Who's the Rockets biggest rival now?

[ImmortalD24]

Here is a thread that was made in 04 after the Shaq trade: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=81472

Who do you consider your biggest rival now? Is it still the Spurs?

[Rockets1616]

Gotta go with the Mavs

[baller4life315]

I picked the Spurs. You can make a case for a bunch of teams.

The Jazz were tough to pass up since historically these two franchises have always hated each other plus they obviously eliminated us in the playoffs last year.

Hell, you can even make a case for the Hornets given Rafer and Chris Paul's recent war of words.

[ClutchCityReturns]

Still the Mavs.

As I see it, other teams are hated mostly because they are damn good, and our games with them are always competitive (or they own us). With the Mavs, it's a hatred for the players, the owner, the coach, the fans, the city, the announcer, the guy peddling cotton candy, etc. Everything about them rubs most of us the wrong way.

[rhino17]

still jazz

[ABtheTerrorist]

This was tough.i voted for the Mavs though I think now I should have voted for the Jazz.
Our history w/ the Jazz(Malone's bearhug on Clyde and all the other ones in the mid to late 90's) and our recent history(game 7 loss last year) shows the real rivals. I hate that team and that is a team that is so easy to hate.

Jerry Sloan may be a good coach but those guys play dirty.I hate them.

But I hate the Mavs.i hate their recent success. I hate how we lost to them in the playoffs. I hate how everyone likes them and their style. I hate how Avery has come back to bite us after we owned them in the 90's.

[ndnguy85]

i see it like this. that stockton shot in 97 still hurts. we only beat ourselves in the dallas series. who goes up 2-0 and then loses by 40?

so i would say it's jazz, then mavs.

[Invisible Fan]

I ****ING HATE THE JAZZ.

By extension I hate the Hawks and their Elgin Baylor-like GM for not picking up Deron Williams.

[plutoblue11]

I don't see how the Lakers were ever our biggest rivalry, except for Shaq vs. Yao.


Jazz are much more intense rivalry, and think one is brewing with NO.

The Mavs rivalry is kind of waning...we haven't played in serious games with them in few seasons.

[Kam]

I HATE DALLAS.

We have more history with the Jazz. We have beaten them, they have beaten us.
It cooled down a little bit, but if we see them more in the playoffs, it could boil over.


The fued with the Horneys could be really heated if we meet each other in the playoffs.

[RoxSqaud]

Rafer and CP3 hate each other.......


But i think its the Spurs....Mavs......Jazz

[david_rocket]

IMO is this order:

1. Mavs
2. Spurs
3. Jazz
4. Lakers
5. Hornets
6. Other

[Mad-Mac]

The Jazz, Mavs and Hornets are like anti-children, I hate them all equally!!!

[RoxTurk]

Mavs for sure ! :mad: :mad:

wtf is Hornets ? They're so young and new to be a rival for us .

[tracymcgrady001]

1. Hornets
2. Jazz

No one else.

[SpiffyRifi]

As long as the Mavs are a playoff team, it'll always be the Mavs. I hate Mavs fans more than any other fans and I hate Mark Cuban.

The Jazz come a distant second - during the Stockton/Malone era they would've been far and away number 1, but they don't bother me that much. Although, Sloan is probably my number 1 most hated coach - no one teaches flopping like Jerry Sloan.

After that, I've just always disliked the Lakers and the Heat - but they aren't really rivals in any sense.

How can you really consider the Spurs rivals? Our recent Rockets haven't had any epic battles with them. Moreover, the Spurs are a classy team - Tim Duncan is amazing, yet humble - what more can you want in an NBA player?

[weslinder]

Is Jerry Sloan still coaching the Jazz? Then it's them.

[TheFreak]

The Jazz were tough to pass up since historically these two franchises have always hated each other

I don't believe this is true. More like a made-up hatred for Utah on this board. The Rockets and Jazz have not "always hated each other"; I don't think that's accurate.

[br0ken_shad0w]

1. Jazz
2. Mavs
3. Lakers/Suns

The Jazz will always be the Rockets chief rivals, but the Mavs are the team that I will always hate the most as long as Mark Cuban owns that team. Everything about the Mavs just rubs me off the wrong way. From their shady officiating on their home-court to their whiny owner to their players who seem to *always* own us (see Jason Terry). Hell, Dirk isn't my most hated Mavs player. Jason Terry, Josh Howard, and especially Jerry Stackhouse are more hated.

[bladeage]

So are we talking about who we hate or who is considered the Rockets rival right now? I personally think its the Hornets right now. The games against them this season have been really physical, theres been altercations, people getting blocked and dunked on. High energy, very physical, Hornets are the new rivals.. for now. But I hate the Jazz and Mavs.

[AntiSonic]

The first round of the playoffs.

