1st Round Matchup: Who do we match up with the best??

i go with minnesota or lakers the are the teams we can match an win consistently

and if we play beaten the zone d we can beat dallas like we saw


spurs and memphis are hard for us



but in a rocket fan mind we can beat everyone

 

I'd most want to see us match up against Minnesota. All of the 5 teams mentioned have a good shot at beating the Rockets but I think we are more proven against the Wolves. The Kings, Spurs, and Mavs all have the capability of making us look very bad and possibly blowing us out. The Lakers with a healthy team have the playoff experience to beat us. Even without one of the big 4 unless it is Shaq they would still beat us in a 7 game series in my opinion. If Malone and Kobe are both out then I think we should be favored against the Lakers.

One thing I like about facing the Wolves is that they have yet to win a first round playoff series. That is something that is going to haunt them until they finally win one.

Overall I think the Rockets do not have a good chance of advancing past the first round simply because it will be many players first taste of the playoffs. But it sure will be entertaining to watch!

 

I think we match up with San Antonio the best.

Yes, I know they have beaten us, but all the game were close and we basically lost our cool at the end.

Either them or Minnesota,

DD

 

I would say Minnesota is the best matchup. We have beaten them twice this year including in their building. They haven't been past the 2nd round and will have HUGE pressure to do so this year.

 

Good post Codell.

In the playoffs low post scoring, low post defense, ft's, overall defense are the biggest keys. That is why I like our chances against many and any. For the same factors, I like our chances against the Kings and Mavs more than Spurs, Lakers and Wolves. So in order of preference here is my list:

Mavs, Kings, Grizzlies, Wolves, Spurs, Lakers

 

Funny how before the weekend started, every thread was about how the Rockets wouldn't make the playoffs and if we did make it we would be bounced out. Now everyone is jumping on the bandwagon as I know would happen. I love the Rockets and am always optimistic but this city was the same way before the Rox championship so it's all good.

 

Codell in my opinion your playoff matchup assessment is right on the money. San Antonio is far and away our best matchup, Im not looking at our regular season results against any of the these teams because I think that its fools gold especially because some of our key players have never played one minute of playoff basketball. I think of all of the top 5 teams Sacramento would totally take us apart, then the Lakers with Malone and their playoff fangs out would be really tough for the young rockets.

 

Give me Dallas in the playoffs.

The playoffs will automatically slow them down, and I'm 100% certain that JVG will throw a wrench in their run n' gun machine as well. Aside from that, they will also not be as good defensively, how long will a zone last in a playoff series? We already figured this zone out, and it's quite obvious Yao can score at will against them.

The Wolves will improve tremendously come playoff time. No one's hungrier than KG, while Sam and Spree are two of the most clutch, playoff tested players in the entire league. Don't want to face Spree and Sam.


The Mavs have made the conference finals, but it's a totally different team, a weaker team, and a team that relies solely on luck to win.

 

................do you really belive that?.....Come on man give the Mexican some respect and believe you me Najara will be all over Yaos @ss if they meet in the playoffs.....

 

....................I agree, Parker has been known to be a non factor for long streches in the playoffs and if Tim Duncan is not hitting his shots the Spurs loose...... but I also belive that my boy Manu may be the Xfactor against the Rockets. That Crazy Argentine plays tenasious "D" and like Mario Ellie, has balls!

 

I would love to see them play the Lakers; Shaq vs. Yao for 7 games would make for probably the most compelling one-on-one matchup since Hakeem-Shaq/Robinson/Ewing. Also, I think that, even with last week's loss, we have a bit of an edge on the Lakers, I mean how many times is Luke Walton going to start draining 3's?; at times last week I almost found myself feeling sorry for Shaq as he was basically powerless to stop Yao 1 on 1 at one end and would then get swarmed on the other end. I haave never seen Shaq look that frustrated before.

