From last night, both teams look dominant. One, loaded w/ guns at PF, SG, and PG. The other, loaded at PF, SF, and PG, and also a run-and-shoot team. Now the question is, will the Rockets keep up?
If we play the twolves. I'm hoping the losing each year in first round thing wil be in their minds and hurt them ... I wonder how many of our players even know we won from the 6th seed.. need to break out the heart of the champion tapes
the rocks have relieved themselves from the pressure to keep up with puppies and queens ... the Jazz match was much more pertinent.
T-Wolves for sure. The Strength fo the Wolves are their inside game which also happens to be the strength of our defense. The Kings have the best outside game in the league with the possible exception of Dallas. The Kings also run a very disceplined fast break. Our defense is weak on the outside and in transition defense
Except that you win in the playoffs with your inside game not your outside game. Last night was a playoff-like game, and guess what happens: Peja goes 5-15, Bibby blows up uncontested layup on the fast break, Webber disappears as always. On the other side you have Sam I Am, one of best clutch players in histroy, making shots, you have Spreewell after being cold for most of the second half, making clutch plays, and you have the best player in the league, which is always important in the playoffs. So my choice is the Queens, hands down. I would much rather play the Queens than any other team, not only the T-wolves. I can't believe they are ranked as a last choice by fans here. Regular season means nothing. Past playoff problems for Minny may only play in Scherbiak's head, but the T-wolves are better without him anyway. You think Sammy and Spree will be impressed by Minnesota streak of first-round exits? Puhlease!!! Sammy and Spree have gone to the Finals from a sixth seed and an eighth seed. Quuens had the best seed in the L and couldn't get to the Finals. This Kings roster is full of chokers and women, you can't compare them to Sammy, Spree and KG.
well charles and kenny said if you can keep sacramento under 90 you are gonna win the game, i think the rockets could do that. But i would rather take minny.
The Rockets were competitive in the last two games against the T-Wolves. If they don't make dumb mistakes, they can win both games. That team has fizzled down the stretch and I don't think there is any indication that can "turn it on". They are not invicible.
yao struggles against the kings, i think we can beat minnesota. that would suck to open the playoffs at arco.
The key for the Rox against Minny is Kandiman. Minnesota is undersized in the front against the Rox if Kandiman does not show up. That's why Rox had a good matchup against them during the regular season. Would you trust Kandiman to show up during the playoff?
I honestly don't care...the way I see it, the Rockets will play a very good team either way. IMO, Their chances of advancing are the same regardless of which team they face.
I would love to see the Rox upset the Queens. I feel their chances are about the same either way. I just wanna see Divac lose.
Well, at this point, the Wolves look like they're gonna take the top seed...so we'll likely face either the Kings or Lakers. I'd prefer to play the Kings, despite our poor record against them in the regular season. I just think that the currently healthy Lakers team would crush us in the playoffs.
Great win by the Rockets over the Nuggets. Up next - Utah Jazz. It hard to imagine the Rockets salivating to meet the Kings since they've never beaten the Sacramento Kings this season. However, with Bobby Jackson coming off the injury list, and the so-so record of Sacramento in its last ten games, it could possibly a better matchup for the Rockets than a completely healthy all-star laden Los Angeles Lakers. Same thing for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Yes, the Rockets had beaten them twice this season. But they'll be facing a squad featuring ex-Rocket Sam Cassell who always plays well during big games- check Minnesota's victory over the Sacramento Kings. That said, the Rockets have to play well regardless of who they play. So just beat the Jazz, finish the regular season, and hope that Kelvin Cato and Steve Francis are healthy come April 18.
Just as a confirmation to my thoughts Minny won against a surging GS team on a back-to-back, while the Queens lost to the lowly Suns.. I can't believe anyone would prefer us to play the T-wolves instead of the Queens. The unfortunate part is that we'll have to play the Lakers, not the Queens... It's April, folks and the "pretty-to-watch" queens are showing their true colors: a soft team full of sissies and whiners...
Everyone on all the major news channels says L.A. and minn are the teams to beat this year......................Because they are never correct I want to play one of them!!
Since we are in the what ... PLAYOFFS, I don't care whom we play against. I'm even willing to take two teams at a time ... I AM EXCITED!
meanwhile.... SA sneaks by unnoticed again. In my opinion, they should be the favorites, if not co-favorites with L.A. I just think that their defense will win games for them in the playoffs
I pick the Kings. I don't want to face the T-Wolves, they just have too much. Sam, KG, Spree, Wally, etc. They are not the same T-Wolves teams of the past. They will get past the 1st round.
The Rockets are going to face the Lakers in the first round. Right now Kings & Lakers are tied but face eachother tommorow on national TV. The winner will seal the deal for their conference. We have little chance of Twolves losing their lead and falling from 1st ceed overall.
This is all nice, but if I had to put money on who the Rockets are going to face in the first round today, I'm thinking it's going to be the Lakers. The Kings are in a downward spiral and the Lakers, finally healthy, are playing their best basketball of the year at the right time. The Lakers, Spurs, and Kings are all tied with three games to go. I see the Lakers beating Sacramento in Sacramento on Sunday to make a statement and for Minnesota to hold onto the top spot in the west. That would put LA in the 2-seed where they will most likely be facing the Rockets at the 7-seed.
