Houston Rockets @ Dallas Mavericks Game Preview

So, here we are again. Round III of Rockets-Mavs, also known by many as Jason Terry's Third Favorite Day of the Year. In case you were wondering, the first two were the first two times the Mavericks play us. No, not Christmas. Not Thanksgiving. Not Halloween. I know, I know, Jason Terry must be some sort of horrible, sinister man. And guess what? His fourth favorite day of the year? It's the fourth time he plays the Rockets. Yeah, that's right. Out of the Big Three of winter holidays, only one of them makes Terry's list of favorite days of the year. And if you're thoroughly confused by my feeble attempts at a segue/introduction to an article, I'll stop by saying that the joke is that Terry lights up the Rockets. And I mean really, really, lights up the Rockets. I could probably make a joke here about him lighting us up so badly we look like firecrackers, or something of that ilk, but I'll save you the anger and myself the embarrassment by moving on.

The first two games of this series have been blowouts, with the Mavericks beating the Rockets by a combined 49 points. In two games. That's a lot of points. For all you fans of advanced stats, and pardon me if I'm wrong, I'm not exactly a mathematician, that's an average of 24.5 points a game. So what can everyone's favorite overachievers do to stop the bleeding? I'm glad you asked, me from ten seconds ago. In fact, I'm so glad, I think I'll tell you.

We should start by putting Chuck Hayes/Carl Landry on Dirk Nowitzki. I know, I know, the idea that this guy is one of the most feared players in the league maddens me, but the sad truth is that the best way to stop the Mavericks is to slow down Dirk. The way the rosters line up, Scola would be the one guarding Dirk. As great of a defender as Scola is, I like the idea of putting the smaller, quicker Hayes and the more athletic Landry on Dirk. We saw in 2007 that smaller, more athletic players give Dirk troubles, and while the idea of banking on a strategy two years old when so many players have changed, grown or regressed is ludicrous, it's not like people have found any other way to defend Dirk successfully. Plus, what we've been doing against the Mavericks clearly hasn't been working, so there's no harm in switching things up a little, no?

Well, yes, there kind of is. Switching how we guard Dirk is going to be rendered useless if we can't stop Jason Terry. In two games against us, Terry's scored 51 points and missed two shots. He has an effective field goal percentage of 108.3 against us. I don't know if that's so depressing that it's funny yet, but it's still pretty damn depressing. Yes, I know, talented players get hot and there's little you can do to stop them when they do. And yes, Jason Terry is one of the deadliest players in the league when he's stroking the ball, but really? Put a damn hand in his face. Push him around a little. I don't care if Trevor Ariza doesn't take a damn shot (that might actually be a positive on both ends of the floor, but I'll get to that in a minute) he needs to be all over Terry. Yeah, Terry might still get his 25, but I'd rather have it be a hard earned 25 than 25 off of open midrange jumpers and threes.

Remember when I mentioned Ariza up there? Well depending on your reading profiency it may or may not have been a minute, but I'm addressing Ariza now anyways. Before I say anything, Trevor, I want you to know that I love you. I really do. Lord knows you try and I'm glad to have you on our team, but please, for everyone's sake, could you just tone it down a little? Ariza's effective field goal percentage this season is a little under 45 percent. For perspective reasons, that's right above Larry Hughes. Yes, this Larry Hughes. Ariza's futility is only made even more egregious when you realize that he takes nearly 7 threes a game.

"So wait," I bet you're asking me right now. "Ariza's shooting percentage when calculated using a metric that is supposed to favor three point shooters still says he can't shoot?" "Yes," I bet I would answer, "that's exactly right." What does this tell us about Ariza? He needs to take the damn ball to the basket more often. He's starting to look more comfortable driving than he was earlier in the year and he's also began to finish with authority rather than trying to finesse the ball into the hoop like he was at the season's beginning. I'm fine with him taking wide open, spot up threes, but that means three a game at most, no more of these 1-8 nights from range like he put up against Denver two days ago. Ariza has all the tools to be a sensational player, he just needs to use the talents he has and play his game. Please, Trevor, no more channeling your inner Rafer Alston. Drive hard to the basket, finish strong, take your open shots, play tough defense and start turning into the guy we all hoped you'd become.