Also, the Lakers are one of the few teams that has less depth than the Rockets. If Shaq gets into foul trouble, I like Yao's chances vs. Medvedenko, Cook, and the other chumps.

Finally Gary Payton seems to have dropped off the face of the universe so I don't think we'd have to worry about an opposing PG tearing us up.

Too bad it probably won't happen.

Team I would least like to see is the Kings, I have a feeling they will just zone up and start breaking up and down the court, tire Yao out early, and break our spirit with easy wins early on.

 

My order of preference: T-wolves, Lakers, Mavs, Kings, Spurs

T-wolves is vulnerable and not playoff proven. Plus they don't play much defense

Lakers may miss Kobe in the first round, also maybe Malone. They have no chance against Rockets without those two.

Mavs don't play much defense. If Rockets can solve their TO problems, Rockets will beat Mavs in playoff.

Kings perimeter offense may be too much for Rockets to handle.

Spurs defense is suffocating on Rockets's offense. This match up will be hard until proven otherwise.

 

I'd go with the twolves. Not just because of the game on Friday either. If we go up there and steal game 1 or 2 (or better yet, both), the pressure on them would be overwelming, given their playoff history. They would cave.

We would be playing balls out defensively as there is no pressure for a 7 seed to beat a 2 seed. Rockets in 6.

I don't want any part of the mavs or kings...

 

I don't think we have much chance of beating any of those teams in a seven-game series. So, I'm aiming primarily for respect. I want the highest seed possible, which is 6th. And, I'd like to take a couple of games from one of the darlings: Lakers, Spurs, or Kings.

As for chances of actually winning, I'd take the Lakers, hoping they'd rely more on their talent than their preparedness. I don't foresee good things with our most likely match-up, the T-Wolves. They are going to be so ridiculously prepared and pumped up to beat their First Round opponent (finally), that I don't look forward to being on the receiving end of it. They have just the right mix of entitlement and a need to prove themselves to beat up whoever they play in the first round.

 

I am hoping for the Lakers (first choice); Minnesota (even though they are overdue to win in the first round); Mavericks; Kings and then Spurs. With one exception, every team listed, including the Rockets, opts for playground basketball -- all flash (runnin' and gunnin') and very little structure.

The Spurs win consistently because they play smart basketball. Even without Duncan they are winning because of defense and intelligence. One day, we too will play within a system and utilize the talents of the team as a whole. I sincerely believe the Rockets have more overall talent than the Spurs, but we will play second fiddle until we play with intelligence.

 

How can you guys pick the Mavericks? You guys beat them one time at home by three points in eight games and all of a sudden you want to play them in a playoff series. Yes I am sure that you guys learned something from this game but lets not forget that the Mavericks will learn some things also. The Mavericks didn't shoot exceptionally well and missed seven or eight layups that they probably won't miss next time. I think you guys would have much more luck with Minnesota or the Lakers. You guys have consistently played well against those teams.

 

The Mavs tricks won't work in the playoffs, and believe me, we won't turn it over 30 times ever again.

If JVG slows them down, and that's how he got the Knicks to the Finals btw, then the Mavs would be absolutely SCREWED. They can't rebound to save their lives, and their defense is horriffic.

During the playoffs, we can slow down their offense more than usual, while they won't be able to slow down our offense, and even if they do, they won't be able to contain us offensively since their defense SUCKS.

 

I guess the Mavs tricks didn't work last year either when they were in the Western Conference Finals. You have to admit that in the second half the Mavs defended Yao a lot better than in the first. From what I have seen, Shawn Bradley and Eddie Najera defend Yao a lot better than most in the NBA. If Nellie ever gets his head out of his ass and stops playing Scott Williams on Yao then Yao will be less effective.

You guys probably won't turn it over 30 times but the Mavericks probably won't miss as many layups as they did last game. Not to mention, Dallas has experience in the playoffs and Houston doesn't. They know what it takes to win games and Dallas has dominated the series for the last two years.

I don't understand how one win at home can change all of that.