ESPN "Expert" Rockets/Lakers Prediction

Sheridan was also one of the few who picked us against Portland. Thank you for the faith.

 

Sheridan has lost his mind picking us in 7. I think I'm more likely to win the megamillions tonight.

 

Realistically I just want the Rockets to make this a series and not a warm up for LA's WCF series. I really like the ways these guys have come together but battling it out with LA and giving them all they can handle will give this team the kind of boost that could make them legit contenders next season provided Morey can do the right thing with Tslack before the trade deadline next season.

For the Rockets to have a shot at winning they are going to need Yao and Ron to both play like superstars. Yao needs to average at least 24/12 type numbers and Ron needs to do his defensive thing but also average 20+ on near 50% shooting. If those two do that, one role player (Von or Lowry?) has a career-defining series AND the rest of the team just keeps doing what they have been doing then the Rockets have a shot.

I think Lowry could really shine and have that career-defining series. The Lakers have arguably the weakest PG talent of any contender in the last 10 years. Fisher is so pathetic now that not only does he not produce stats he doesn't really even have his intangibles (whatever that means) anymore. Farmar is just a joke who needs to be a 3rd string PG. Neither guy can handle Lowry so if Lowry keeps going to the rim he can draw some fouls on Gasol, Odom and Bynum and change the dynamic of the game drastically. Basically just do what he did against Portland's bigs except it would be of much greater value to the Rockets to get the Lakers bigs in foul trouble.

You get Gasol out of the game and the Rockets win the game.

 

No surprise! We are short of $23 million in the lineup. But still I believe miracle will happen.

 

You guys are crazy if you actually are bothered by the fact that the experts picked the Lakers...why wouldnt they? First, the Lakers are arguably the best team in the NBA along with arguably the best player in the NBA. Second, they have home court advantage. Third, they are much more experienced than we are.

So, I ask, whats with everyone knocking these guys for picking the Lakers? Im very happy that the majority are picking the Lakers in 6 or 7 games...I see that as having a great deal of respect for the Rockets.

 

Being a stats guy, Hollinger's ability to predict a series winner is a real embarrassment.

 

Even though they beat us 4-0 this year, in two of those games, we were up by 15 to 20 points before we fell off. I think the key to this series is brooks. I think he could have his way with fisher....

 

Man, it would be awesome to steal Game 1 from them!

 

Picking us in 7??? That's a stretch. It means the Rockets win 2 on their court. I'm more than a little skeptical of that.

 

No, in 7 we would only have to win one there.

I know this doesn't mean anything to us... and it shouldn't be unexpected. I am surprised anyone picked us, and I'm surprised nobody predicted a sweep. Honestly, better than I expected.

 

I'll take it. It's good to have at least one "expert" pick us. If I remember correctly, Sherridan was the only ESPN "expert" to pick the Pistons over the Lakers in the 2004 Finals.

 

Us in 7 means we have to win the last game in LA. That's a tall order. I think Rockets in 6 is more likely.

 

it's about matchups and the lakers just match up well with us. but i have no doubt we'll fight hard and every game will be down to the wire.

 

I was thinking this as well.... until I thought how unlikely Rockets in 6 is, also..

We essentially have to steal game one. I have a feeling if LA wins game 1, they win game 2, and if we come home down 0-2, we're toast.

 

I remember back in ’86, when we were in the WCF’s with LA and they blew us out in Game 1, SI printed a huge article about how this series won’t even be close. No way these young upstart Twin Towers could compete with the likes of Magic, Kareem, Worthy, and Riley.

Now….how did that series turn out again?

 

Jalen Rose, when asked about who would win game 6 of the Houston-Portland series, said "Portland because they have home court advantage in that game".

But then, forecasting is hard especially about the future.

 

If we had Hakeem today, I'd pick us to win the series easily.

 

Way to be different Chris.

My guess is that the winner of this series, wins it all.

 

Nobody picked hakeem in that series coz nobody knows who he was gonna be in the next ten years. Now we have Yao, only if you believe.

 

well nobody picked us to get swept. So looks like we are winning a game in Houston!