This: <object width="420" height="315"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/Kbn72J8ass4?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/Kbn72J8ass4?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> Or this: <object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/mejFtEY5faU?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/mejFtEY5faU?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> Discuss,
Dallas. They won 67 games, they were the runaway #1 team in basketball. Made the finals the previous year, were supposedly on a mission to get back and win it and they falter in the 1st round to an 8 seed.
Also, the Rockets lost to a team with an identical record with some of the most one-sided officiating in the history of the league. I don't think anyone besides Rockets fans view this as a "choke".
Our loss was a bad loss, but that's not a choke. A choke is where you are a huge favorite and lose for no good reason, like being up 20pts in the 4th quarter. Tough way to end the season, but Lillard hit a big shot.
67 wins #8 over #1 Dirk wins the MVP Dallas, easily They were overwhelming favorites to win the west and (likely) everything Also, thanks OP for reminding of that series. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside :grin:
I remember that Warriors-Mavs series. It was so satisfying watching Dirk get demolished. That Baron Davis dunk was also one of the best playoff dunks I've ever seen. At least we only lost as a fourth seed.
Thanks guys, I thought I throw in a little light heart-ed humor to make the pain go away. Of course, Vicodin is already doing that for me,hahahah.
You know, that makes me feel a little better about the whole thing. Portland is a lot better than people initially gave credit, and the Rockets had some really bad luck down the stretch.
For most of the year, Portland had one of the best records in the league. We are biased here, but objectively speaking this was a pretty even matchup. 2 all-stars against 2 all-stars. The only major advantage the Rockets had was home court advantage, and we gave that up right away.
Dallas for sure. By 2014 fans have seen so many Suns/Mavs/Warriors/Nuggets run-and-gun type teams get bounced from the playoffs that its not choking anymore, its expected. Conventional wisdom is that teams like ours put up great regular season records, then go fishing when teams start playing real defense.
dallas for sure. there was talk halfway through the season they might challenge the 72-10 bulls** **bulls team that did not face the rockets otherwise it's over for chicago.
I'd say Houston actually. The warriors really started to put that team together near the end of the season. Plus they made some good trade deadline moves if I recall correctly, so the team really wasn't at the rank of a true 8 seed. Plus, Nelson had a lot of insight on that Mavs team, so it was almost like he was a trojan horse for them. Houston on the other hand had Portland's number all season long. Portland couldn't guard Harden, Bev made Lillard irrelevant, and the Rockets really had this team. Come to the post season the Rockets are shocked by a bad call and a loss in Game 1, and ultimately never recovered. They watched and sat back while Howard did all he could to keep them in it. Houston really set their own fate in this series.
I can't imagine thinking a 5 beating a 4 is anywhere remotely in the ballpark of an 8 beating a 1. An 8 has beaten a 1 like three times in NBA history, I think.
It's actually happened I think 6 times (best of 7 I think only 3 times: Dallas, Bulls, and Spurs as losers).
Remember both teams finished with identical records. The only reason we had HCA was because of a somewhat miraculous 13-point 4th quarter comeback to beat Portland. Otherwise the season series would be tied 2-2 and we would have most probably been the 5th seed.
Despite the same record, Rockets were favored significantly against the Blazers...not only because they had HC advantage but because they were supposedly the better team. I would define it as a "choke" but definitely not on the same scale as the Mavs against the Warriors.
Getting technical here, but imo a choke is when you lose for psychological reasons. If you lose because the other team outstrategized you or because they hit some lucky shots (like us vs. the Blazers), you just got outplayed.
How is it a choke job when 4 vs 5 seed with identical record in a series where there was multiple overtimes, no blowouts and the final game is decided by a 0.9 second buzzer beater to win by 1
