Tired of people saying Rockets won because Lakers did not live up to expectation

rockets should deserve the credit whatever the outcome of the 7th game, he had shown his heart and given his all, i hope we can beat LA in Staples centre, so i have a decision that i will get up in the early moning even the job also needs me, this is so important a game that i really donot wanna miss it, go reddddddddddddddddddddddddd

 

Exactly !! SHED BLOOD MY ROCKETS, SHED BLOOD !! I'm humble and think there's only a 0.0000001% chance we're going to win and that's because of the refs. So it's time for ROCKETS RED, GET REDY FOR BLOOD SHED.

The Brawl at Stapples Centre, May 17th 2009, book it !!!

 

LA is a 65 win team, and they ARE NOT getting worse. During the regular season, LA beat teams even when they were having bad games. Their offense was overpowering and they had the ability to play good defense when it counted. The Rockets aren't facing a different team.

After game 1, I thought the Rockets may have stolen a win, but after going 3-3, I just don't believe that is the case. The Rockets deserve these wins - they are not due solely to LA playing badly.

These wild blowouts going both ways are due to several reasons:

1) LA is not mentally prepared and the effort is not there when they shoot badly. This is nothing new. LA doesn't respect their opponents.
2) The Rockets have an erratic offense and they have stretches in ever game where ball movement stops and they shoot bricks. In this series it has been more pronounced because LA is good.
3) LA can cause us trouble in the frontcourt. Fouls can force game plan changes for the Rockets in the first quarter.
4) The Rockets have great defenders that can force Kobe into bad shooting nights occassionally. If this happens the rest of the team plays bad because Kobe can't pass.

BTW - I don't know if things are different, but I never realized what a poor passer Kobe was. He can drive and dish, but that's about it - any guard with speed can do that. McGrady and possibly even Artest are head shoulders above Kobe in creative passing.

 

Um hello, the Lakers clearly are a better team. Who here really thought Aaron Brooks was going to score 30+ against the Lakers in a single game this series?

 

It doesn't bother me that much. Statistically the Lakers are the better team and I think its very valid to say that they are the more talented team but what this series has shown us it that the statistically better more talented team doesn't always win. If the Lakers could play up to their statistical averages and the Rockets played at theirs the Lakers should win every game. None of this is a knock on the Rockets but really just shows how much the Rockets have achieved. Its a testament to the idea that things like teamwork, perseverence and character can overcome raw talent.

 

the national media just didn't know how good brooks and landry were. they knew about scola because of the olympics. von wafer has barely produced anything in this series and the rockets are still in it

 

This plays into our favor. Let EVERYONE go on about how they lost it, rather than us playing WINNING/TEAM basketball and taking it. Let them think "If the Lakers just show up, they should win." All we need is for them to think that, and then play like we've played when we've won three games this series.

If we get beat after four quarters of basketball, we will shake their hands and tell them congratulations, time to move on. Not before that. If we beat them after one quarter, they will be seriously freaking out... and that's when you start making mistakes. The pressure is ALL theirs... the coach is feeling it, the 'team' is feeling it, and most of all, you KNOW Kobe is feeling it. Let him go 10 for 40 and get his 30 points... we play TEAM ball. And we Rockets fans know that's what it takes, but most importantly, these Rockets know it.

I think the ball is in our court, regardless who's arena the game is in. Let's

 

WIN THIS!

 

I remember during the game 1 victory Rick Adelman said during a timeout something along the lines of "It's not about them losing, it's about us winning!"

 

The Lakers are a better team, so long as they can be expected to play hard enough to win games against us. But, if they consistently show that they can not summon up the necessary hunger and competitive spirit to win games, then they're no longer the better team.

Being "more talented" and "better" are two different things. Part of the game is playing hard.

 

The only game where this argument MAY hold water, is that game 4 blowout. Game 1 they friggin led in the 4th quarter. In game 6 they were within 2 midway thru the 3rd.

But to hear it after every game is idiocy.

Once again, I am reminded of the late 90s Tampa Bay Buccaneers with that now famous Tampa 2 defense. Every team they played every week seemed to just have a bad game against that defense.


I think it was like that until the NFC Champ game against the Rams before folks realized it might just be the other team making all those teams have "bad days."

 

The Lakers are the much more talented team?

Who cares?

Seriously. Tell it to Buster Douglas, the '69 NY Jets, the '83 NC Wolfpack, etc.

Either team can win ONE game, regardless of talent discrepancy.

 

People have to realize that to beat a team in a 7 game-series is not a matter of luck. This is not the NCAA tournament where a team can get "lucky" and win out. Same thing with the NFL, if the Giants had to play the Patriots in a best of 7 series, I'm sure the Patriots wins that year.

But for a team to beat a team 4 TIMES in a matter of a series is NOT LUCK. People use "stats" to justify who is the "better" team but don't realize that those stats are compiled based on a multitude of teams AND with different circumstances (regular season, injuries, sense of urgency, coaching adjustments, etc.). If "stats" were the only reason to win, then Wilt should've won those championships over Russell.

 

This is silly. Atlanta took Boston to 7 games last year. Do you really believe that up until game 7 was played that the Hawks were at least equal to the Celtics just because they were tied 3-3?

Mehmet Okur outplays Yao Ming when they go head to head. Does that mean Okur is better than Yao? Of course not. The Rockets have played better than the Lakers, but the Lakers are still the better team.

 

"The Lakers are a better team, so long as they can be expected to play hard enough to win games against us."

 

Why so many people say stupid things like that?
Okur made a good effort on Yao, Yao didn't shoot well enough against hime. But when Okur outplayed Yao head to head? Yao has better head to head stats acroos the boarding, even including that 5 minutes game when he was injured by Okur.

Battier made Kobe look worst than he normally is, but does that mean Battier outplays Kobe head to head?

 

So if the Lakers win 70 games but lose 3 of 4 to the Rockets in the regular season, and Houston only wins 20 games all season, the Rockets are a better team than the Lakers?

Since when has Battier ever outplayed Kobe? Okur has outplayed Yao.

 

Of course not.

 

Do you have logic?

You just said Okur outplays Yao head to head. I said that is bullcrap. Yao does better than Okur head to head.

Battier outplayed Kobe in game4 just this playoff series. Even if he played better than Kobe in one game, can you draw the conclusion that Battier outplays Kobe head to head? Of course You can't.

So don't say stupid things like Okur outplays Yao head to head.

 

First of all, my post should have said "outplayed" instead of "outplays" but since I'm not able to edit my post, thats what it read.

Second, you're only proving my point. Yao wins most head to head matchups against Okur. Battier played one game better than Kobe. No one thinks just because these guys play tough for a game or two that they're actually better. Same thing with the Rockets. They played really well for 3 games. But they're not a better team.