Like I said, I think Minnesota or Memphis is a good matchup for us in the first round or at least a competitive one. A few of these posters make a good point on Memphis having no playoff experience and a go-to-guy in the first round of the playoffs. We at least have YAO ming as are go-to-guy and Steve Francis isn't afraid of taken the last shot either even though he missses most of them. Least he has the courage to take them. With Memphis, I feel like its a 2001 version of the Rockets except that they make the playoffs. That Rocket team overachived winning 45 and then the year after they had injuries and lesser talent and they couldn't go anywhere. This team for the balance of the regular season has displayed that high-speed offense that's been efficent at getting them easy baskets in transition and also starting their running plays off of long rebounds. When the playoffs come, the game slows down to a more half-court pace and the teams will have time from one game to the next (as much as 3 or 4 days between) to focus on how they should defend their pick-n-roll, and how to defend on the guards. When the defense tightens up on them in the playoffs and them (outside of JW) not having to experience that kind of pressure before, then how would they respond? I say they need to have a real good shooting game or come out hard agianst the opposing team early. I say that our defense will work to advantage in the playoffs as well as the typical slower half-court pace and we beat them in six. Should be a good series regardless.
yes - that is what I am talking about - the style of play more than the personnel ... but I would like the point out that the first 50+ win Mavs team did not have Walker and Jameson or a mature Nash - and they had the great Jwanna-man Howard - so they were no powerhouse of talent
I was talking about their fast style, not their personnel... but you can't look at that team now, and place it back 3 year ago. Remember, that Mavs team did not have a go to guy either - Dirk was just making a name for himself and Nash was coming out as the real deal at the point. Maybe I should have gone back to the last Mavs team NOT to win 50 for an example (when you knew the players but not their "game") ... and did you just lump Bradley into the same category as Nash and Finley ?!?!?!
Dear BBS: Please forgive this person - they clearly have not follow any other team in the NBA. This lost soul's opinions have been tainted by his perceiptions of the Rockets failings. See, he likes a palyer that the Rockets let go and his bitterness is telling him that this player MUST BE the BEST player on his new-found team - so that this poster can PROVE that the Rockets made a mistake in not taking a multimillion dollar luxury tax hit to sign a player that can't hit the outside shot consistently. Nevermind that Jim Jackson has had a career year in 3's playing with Ming Nevermind that we already had Cat and SF3 to get the hustle plays no... the Rockets didn't sign Posey and now he is the GREATEST PLAYER on the hottest team in the league ... check your facts Gasol gets more rebounds, assists and points. Possey gets 1 more steal per game then him, but he gets 1 more block per game than Posey as inconsistant as he plays... Big Pau is the best player on the Grizz and I am sure that Wells, Williams, and hey, even Mike Miller, might have something to say about Posey being crowned the best player on the team.
Willis25, I agree. Rockets right now are the "Spurs light." Identical in philosophy and game pace, only they are better at it. They have built their team with great role players surrounding Duncan - we're only beginning to do the same thing with Yao. D R
Thing is, by the time the playoffs came, Nowitzki already was The Man and brought his 25ppg every night, Finley was still lighting it up, and Nash had established himself as Most Improved player of the year. When playoffs came, these guys were a power house. However, Memphis have been the same team all season. No one is the man, no one is wowing the critics, and they are knows as a defensive team. Personally, the only resemblance I see is lots of fastbreak points. The similarities pretty much end there. The Mavs teams before that weren't half as good as these Grizzlies.
I'm not scared of the Grizzlies. If the Rockets are, then they are even more pathetic than I thought. If the Rockets can't beat the Grizzlies in the playoffs, they can't beat anyone.
Go ask Memphis fans. I saw a poll on one of their forums earlier this year and Posey was voted the MVP of the team this season. He is the one who always make the big plays for them when it counts, not that spanish dude who's softer than a tissue paper. Yes, I do think that Posey should not be let go by the Rockets. He would be a long term solution at 3 for us while Jackson has two years at the most. However, I'm over it now. I was just stating the truth.
And to elaborate, Posey being the best player on that Memphis team means that they don't have a legit star. This is a team that looks quite like that Portland team a few years ago. They won't go very far in the playoffs.
