Houston Rockets vs New York Knicks Game Thread 1/9/08

Which Knicks guard had the best game against Chicago?

  • Nate Robinson

    Votes: 6 40.0%
  • Stephon Marbury

    Votes: 7 46.7%
  • Jamal Crawford

    Votes: 2 13.3%

  • Total voters
    15
  • Poll closed .

MSGKnickz33

The Gold Mac
Houston Rockets(18-17) vs New York Knicks(9-24)
January 9 at 7:30pm ET, live on MSG​

Welcome to the MSGKnickz33 pregame show, Im your host Jazzy Jeff and Im gonna get right to talkin about tonights game in Houston. The Rockets are currently the 5th best team defensively in the NBA. Tracy McGrady and former Knick Steve Francis will both be out for this game and Bonzi Wells is listed as day to day. If Bonzi plays, he is capable of putting up impressive scoring numbers and he is an above average defender. Lets go take a look at the unofficial starting lineups.

STARTING LINEUPS

The Houston Rockets

pg-Rafer Alston
sg-Luther Head
sf-Shane Battier
pf-Chuck Hayes
C-Yao Ming


AND NOW YOUR NEW YORK KNICKS!!!!!!!

BACK AT POINT GUARD, STEPHON MARBURY!!!!!
AT SHOOTING GUARD, JAMAL CRAWFORD
AT SMALL FORWARD, JARED JEFFRIES
AT POWER FORWARD, ZACH RANDOLPH
AT CENTER, EDDY CURRY



Tonights Key Matchup: Stephon Marbury vs Rafer Alston

It will be a battle of point guards from New York City. Alston is coming off an impressive game against the Washington Wizards where he recorded 15 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds. Alston grew up playing basketball in Queens New York and earned respect as a playground legend with the name "skip to my lou." Marbury is also a playground legend coming from Coney Island and hes a 2 time NBA all-star. Starbury helped the Knicks win last night in Chicago by making a highlight pass to David Lee and a couple of possessions later knocking down a 3 to seal the deal. Marbury in his first 4 games back after missing much of December is averageing:

38 mpg
15.3ppg
3.5apg
43.7fg%
40% 3pt

MSG33's strategy:

  • Look to double and trap Yao Ming on the baseline: Make sure to cut off passing lines!!!
  • Let Marbury run the team!!!
  • Take Care of the Ball!!!! Last week the Knicks had 18 turnovers against the Rockets so they need to take better care of the ball
  • Give big minutes to Nate Robinson: He torched the Rockets last week proving that they dont have an answer for him, scoring 25 points(9-13) in 32 minutes

The Knicks need to be concerned with 3 players who come off the bench for the Rockets, and they are Bonzi Wells, Aaron Brooks, and Mike James. Although Mike James is only shooting 33% from the perimeter when he gets hot he hits all his shots and same with Luther Head whos 3pt field goal percentage is 37%. Aaron Brooks became the next Knicks opponent to get a career high. He scored 22 points in 25 minutes on 8 for 10 shooting. It is the perimeter players who kill the Knicks but with Marbury back, they have one guy who can defend on the perimeter. Theres another good perimeter defender on this team but for whatever reason he has not seen much playing time this year. Im talking about the plastic man, Renaldo Balkman who I'm hoping will see some minutes tonight. Shane Battier is the best 3pt shooter on this team (39%) and its not a good idea to put Quentin Richardson on him.


Thats it for my pregame show, I thank everyone for joining me, the Rza of Knicksonline.com and remember to watch the Knicks and the Rockets tonight at 7:30 on MSG.
 
I know how we can win! If we put Lee on Yao and limit Z-Bo's PT and give Nate a lot of PT and then Q comes up with another bogus injury so Jeffries and Chandler get some more time then we'll have a shot:)
 

NicksKnicks

Rotation player
Marbury and Nate have got to hit them outside shots! You cant stop Yao, only hope to contain him!
David Lee needs all the time at PF. He might not have the size on Yao but he sure made him uncomfy and even had a few steals!
I just hope we can at least have a 2 gme streak!!!!!!!
 

Trin_Starr

Starter
If Isiah allows Steph to continue to drive to the basket the knicks will win.
That drive and dish to Lee last night was vintage Steph...he needs to do more of that.
 

reckoning

Benchwarmer
[*]Let Marbury run the team!!!
[*]Give big minutes to Nate Robinson: He torched the Rockets last week proving that they dont have an answer for him, scoring 25 points(9-13) in 32 minutes

i hope zeke's listening. and i agree with everyone about d-lee. keep him on yao for the entire game.
 

abcd

KnicksonLIN.com
The Knicks played great last night. The three players that impressed me the most was Eddy Curry(who had 2 blocks),Jamal Crawford(who broke Hinrich's ankles), and Stephon Marbury(who hit a dagger 3 pointer).I think the Knicks will win again tonight.Tracy McGrady and Bonzi Wells are two players that would've benefited big time from the Knicks' terrible defense. Since they aren't there, the only people they have to worry about is Rafer Alston, Aaron Brooks, and Yao Ming. I would've included Shane Battier, but the Rockets rarely give him the ball. They mostly use him for defense and hustle.
 

NYK 33 TaVe

Benchwarmer
Watch this game I have a really really good feeling that marbury is going to drop 25+ he likes to play aganist Alston since Alston is skip to my lou :D

Knicks will win tonight I am sure.
 
yeah it was around this time last year when steph turned it on till the end of the year-he passed alot-he drove to the hoop alot-and when he started to do that-the knicks won basketball games. Lets hope he can do it again in 08.
 

MSGKnickz33

The Gold Mac
First of all, I apologize to everyone. I took the game thread from Saturday or whenever we played the Rockets in Houston and I redid it. I been on vacation but today was my first day back to work and it was tough with the game last night and havin to work at 10 today. Ill try to find a way to solve this problem in the future. A couple of you have pointed out somethin that should have been in my game thread. David Lee should guard Yao Ming, everyone who said this is right. I still give myself a C+ but Im glad to see everyone still likes it anyways.

Im shocked to see Starbury winning the poll, even I voted for Nate Robinson but I almost voted for Marbury because I thought no one would. Marburys gettin closer to being back to Starbury but Nate had been Great the past 8 games. 10 assists and 7 rebounds for him last night, impressive. And I gotta give Crawford credit also, he shot 10-21 and only had 1 turnover. Our guards looked good against Chicago and hopefully they can do the same tonight against Houston.
 

abcd

KnicksonLIN.com
I thought all 3 players had great games last night(Marbury, Crawford,and Nate). I voted for Marbury, though, cause he showed leadership towards the end of the game. He gave David Lee a good pass, and he knocked down a clutch 3 pointer.
 

OAKLEY RULEZ

Benchwarmer
9:10 in the second, only down by 4. i'm just dreading the moment in the game when they decide to pack it in with a quarter and a half left in the game. LET'S GO FOR 2 IN A ROW, BACK TO BACK BABY!!!!!



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