If we go straight into the playoffs, that appears to be the matchup. DEN wont have a chance to tank and avoid us. I know it is a big IF but just throwing it out there. MEM @ LAL DAL @ LAC HOU @ DEN OKC @ utah
If the playoffs started as seeded, we would get about the easiest possible schedule at this point. I'm going to Assume the Clippers are locked in at 2 and the Lakers at 1 so we would be playing either one in the second round. Denver is our ideal matchup and the time off will hopefully get the Joker out of game shape. After that we would get the Clippers (EDIT: no HCA I was wrong). I think the Clippers are our worst matchup but the time off should benefit whatever is going on with our team. I believe there are people who are sick on the team and people who are injured. 3-4 weeks is plenty of time to get everyone right. EDIT: The Clippers may even lose to the Mavs if the standings hold which would be incredible and have huge ripple effects on the offseason.
We will have to play both assuming they are 1 and 2. Realistically they are staying there regardless. Therefore, we decide would we rather play the Lakers without HCA or the Clippers in the second round? We will not get to the play the Grizz regardless. Utah, OKC, Mavericks or Denver are the only realistic first round opponents. I'm taking Denver or Utah over anyone. Utah would most likely mean we would be 4/5 playing the Lakers in round 2. Clippers we would have HCA because we won the division as of today. Read before you attack please.
attack? it's an actual question to see the thought process here. relax playing both LA teams was never the ideal easy path. that's actually the hardest path. best case scenario was only having to play 1 of the two. but obviously the rockets fumbled that last week. and no HCA does not belong to houston. the clips took that last week. winning the division means nothing in terms of hca. that was established years ago
Denver would be a dream matchup in the first round. I'd rather face Denver than OKC or Dallas. If they do go straight to the playoffs, that 4 game losing streak could be a blessing in disguise(for first round purposes). The Clippers in round 2.......not so appealing.
Denver is very overrated, jokic would be an issue to stop in the paint, but he will be exposed on defense
Not sure why i thought the rule still applied but we will likely lose to either LA team when we play them regardless. I'd prefer to play the Clippers after they have a hard series with the Mavs (who could potentially beat them) than the Lakers who will roll over the Grizzlies. The Lakers having to play the Thunder in round two will also get them beat up for the WCF because Adams and CP won't take any plays off.
Denver has been playing just as bad. Should have lost to the Bucks the other day with no Giannis Middleton Davinciwhatever and Lopez.
Harden, PJ, Gordon would get much needed rest/time to recover from injuries and it would give the front office/coaching time to counter strategies that have worked against smallball lately.
Do you remember how Denver manipulated the standings to avoid playing the Rockets last year? Well, what if I told you that this whole season being suspended was Morey's master plan. Bear with me here, Morey's tweets about support for Hong Kong making China wanting to get payback. China creates the coronavirus, which makes its way around the globe, eventually making it to the US. During all of this, the Rockets get a chance to get to the number 2 seed but decide to go on a losing streak, playing suspiciously bad and ending in the 6th seed just when Denver drops to 3rd. Then, the season gets suspended, eventually keeping the seeding as is at the moment of the suspension making the Rockets face the Nuggets as the 3-6 series. Payback Successful. Profit. I kid, I kid
Rockets want the Nuggets Nuggets best player by far is Big Man Jokic. Our small ball running style would pick him out as a defensive weakness guarding players on the perimeter. It would be Bar-B-Que chicken @ 3-point land. Plus run him off the court....shoot while he is crossing mid court getting back on D. Jokic would need/have to sit......which leaves a small ball team initiated by so-so ball handlers vs our two MVP’s. Advantage Rockets 4-1......maybe 4-0.
You might be kidding about China hatching Coronavirus but you are onto something about slipping to 6th to have Nuggets. Morey is clever and saw the suspension coming
It's boring to matchup j*zz every season 1st round. DEN is a great opponent we should give respect to, they are one of those teams no afraid showing down with LA teams as well as playing in great discipline.
till now it is the only explanation I could find as well as make me believe giving up comfortable 4th seed (sliding to 6th) through manipulating a 4-game loss really makes sense. (we actually dunt know what led to 4 losses in row) Making sure at least a normal 33%-35% 3ballPC is one of the two preconditions that we got the Bar-B-Que chicken, the other is well-executed team D or 'switch everything D' . it's the tips against any team. p.s. 1) dont allow too much TOs 2) take control the up-tempo game, having more transition and then more 3TA EDIT i dunt wanna an early face off below teams: (sort by priority) LAC LAL OKC MEM