In terms of matchups in the west, I preferibly would matchup with the Wolves as my first choice. Yes they've been much improved this year with the Sprewell/Garnett/Cassell Tandem. But we can never just buck the trend at their history. Even though their in the west, they've put together some exciting streaks since 1997 during the regular season and even won 50 games in 2000 and yet they still can't fight the first round bug. In spite of their good regular seasons, they've managed to just falter in the playoffs because even though they're outmatched, I don't think they really just put their best effort into it because they're probably too nervous to play to that potential and the pressure the playoffs bring. Plus ever since 2001, we've been exactly even with the Timberwolves in regular season matchups. That's even true this season when we blew them out on our court and we do beat them on the road to sometimes or at least be very competitive with them. Garnett's a beast but I think YAO can hold his own on the offensive end. Sprewell would outplay Mobley and Jim Jackson, but I think Francis can outplay Cassell and Mark Jackson would hold his own with him. I think there's a good chance of them getting out of the first round this year, but you can never bet against history or the trend and history states that the Rockets match-up real well with them. In a series, that would go 6 or 7 with the Wolves probably coming out. But this is the team I MOST would want to play in the first round and definitely put up a fight. The Lakers would be my second pick because YAO has always been up to play SHAQ and I think it excites him and energizes him to play well due to ESPN or TNT always televising the game. Steve Francis seems to always put up good numbers against them as well and we're 4-2 against them since Ming as been acquired to the team. Now I know Malone has been out and Kobe as been in and out as well, but its still debatable on wheather the Lakers can really "turn it on" comes if and when Malone comes back. Even then, if our three-point shooters light up against them, we can put up a fight against them as well. I'm not as optimistic against the MAVS as you seen last year when they just run-n-gunned us to death but this year, we have to see how much improved we might be against them since we've only played them once this year. SAC and SA?? "forgetabouit". Both them teams just have the experience and skill they need to probably sweep us. San Antonio just has too much firepower inside for us to bang with and their three-point shooting and defense is just as good as our's and our last game against Sacramento, we had them down pretty much the whole way and we tried to play to their game and then they just caught on to what we were tryin' to do and got better at it as the game went on and we slowly but surely collasped after SAC had some timely baskets in the fourth due to their execution and screen picks.
That's weird, because Cat is playing almost exactly the same as Spree, while Cassell has soundly outplayed Francis this season.
Agreed. I hate to sound like A-Train here, but I think that means we'd do just as poorly against the Lakers as we do the Mavs.
If the Rockets can keep up the intensity at the defensive end, they can play with any teams in the West, especially in playoff when the tempo of the game is much slowed, the score will be hard to come by for anyone. One important fact is whether YAO will get RESPECT from the refs after the ASW. He was treated as a veteran in his rookie season, but as a rookie this year. If he can get the similar respect as Shaq/Duncan, which will enable him to shoot more FT, and place tremendous pressure on the defenders. Hopefully, the new focus the league has put on him will get him more respect from the Zebras, that will be huge come playoff time. --daoshi
Remember, Ramsey is evaluating based on the type of game they play in the playoffs. Hard-nosed, physical, and half court. That is the type of ball that JVG is teaching our guys and that is the type of ball that wins in the playoffs.
ESPN is part of cap cities ABC which is part of Disney. TNT is par of Turner Networks which is part of Time Warner AOL But don't worry, soon enough they will all merge into one huge media company and our lives will be better.
Nobody mentioned Memphis? I don't think it would be out of the realm of possibility for Memphis to get the 4th spot.
If Yao will get the ball more against this high offensive team(Dallas), we are in better position to beat this team. Ball movement will be the key for the Rockets to succed against the MAVS!
The year the Rockets won theirsecond champioship, they lost both games in the regular season to the Magic, and if my memory serves me right, one was by like a 20 point blowout. Then we went on to sweep them in the Championship; playoff basketball is MUCH different. If we can slow down the tempo of the game, we can beat the Mavs. I think the Kings would beat us eiher way (we slowed down the tempo when they played us during Super Bowl wweek and they still beat us). The Lakers would be an interesting series and could go to seven; they're prolly our best shot. As for the wolves, we've beaten already, but the had there worst shooting game in like franchise history. And remember, they're getting back Kandi, WAlly, and Hudson to add to Spree, Cassel and KG; and they have something to prove: that series would be a sweep.
