If it comes down to that (which it won't), the Rockets are in a can't lose situation. If they win, they go to the playoffs. If they lose, they get the #13 pick in the lottery becasue the pick they are sending to Utah in the Rice/Amaechi trade is Lottery protected!
Ummm, well the Rockets aren't in the 8th spot this year, and nobody is in position to knock them out of the playoffs the next day. So comparing this year to last year makes no sense.
Aren't the Utah Jazz just 4 1/2 games behind? And isn't the Rockets' division record 5 -11 while the Utah Jazz have a 7 - 10 division record? It's too early to count out the Jazz, or even Portland. And is it true, that in the win against Minnesota, the Rockets just had two points? A win is a win, yes, but can we win ten or twelve more? People seem to be forgetting we're not the 8th seed, we're the 7th seed. So Denver would have to beat us out to, and they're not playing that well.
after reviewing our remaining schedule and that of the grizz, nuggz, blaze, and jazz, i am pretty confident that we will tie or take the 6th spot form the grizz, i also believe that dener will miss the playoffs due to a red hot run by portland. '04 west brackets: 1.sac 8.por 4.dal 5.lal 3.sas 6.hou 2.min 7.mem
Denver and Utah have a brutal schedule, while the Blazers are just too far behind. Rockets need to focus on taking 6th from Memphis, not on staying in the playoff race.
If The Rox face San Antonio, I bet Ginnobli would burn us horribly. He cuts through the Rox tight D like nothing. I bet he would drop 25 every game against us and add Duncan's 30+.
We need to stick to the 7th seed for the PO this season. talking about Ginobli, he did it again last night against Dallas. In the closing minute when Spurs led by 6, he cut right through 3 defenders for a tough basket. The Dallas center did not even have time to respond with a block.
I don't care who we play, the higher the seed the better, that's all I want to think about. Do you REALLY want to face Spree and Sam in the playoffs? Sure, we beat them last night, but seriously, once Wally and Kandi get into shape, do you want to see these guys or try to stop the Spurs? I know we haven't done well against the Spurs, but still, Sam and Spree are two of the msot clutch players in the entire league, they absolutely live for pressure, and we know KG can average 30/15/5/5 against us.
No, I don't really want to face them. Or Duncan and Parker... or Nash and Nowitski... or Webber and... There isn't a single team in the playoffs I'd WANT to face, but we're gonna have to. I'd rather take on a team that we've proven to be better than helpless against in the regular season; sure they'll step it up a notch but you have to expect that the Rockets will, too. They've been waiting to get to that dance for a long time. At least the Wolves and Lakers haven't been able to toy with us in the regular season like the other elites have; Sam and KG were both hot last night, and if they get hotter in the playoffs no one will be able to beat them anyway, so why worry about it. When was the last time the Rockets beat the Spurs? The Mavs? You'd rather face them?
I'd rather face the Mavs because they will absolutely HAVE to slow down their style in the playoffs, and against a coach like Van Gundy, they will have no choice really. I know for sure that Van Gundy will throw a humongous speedbump into the Mavs system, and that will help us beat them big time. Our style favors the playoffs, theirs doesn't. Minnesotta will improve in the playoffs courtesy of Sam and Spree, you KNOW it. San Antonio haven't really clicked this season, and while they're my last choice among the 3, looking at the scores, they eventually HAVE to lose a few against us. I mean, we are at least AS talented as they are, so I HAVE to believe that at some point we'll take a couple from them.
I will be so happy if we make the playoffs this season, though I already have no doubt that we will. I just hope that Minn and Houston will remain in their current positions so that we can meet and beat Minn.
That magic number clinches a tie. To clinch the 8th spot, just add 1 to it. To clinch the 7th spot, it is 19. The 6th spot magic number is 24. Since we only have 21 games left & are 2 back in the lost column, we don't control out own destiny & need some help from other teams.
I don't want the rockets to play minny in the first round, sadly it's probably who we'll play. I just want to see the rockets AND kevin garnett get out of the first round, he deserves a lot more than he's gotten for his loyalty to that team, he has great career playoff numbers, but no one around him seems to be able to get it done in the playoffs.
I understand what you're saying here. I'm just not so sure it will be that simple. The Mavs managed to get all the way to the Western Conference Finals last year and held their own against the slow-down Spurs even without Dirk. Their team has had no problem anally raping the Rockets for over two years now; I'm just not sure that's going to change overnight just because the Mavs' might have to slow it down a bit. Remember, it's their zone that wrecks the Rockets just as much as their shooting.
Everyone knows zones get old in a playoff series. That zone will last for one or 2 games, then it's over. What I'm saying is that the Mavs won't be as good in the playoffs as they are during the regular season. The Wolves on the other hand will be better in the playoffs than they were in the regular season.
It may get old, but Nellie will run that zone at us until we beat it 2 games in a row. That will probably take more than 7 games.
In terms of who we play in the playoffs I think we can all make a case fot any of the top three - but it's to personal taste - you ca really throw regular season results out the window. The remaining schedule analysis for us Memphis, Denver Utah and Portland I don't think is that clear cut - although Denver's is not one I'd want at all. Cool thread, good responses, but the only thing I'm sure of is the Rocket's could play pretty terrible the rest of the way and still make the playoffs barring some really bizzare results. There's more margin for error there than there appears IMHO.
tell everyone the ROX are coming the ROX are coming the ROX are coming the clutch is on our way i'm happy