[moonnumack]

I think as far as the fans go, it's probably the Jazz and Mavs at the top of the rival list. This is based on our history and location.
However, the players, who by-in-large did no grow up in Houston, seem to have the most "chippiness" with the Hornets. For the last several years, with both teams flying below the elite tier, they've had some competitive games and not-so-subtle altercations. Once people truly see them as NO's team, this rivalry has potential to really grow with the overlap in population (post-Katrina), the Texas vs. Louisiana thing, and 2 up-and-coming teams fighting it out at the top of the WC every year.

[JBIIRockets]

I don't know if the Rockets have a true rival, so I voted for the team I want the Rockets to beat the most, the Spurs.

Them floppers in Fat Antonio, I'm not a big fan. And Bowen plays a dirty brand of ball.

[Hayesfan]

I voted Jazz, but the Mavs are a close second, then the Hornets.

The Spurs Suns and Lakers are all tied for 4th.

[yobod]

Even though it's the Mavs as of right now, I still gotta think that it will be the Hornets within the next 1-2 years. These teams really hate each other, Rafer and CP3 hate each other, I don't think anybody likes Chandler that much either. It's always a slugfest. Honestly though, the Texas Triangle rivalries have a lot more charm to them. New Orleans just seems dirty compared to the other teams.

[Yaozer]

I would like the Mavs and the Hornets because I believe we have the most chance of beating them in a 7 game series.

Screw player rivalries.. I want us to win.

[heypartner]

I don't believe this is true. More like a made-up hatred for Utah on this board. The Rockets and Jazz have not "always hated each other"; I don't think that's accurate.
nope. i've always hated the Jazz. Dating back to the day Karl Malone (when still at Louisiana Tech) destroyed a Rice U student athlete's face and bball playing days with one of his "accidental" elbows.

I just laugh at the Mavs; it's so sad...it must really suck to be a Mavs fan.

but, I hate the Jazz. And I hate the Spurs Starting with Harpring and Bowen

[RaferMadness]

mavs and jazz take your pick

[jmwilliamson]

Still the Mavs.

As I see it, other teams are hated mostly because they are damn good, and our games with them are always competitive (or they own us). With the Mavs, it's a hatred for the players, the owner, the coach, the fans, the city, the announcer, the guy peddling cotton candy, etc. Everything about them rubs most of us the wrong way.

Now that is a flawless argument. :D

I, too, voted the Mavs. My reasons are identical to ClutchCityReturns, but I'd also add that I like to check out other fan forums to see what they're saying related to the Rockets, and I find that most of the Fans of other teams are, by and large, fair and reasonable people. The Mavs fans, however, are the exception. It's the most infantile garbage I've ever seen.

[SwoLy-D]

I love it when we hate many, many teams. I love it. :D

[The Drake]

The first round of the playoffs.


bingo.

[AntiSonic]

Gotta love the Drake!

[Dave McNulla]

as a long time spurs fan, i still kind of hate the rockets for a few 'upsets' in the playoffs dating back to the early 80's. but the rockets have been so pitiful that i've actually felt sorry for them with all the injuries. i guess that i'm saying that your team has to be good lately for the rivalry to continue. besides that, i can't remember the spurs beating the rockets in the playoffs. it's got to be a two way street for a true rivalry... some give and take.

[rocketsjudoka]

I don't believe this is true. More like a made-up hatred for Utah on this board. The Rockets and Jazz have not "always hated each other"; I don't think that's accurate.

This is not some CF.net made up rivalry.

http://www.makingpages.org/hoops/malonekickhorry.jpg

The history between the Rockets and the Jazz is long and bitter considering that both Stockton and Malone entered the league at just about the same time as Dream. Both teams have defeated the other in playoffs and there is bad blood from both.

Since the 1980's the Rox have had rivalries with the Nuggets, Spurs, Mavs and Lakers but over that almost 30 year course one team has remained constant in mutual antipathy which is the Jazz..

[AntiSonic]

as a long time spurs fan, i still kind of hate the rockets for a few 'upsets' in the playoffs dating back to the early 80's. but the rockets have been so pitiful that i've actually felt sorry for them with all the injuries. i guess that i'm saying that your team has to be good lately for the rivalry to continue. besides that, i can't remember the spurs beating the rockets in the playoffs. it's got to be a two way street for a true rivalry... some give and take.

Don't hate the Rockets! Rockets heroes give you rings!

Elie! Willis! Horry!

[jajayao]

1. Jazz
2. Hornets
3. Mavs

[saleem]

All of the top teams are equally dangerous for us.

[Jonhty]

mavs just have been too good for us recently to call them a rival. they flat out owned us the last few seasons. based on head-to-head record, it has to be the spurs or the jazzs. but the spurs are the champions while we could never make it out of the first round. so i have to say utah jazzs.

[YugoRocketsFan]

All I know is that, I hate the Spurs, Mavs, Hornets, Jazz and Pistons.

[AXG]

I hate the Jazz with a passion, also the Hornets, Mavpricks, and Lakers because of Kobe.