Question about a potential matchup with the Jazz...

Obviously it is, we have a way better Rafer, 2 guys who can guard both Boozer and Okur, and we dont have to give many indoor passes to Yao which ended up being in turnovers. Not only that, but our bench is way better.

 

Oops I forgot to add that we did better in the last series with Mutombo in than Yao in, and a pissed off T-Mac

 

If you mean the "current" team as including Yao, the Rockets are definately better and have a better chance to beat the Jazz than last season's team. Having Landry and Scola really makes the difference. But without Yao, I don't think we could beat them in a 7-game series just because we would be mainly a jumpshooting team and that wouldn't work in the playoffs.

 

Even with Yao out this team is better than last year's team.

They are much more diverse on offense......

A better over all team...and with Yao...a dominant one.

DD

 

This year
.
.
.
's coach.

 

Man that question is SO EASY. Of course this team is much better than last year's.

We are missing Yao that's right but damn even without Yao we can beat them in playofs serie.

Why?

• We have new coach, the team looks a lot better offensivly. Now we know what we shall run on the offensive end. Ball is moving, scoring poinst is easier now. Situation like in last year's playoff serie won't happen (when we were lost on the offensive end)
  
• Even with offensive minded coach we are still one of the best defensive teams in the leauge
  
• Rafer Alston is playing a lot better. I don't even wanna remember his series against Utahlast year. But this year he is a lot better, he is attacking the basket all season long, he is shooting better
  
• No more Chuck Hayes as the best PF. Last year it was a disaster with him. To start with Hayes especially having Boozer as opponents' it is disaster. Utah had to guard 4 people out there. Now with Scola, Landry we can be more dangerous. Scola is good scorer, and Landry finishes it very well around the rim. It would be the key this year if we played Jazz.
  
• We have better bench. Last year it was old p***y Howard who couldn't hit open jumper to safe his life. Now we have veteran Jackson who has made some big shoots in playoffs in his carrer, who is not afraid and knows what this game is all about - Rafer wouldn't have to play 44 minutes a game. And Luther can also him something, but we have Landry who would ba a big factor inside.
  
• T-Mac understands now that playing pick and roll without Yao doesn't have sense and Adelman creats plays for him, he started putting him on the high post.
  
• We don't have Yao Ming and obviously we would miss him on the offensive end. But on the defense we at least could try to stop Boozer and Okur. Yao is great player and he would give us 20 points 10 rebs but he's got no chance of guarding Boozer cause we saw Yao is just too big, to quick to guards PF, especially guy like Boozer.

 

being w/o Yao pretty much negates all the other improvements. the one thing that might tilt the scales slightly in our favor is we're less predictable offensively.

 

Couple of thoughts here. When the offense is clicking, we are definitely less predictable. But if the offense stagnates into Tracy PnR all night, all series, then the team is in the same boat as last year.

Where I feel the team is better suited at for a potential series this year is defensively. I love having Yao, but this is probably his worst matchup because Okur posting up at the three point line puts the Rockets in a tight-spot matchup wise. Either you stick Yao on Okur and open up the paint to Deron Williams drives en masse, or you play Yao on Boozer and hope Boozer goes cold. Without Yao, you can play more of Chuck Hayes on Boozer, which is a better matchup. Chuck did quite well when he was matched up on Boozer last year, and has continued to do so this year. As for Okur's matchup? You can put Scola on Okur and work that way. At least, that's what I'm seeing. What do you all think?

 

This team is obviously worse w/o Yao but as far as the Jazz are concerned, this Yao-less team is better suited to handling the jazz. more depth than last year, same defense, better offense at times, and no Yao on Boozer. I honestly would've preferred Yao on Okur @ the 3 pt line last year.

 

Playoff basketball is all about matchups. The Rockets are obviously a much degraded team without Yao, however, the absence of Yao and the rest of the additions to this team seem to point in a possible matchup advantage against the Jazz. The only player on the Jazz I would say is the X-factor is Deron Williams--Rafer Alston has no chance to affect DWill. With that said, of all the playoff teams in the hunt, I would say for the Rockets the Jazz followed by the Mavericks then Nuggets in that order for 1st round victory.

 

This year.

Last year's team lost.


This year is the only chance we've got.

 

nice post.

Chuck on Okur is a situational defensive upgrade but even if we increase Deke's minutes we'll still end up with major opportunities for Deron to drive to the middle. catch-22 ...

 

This year's team for one reason alone.


Last year's team had only 4 players score in Game 3 in Utah. 4 FREAKING PLAYERS!!! There's no way in hell that happens this year.

 

Certainly this team is better suited for playing the Jazz but it isn't because of the absence of Yao but rather the addition of Scola, Landry and possibly Harris.

I think if Yao was healthy and playing great ball we would be able to abuse the Jazz inside. *IF* we saw a repeat of how he was playing against the Jazz in last year's playoffs (remember he had not regained his form after the leg injury) then Scola would probably slide over and play big minutes at C and of course Landry would get some time too. Regardless of what some posters think, Hayes more than contains Boozer (and Okur when he guards him) and Scola is certainly quick enough to stay with Okur and also give him fits on the other end of the court.

So since Yao is out it comes down to Scola, Hayes, Landry, Harris, Deke vs. Boozer, Okur, Milsap and Collins at PF/C. I like our chances.

 

Last year Okur defended Yao with prediction, he knew what move Yao was going to do it b4 he ever did it, he was so predictable that series. Also Scola's shot is key, but Rox are still going to need Hayes' defense on Boozer.

 

Boozer was much more beastly last year. Especially in the series against us. If we were to face the Jazz starting tomorrow I'd say we win the series. I think having Bjax's playoff experience is going to pay huge dividends. He will be our X-factor no matter who we face.

However, the very most IMPORTANT key from Last year's playoff team is they had 1 point guard and 1 point guard only and that was yep you guessed it Rafer Alston. He averaged about 45 mins per game agains the Jazz in that series. That's at the bare minimum 10 too many. If Rafer can continue his solid play as of late with Bobby Jackson backing him up I'm comfortable we can go as far as any team.