So where are our points going to come from? Enter, Aaron Brooks. Brooks has been lethal recently, averaging 21 points a game in December while getting into the lane almost at will. Brooks is quietly turning into the player everyone hoped he'd be at the beginning of the season, penetrating into the lane to create shots for himself and others, stopping on a dime for his Calvin Murphy-esque pull-up jumper and dishing the ball better than I'd dare hoped for him to before the season began. He'll need to be extra-dominant tonight, as Jason Kidd will be guarding him and, if you hadn't really heard, Jason Kidd can't stay in front of anyone anymore.

And while the Mavericks have the reigning Sixth Man of the Year in Jason Terry, we have a sub of our own who's not too shabby himself. Carl Landry has been phenomenal this season, and we'll need him to be at his best tonight against the Mavericks. We've struggled to score agains the Mavericks this season, averaging a little over 101 points per 100 possessions against them, which would put us at 9th worst in the league. Landry's going to need to shoulder some of the scoring burden, which hasn't been a problem for him thus far.

Next, threes are the key to our success. In two games against the Mavericks this season we've shot a combined 11 for 43 from beyond the arc, good for about 26 percent. When you take the third most threes in the NBA like we do, you need to hit them to beat good teams like the Mavericks. Like they say, if you live by the three then you'll die by the three, and against the Mavericks the three has been, well, it's been murdering the shit out of us.

And it's not just our threes. The Mavericks have been knocking them down from deep against us, going 16 of 27 from behind the arc in the two games we've played, good for 55 percent. If we can defend the three a little better while hitting them at our usual clip, we should be in a much better position to win tonight than we have been the past two times we've matched up against the Mavericks.

Finally, I think we've just been a little unlucky against the Mavericks this season. Jason Terry is great, but not going 17 of 19 great. We're a good three point shooting team, so we're surely not going to shoot 25 percent from long range for a third game against the same team. Also, it's not like the Mavericks have really killed us in any one aspect in both games, it's been more of them hitting shots at an unsustainable clip and our players missing. If that happens for a third time, then so be it. Sometimes that's the way the cookie crumbles. You're going to have nights when you can't seem to hit the side of a barn (Which, when you think about it, is sort of irrelevant. We're playing basketball, not some twisted rural game that involves throwing balls at a barn.) and you're opponent can't seem to miss. That's just basketball. Hopefully, it doesn't happen to us for a third straight game. I honestly can't stand the sight of seeing Jason Terry pretending to fly around like a plane against us one more time. We get it, Jason, your nickname is JET. It's very original, you're a funny guy. Now please stop it.

Expect a hard fought, well-contested matchup tonight folks. I understand, you're probably going to be tempted to go out and you know, have a life tonight, but stay in, for his sake. Oh god I uploaded the wrong picture. That's more like it. And, as always, go Rockets.

Houston Rockets: 14-11, 96.5 possessions per game (9th), 104.2 points scored per 100 possessions (16th), 103.3 points allowed per 100 possessions (15th)

Dallas Mavericks: 19-7, 93.9 possessions per game (23rd), 106.2 points scored per 100 possessions (11th), 99.3 points allowed per 100 possessions (4th)

All stats courtesy of hoopdata.com

Hold On, Kenny Thomas Is In Town: Rockets Beat Kings 113-106

Three months ago, if someone had told you, and by you I mean me, that watching the Rockets sans Yao and Mcgrady play the Kevin Martin-less Sacramento Kings in late November would be a highly competitive, tightly contested, back and forth affair, you (I) would have chucked a crumpled up Rockets 2009-10 Season Preview at them and kept wallowing in self-pity, dreading a season in which the Rockets would be without their three leading scorers from last year.

Yet, here we are. Those season previews are still crumpled up but we're too happy to throw them at anyone, Mcgrady and Yao and still out and the Rockets are still as exciting to watch as ever. And oh, yeah, those Kings are 4-3 without Martin and actually bearable to watch.

