IMO Denver is the 2nd best team in the West despite of the record. Earlier in the season, they've lost a lot of games. Now they have all the chemistry and know how to play the best together.
~25:33 Rockets talk at ~28:12 Spoiler <iframe width="658" height="371" scrolling="no" src="http://www.sports790.com/player/embed.html?autoStart=false&useFullScreen=true&mid=23089560&osu=null&startButtonColor=0xffffff" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" ></iframe> Why would you, based on how you've matched up with them, why not avoid Denver if possible? No disrespect to those guys but as you take that next step into the playoffs, our other options being SA and OKC, have a ton of playoff experience and guys with success at that level. Denver is very talented and they had some success last year. They present a pretty challenging opponent but as we look at it, Gallinari being out, I don't feel like we played our best game against them and a lot of that has to do with what they did to us but when you line those guys up, our best chance is when we play a team like Denver, in order to have a chance to advance. We're a young team. The similar style helps us, in that we both want to get up and down. If we can do a better job limiting turnovers and playing our style of basketball, ... and having our guys healthy, we're better suited to play in that series. It seems like the position that will determine how much damage you can do in the playoffs is the PF position, whether or not you can get anybody, anything out of that position. Will that depend on who you match up with? There's no doubt we're pretty young and inexperienced at that position. One of the advantages of playing the way we play, we can turn a weakness into a strength. That's one of the thing the Denver series presents. We can change things around a bit and play smaller which benefits the style of series it's gonna be. I would say our young bigs will have opportunities, I think the coaches will look at it as more of a match-up situation, who plays, who gets the opportunity but at the same time, we played really well when we play smaller, with Chandler or Delfino at that spot or most recently, playing Jeremy and Beverley together and moving James down and having one of those wings at the 4 spot. It gives a lot of versatility. Our focus is being able to have multiple ball handlers, being able to push the ball, being able to get into transition. That small lineup at this point in times gives us a better advantage and makes it a tougher match-up against some teams. You always gotta adjust to rebounding and defense at that position, which will be a challenge, but if we're playing fast and running, it makes us hard to guard and a tougher match-up. When you, Daryl & the staff brought Beverley aboard, did you guys know he was a def-con one level pest? On the surface, it seems it was something that came out recently but we've been searching and tracking and been trying to get Beverley here for 2-3 years. We liked him in the draft. ... His tools, physicality and toughness, what the kid is all about, we really liked. We felt like in our system, the way we want to play, he is a natural fit. The scary thing is, he's just coming out of his shell. I think he's probably 75% the player he can be and the best is yet to come.
6th Seed, naturally. I've always been an opponent of tanking in any shape or form...Denver does not scare me one bit, despite what the majority of the fans think.
Would rather see the this very young and inexperienced rockets team play a team without a lot of playoff experienc IMO. Their not going to beat the Spurs and the Thunder unless their defense miraculously grows some fangs.
I just hope one of the starters dont get injuried just prior to the begining of the playoffs. I say starters play limited minutes till first round. We are underdogs against everyone of those teams.
Is it a higher probability that the Rockets become second rounders if they are 7th seed? Sure, but we all know the Rockets won't go past first, much less the second. So I say fight for the 6th seed. Attaining the 6th seed will give Houston A LOT more exposure. The youngest team and least experienced team in the NBA in a franchise that has missed the playoffs since 09 clinching the 6th spot will make noise and will give Houston the recognition and exposure it deserves. Imagine if Houston plays better than expected against Denver, how many Rockets games will be on TNT and ESPN next year? How many allstars, or perhaps superstars, will consider Houston a home? This year is all about gathering potential; each player was acquired for their potential, and we all see it. And if no one else around the league sees it, then I'm sure clinching the 6th will definitely make them see it.
