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Official: Houston Rockets win the division! First round matchup: Dallas

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Clutch, Apr 15, 2015.

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pbnfamilia Member

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I feel like a sweep is coming I hope our rockets feel disrespected and channel that to take some hearys out . Its our time and we are ready to take and demand respect rockets in four !

#341 pbnfamilia, Apr 16, 2015

zeeshan2 Member

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2. Rockets-Mavericks will be ...

Adande: Tex-Mex -- i.e., a regional cuisine that might not suit the tastes of the rest of the country. The Mavericks have slipped in the second half of the season and two of the biggest names in this series, Dirk Nowitzki and Dwight Howard, had seasons that ranked among their least productive. Regular-season MVP candidate James Harden needs to get back in a postseason groove; he has shot below 40 percent in each of his past three playoff series dating to 2012. He also hasn't won a playoff series since 2012, which he'll fix with a five-game Rockets victory.

Pelton: Competitive. The six-game gap between Dallas and Houston in the West standings overstates the difference between the two teams. The Rockets' point differential (plus-3.4) was only marginally better than the Mavericks' mark (plus-2.9). Add coach Rick Carlisle's playoff track record and I'll be surprised if this series doesn't go at least six games, though I'm still picking Houston.

Shelburne: Heated. These teams have battled for every free agent to come on the market since Dwight Howard chose the Rockets in 2012. They don't like each other. They don't pretend to like each other and it shows. If it's a short series, I like Houston. But if the Mavericks can extend it, which I think they will, I like their experience in six or seven versus the injury-riddled Rockets.

Stein: Deliciously spiky. I'm not sure how good the actual basketball will be given the Mavs' various issues -- Chandler Parsons' health, Monta Ellis' mood, defense, rebounding, etc. -- ‎but these are two teams that don't have to expend an ounce of energy to manufacture true tension. Harden, Howard, Jason Terry and Daryl Morey on one side. Nowitzki, Parsons, Carlisle and Mark Cuban on the other. You have to favor Houston and you have to give Dallas a puncher's chance ... but most of all you just have to like the matchup for the sparks bound to fly with all those names in the same vicinity.

Wallace: A toss-up. This is perhaps the one series in the entire playoffs where seeding and home-court advantage mean the least. The Rockets' late-season push to get the No. 2 seed was nothing short of fantastic. Harden's offensive onslaught and Corey Brewer's relentless energy fueled the charge. But Carlisle and his defensive schemes are tailor-made for a series like this, when Dallas can lock in on one opponent. Still, the intensity on the court might pale in comparison to the front-office fireworks between Cuban and Morey.

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2015/story/_/id/12700982/5-5-western-conference-playoff-preview

#342 zeeshan2, Apr 16, 2015
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Guess it's easier to double down than to say 'I was wrong'.
Of course Dallas could go on to win the series and he'll look good.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Interesting what Chuck Barkley had to say about Mavericks today: "They're going to be a better playoff team (than they were in reg season)."</p>— Eddie Sefko (@ESefko) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESefko/status/588758149265362944">April 16, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Reason being Rick Carlisle and the threesome of Monta, Dirk and Rondo, says the Chuckster.</p>— Eddie Sefko (@ESefko) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESefko/status/588758258745085952">April 16, 2015</a></blockquote>
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#343 J.R., Apr 16, 2015
vstexas09 Contributing Member

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please please please shut these dudes up...man saturday could not get here quicker

#344 vstexas09, Apr 16, 2015
EightDoobies Member

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I'm going to be at game one. Can't wait. 126.. Row 19.

#345 EightDoobies, Apr 16, 2015
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Chuckster says he doesn't think any team in the West can win three straight series.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/status/588761551051468800">April 16, 2015</a></blockquote>
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#346 Joe Fan, Apr 16, 2015
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LdUW0jt7hFs?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

#347 i3artow i3aller, Apr 16, 2015

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Kinda feels like Dallas is the favorite lol I'm sure Dallas is ready to hack any big Rockets throw out there and wouldn't be shocked if he did it like 5 minutes into the game

#348 rocketblood713, Apr 16, 2015
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Joe Fan said: ↑

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Chuckster says he doesn't think any team in the West can win three straight series.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/status/588761551051468800">April 16, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Might as well just hand the championship trophy to the East winner then, Charles. He really needs to think before speaking. Next headline: "Tim Hardaway had a great game for the Warriors!" - Charles.

#349 MFG16, Apr 16, 2015
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If Parsons was still on the Rockets he wouldn't get nearly as much attention as a key player in the series.... not at all

#350 HTM, Apr 16, 2015
marky :) Member

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Joe Fan said: ↑

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Chuckster says he doesn't think any team in the West can win three straight series.</p>— David Barron (@dfbarron) <a href="https://twitter.com/dfbarron/status/588761551051468800">April 16, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Am I missing something? Last time I checked you had to win 3 series to make it the NBA Finals...

So both West teams lose in the WCF?

