All Mcmillan has to do is look at the tapes. Go small and front Yao with Aldridge for most of the game. Come in with Pryzbilla when Yao is out of the game. Portland in 6. This young team is everybody's dark horse to go to the WC final.
The Blazers are good offensive team. But when the Blazers play against tough defense, their offense can get out of rhythm. Slow them down, don't run with them, the Rockets are able to handle them. The Blazers are weak in defense. I don't think they can stop the Rockets. Rockets win in 5 or 6 games.
I think if the Rockets can steal one of the first two games, they have a great chance to win the series because most of Portlands's players have never made it to the playoffs and to go down early would take away some confidence. For the most part, the defense of Battier and Artest has held Roy in check and Chuck Hayes has done a good job containing Aldridge. Remember, Landry wasn't with the team for one of those wins so adding him would greatly help. The role players like Brookyle, Scolandry and Wafer will they keys wo whether the Rockets adcvance this year.
I have a feeling there are going to be games where the Rockets will lead by 20 or so, only to have themselves collapse again in the fourth and hang by their teeth to keep the lead.
The Rockets are the better team, and I highly doubt playing in Portland fazes a veteran team like Houston. They took a game in Utah last year so there is no reason to fear playing in Portland. Also, the blazers don't like to run despite their athleticism, which plays into the Rockets hands. Yes, Roy is great and there is the fronting issue with Yao, but Houston in 5 or 6 is my prediction. The first round streak ends this year.
i think thats the key. portlands gonna run a lot with their young squad, and i just hope guys like wafer and lowry wont follow suit like they did against utah.
Actually the blazers do not like to run as much as you think. Portland takes less shots per game than the Rockets and has a pace factor that is 29th in the league.
Rox in 5. I respect how far Potland has come, and I would cheer for them against anyone but the Rox, but we've played well against them. I expect a big series from Yao.
This Series Predictions. The rest is just some crazy person's dreams. Game 1: Portland Rips Into The Rockets Game 2: The Blazers Burn Houston for Victory #2 Game 3: Rockets' Get Revenge in H-Town Game 4: The Great Wall Stops Portland In Their Tracks Game 5: Blazers No Match For Red-Hot Rockets Game 6: HOUSTON BREAKS THEIR CURSE, DEFEATING PORTLAND 4-2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Game 1: Los Angeles Easily Dismantles Houston Game 2: No Stopping #24 as the Lakers crush the Rockets Game 3: Artest Unleashes The Beast As the Rockets Come Back To Win Game 4: Battier The Hero of The Night, Blocking Kobe's Potential Game-Winner Game 5: Lakers Cool Down The Streaking Rockets Game 6: Houston Pulls Out a Victory At The Toyota Center Game 7: The Rockets Do The Unthinkable As Yao Ming Tips In The Final Bucket, Winning It in Overtime -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Game 1: Rockets Win Game 1 Of The WCF Game 2: Fiery Houston Wins Game 2, led by Yao Game 3: Easy Win as Rockets go up 3-0 Game 4: Denver Stops Houston In Their Tracks Game 5: Von Wafer Comes Up Big As The Rockets Win, 4-1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Game 1: The King And His Crew Dominate The Rockets In Game 1 Of The NBA Finals Game 2: Houston Takes Down The Cavs At The Q Game 3: Cleveland Gets Payback At The Toyota Center Game 4: Battier and Artest Dominate Cleveland and Tie the Series Game 5: LBJ Takes Command And Leads His Team Over Houston Game 6: Von Wafer Hits The Buzzer-Beater and Helps the Rockets Defeat Cleveland Game 7: CLUTCH CITY RETURNS AS THE HOUSTON ROCKETS, LED BY YAO MING, DEFEAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS TO SECURE THEIR 3RD NBA CHAMPIONSHIP --------------------------------------------------------------------------
the loss to dallas turns out to be a stroke of adelman genius...this wont even be competitive...dont be surprised if we sweep them or win in 5
yeah but the loss in portland was off of a 30 foot bad call 1.5 second buzzer beater even though there was only 8 tenths on the clock....
Our best hope is we win the 1st two in Portland before McMillan adjusts. Then we only need to take 2 of 3 at home. However McMillian was on the teams that used to take out Hakeem using their illegal Ds--so I don't know how long he would let Yao kill Oden/Pryz trying to play one on one behind him. Adelman has to flat out coach him big for us to win. Portland is 6 or 7 is pretty realistic, I went with 7. I'd like to be proven wrong though.
