If I have to choose between battling the "best" and a more likely shot of getting to the 2nd round -- I'm tryna go to the 2nd round. LOL.
Barring any major injuries from any of the top 7 teams, that will be a difficult task! I do think they'll make the playoffs as the eighth seed though. ....... ....... .......
I don't mind, I like our chances. They will have to expend a lot of energy to catchup the playoff train, and will be opening on the road... Sure, it will be tough, but often a tough first round series is a prelude to title run. Witness the spurs-dal last year, or Boston in 2008. Bring them on.
If we keep this defensive mindset up, are healthy, along with our bench players producing as they have been, and we are making our three pointers.. we can beat any team. Only problem being.. the odds are against us for that happening over a 7 game series lol
Exactly KD, Westbrook, Ibaka > Harden, Dwight, Ariza (way better). I guess people who voted yes, want to see first round exit again
I'd rather see a Beverley vs. Westbrook or a Harden vs. Durant duel in the 2nd round or WCF than the 1st round.
You don't play based on "what if", you play to win games and you try and win as many as possible. If you believe that OKC is a dangerous team in the west then you have to live with the fact that you will have to play them at some point during the playoffs. Makes no difference if you play them in the first round or the third round. Getting through the west is no joke no matter which team or which seed you are as we saw last year. It will take a highly tempered and focused squad to navigate it. It would suck if we drew OKC in the first round, but even if we drew Phoenix we are not guaranteed victory. Play with confidence and play to win and let the chips fall where they may.
For the people who think just play whoever, matchups don't matter, I wonder if they remember the 1994 Seattle Supersonics
This is still a long season and anything can happen. I'm just happy and impressed on the current accomplishment of the Rockets. I'm liking the progress. If this team aims to be the last one standing then it doesn't matter what team and what round. This goes for any team aiming to be the best. I voted yes.
Or, what about when Dallas lost to Golden State? San Antonio to Memphis? San Antonio getting pushed to 7 games last year to 8th seed Dallas? This is the western conference, it happens. You can't worry about dodging a team when the next team that comes along may be just as capable of beating you.
If the Rockets finish with the #1 seed in this Western Conference given all the injuries they've had, why would we need to fear any team, including the Thunder? Granted, some teams are better matchups than others(Phoenix or Sactown would be an ideal 1st round opponent), but to finish first, it could take well over 60 wins. That would be by far the best Rockets regular season record in franchise history. I say bring on anyone.
Look at the teams in the Western Conference. There really isn't any team that I would want to face, they would all be tough. Some tougher than others, but all tough. That said, it's what you have to go through in the Western Conference. Let's win as many games as possible, hopefully get all of our guys healthy and have enough time to actually play together at full strength before the playoffs, and then take on whoever we end up matched against.
