NBA Grueling Schedule to be Real Rocket Test While Baylor Does its NBA Best
The Houston Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-85 before 18,267 at Toyota Center Thursday night. Meanwhile the Baylor Bears and Washington Huskies played a football game with a basketball score at the Alamodome in San Antonio and won it 67-58. Sixty five thousand two hundred fifty six fans witnessed that game in person.
The Baylor game showed why they are one of the best offensive teams in the nation, but also why ranking them much, if any, higher than 15th is hard to justify. The won their tenth game of the year which is only the second time a Baylor team has even achieved that mark. Their offense, led by Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III, takes second place to no one in the country.
But, oh, that defense! They really don’t have any. Imagine a team winning ten games and yet allowing an average of 40 points a game. That is very, very hard to do. Baylor did it, though.
I will take issue however with some sports mouths who contend winning 67-58 is every bit as much bad football as the LSU 9-6 win over Alabama earlier this season. All it really does is show how defense is valued since those two teams will meet again for the mythical national championship early next month. Which game style do the fans prefer?
Unless one is a hard core fan of specific teams there is no question the Baylor-Washington game would be most enjoyed. The worst sort of football, however, is not 9-6 if its a result of good defense and not inept offense. The worst would be 67-0 in which one team did both things well and the other none.
In Baylor’s win, the Washington Huskies were every bit as good on offense. Quarterback Keith Price out-statted Griffin. He threw for 438 yards on 23-27 completions for four touchdowns. He also ran for three more. In fact Baylor’s individual offensive standout was running back Terrance Granaway who rushed for 200 yards and scored five touchdowns. His 43 yard scamper to the end zone with 2:28 left in the game put things away for Baylor.
Were all those numbers a result soley from bad defense? Of course not. Poor defense helped greatly, but if one watched the game one saw great offensive line play, pin point passes and nifty running. The game was ENTERTAINING. Will the LSU-Alabama rematch, regardless of implications, be able to match it?
ROCKETS GET EARLY TEST OF SCHEDULE
The Rockets win over the Spurs will give fans a chance to follow the effects of the NBA’s new condensed schedule very clearly. The game was the first of three in a row. In this one the club was very effective and impressive. Everyone contributed, but starters Martin, Lowry and Scola stood out. Will they still be playing that well into game three?
Kevin Martin scored 25 points. Kyle Lowry had sixteen points to go with nine rebounds and eight assists. Luis Scola poured in 18 points. After that triumvirate the rest of the players on Kevin McHale’s team shared the wealth. All but one Rocket scored.
Perhaps the best thing was that no player was on the court for as long as 30 minutes in the 48 minute contest. Martin scored his 25 points in just over 23 minutes of playing time. That rest could come in very handy starting Friday night in Memphis.
How well with the club be playing…or will they be dragging a big when they return home for their game against the Hawks on Saturday will be something to monitor. The schedule will be extra grueling this season.
If there is a positive in all this it will be that virtually all NBA teams are facing the same thing. What fans want to know is how often can they expect to see outstanding performances like that shown by the Rockets on Thursday night?
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