hitting the front of the rim..  He’s tired. 

106-85

In and out for Houston.  3:00 left..     Boozer hits.  It’s been a decade since Houston has gotten out of the first round and they will start the next decade still trying.  Kobe, here cometh the Jazz.  I don’t like you much either, but you’re the lesser of two evils.

OK, so you Jazz fans..   you got this one..  again..   yes, you have beaten us in more series than we have beaten you, but……………………..   you’ve never gone on to win any titles..  Both times we beat you, we hoisted up the Larry O’Brien trophy.  Sit on that for awhile..     come back and talk to me when you have banners up in the rafters.

Williams is just playing with them with that three point shot.  The bench now comes out and the starters come off the floor, high fiving their way to Los Angeles.  The last two minutes is just mop-up time.

Well, that’s it..     definitely not a satisfying year, despite the long 22-game streak.  Fun while it lasted, but it was still accomplished without the team intact and the early playoff exit once again attributed to the inability to stay healthy. 

113-88

Final minute….    TMAC finished with 40 points and nothing to show for it. 

As I sign off, I remember how the season begun.. with Utah - and a win..   I told about how I couldn’t stand this team and now this final stake in the heart just makes that much more so.   113-91 is the final score and now.. let the bashing begin..  

Go Lakers.. 

-kn

This entry was posted on Friday, May 2nd, 2008 at 10:53 pm and is filed under Houston Rockets. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.