Maybe it is too early, but I believe playoff is out of question this season. That being said, which playoff seeding do you guys think the best? Currently the wild west is ranked like the following. The 5th spot with the 4th best record appears the best to me. In that we will get the home advantage against the team from the northwe(ake)st in the first round, and battle Dallas in the second. My biggest fear, Suns, will probabaly get eliminated by Spurs, which we will meet and defeat in the west final. Does it sound cool? It at least looks real to me. Go Rockets! 1. * Dallas -- 2. * Phoenix 1.5 3. San Antonio 3.0 4. * Utah 4.0 5. LA Lakers 5.5 6. Houston 5.5 7. Minnesota 10.0 8. Denver 10.0 9. Golden State 11.0 10. LA Clippers 11.5 11. Sacramento 12.5 12. Portland 15.0 13. New Orl/OKC 15.0 14. Seattle 16.5 15. Memphis 19.5
I couldn't agree more. I think we can beat anyone when we're 100% healthy except maybe Phoenix. They always run all over us. Is it because we're too slow? It'll be interesting to see how the Rockets do against them without Yao.
That is what I have been thinking. I thought we wouldn't have that problem after bringing Battier and VSpan, especailly the latter, because Nash usually has problem with a physical PG. But now VSpan is just a loooooong shot
You heard it here first, WE WILL ROLL THROUGH THE PLAYOFFS *IF HEALTHY Yes the Suns would be a tough matchup but I have a feeling we would figure them out over the course of the series and impose our will on them.
I see Utah fading as the season goes on to the lower half of the bracket, ala cincinnati reds. I think the rockets will have the 4 seed and the lakers will have the 5 seed.
Actually that was one of my points: Rockets will take the 4th best record and enter the playoff as 5th seed. You have to leave one spot to the championship of northwest in top 4.
whatever seed avoids phoenix until late in the playoffs would be best. That style is a bad matchup for the rockets. The spurs wouldn't bother me because both teams play similar ways, so it would be a matter of execution. The thing is though, if they can get bonzi back and revved up for april, his size will be helpful for abusing phoenix and dallas's guards, along with san antonio's. Outside of stackhouse, all of them are susceptible to post up's.
You mean Minnesota will pass UTA to be the leader of Northwest division? That doesn't sound right. That means we have to finish better than Spurs or Mavs. If that's the case, than we should be at least the 3rd seed. On the other hand, if we are the 4th, that means either Spurs or Mavs will be the 5th...
You guys are right - I'm asleep at the wheel.... Minnesota won't overtake Utah, I was just referring to overall Western Conf standings... Rockets will have a better record then Utah and LA. I totally forgot how the seedings have nothing really to do with overall records in the top 4....
Obviously the most important goal is getting home court in the first round. Passing L.A. and Utah would accomplish that. I don't see them catching the Spurs for the 3rd seed, but it's not the longshot I once thought it was. The next key is getting a favorable first round opponent. As the 4th seed, they'll likely play either Utah or the Fakers. I'd much rather face the Jazz. They're young and inexperienced(except for D-Fish and Sloan). L.A. has Kobe, Odom, and Phillip. Worst case scenario is slumping badly enough to fall to 7th or 8th. That would result in a matchup with either Phoenix or Dallas.
If you're going to be a champion, you fear no team. Respect? yes. Fear? No. The Rockets are built for the playoffs. Bring 'em all.
It's more just being realistic(not that I feel they can't beat phoenix). Honestly, when denver took out seattle in 1994 it helped the Rockets so much. Same thing if you can eliminate as many potential matchup problems as early as possible.
If the rockets had the 5th seed and had a better record than say the Jazz as the 4th seed, wouldn't the rockets have homecourt advantage. I personally would welcome playing the Suns in the playoffs and would be fearfull of the Spurs and a little less fearfull of the Mavericks. Both the Spurs and Mavs play tough defense, where as the Sun's play very little defense at all. I think the additions of Battier, Wells and Snyder negate alot of the Sun's strengths.
And if they aren't eliminated, at least have them go through a brutal 7-game series in which the star players get beaten up. I would say Death To Dirk, but he always seems to find his own way to choke in the playoffs... I don't think matchups matter TOO much. I mean it's not a foregone conclusion, but its LIKELY the higher seeds (at least one thru three) come out on top. We have to play 'em anyways. San Antonio, Dallas, Pheonix gives us tons of trouble. I guess out of those three teams though, San Antonio and Dallas scare the **** out of me, so therefore I'd rather play PHO.
We to get homecourt don't we have to beat San Antonio. I might be wrong but Division remains a factor in seeding. The three division leaders and the fourth seed make up the top four.
