Critics Correct: Houston Rockets Lose Game One to Utah Jazz By Christopher Sells
04.19.2008 - Updated on 04.19.2008
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The Rockets have been getting very little respect from most people who pay attention to the game, with most people predicting they’ll be eliminated from the Playoffs without much resistance.
The team did nothing today to quiet any of their critics.
The game didn’t feel as close as the 11 points the final score reflected. Aside from a run the Rockets put up in the third quarter, the Jazz seemed to be very much in control of the game almost from the start. Even when the team was bringing the energy and doing good things on the court, I’d look up to discover that the Jazz still held the lead.
Tracy McGrady’s new claims that it’s not his fault if the Rockets don’t win is a little unsettling. We’ve always praised our stars for taking responsibility and trying to put the team on their back. Mac is right when he says that it takes a team effort to win, but he also has to understand that the likes of Steve Novak are not going to be enough to get the Rockets over this decade-long hump. It should be all McGrady, all the time.
Still, I’d like to see some players off the bench step up in Game Two. This may be asking a little much, but Carl Landry, Luther Head and Aaron Brooks should combine for at least 25 points if the Rockets are gonna have a chance. And the defense has to be a bit better. Letting the Jazz shoot above 50% is asking to lose.
The feeling I have is almost one of acceptance. I haven’t given up, but it appears that, without Skip and Yao, the Jazz may be too much for the Rockets. This could be a case of the jitters, with so much youth and inexperience on the roster, though, and it has only been one game. Sunday will be a day of recuperation and game planning and we’ll do this again Monday night. Hopefully, we’ll get some different results.
[image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffbalke/]
