Thank goodness these ESPN analysts aren't a bunch of temperamental, hysterical whiners like some BBS posters I know. Not one of these guys see Utah lasting more than six games. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2007/news/story?id=2850986 4. How many playoff games will the Rockets play this season? What about the Jazz? Hollinger: I'll say 13 for Houston, six for Utah. The Rockets are good enough to extend their second-round series the distance (presuming they get Dallas), while Utah showed last night that they won't go away quietly. Sheridan: The Rockets are the best defensive team in the postseason, and that's going to keep them alive until Game 7 of the second round -- so that's 12 for them. The Jazz will have five, which means two are left, last night's aberration providing little more than false hopes. Stein: 12 and 6. I've got Houston winning in six games over Utah in this round and then Dallas in six over Houston in the next round. Abbott: 12 and 5. The Rockets look pretty peppy to me right now. Let's say they beat the Jazz in five, then walk into a seven-game slugfest in the second round against Dallas. Broussard: Thirteen for Rockets, who lose to Dallas in seven in second round, and six for Jazz, who fall to Rockets in first. I wouldn't be surprised if Houston upsets Mavericks. I'd be shocked if Utah beats Houston. Bucher: 12 and 6. Houston's style of play -- inside-out offense, scoring balance -- simply puts the odds in its favor to knock off the less conventional Jazz. In a close-knit series, I also give an edge to the team with the most pressure on it to win, and that would be the Rockets because of Tracy McGrady's postseason track record.
You just can't expect sweeps in the playoffs, the teams are too good and the stakes too high. We had a wretched game but you can't hang yourself (or the roster, coach, and management) over that. Keeping cheering and hope everyone comes strong in game 4. Evan
"Abbott: 12 and 5. The Rockets look pretty peppy to me right now. Let's say they beat the Jazz in five, then walk into a seven-game slugfest in the second round against Dallas." We have a winner!!!
It wasn't the fact that we lost that people are upset. it's HOW we lost. Only four people scored and we scored a franchise low 67 points. That was the most pathetic performance in playoff HISTORY. let me repeat. That was the most pathetic performance in playoff HISTORY.
Hearing all the crap on the radio and seeing all the negativity from this board, its good to know. But guys look at that...even the Espn analysts are less fickle than ya'll.
I didn't expect a sweep, even though I(like every other fan) wanted it. A sweep means total domination. But this goes beyond not sweeping, it's how we played. It was awful. It wasn't the Jazz D, it wasn't the refs, it was the fact that we couldn't make anything. If the Jazz played great D and forced us to take tough shots like we did I wouldn't have a problem. Outside constant hacking(which got us to the line a lot) they did little to prevent us from scoring. All we had to do was put the ball in the basket, and it proved way too much of a task for the likes of our bench.
They probably asked these questions before last night's game. I mean come on, Rich Bucher says we have "scoring balance" lol
I thought the game 7 vs dallas was ugly as this game was, we were in the game for the most part and weren't blow out. and this loss happened in game 3 of a 1st round series between 4 and 5.. its 1 loss thats it..
and dallas is playing well? my goodness. we're sucking like a mutha and we have a 2-1 lead. dallas doesn't have an identity right now as far as how they would play the warriors. but game 4 will tell all. mac and yao better step up. neither has hit more than 50% in ANY game. and that's VERY surprising for yao, who's freaking 7-6.
no sheridan says "last night was an aberration" usually we are balanced outside of yao and mac getting theirs i think in game 2 we had all 5 starts in double figures. the bench has been not as productive as hoped though.
"How we lost" We lost because our guys didn't show up. We didn't lose because the Jazz figured us out. We didn't lose because we can't find a way to stop the Jazz. We lost because Howard, Head, and Hayes laid goose eggs. We lost because Yao couldn't/didn't fight through the low post fouling the refs allowed the Jazz to get away with. We can and we will play better. Some nights, the shots don't fall. Howard (0-5) hits 2 of his open jumpers, Head (0-5) hits one of his 3s and a 2, Hayes (0-2) makes one of his FTs, Shane (4-10) hits one more of his shots, and that's the difference (14 points). The team shot 32%. That's not going to keep happening. I'm not saying we're going to dance over the next two games and have an easy time, but we just watched the Rockets at their WORST. There's NO reason to think that's going to continue. Show some faith in your team. Evan
You know what this board is like? Obnoxious parents of a kid playing sports. We think our kid is the best, and then when the kid isn't playing well we'll take him/her home and yell at them to train harder as punishment for embarassing us. But that's what happens when you're a die-hard fan I guess. It's hard to get perspective when you wake up in the morning and your first thought is 'how much time until our next game'. Not that there's anything wrong w/ that
