This is my two cents. We have played Utah close games bth gm 1 and 2 with no "spark" what so ever. My prediction is, in Utah with Rafer back and with BJAX coming off the bench for some needed depth at that position, Jazz are in for a rude awakening. This gameplan wasn't visualized until now (by me anyway) because game before Clippers @UTAH was without Rafer, so was game 1 and 2 of the playoffs. IIRC, we're at our best when our starters can provide a solid mix of offense and defense, and the same for our bench players with Bjax and Hayes. If Luther can hit a 3 or two, we'll be just fine. Winning 2 in Utah would shell-shock them like no one would expect. Agree or Disagree?
i think it's up to the players, whether or not they want to play 48 minutes. and make their free throws. utah are more beatable than many people think. home court advantage is a disadvantage to the road team, if they don't focus. plus, there is the mcgrady factor, he shoots alot better on the road. we win the next two, just like that we are right on their grills. we split, and win game 5, we're still in it. rockets can't be discouraged, that's number 1. once you have disbelief, you'll miss even more gimmes, and do things that are stupid, without thinking about it.
I'd give us a 1% chance we'll win 2 in Utah. It's not going to happen. Not in Utah, not with our team.
I wish, I hope we could win2 in a row in utah but it will be easier for Deke to score 25 than win 2 in a row at SLC
You know, this sounds alot like the guy who still thinks he's going to get back with his girlfriend. "Maybe she just needs time" "Maybe she's thinking things over" "Maybe she'll appreciate everything I've done for her" "Maybe she'll realize what a great boyfriend I am" Uhh no.. she's not coming back. But yeah, I agree. If Rockets SOMEHOW manage to pull both games off in Utah, they'll take the series. But honestly I just don't want them to get swept. JUST WIN ONE
The question should be a little more loaded. If we win by 7+ points in either game (meaning its not a fluke or barely pulling it out) then we will win the series. This team plays good enough defense and is disciplined enough that if we can score enough to beat them convincingly i think they can duplicate it. The rockets play so slow and defensive that a high single digit win is almost a blowout.
they haven't even played their best game yet. they've tried hard for sure, but not their best game. i want to see our best game on thursday and see the results. if we lose, then at least we tried AND played our best.
Utah Jazz know that if we play at our best, we're unstoppable. The 22 in a row proves that. They haven't played us at full strength (minus Yao) yet, our meeting just before our streak began was without Tmac (IIRC), But it does hurt knowing we could've split our games at home and been at a best out of 5 series. But it's ok, let the nonbelievers start to rise to the top of the water like dead fish, we as fans have to stand behind our team and believe what other people will see as unbelievable.
McGrady's shot has GOT to come back eventually. Despite the shoulder injury it makes NO SENSE that he could shoot so well the first half of the season, and have such a horrible second half.
If we win our next 16, I feel we'll win a championship too... We're NOT going to win two in Utah, period. And even if we do win 2 in Utah, I'd put our chances of winning the series at 50/50. We still lack in talent department.
its time for us to get it going, everyone at the same time. if ANYONE can come back from down 2 to Utah, it'd be us.
we gotta be 45% shooting and making 85% of freethrows to get away with wins. If we did those two last game we would've won I guarantee it, but I'm not sure if they will since the team probably thinks it is over now and throw in the towel. CMON ROCKETS IT IS NOT OVER!
lol our only hope is that utah gets too comfortable and takes us lightly. most likely scenario is we will be swept
I do think the addition of rafer is huge it allows tmac more rest since bjax and rafer can play together and another decision maker at the end. The season is obviously on the line Thursday. The jazz will come out strong. If the rockets do get game 3 I wouldn't count them out winning game 4. But winning game 3 is going to be the biggest test of this season and for some players the biggest game of their career. If tmac is rested and its close in the fourth I trust in his ability to close it out
\ If Rafer has a solid night, then Tmac can get some rest and not be so tired in the 4th quarter. In fact, I'm hoping that he'll take it easy the first half, then explode out in the second, and that's only possible if Rafer is adequately supporting the team when Tmac is out taking a break. Cmon Alston! Tracy did his part, let's hope you do yours!