#351 marky :), Apr 16, 2015
zeeshan2 Member

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Dwight Howard on going against Chandler Parsons: "He's the enemy.We still want to be friends, but him & his team are trying to end our(more)

— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) April 16, 2015

(More) Dwight Howard on going against Chandler Parsons: ".. season. That's our mentality. We're not going to let anybody end our season"

— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) April 16, 2015

#352 zeeshan2, Apr 16, 2015
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Rockets great owner Leslie Alexander proud of great franchise, rewards great top executive

Owner Leslie Alexander is thrilled for his franchise after the Rockets whipped the Utaz Jazz Wednesday 117-91 to secure the second seed in the Western Conference for the NBA playoffs.

With the victory the Rockets also won the Southwest Division title, the team's first since the 1993-94 season.

"It's a great reward for a great season," Alexander said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports.

"It's great for the franchise. It's great for all the players on the team. They came together well. They played great offense and great defense. We're a great running team, which I think is very important to win in this league."

Alexander said his players had great energy from the opening tip when they took on the Jazz in the regular season finale.

"You could tell the team was ready to trounce whoever we played, and that they wanted to get the second seed badly," Alexander said. "They came out with great fire and played maybe the best game of the year."

Alexander believes his team is playing well at just the right time, with the first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks beginning on Saturday at Toyota Center

"I think we're very tough to beat," Alexander said. "We play great defense. We run. These guys don't want to lose. They're tough, and will do whatever it takes to win, which is what you need.

"It's really great to see the players like James (Harden), who is the MVP, and Dwight (Howard) now starting to play great, and the team coming around after all these injuries we've had, and I think (Kevin) McHale has done an amazing job."

"I can't believe how resilient we are, and how guys stepped up, and the guys we added, (Corey) Brewer, (Pablo) Prigione and Josh Smith have really helped us, and to have depth in this league which you really need."

Alexander reiterated that he believes Harden deserves the NBA's top individual honor.

"James Harden, in my opinion, is the MVP," Alexander said. "100 percent, he is the MVP. With all of the injuries that we had, not having a full team, seeing another superstar go down in Dwight.

"For us to have all these wins is truly something, and a lot of it is because of him.

"He's the top player in the league, and if he's not he's 1, 2 or 3. When you get a player like that in a trade, not free agency, it's truly amazing. He's young. He's going to be with the team for the next 10 years at least. You know when you have a player like that you're going to be in the playoffs fighting for a championship every year."

And speaking of the team's injuries, Alexander believes McHale has not received enough credit nationally for the job he has done.

"McHale's done an amazing job as a coach," Alexander said. "Everybody talks about other people, but they don't mention him, which I find amazing."

One of McHale's stars who has returned from injury is Howard, and Alexander expects big things from the Rockets big man during the postseason.

"He's gotten his rhythm back," Alexander said. "He's blocking shots. He's getting a lot of rebounds. He's scoring. He's going to be a real big factor in this year's playoffs.

"He's playing absolutely great."

While Alexander is not looking too far down the road with the playoffs about to begin, he knows his franchise has a great opportunity to make a significant run during the postseason.

"We're a very tough team," Alexander said. "We're very hard to beat. We're not going to beat ourselves. We're going to go out there and compete at the highest level. That's why we won all those close games this year, because this team doesn't want to lose. To have that mentality and all the good players that we have on the team, with the length, with the rebounding, with the defense, with the running, we're tough to beat.

"I'm really happy for the fans who have seen a great team come together, and see Houston get great publicity which is great for the city."

Meanwhile, Alexander continues to stay one step ahead of the curve in maintaining continuity within his franchise.

He rewarded CEO Tad Brown with a five-year extension.

Brown had two years left on his contract, with the second year canceled by Alexander.

So Brown is tied to the franchise for the next six years.

"Tad is a great CEO, and I want to keep the organization together," Alexander said. "I think he's done an amazing job. So I re-upped Tad for another five years about a month ago.

"He'll be with the organization for a long time, and I know he's loved in the city of Houston.

"There are not many people I've ever met in my life who are very smart and are really good with people, people love. Tad's one of those few people."
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#353 J.R., Apr 16, 2015

zeeshan2 Member

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Interesting juxtapostion:

#354 zeeshan2, Apr 16, 2015
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We better not lose. :/

#355 htwnbandit, Apr 16, 2015
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Hehe:

#356 zeeshan2, Apr 16, 2015
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Pre-season annual GM survey

#357 Joe Fan, Apr 16, 2015
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Dallas is also dead last in defending the fast break, while we're 2nd in scoring on the break. Dallas is 5th in scoring on the break and we’re 16th defending the fast break

#358 zeeshan2, Apr 16, 2015

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Odds for the matchup:

Mavericks @ Rockets
HOU -5.5
O/U 209

http://www.covers.com/Sports/NBA/Matchups?selectedDate=2015-04-19

#359 zeeshan2, Apr 16, 2015
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The beat goes on. Rockets w/ another injury in season-finale. K.J. McDaniels injured his wrist. Likely fractured. Likely out for playoffs.</p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/status/588799982485929984">April 16, 2015</a></blockquote>
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#360 zeeshan2, Apr 16, 2015

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