What will the Roxs have to do to pull an upset in the 1st round.

please . . .if we beat them 4-1 one
folx would explain how it is steve francis's fault
we didn't sweep

Rocket River

 

Its simple. Get in webber's head, make him shoot at least 20 times. Anytime that he shoots instead of peja increases our chances of winning considerably.

 

Suit up Cynthia Cooper is the only way that the Rockets can upset th Queens.

 

If JJ does the same thing Posey did to us when we played Memphis, you can put this series in the bag, seal it and mail it to Houston.

 

They MAY win 1 but all signs point to a 4-0 sweep by Sac. This team is simply not consistent enough to take 4 of 7 from a team like Sacramento.

 

Looking at the standings, it is still unclear if the Rockets will face SAC or LAL in the 1st round.

Minn can end up 1st (if it wins OR SA loses) or 3rd otherwise.

SA can end up 1st (if it wins AND Minn loses), 3rd otherwise,
except 4th (if SA loses and both SAC and LAL win, SA has the worst 3-way tiebreaker record).

SAC can end up 2nd (if it wins OR LAL loses), 4th otherwise.

LAL can end up 2nd (if it wins AND SAC loses), 4th otherwise,
except 3rd (if SA loses and both SAC and LAL win).

 

Call me sturborn but I just cannot see why this is not our best possible matchup, notwithstanding our record against them this year. If we are as good defensively as we think then we should beat this team.

 

It's a pretty crazy year in the the bottom 4 seeds are decided, but the top 4 are still up in the air.

 

I think you're right on, except for San Antonio. Ever since San Antonio killed us in the regular season in 1995 and we whooped them in the playoffs, I hold out hope against anyone. That team, to me, with Robinson, Rodman, Elliott, and Avery Johnson (a.k.a. a Rocket killer), was much more intimidating than their current team.

As long as the Rockets can chant before every SA game: "Gino goes left, Gino goes left," they have a chance.

 

1. Defense
Kings play a fast pace team, Rockets have to play good transition defense to keep the score low enough so we actually have a chance to win.

Our backcourts have to stick with their man, and avoid getting Yao into foul trouble.

Meanwhile, Rockets have to guard the 3 points line with their life. Peja, Bibby, and Doug Christie can light it up from the arc any times.

2. Rebounding
Yao and Cato have to control the boards, defensive rebound lead to fast breaks, and we need those easy baskets.

3.Turnovers
If we have turnover problems like we did in the regular season, then forget it, we gonna get our ass kicked. DON'T PASS AT LEAST THERE IS A CLEAR PATH. And Yao have to grab the ball like it's one of his own.

4. 3 pointers
Rockets live and die by the 3 pointers, with double teams on Yao, our shooters are going to get a lots of open shots. But they can't be too one dimensional, if your shots is not falling, move your feet, drive to the basket, and try to make something happen.

5. Yao
I'm pretty sure Yao is going to be double teamed all night, but he can't just pass it out and hope our shooters can knock down the shots. In orders for us to win, Yao have to try to beat the double team, pass the ball back and repost, make them pay down in the paint.

And stop the fade away jumpers and the hooks already, you know Divac is going to push you when you do that, make a power move and dunk over that old guy, you are 7"6 for god sake.

 

Obviously, slow down the tempo of the game will be the key for the Rockets. To do that, our frontline need to control the defensive board, and crash the offensive board.

On-ball pressure is anothr important thing we should do to slow the Kings down. I found the Kings love to through long & fancy passes from the backcourt, so backcourt pressure should start with the rebounder, which will force them to send small guys back to take the ball, which in turns will limit their transitional game, take time off the clock before they get into half court sets.

Defend PnR handover. Kings do a lot of handovers with Peja/Bibby/Christine run around their big people, and those guys can really shoot the ball with slightly opening. So we have to be physical with their shooters to disrupt their timing, and press their big guys who has the ball.

Yao's dominace. Divac usually doesn't go for Yao's outside shots, but both Miller & Webber do. So Yao should use his fadeway to set those two up, then get them in the air for a couple quick fouls. Webber is always very timid once he got a couple quick fouls.

If we can play the defense we have showed during the first half of the season, we should be able to stay in the game with the Kings. Then it's everyone's game at the end.

 

Now this is a good thread!!

 

Play to their full potential!
Play Team Basketball!
Play unselfish Basketball!
Play their best defence!
Most of all no silly turnovers!

 

WIN