I liked Kenny Smith's comments after the Hornets/Mavs game last night. Basically, he said that if you're 1-3 in the playoffs, you have to be delusional if you're going to have any chance of winning the series. He talked about being down 1-3 when he was with the Rockets and how Hakeem said that they just had to win one game to be 2-3, then there was no way they would lose game 6 since they were at home, and then all the pressure would be on the other team for game 7. Hakeem ended up being right. I hope our guys heard what Kenny had to say. I know the situation is different this time with no Yao and actually having homecourt advantage, but you never know. Sometimes it's good to be delusional.
So a revised version. "There's no way we can lose at home in game 5. Then we just have to steal one in game 6. Then game 7 would be at home, with all the pressure on them. We can do it!" But he is right, you have to be delusional to think something like that. Because analyzing too deeply will only be depressing.
The Rockets had delusional players back then. TMac doesn't strike me as delusional. He has accompished a 22 win streak this season. That's enough. Who cares about making it to the 2nd round. He can always do that next year.
ya my theory is that if you have game 5 at home being down 3-1. no biggie. just win game 5 at HOME to make it 2-3 and set up a HUGE game 6. utah won't have any breathing room if we win tonight. they don't even want to think about a game 7
I like this Thread. I like The Jet's (sic) comments. I love Hakeem The Dream Rocket. I believe the idea of Kenny Smith, GM 0- is delusional.
if we win game 5 in houston, then i don't see any pressure for utah in game 6 at their home. what pressure could there be? if they don't close out, they will face a game 7 in houston, where they won last season?
The pressure is on Utah because their next round opponent is getting a rest as we speak. They want to wrap up the series with us as soon as possible.
I like how Hakeem: 1) Took a leadership role in keeping his team together 2) Never gave up in trying to keep his team motivated
I don't think it's delusional at all...because it happens. Take one game at a time. If you take care of business at home, you put a ton of pressure on the other team to avoid a game 7 on your court...where anything can happen....and when you get to a game 7, there's already a tremendous amount of momentum built up in the team that's just taken 2 straight.
Hey! we did it in game 3. We can do it again in game 6.. we just need to win tonight. Take it one step at a time! GO ROCKETS!!!
basically he's saying hakeem has a winner's mentality it's exactly the same thing scola has been saying after every game. in order to advance utah needs to beat them four times. until they do beat them 4 times nothing means ****. all the rockets need to do is focus on each game. down 1-3 tied 2-2 up 3-1 doesn't really mean anything to players, it's stuff announcers talk about to dial up the tension for the audience. if houston takes care of home court, all they need to do is win ONE GAME ON THE ROAD. truth. assuming houston wins its 2 home games like it's supposed to, really all they're being asked to do is win one in utah
Everyone seems to forget this. We don't have one player now who is better than any of the above except for Tmac who has less heart than any of the above.
1) We better win game 5.... 2) Game 6 Utah will be sweating this one, we are equal in points in Utah and we have been getting outplayed, out hustled, out shot. If we put together a 45% shooting game and 75-80% from line we are going to blowout Utah (seemingly). 3) There is A LOT of pressure in a game 7 if you were up 2-0 and then 3-1 and somehow you are going to a game 7, its just like what happened to TMac in Dallas series and Utah (2-0, no 3-1s in these 2 examples) and vs. Detroit while with Orlando (1-1, then 3-1). If (and this is a big IF) we can get to a game 7, I can bet Tmac's first round woes will finally be over.
