The Reason why the Rockets will be a different team come playoff time

Shane Battier is the major difference between this year and 2004 playoff.
Come to playoff time, it's all about matchup, The team can creat more mismatches wins the game. Shane battier just gives this team a lot flexibility on handling mismatches defensively. The dude just simply can guard anybody at any position.

 

The thing im looking forward to is Tracy, it seems like he always plays well in the playoffs.

 

Yeah butwe already know what to expect out of Yao, TMac, and Deke. Everybody else is question marks. And Battier never looked that good in the playoffs for Memphis. This will be Head's and Hayes first psotseason appearance. And which Bonzi is goin to show up, if he's even playin? WIll Rafer increase his level of play in the 'offs? We have a lot of questoin marks in the 'off, but i'm looking forward to it.

 

I think it will be interesting to see a team face Yao/Tmac in a series. We should do well...I have high hopes

 

Yeah for Reason 3 you could have just said:

He is the best player in the league during the playoffs.

 

We are getting healthy.

A great halfcourt game and the ability to crank up the defensive intensity is huge.
Imposing your will on the other team.

We have two go to guys that play team ball who happen to be great passers.....and 3 point shooters that will make the opposition pay.

When Yao is out Bonzi will be posting on the blocks and doing his thing.

JVG will be earning his dough.

And this team will be peaking,elevating their level of play beyond anyone else.

Look out NBA,here we come!

 

Historically, a strong outside threat and with strong interior threat wins championships. For example, look at last season. If TMac and Yao play dominant, we've got a time tested winning recipe.

Dallas and the Suns have good depth but in the playoffs that doesn't matter as much because depth doesn't win championships. Star players win championships and we've got two stars that create mismatches again any team in the league. We've got enough depth to counter the Mavs, Spurs and Suns fully healthy and we've got the best 1-2 punch out of those three teams.

 

I miss Rudy T

JVG would never run off the court like that.

 

#1 Tmac
#Battier and team defense

 

Yeah, but if a fight occured between Alonzo Mourning and one of his players, JVG would grab Zo's leg like a rabid dog.

To the overall topic, there are many differences between the 05 and this year's team. First of all, I never had faith in David Wesley or Jon Barry. I also didn't think Yao was Yao until the end of last season when he started transforming into a 30 ppg monster. Thirdly, '05 was T-Mac's first year...this is his third with the Rockets and I'm certain he's comfortable with the system he's in...there isn't much pressure for him to improvise and carry us alone on his shoulders. We took Dallas to 7 games primarily because of T-Mac's genius. We should feel appreciative we even went to 7 games given our patchwork team in '05. This year's team is not patchwork...the core players have been together for some time with only Shane as the new veteran guy. In '05 we weren't blowing teams out by 15-30 points like we're doing now. If you put the '07 team versue the '05 team, this current team would destroy the '05 team. New Yao vs. Past Yao? T-Mac vs. Wesley ( or Shane vs. Wesley? or Luther vs. Wesley? ) Rejuvunated 41 year old Deke vs. 38 year old Deke?

I believe in this team and I believe if we get the Mavs ( not the Suns ) in the second round, we can give them a run for their money. I don't give a sh_t if they end up winning 70 games in the regular season. We can go toe-to-toe with the Mavs. Rockets fans shouldn't fear and bow down to Dallas. Have some pride in your team people.