calkins's Blog

Shaking and stirring while always recomending the Fedora Lounge for quiet quality liquid refreshment.  Share with a discerning friend.  Or an attractive stranger.

Here's the Rocket formula for playoff surivial with Utah.  Or, at the very least, a dribble-drive in that direction that returns the series to Houston.

Other than -  making free throws.  That's a given.  And 18-29 Game One and 16-26 Game Two, given that both were games on home-sweet-home court, completely utterly unacceptable.  With Yao out and simply no margin for error, not cashing the charity stripe checks is mind-numbing.

Other than - Mr. McGrady granted support scoring from mates throughout the course to prevent his majesty from wearing down before crunch time.  Another given.  But even the McGrady mashers must be muzzeled by his Monday night first half of 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and some of his most dasterly defense in Rocket red.  Admitedly, his one made free throw in the final period to run his fourth period-point total in the series to, well, uh, one, obviously raises the proverbial Rocket red flag, as does his last field goal ripping the nets at approx 8:30 of the third.

No, the critical adjustment for Game Three is steering away from the almost exclusive pound pound pound  the ball pick-and-roll half-court crawl that allows the Utah's bigs to clog the middle and lanes and limit the Rockets half-court scoring options. 

Instead, move the ball (what a concept), pass and cut, and exploit Utah's lack of defensive quickness.  That's it.  Brilliant.

Move the ball, make Okur and Korver and Boozer move their feet, defend side-to-side, create high-percentage scoring and  fouls-trouble for the Jazz big offensive guns instead of relying on flat-jumpers deep in the shot clock from a fatigue McGrady with no chance of second chance points.

Brilliant.

So, repeat after me - free throw accuracy, secondary scoring threats, move-the-ball passing game, with a generous dash of Rafer return, and there you have it, a Game Three win, a reason to believe.

 Photos:  NBAE/Getty