The Rockets, in a manner nearly the exact opposite of what one would expect from a team playing its fifth game in seven nights just 25 hours after losing on a buzzer-beating tip-in, came out and played what I've come to know as "Daryl Morey Presents: Rockets Basketball". The ball movement was crisp, the cuts were sharp, the loose balls were chased and the points were scored. In bunches. Yet, those pesky Kings, despite the absence of Tyreke Evans due to ankle and finger injuries, hung tough and played tougher.

After a back and forth second quarter, the Kings came roaring back in the third thanks to what has been the Rockets' only Achilles Heel this season, their tendency to go through scoring droughts, thanks in no small part to Spencer Hawes and Beno Udrih. 24 and 18 points for each, respectively.

Then came along the fourth quarter, which was all about Kyle Lowry and Carl Landry, or, as Matt Bullard affectionately called them, the "L and L Railroad." And, as if it was even a question, I'm buying. Landry has become our best and most consistent all around scorer, and came through once again with a 13-point effort in the fourth. Lowry was the catalyst that sparked Landry's offensive explosion, running the offense so well that Adelman actually called Aaron Brooks back to the bench with two minutes left in the fourth as the former Oregon Duck was about to reenter the game. (On a side note, why has nobody started calling Aaron Brooks the Mighty Duck yet? This need to happen. Like now.)

Scola was my pick for MVP of the night with a typically Scola-ian effort, tallying 22 and 12 with at least four "Plays That Every NBA Player Can Make But Only A Few Do." My favorite came halfway through the first quarter when, after scoring on a layup, Scola abruptly deciding to stop running down the court and deflect the inbounds pass, nearly coming up with the steal. Yes, the ball harmlessly rolled out of bounds and the Kings still advanced up the court without any real difficulty, but I still loved the play. It was completely unnecessary and utterly useless in the grander scheme of things, but that's what made it so special, it was a microcosm of what the Rockets have been this season.

Scola, and the Rockets as a whole this year, keep doing the little things that nobody pays attention to, and, as stated in nearly every relationship-related conflict by the member of the couple that belongs to the fairer sex, it's the little things that matter.

Ariza continued to simultaneously frustrate and woo Rockets fans everywhere, taking his share of bad shots but more than canceling out his 7-19 shooting with 19 points, his usual active, disruptive defense and a gorgeous, athletic layup in the waning minutes that all but iced the game. Oh, and he didn't turn the ball over once. In 43 minutes. Coming from a guy who uses just one less possession per game than Steve Nash even though he's had about nine less years to get used to being a high-volume player. That's the definition of helping your team.

The Rockets as a whole were stingy with the ball, only coughing it up 8 times to the Kings' 14. That, coupled with a plus-three advantage on the offensive glass means the Rockets had nine more opportunities to score than their opponents. In a seven point game, nine extra possessions is just huge.The Kings shot better than the Rockets both from the field and beyond the arc, but the Rockets were just able to put up more shots, and on a night like this, quantity overcame quality. And of course, that 24-26 mark from the free throw line didn't hurt any.

The Rockets out-rebounded the Kings tonight by seven, and while that isn't a huge margin of victory it's still significant, especially when you consider the massacre that was the rebounding battle the last time these two teams met. Credit here goes first to Scola, who snagged 12 caroms while helping to keep Jason Thompson off the boards.

The Rockets bench was also a huge factor tonight, which shouldn't be a surprise when your bench has Carl Landry, Kyle Lowry, Chase Budinger and David Andersen. 42 points off the pine for the Rockets against 24 for the Kings, and while that stat is telling, it still doesn't convey how important the Rockets bench was, and has been all year, for this team. The Rockets' crunch time lineup included both Lowry and Landry, who, if you've been reading carefully, don't start. Yes, in the fourth quarter of a close game, two fifths of our lineup were guys who were sitting down at tip-off. Or doing this. But hopefully they were just sitting. In case you're wondering, one of those Kings bench points was scored by Kenny Thomas. Yes, ex-Rocket Kenny Thomas. Oh Kenny, how I've missed you.

