POSTGAME: ROCKETS - 12/12/08

Randolph's energy, aggressiveness, and defense

turned a blowout into a much closer game

MVW: Anthony Randolph

The Good
Anthony Randolph: 24 min, 7-16 fg, 10 reb, 6 off, 3 blk, 15 pts
Andris Biedrins: 26 min, 8-14 fg, 12 reb, 3 blk, 18 pts
C.J. Watson: 32 min, 7-13 fg, 2-4 3pt, 6 reb, 2 stl, 17 pts
Anthony Morrow: 26 min, 6-13 fg, 4 reb, 15 pts
Marco Belinelli: 30 min, 6 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl
Kelenna Azubuike: 22 min, 4-8 fg, 1-1 3pt, 4 reb, 4 ast, 11 pts
Rob Kurz: 16 min, 4-4 fg, 1-1 3pt, 2 ast, 3 blk, 10 pts
Marcus Williams: 10 min, 3 ast

The Bad
Marco Belinelli: 26 min, 4-15 fg, 0-6 3pt
Jamal Crawford: 25 min, 1-7 fg, 4 pts

The Ugly
Stephen Jackson: 31 min, 2-14 fg, 0-3 3pt, 3 to, 8 pts

Best and Worst +/-
Marcus Williams: +7
Rob Kurz: +6
Stephen Jackson: -18

Team Statistics
Warriors : Rockets
pts - 119 : 96
fg - 43-107 (.402) : 41-88 (.466)
ft - 18-25 (.720) : 30-32 (.938)
3pt - 4-22 (.182) : 7-17 (.412)
reb - 50 : 52
oreb - 23 : 13
ast - 23 : 26
to - 10 : 15
stl - 9 : 3
bs - 10 : 4
fastbreaks - 22 : 9
points in the paint - 56 : 56

Boxscore
Highlights
Popcorn Machine's GameFlow

Belinelli had a tough match-up with the return of T-Mac

Notes

1. Tracy McGrady back, Artest out; No Wright, Maggette, Turiaf, or Ellis
2. starters: Watson/Crawford/Morrow/Jackson/Biedrins
3. Morrow hits first shot for Warriors after 4 failed possessions
4. Morrows shooting freely, but not much dropping early
5. careless turnover by Jackson; open but passed (new Nellie philosophy?)
6. Crawford always plays passing lanes well
7. missing 9 of first 11 shots
8. Biedrins only one rebounding; small ball will fail in long run unless smalls start playing tough, smothering defense
9. Yao gets 2 fouls w/ 2:48 left in 1st Q
   
10. Belinelli enters, drives, dishes for assist
11. Jackson/Belinelli/Randolph/Watson/Azubuike
12. Watson ties it at 26 with another Watson steal and drive; take lead after hitting the free-throw
    
13. Azubuike seems to be a more willing passer now
14. fadeaway long 2 by Belinelli; Warriors heating up
15. Randolph always involved
16. Jackson shooting poorly again
17. Watson with 3rd steal; 8:45, 2nd Q
18. Rockets go on 7-0 run
19. 48-37 w/ 5:37, 2nd Q
20. Jackson should limit his shots to drives
21. another careless turnover by Jackson
22. getting nothing from Crawford tonight
23. Randolph with an offensive board over Yao and dunk
24. GSW 50 HOU 61 at the half
25. 1st Half Leaders: Watson & Biedrins 10 pts, Biedrins 6 reb, Jackson 3 ast, Biedrins 2 blk, Watson 2 stl (should be 3)
26. Biedrins can't stop Yao alone; try Randolph at PF; Warriors missing Turiaf due to flu
    
27. Biedrins doesn't make top 5 center list for Van Gundy and Mark Jackson; no one on a team w/o a sub-500 record qualifies in there mind; Biedrins proceeds to show up Yao in 2 straight possessions
28. Jackson missing wide open 3
29. Watson and Biedrins only Warriors shooting over 50%
30. Kurz hits a 3
31. Belinelli's shots are in and out; team 4-15 3pt
    
32. Rockets pulling away in 3rd
33. Randolph iso from top of key always stressful to watch
34. Kurz shooting very well
35. Crawford hits first fg w/ 10:35, 4th
36. no defense
37. Marcus Williams sighting; making nice passes to set up teammates in the paint
38. Randolph gets two easy dunks in 4th; called for goaltending on clean block
39. Williams should be able to take Aaron Brooks
40. Warriors creeping back in
41. Morrow feeling it now
42. backups of backups making the run possible
43. Randolph messes up easy fast break; bad turnover - errant pass to Kurz
    
44. Randolph with 3 blocks and a fine shooting game
45. Kurz blocking 3 shots as well
    
46. Belinelli's 3 just won't fall
47. Marcus Williams showing why he's the best passer on the Warriors, but missed long perimeter shots may nail him to the bench; historically, he's a decent long range shooter - he may just be rusty
    
48. great effort and energy from the young guys; vets rested for back-to-back match-up vs. Nuggets
    
49. GSW 108, HOU 119 - Record: 7-16, tied for 6th worst record
    
50. Warriors hit the offensive glass but shot terribly, especially from 3 pt range
51. 6 Warriors score in double figures for the 3rd straight game
    
52. enjoyed watching the young guys play meaningful, long stints; excited about Randolph's future!
    

The reliable Biedrins turns in another solid performance

Postgame Quotes

Don Nelson
On Tonight's Game:

“Well there you have it. We didn’t make enough shots for us to win. We missed too many defensive assignments, I thought, to give ourselves a real good chance. I thought we played hard and tried and did a lot of good things and moved the ball. Coach has no complaints about the game, I enjoyed the game actually and thought we competed. I had to keep an eye out for tomorrow, and that’s why I subbed with nine minutes to go, or whatever it was.”

On Stephen Jackson:

"I think Jack (Stephen Jackson) is a little bit more left-handed than we talk about because he does like to go left and use that left hand. Even though the injury is on his left and he is a right-handed player he uses his left a lot.”

Anthony Morrow
On Tonight's Game:

“They are a great team. They are very tough to guard. It’s one where we gotta continue to play hard and just do what we do. We showed a lot of heart at the end, so hopefully we can build on this and take some momentum to Denver.”

The starters watched from the bench as the young
squad brought them back into the game

Related Links
The Young and the Rested (Warriors 108, Rockets 119) - Adam Lauridsen
Anthony Randolph has more success near the basket than he does away from it - Matt Steinmetz
Team really short-handed - Janny Hu
Golden State misfires - Janny Hu
McGrady dominant in return as Rockets top Warriors - The Sports Network
Warriors help out Yao, Rockets - Curtis Pashelka CCT
McGrady's return sparks Rockets win - Houston Chronicle


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Denver Nuggets
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