11 years ago our Rockets earned the nickname of “Clutch City”, by staving off elimination time after time, eventually winning back to back titles. Houston will always be known as Clutch City by all the die hard Rocket fans. However…. Our current team has not earned that moniker, nor will they have earned it until they too stave off playoff elimination, time after time. I was quick to jump on the “Clutch City III” bandwagon, because I want a Part III so badly. 10 years is a long wait. This is the first contending team we’ve had in a long time, since 97 basically. We see McGrady’s greatness and Yaos potential and say, here it comes, Clutch City 3 baby! Not yet folks. I really really hope we see its rebirth, but it hasn’t happened yet. “Clutch City” must be earned, not anointed. LETS GO EARN IT ROCKETS! STARTING TONIGHT!
In addition, blowing a 2-0 series lead in which the first 2 games were won on the road should be considered a choke.
Actually the series is probably exactly where it should be, locked up at 2 - 2. If the Rockets had lost both games in Dallas and came back and won the two in Houston, everyone would be all giddy that we tied the series up.
Choke city happened when the Rockets lost the first 2 games (which happen to be home games), to the defending Western Conference Champs back in 1994. The Rockets were the better team by virtue of a better record at that time as well as the MVP of that year. In the prior year, the Oilers with the infamous Buffalo come back happened. The Oilers, although not the better team, had a lead that is in most cases insurmountable but... they showed us that it is not the case. Losing a 2-0 lead to a team that is supposed to be kicking our butts is by no means close to being a choke. Dallas has the better record, the (supposedly) deepest bench and the whiniest owner. The Rockets also were not in the WC finals last year. A 2-0 lead in a playoff series which Houston is supposed to lose is by no means comparable to a 33 point halftime lead in playoff football.