And for those of you wondering exactly when the hell those Kings became so, for lack of a better phrase, annoying, ponder no further. Just know that if it wasn't for the Rockets and Morey, I would call the way the Rockets have been playing this year "Sacramento Kings Without Kevin Martin Basketball," if that makes any sense. Yet, unfortunately for the Kings, we exist, so it's still "Dary Morey Presents: Rockets Basketball" in my heart.

All in all, a stellar effort from both sides, and, to channel my inner rec-league soccer coach, it's a pity only one team could win. But I'm still glad it wasn't us. Keep those season previews out of the air, my friends, all's well in Houston. We're 8-6 and have three days off before Dirk and the Mavericks come to town. And, as always, go Rockets.

We're slightly surprised that there was no standing ovation for Kenny, who, in our opinion, was always one of the good ones

Sloth Is A Sin

If you're one of our loyal fans who regularly checks and reads Bring Back Novak, I'd first off like to thank you for your support. All two of you. And I guess I can't really count myself, so thanks for reading my articles, Billy. It means a lot. In any case, you've probably realized that we haven't been doing much posting. But I promise you, that's a thing of the past. And if you're thinking that I made this exact same promise about three weeks ago and spectacularly failed to come through on it, you're exactly right. Broken promises and shoddy articles, that's the stuff we're made of here at Bring Back Novak. But in any case, a lot of stuff's been going on in Red Nation (an apology to all our Cherokee readers, that link was in jest) and it's our job to give you our two cents on them. And, I guess it's our job to also let you know that two cents is way, way too much to pay to hear what we have to say.


Houston Rockets 101, Los Angeles Lakers 91

A redemptive (I don't think that's a word) victory of sorts for the good guys. After a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Kobe's, we (read: Aaron Brooks and our bench) were able to steal a game in Los Angeles. I'll admit that I was only able to watch the first half and the last 8 minutes of the fourth quarter thanks to Peyton Manning's heroics and my inability to change the channel, but I really, really liked what I saw. Especially the part when the Lakers fans started to boo them. Quality fans, Los Angeles, quality fans. Ariza looked a little skittish playing against his old team, but then again it might just have been that the weight of that ring was throwing off his shot. Damnit, not that ring. This ring. Brooks played like a man possessed, dropping 33 on 23 shots, Andersen saw Pau Gasol hurt and realized that one soft European had to step up his game, Carl Landry was as efficient as ever and Kyle Lowry was, for lack of a better phrase, an absolute bulldog. The hands down best moment of the game was Lowry, by far the smallest guy on the floor at 6'0, grabbing two offensive rebounds on the same possession late in the fourth. You're not quite there yet, Andrew. Oh, and this happened. So yeah, thanks for that Ron. You're a real swell guy.

Houston Rockets 105, Phoenix Suns 111

Just as a disclaimer, I know I'm supposed to be mad at the Suns, but I really can't help but fawn over Steve Nash. So if you notice me starting to ramble feel free to gloss over a few sentences. This was a hard, hard fought loss and I can't really blame the Rockets for not being able to beat a very talented, more experienced Suns team, who, by the way, seems to also be overachieving just a little. I had high expectations going into this game for the Nash vs. Brooks matchup, and the guys did not disappoint. Brooks had a career high 13 assists and while Nash's shot wasn't falling, he still was able to get 16 of his own. Which, well, was not a career high for him. Not even close. Watching Steve Nash play basketball is one of the few, pure, unadulterated joys man has left. Looking at his stats, impressive as they are, does not do the man justice. He's so smooth, so in control, so poised, he executes the pick-and-roll like no other and that pull-up jumper is one of the prettiest things I've ever seen. And believe me, I've seen some pretty things. Yes, that was necessary. And then of course there's Goran Dragic, once commonly known as "The Other White Guy Who Kind of Looks Like Nash from a Distance but is Nowhere Near as Good," but now more frequently referred to as "The Guy Who Goes in to Make Sure People Realize How Good Nash is by Comparison." A career night for Carl Landry, who I'm convinced is our best, or at least most consistent, scorer. 27 points on 18 shots for The Toothless One. But to briefly sum up the game, we came out hot, as usual, and were looking like we would take a double digit lead into halftime before the Suns utilized a 12-0 run to cut our lead to three at the break. Amare sort of had his way inside (I say sort of because until he realizes that to truly control the paint he has to do so on the defensive end of the floor as well as the offensive one he'll never really dominate the inside) and Jason Richardson had a couple of hot streaks, and the second half, especially the fourth quarter, was made up of us struggling to create quality shots against a surprisingly resilient Suns defense. All in all, a tough loss against a tough team, nothing to get too down about.

