Correction, division leaders and the best record with disregard to the division leaders get ranked by in the top four seeds in order.
When you really think about it, the Rockets do have a legitimate shot of coming out on top in 6 or 7. The Spurs just have this aura of boring, routine basketball (I guess you could call it executing, hehe), but they always seem to do juuuust enough to eek out the win. Time to bring down the blade on SA.
Best spot would be #1. But the odds of catching Phx and Dallas without a healthy roster are slim to none. Next best is probably #2 in division, #3 overall (yes the seeding of the top 4 goings by record--3 divisions winners + 1). We have to catch SA for this, long shot unless they sustain injuries like we have.. But the #5 seed would not be bad. Probably draw Utah or LAL, maybe even have home court. We would be favored over either with a health roster. Utah is inexperienced and lacks an MVP level go to guy the equal of either Yao or Tmac. The Lakers have leadership and defensive problems--they couldn't even finish a weak Suns team last year with a 3-1 lead + a suspension of Bell thrown in for their home game 6. The key is getting a decent 1st round match-up. Round 2 versus the Mavs, Suns or Spurs is going to be tough any way you slice it. Ideally the Mavs or Spurs knock off the Suns, but you can't count on that and just have to be ready to beat them. If the Rockets get full strength and healthy and no worse than the 5th seed I like our chances.
realistically the highest seed we'll be is #5 and i want us to play the jazz. if not then lakers, spurs, mavs, and suns. i think we math up better with the spurs than mavs and suns. we'll lose to the mavs, and we'll get swept by the suns.
To me it depends on which team is hot and how healthy we are. Last year I saw Phoenix get DESTROYED in the paint by Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom. I say bring'em on if we have to play them.
It doesn't matter which team Rockets play in the playoff. If Rockets want to be legitimate Champion, Rockets has to beat the team that stand in their way. I am confident that a healthy Rockets can beat any team. Rockets has yet to play with a fully healthy team. GO ROCKETS!
In the playoffs the defense tigtens considerably so Phoenix doesn't steamroll their way through the good teams. In fact they haven't been to the finals in the Nash era. We are (one of the) the best defensive team(s) in the NBA and i'm sure if the team stays focused and motivated throughout our defensive intensity could ultimately hurt the Suns. That has nothing to do with the regular season, though. No primarily jumpshooting team can win the West, forget the championship. Shooting is just too streaky in the playoffs. You need a solid post presence (Yao) and a go to guy to handle the ball in the clutch (T-Mac) and the right role players. I like our chances if we stay healthy throughout.
we'd get destroyed by lamar odom too. our PF position is our weakest spot and odom creates matchup problems for anyone. juwon guarding odom? lol
That may be true but I wouldn't go so far as to count them out as a contender. I've heard many times this season that they are going for broke and this is arguably their best season yet since Nash joined the team. As for the Rox facing them in the playoffs this scares me because we are a much slower team then Dallas and San Antonio who can keep pace when they try to run all over you. Their legs will be fresher in the earlier rounds so id rather face them later than sooner for sure. Also, Suns best defense against yao is their offense. Running like that can fatigue yao and we know that when he lacks stamina it can certainly affect his ability to get in post up position and score. It's gonna come down to being able to control the tempo against them but its so hard because Nash is so good at forcing opposing teams to play their game.
Who on the Lakers can guard Yao when the team is healthy? I'll take my chances with Juwan holding Odom than anyone the Lakers can throw at Yao.
I think we can beat any team... but the Suns (and to a lesser degree Dallas) really worries me. I'd like to see our team meet the Lakers in the first round. Our matchups with them have been epic so far this year... I also wouldn't mind facing the Jazz or a lower tier team like the Warriors, Clippers, or T-Wolves (the the T-Wolves have kind of had our number this year). I think we'll do pretty well in the playoffs. I see a Western Conference Championship series for us this year... but I think we'll lose in 6 to the Suns. YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!
Doesn't matter where we land. The playoff is out of the question this season. As you say, 'JVG sucks...he will lead us nowhere.'
before i put in my opinion, whoever created this thread need to get out by saying we won't get into the playoffs this season. I believed in Yao and Tmac, and so should you. my opinion is that we should aim and make it to the 5. We need to avoid the dallas and spurs. Those two teams will be very tough in the post season. However, it has alot to do with the two weeks before the playoffs, so never is ever. Utah, I think would be easy to take down given that they have no post season experience. (we about the same). we match up well with them too. Suns, they are a no threat in the post season will all guns and no D. They got rid of tim thomas which was the only D they had last season, so i am hoping that they will play the lakers again.
why are people here talking about matchups with the lakers? They will not be a top 4 teams. there are only 8 teams in the playoffs! unless we bypass the first round and magically the lakers beat one of the top 4 teams, and we meet them in second round. realistically, 1. Dallas 2. Suns 3. Spurs 4. Jazz
It's too early to be worrying about this...but as long as we don't end up 7th or 8th we'll be ok (which could happen as Denver is now a scary team). 1 or 2 would be wonderful, making for an easy first round of course. Anything in between probably doesn't matter at this stage. 3-6 is all about playing for home court.
Maybe I am misunderstanding the original post, which begins "playoff is out of question this season." What does that mean? You don't think we will make it, or you think it is definitely going to happen?
Why are people so afraid of the suns?@???!! I personally think we will beat them easily with our rugged defense in the playoffs provided we have a t-mac that averages 33pts.
