Let's not forget 2005... this series is FAR from over

Doesn't matter if the fans act like they won the championship right now - as long as the players realize that nothing is over until one team wins 4 games thats all that matters. It seems like all the Rockets are focused just on that. Both James and Dwight know that last year they were down 2-0 and going on the road and were 1 second away from forcing a game 7. Dallas can be a totally different team at home. The team has to be focused and come out in game 3 and really knock Dallas down first.

Different situation - Orlando was a young team - a team that was already crowned a budding dynasty with Penny and Shaq before it won anything. They just went through Jordan and had a huge lead in game 1 of the finals. The totally collapsed and were mentally just not there. Dallas is not that Magic team - this dallas teams have enough veteran leadership both from players and coaching to understand that this series is still very much in play. Its tough now yes but its not impossible.

I would like Dallas looking bad to be credited to the Rockets defense. They really made people work inside. Dwight altered a lot of shots in the paint, sure some of those floaters went in but there were a lot that you knew were shot extra high just to avoid dwight's block. Carlisle has done a great job coaching against Harden. He helped "neutralize" LeBron and is doing the same with Harden but the flaw is by doing what Rick is doing all the other guys are primed to have field days. Ariza, Brewer and Terry Jones did it in game 1 and Josh, Dwight, Brewer and Terry did it in game 2. Rick may change schemes to allow Harden to have his and slow down the others now in game 3 who knows. I believe Harden will play better he missed a lot of makeable shots for him, but the good news was he didn't force anything in either game 1 or 2 (he forced some bad shots up late in game 2 when the outcome was already decided but not during meaningful gametime)

The Rockets do need to take care of the ball - it seems like their biggest weakness is their turnovers and worse they seem come in bunches. I feel like either the Rockets will have like 1-2 turnovers in a quarter (not bad) or will have like 6-8 (atrocious) and they're back to back to back etc.

Durvasa is right though the guy who can be a real difference maker is Terrence Jones. He was great in game 1 and the Rockets seemingly had a comfortable lead throughout the game. Game 2 even prior to his injury he was not playing with the same sort of energy we saw in game 1. I am not sure what it is with Jones - his career thus far has been mired by inconsistency and its frustrating because when he plays well its like he plays like a borderline all-star -- when he doesnt have a good game he's like Brian Cook out there. He is going to have to help set the tone early especially in Dallas. If he can play well in game 3 and 4 it would be hard for me to see Houston losing the series now that dallas has to win 4 out of 5

It will be interesting to see how this team plays on the road - They still ended up with the second best road record in the NBA this year (along with the clippers).

 

Great post above

 

Yes I did notice that on a couple of possessions where it appeared Harden was single covered by either Jefferson and Felton.

Can anyone chime in on this? Harden should have been able to drive past them like he did all season long.

 

What do you mean by this? We've seen James drive to the basket at will during the season.

Last night I remember Jefferson and Felton guarding him on different occasions and Harden seemed to have quite a bit of difficulty getting past them.

 

It's never over until you have 4.

 

Ok there is no way we should lose a game this series now with parsons, rondo and Harris our out. Rockets time to take care of business and sweep these clowns

 

The thing is, this is the playoffs. Every team has grinded out the 82-game season and earned a spot in the post season. I agree that the Mavs are the inferior and out-matched team, but that does not equate to a blow out from the start.

Last night, the Rockets got off to a fast start and it looked like they would ease into a double-digit lead early on........BUT THEY KEPT MISSING LAYUPS UNCHARACTERISTICALLY!

The Rockets more than anything (refs included) shot themselves in the foot with those missed gimmes and kept the Mavs within striking distance as a result.

These things happen even in David-Goliath matchups.

As I've said earlier, this Rockets team as constructed is good enough to win it all. They could have easily had a freak loss in game 1 or 2 and lost homecourt because of the "playing down to your opponent". I'm just glad to see they came through and took care of business.....that counts for something.

 

I know "This series is far from over" is the cliche, but more accurately you should say, "This series is technically not over yet."

"Dirk missed a lot of open shots he usually makes tonight."

Dirk is a shell of his former unstoppable self. He can do some damage on offense, but is an absolute sieve on defense.

