I like the thought. But it's in the best interest of this team and the fans to silo each game. The only thing that matters right now is game 5. Not games 1-4 and definetly not games 6 or 7. Game 5, play it like it will be your last.
There's a reason teams find themselves down 3-1. It's because they're usually not as good as their opponent or they're just playing bad basketball. You look at the ones who come back and more often than not they either catch a lucky break(Miami over the Knicks in 1997 after all those suspensions). Or they wake up and remember they're better than the other team(Detroit over Orlando in 2003, Suns over Lakers in 2006). Then there's the rare exception where the team that came back happened to have the best player in the world at the time(Rockets over Suns in 1995). I don't see any of these things working in the Rockets' favor in this series. No lucky breaks. It's debatable if they're better than the Blazers(and if they are, it's a marginal difference). And they certainly don't have the best player in the world. They don't even have the best player in the series. Truthfully, there's only one way the Rockets come back. If James Harden goes off. He is talented enough to single-handedly carry a team, at least for a short while. Right now, that's the only hope they've got.
I am afraid Parsons and Harden will continue to regress because it appears they are not in the same basketball shape as Matthews and Batum.
Sadly this is my gut feeling as well. Just cant see this team getting it completley together enough to rip 2 in a row off against a Portland team that is just doing all the little things right at crucial moments in the games and getting the major breaks by the offificiating in critical moments as well. Very much hope I am wrong though...
I thought game 2 was gonna be a blowout in our favor. I'm not gonna get my hopes up ever again, I'm expecting a loss hoping for a win, the game is on tnt which doesn't help either.
I want to believe but this team is so flawed right now. Its just frustrating because Rox could be easily up at least 3-1, hell the Rox very easily could have swept the Blazers if they just had average execution down the stretch. Playoffs have a way of exposing your character as a team. Rox have been so exposed in so many ways this series.
I love my rockets but they are the better team. Have playmakers off the bench and we have troy Daniels and eremy Lin. Stotts have them playing together and runs plays in timeouts and inbound plays while mchales isos.
I agree... It's not going to be easy and I do think part of the problem is the rockets being young and talking to much before they did anything. With that said this team is just flat out better and more talented then the blazers. The difference is Portland is playing like their not even supposed to be here while the rockets play like they can turn it on last minute and win. This is the playoffs every team in the west is good. What disappoints me the most is this team really could win a chip this yr, I have never seen a nba playoffs be more wide open. There is no dominate team and the rockets on paper are good enough they need to believe that and believe that fast. I do think if we can win big wed, not just squeak by. We'll have a great chance at forcing a game 7. We can't have another ot thriller next game even if we win Portland will still feel confident. We need to punch them In the mouth and make them doubt themselves. We need to show them that we're the better team and can win 3 in a row. This team is good enough to win 3 in a row
As you said, one game at a time. No reason they can't take care of business at home in game 5. Then you've got a game in Portland where you just played them to overtime twice. Just hope we don't come out flat on Wednesday.
Honestly, I'm devasted right now. Such horrible end of game plays. Don't know why Lin didn't call TO. We've now been on the losing side 3x in extremely close games. If Houston does come back, and takes it one game at a time, they can still win it and all will be forgiven.
If there is a game 7, we would be the prohibitive favorite to win in. Problem is getting there first.
Sure they can. Let's not act like the Blazers are lighting us up in this series. They've had stretches where they've been great offensively and certainly individual players have had terrific games, but other than maybe Game 2, Portland hasn't put together a dominant beginning-to-end offensive performance and they're more than capable of that. Imagine in Game 6(assuming we get that far) if Aldridge gets off to a good start, Lillard is driving in for easy layups, and their outside shooters are on from the opening tip. Not that far-fetched. I don't like the Rockets' chances in that situation.
Throughout the series, the officials has been favoring the Blazers so I don't expect it to change in game 5 or game 6, I can see us winning game 5 but game 6 will be extremely tough