Houston Rockets 97, Minnesota Timberwolves 84

So, uh, looks like Ricky Rubio might have made the right decision after all. There really is nothing like playing the Timberwolves to get you back on track. Except, maybe, playing the Nets. Or the Warriors. Or the Grizzlies. Or the Clippers. Oh, those Clippers. Those poor, poor Clippers. In any case, this is why I wasn't too broken up about losing to the Suns. We had the Timberwolves next. But in all seriousness, this was actually a great win for the Rockets. I don't think there's anything harder in the NBA than the end of a back-to-back that makes you leave home for the second game, as both the Suns and then Lakers have just shown us. Ariza once again struggled to prove that he can handle using 23 possessions a game, a usage rate that puts him just under Steve Nash. Ariza is a great player and is filled to the brim with talent, but that doesn't mean he needs to be a high volume player. He can dominate a game without having to hang on to the ball, and we need to more actively find ways for him to do that. Still, a solid outing for Trevor, nothing that really deserves those last few sentences. Scola was the standout with 20 and 16. Landry came back down to Earth pretty hard, with a 5-0-0 line that looks like something Derek Fisher would boast. The game was a lot closer than the final score might indicate, with the 'Wolves hanging around for 3 and a half quarters before we finally put them away. Al Jefferson was 20-10 on 9 shots and is starting to round back into last season's form, but was held down for the last eight minutes of the game after a Carl Landry kick to the head, which, not coincidentally, coincided with us pulling away and the Timberwolves struggling to score. I take back that Derek Fisher joke, Carl, you might have just won the game for us. A much needed break in a tough game against an opponent desperate, and I truly mean desperate, for a win. 2010 and the long, flowing, Spanish hair it will bring can't come soon enough for the T-Wolves.


Houston Rockets @ Atlanta Hawks, Thursday (6:30 Central)

We've got the Hawks in Atlanta on Thursday in what's sure to be a great game. Josh Smith is reborn and re-topping my list of favorite non-Rockets, trailing only Steve Nash for the number one spot. Joe Johnson is Joe Johnson, Jamal Crawford has been a revelation and Mike Bibby is, well, he's really damn old and showing signs of decline. The key Thursday is containing Horford, who's truly been a man amongst boys so far this season. Like our own Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes, Horford is slightly undersized, even if it is to a lesser extent, and still manages to dominate the paint, even if it is to a greater extent. Our bench output will need to be as strong as ever to counteract the combustible Jamar Crawford, because if he gets hot we'll need Landry, Lowry and Budinger to all produce, which is hardly unlikely. Andersen can help too. Defense will be essential tomorrow, as the Hawks are third in offensive efficiency in the NBA with a phenomenal 110.1 points per 100 possessions. To put that in perspective, we only score about 105 per 100. Ariza, Hayes and company will also need to have hands as active as ever, as the Hawks are the second stingiest team with possession in the NBA as they turn the ball over just a shade under 21 percent of the time. If you're wondering whether there's a correlation between the Hawks' turnover rate and their offensive efficiency, there is, and if we can create turnovers and easy opportunities in transition it'll go a long way to helping us return home with the win. In any case, it's going to be a fun one at Philips Arena, and hopefully we can leave the A-Town after handing the Hawks their first home loss of this young season. And, as always, go Rockets.