There has only been 2 times in NBA history where a team has come back to win a series when they are down 2-0 in the best of 7. Of course one of the teams was the Rockets and the other was the 1988 Lakers i belive. My point is dont start freaking out just yet. History is on our side. True history can be re-writen but its highley unlikley seeing how every team but 2 has went on to win the series when they are up 2-0! & of course GO ROX! -Shawn
You know? There is NOTHING more meaningless in sports than any sentence that starts with "Only (insert # here) have come from a (insert deficit) to win the series". History is there to be proven wrong, and you better believe that Dallas is MORE than capable of coming from behind (by a WHOLE 1 game ) to win the series. All I can tell you is I am hoping that our guys are not hearing that crap and taking it to heart. If they are, however, then prepare for the painful experience they are about to have. There is NOTHING I hate more in an athlete/team (even if it's my own fav teams) than arrogance. I don't think the Rockets have fallen to that trap yet, but if they have, then sports has a twisted form of "justice" and can ground you faster than you think. Case in point? Yankees last year. So stay humble, stay hungry, stay determined.
I'm sure if any coach can purge complacency from his players, it's JVG. I'm still worried, but not nearly as worried if I didn't have confidence that the organization from top-down isn't taking anything in this series lightly.
88 Lakers? I'm probably wrong but I thought it was a Laker team before they were in LA. Someone help me out here.
Another way to look at it.... the current landscape of the playoffs is on our side. Every series that is 2-1 has the current "better" team out on front. We have the only series where the lower seed is winning... and we all know that more often than not, there has always been a series in the 1st round where a 5 beats 4, or a 6 beats a 3. Also, even Rockets playoff history shows that after they win the first 2 games, they almost always invariably lose game 3. The only time I don't remember that happening was the 95 finals.... but, 94 - first round against Portland, and WCF against Utah.... they lost gmae 3, but came back and won game 4 and the series. Then, in 95... they split 1-1 in Utah, but lost game 3 (to a percieved "better" Utah team), and everybody said the series was done again, and Utah would prevail... but we won game 4, and a stunning and deciding game 5. Losing game 3 happened because its very hard to beat any good team 3 times in a row, no matter how good you are, or where you play the games. All they can do is re-focus and try their hardest... not to just win game 4.... but to win the series.
Another interesting piece of history: in the first round last year, Sacramento defeated Dallas in the first 2 games, lost the 3rd, and won the next 2 games.
Teams Up 2-0 in Best-of-7 Series Since 1984 Occurrences 106* Swept Series 25 Won in 5 30 Won in 6 23 Won in 7 18 Lost series 4 *Includes six series in the 2005 playoffs
Well, the Mavs are a much more arrogant team than the Rockets, so if anyone in this series deserves bad karma it's them. The Rockets have, however, had problems off and on with getting too high on themselves after big wins, especially on the road. How many times this season did they stuff some hot team's winning streak only to come home and get humiliated by a bunch of scrubs? The good thing is that they usually responded to losses like that by regaining their focus for the following game, so hopefully that means they'll be better prepared for this afternoon
That is the thing I am worried about most, after Game 3, I didn't feel like the Rockets were upset for letting the game slip away, the players were smiling an djoking around. Their body language was certainly not of a team concerned about a late breakdown that if they didn't let happen they would be comfortably up 3-0 and looking forward to closing the series today and get rest for their old, achy bodies. I just didn't see a killer instinct from them in the 4th quarter of that game, and just as soon as you think they are over those old days in which they let 4th quarter leads evaporate and then end up losing the game/barely winning it, they repeat the same mistake again and let their guard down and get beat. I am VERY, VERY concerned about the game today, I have a strong feeling that the Rockets will come out flat for this one and will get beat BIG. I hope I am wrong.
Tiger your acting as if WE are down 2-1 in the series. I think the Rox will b just fine. True we let a nice lead slip away in the 4th quarter BUT its becuase we wern't knocking down our shots. If we has just knocked acouple of them down and maybe stoped dallas a few times we would be up 3-0. I know it would be nice to be up 3-0 but remember this is the NBA Playoffs and you cant expect a team to just cruse through them with all wins. You are going to get loss's along the way. The most important part is we hang on and win the series. Thats just my 2 cents at least.
I am worried because Dallas is a more talented team than the Rockets. They have the best money can buy. (Cuban - we all know you are a billionaire and can give the Houston crowd the middle finger and not be fined.) I think the Rockets will win game 4 if they keep the intensity up, do not worry about officiating, and play very tight defense. Defense will win this game for us. What do I know -nothing- I thought we were going to win game 3 at the half and through the 3rd Q. We did not fear Dallas. We should fear them. They are very good and can put points on the board quickly. Take them seriously. This is the most important game today. We win and Dallas confidence takes a hard hit and we return to Dallas in a better position with all the pressure on Dallas. Go Rockets - many have doubted us before...Prove them wrong! We will not surrender our weapons - come and take them if you can!
Since most considered the 4-5 matchup in the east a toss-up, the Indy-Boston matchup was a frequent pick for upsets in the east. Either way, the winner will lose to Detroit in the next round, as will the Bulls/Wizards winner vs the Heat.
What you meant to say was - only 2 times when the home team came back to win after being down 2-0. Apparently the mavs were down 2-0 to the jazz 3 years ago and did it.
that was a five game series though, i believe it was 2001 where they lost at Utah for the first 2 games http://www.basketballreference.com/teams/teamscores.htm?tm=DAL&lg=n&yr=2000
