2026 West 1st Round Playoffs: (4) Los Angeles Lakers Vs. (5) Houston Rockets

He is coming back for them Zebras.

 

I don’t believe in any team or philosophy where after 7 years of rebuilding and $100m per season added to the payroll, it has Fred Van Vleet in a comparable position to an MVP candidate (Luka).

FVV is not the centerpiece of this team. That’s just a story Udoka and Stone made up in order to secure their extensions. The reason the front office and the coaching staff are devoid of talent is so that there’s no one around to challenge this scam. A vocal assistant coach or assistant GM would tell Patrick Fertitta that this wild and expensive concept of chasing all rebounds has outright failed because it suffocates all your perimeter offense in a 3PT era.

Bottom line: FVV is not a centerpiece. We didn’t re-sign a centerpiece for just $25m. The Raptors didn’t let a centerpiece walk away without getting assets in return. The centerpieces of this team are Durant, Sengun and Amen. These are people who would command near-max or max dollars in an open market. Everyone else is a role player. There’s no way anyone is ever going to convince me that losing FVV should have the same effect as other teams losing their MVP candidates.

You’re right that it was dumb to not acquire a cheap and basic backup PG. It was also dumb to acquire duplicates in Adams and Capela to a roster that has Sengun and Amen as centerpieces who can’t shoot. It was even dumber to sign duplicates in Okogie and DFS to a roster that has Jabari and Tari. These are all joint decisions between the two scammers Udoka and Stone - both of whom are known to have betrayed their former bosses.

They better win this series easily. They can’t get fired in the summer, but middle of next season when the chatter reaches a crescendo - that’s another story.

 

They need to start another rebuild if they lose this series. Doncic is literally injured how are you gonna lose to a 41 year old Lebron and Austin Reaves?

 

Winner gets annihilated by OKC. Rockets in 6. Refs will rig atleast 1 game in LA.

 

I don’t think anyone in the west does besides SA.

 

Over/Under 42.5 minutes a game for KD this series?

 

If the Rockets lose and the Lakers are injured, Ime should be fired.

DD

 

they lost to a playin team last year so...

but he has too much talent on the roster to lose this tbh

 

We should win this series in 5 games if Luka and Reaves do not play but since we are the Houston Rockets i fully expect us to play 7 games and we lose the series but I'm hoping for the best!

 

Part of me is happy that we have, on paper, a cakewalk of a first round series. After all playoffs are more enjoyable when your team's winning rather than losing. But another part of me is a bit sad that even if we beat the Lakers and then get absolutely destroyed by OKC, the Rockets front office will hold this season up as a major success because they managed to win a round. Even if this team is still far from contention. Of course I will eat all my words if the Rockets somehow can actually beat OKC and go to the WCFs. But as of right that that likelihood looks to be near 0 short of a SGA injury.

 

im just hurt that Clint didnt make it onto the poster... he was our high scorer, high rebounder and had the highest fg and 3pt % last game...

 

I think Sengun has had a bad season. That said, Sengun should dominate this series.

If Sengun plays well, the people who hate Ime will get on Ime for not playing Reed more, despite Ime attacking the Lakers' weakness.

 

Nuggets can beat anyone. IMO, they will beat the Spurs in the 2nd round and have the best chance of taking down OKC.

 

The glass is actually half full because the Lakers being the 1st round opponent makes it likely the Rockets will advance.

Assuming they advance, I would rather the Rockets play OKC than the Spurs because the Spurs players passionately hate the Rockets and losing to them would sting more.

 

Ri's? ret***ed individuals?

lol

 

The Lakers are the opponent where Alpi has no excuse for not shining. The bullseye is squarely on him.

I think they are also the best team for Reed to face because they can't bully him around as much as others. That said, my expectations for Reed are much lower than Alpi.