Hey guys, I know the negativity was at an all time high after game 2 - and even now I don`t think many people are very optimistic. Now, we are down 2-1 and lost HCA in 3 highly competitive games. Let`s look at the other series. In the west only one homteam is in the lead, and that`s the Clippers - and several games in that series could`ve gone either way. San Antonio was dominant the whole season, so was OKC - both are down despite 2 home games. And both teams are down against two other teams, that barely made the playoffs. In the east also only one home team is in the lead, and that`s the Heat, playing Charlotte... Indiana just managed to tie the series. The NBA may be as competitive as it ever was, at least in a very long time. Every team in the playoffs has a decent change at advancing, perhaps with the exception of Charlotte. So us losing 2 home games, as much as that sucked, really is not that different to how the other series are going. Now we are playing a team that had the same regular season record as we did, and the matchups in the season were almost tied as well. Of course that series is close. If Dwight makes 2 more FTs in the first game or LMA misses his desperation 3, we`d have won game one. I know, it doesn`t work that way, I am just saying: small things decide the outcome of the games. A loss doesn`t mean everything is horrible all of a sudden, and a win doesn`t mean we`ve figured the other team out. Basically those are two evenly matched teams going up against each other, and whoever wants it more will probably go away with the victory.
Great points. From this point on, if we repeat our regular season performance, we take the series. There are still glimmers of hope. And I'll be watching to the bitter end! (Though it would be nice to have an end to a season that isn't bitter for a change).
Excusing the Rockets being down because the other good/great teams are down. :grin: NOT ACCEPTABLE! Just kidding. Kinda. And then you'll be kicking yourself, saying to yourself later, "If only we got by Portland, we could have beat Dallas(or San Antonio) and then got to the Western Conference Finals!!!" So while they could lose with these other "great teams", the breaks and little luck Morey has talked about that you need, well, you aren't taking advantage there. (However small or big that advantage is...)
It really made no sense that anybody here underrated Portland. The games this season were pretty close. Game 1: Rockets won but it was the 5th game of the season. Game 2: Blazers beat the Rockets pretty handily on TNT and Aldridge was a beast. Game 3: Rockets were just hitting everything they threw up and won pretty handily. Game 4: It took several miracles for the Rockets to escape with a win. The season series could have easily been 2-2.
Nah, that`s not what I meant. We did a lot of things bady this series. And there really is no excuse for losing game 1. All I was trying to do is add a little perspective. It is not like there is a clear favorite and a clear underdog. It is a competitive league, especially in the west and if you go up against the 5th best team of the west, it`s gonna get tough. This year the playoffs are tough for every team because teams are pretty evenly matched - and I think that`s especially true for our series. Oh and what I also meant: it`s not like OKC, SA and HOU will all lose the first round. Teams will make adjustments and play harder. I´m pretty sure that 2 of those teams will advance, now we`ll just have to hope that HOU is one of them.