"Ellis will only get better."

That's just a guess -- he could actually get worse. He's played poorly most of Feb (.271 from 3PT), Mar (.220) and April (.149) and seems to be in a funk since Rondo arrived.

"As for Rondo... "

That's simple: Rondo doesn't like playing for a dictator-coach.

"Bummed Parsons might miss the series, but you never know what will happen between now and Friday with his knee."

Parsons is done for the YEAR. No CP-led cavalry will be arriving for Dallas.

"Carlisle will adjust to that pick and roll."

Only by single-teaming Harden. When that happens, it's game over. Harden has torched single-team coverage all year.

"We're gonna get even worse referee treatment in Dallas"

Okay, you've got me on that one.

 

Lol @ people reaching ten years in the past to draw a comparison to our current situation. Apples to oranges. I don't remember 2/5ths of Utah's starters being out for a series, nor Dallas', in those comebacks. Anything is possible, but I've got a better chance at being struck by lightning then Dallas' decrepit team winning 4 out of 5 games against us!

 

Agree that this series is a poor predictor of success going forward... but if fairly close games blown open down the stretch are signs of trouble, the Dubs and the Cavs should pack it up.

 

While I understand the reason for "concern"... you have to look at who the opponent is in this situation, as well as what your team is composed of.

The Rockets have now beaten the Mavs in 6 of 7 games this season. To win this series, the Mavs are going to have to beat them 4 out of 5 games. The Rockets haven't lost 3 games in a row all season.

Putting that all together, I just don't feel the same way now that I was hesitant about in 2005 and 2007.... this team is vastly superior than their opponent... probably the most lop-sided playoff matchup for the Rockets since they played Minnesota in the first round in 1997.

 

Dallas played us touch all season. There's something about inner-divisional rivalries that make it tougher - they know the teams better.

The Clippers and Spurs are going to be tough to beat regardless. The great news is we have home court advantage which gives us a fighting chance. But yeah, both of those teams are favored.

There's a lot of wild cards at play though. It's hard to assess how good this team is.

Brewer, Dwight, and Smith have played little together. That's the wildcard.

 

While I get where you're coming from, this is a very different situation than 2005.

Granted, '05 was an epic disappointment, and we should have won that if not for the refs and some questionable defensive assignments, but those were two evenly matched teams on paper.

The Rockets are just WAY better than the Mavepricks, though. Sometimes the better team still loses the series, but that's usually only when there are serious matchup problems or horrible injuries, neither of which have been an issue so far.

This should be a sweep, but at most, I could maybe (hopefully not) see Dallas winning one game in Dallas.

 

To add to that, I get where you're coming from because I agree we shouldn't count our chickens before they hatch, but we all have good reason to expect an easy win.

... If we don't get one, something is very, very wrong in Houston.

 

It's definitely not over. I won't sit around pretending it is in the bag. Close this m-fer out!

 

I respectfully disagree. The Spurs..I'll give them the edge for obvious pedigree reasons. Clippers...not so much. We split with them this year and won the last late season matchup with them in their building.

I think you and many others have it backwards. Other teams should actually be very concerned with the Rockets. The Rockets as constructed are peaking at the right time and the key difference makers are finally healthy.

Rockets are a beast for sure. Spurs are a machine. Clippers are flashy and have ton of athleticism and Crawford....

But the Rockets have Howard/Harden and a strong defensive supporting cast. If anything the Rockets have the "blue-print" to win it all.

 

THIS.

 

Barring major injury, the Rockets should win this series easily. The talent disparity is great, team chemistry isn't an issue, and whatever coaching mismatch that most think exists is almost irrelevant because of said talent disparity. Fans should be incredibly confident and trash talk a hated rival if they'd like. Mavs players aren't going to read this and use it as motivation, and Rockets players aren't going to read this and be overconfident. And jinxes don't exist.

 

Hope Harden finds his rythme in Dallas and keeps it going right into the second round.

 

with this dallas team... its over.

dallas started imploding right in front of us.. now with rondo further ruining the teams chemistry even more if he plays...or hurts the team if it he doesn't... thye're pretty much screwed.