Why are we so afraid of Phoenix and the Fakers? If we make them adjust to our game instead of the other way around, we'll have more wins than losses!
Exactly. Phoenix looked like a buzz-saw last year, yet both LA teams took them to the brink of elimination. A healthy Mcgrady and Yao is good enough to win a title. No doubt in my mind.
The game doesn't slow down in the playoffs just for the hell of it. It's usually a conscious decision by either or both teams and the refs. I'm sure the Rockets want to control tempo in the playoffs, but against the Suns, it's easier said than done. I just don't buy the argument (a lot of good posters have made it) that just because the playoffs is generally slower, the Rockets are money. Yes, it would be better for the Rockets if the game pace is slower, but a lot of factors go to determining the pace, not just the presence of the playoffs. Rebounding, PG control, fast break defense, offensive discipline...these things are a lot more important factors in my opinion. I've already done extensive analysis in prior threads to show how Houston cannot control tempo vs Phoenix in the regular season. Now look at the Suns last 2 years in the regular season vs their last 2 years in the playoffs. They didn't slow down and they won a lot. They made it to the Western Conference Finals 2 years in a row and were bested by the Spurs in a mixed high paced series (not a slow it down series), and were bested by the Mavs in another high paced series (board domination was the biggest factor imo here). So while it's true that the Rockets style historically is better for the playoffs, in my opinion, you need more than general history on your side. The Suns have been successfully able to break the mold and maintain a high pace in the playoffs...just look at the stats. That is why the Rockets (whose transition Defense is very bad compared to other elites-I've already tracked this in another thread), who are a half court defensive monster, are better suited to playing the Spurs or the Jazz, who are willing to duke it out in a half court game.
IMHO, No they are not...... Not with Rafer at the PG position and J-Ho at the 4.... Tmac and Yao are not enough, IMHO. We need a 2nd creator on the floor, and someone who can handle the big 4s in the playoffs. DD
Not with Rafer running the team against San Antonio Dallas defense for 5-7 games. Parker and Terry will ABUSE HIM. How about Steve Nash? It is going to be ugly in a series
We have two of the greatest players in the game right now. If both are healthy, we can definitely win a championship. We don't need All-Star caliber players at every position like Dallas and Phoenix have. We just need good role players, which we do have. The talent and determination of T-Mac and Yao, and the beautiful chemistry our team shares is enough to win it.
This is what I've been saying for a while. The fact that historically fast teams don't do well in the playoffs is not because the style doesn't do well in the playoffs. You play under the same rules. Why would a style that did well in the season suddenly not work in the playoffs? The reason is that in the playoffs, teams have time to prepare. When you have time to prepare, you can exploit the weaknesses of your opponent. When you have time to prepare, you can device ways to stop your opponent's strengths. There are ways to stop the run and gun game, just like there are ways to stop the slow down game. Fast pace teams usually don't do well in the playoffs because when their running game is stopped, they have no other way to win. To win in the playoffs, you need either of the two: 1. Something nobody can stop. This usually means an unstoppable superstar such as Jordan and Hakeem. Of course these guys can be stopped with multiple-teaming. But if the supporting cast can punish them if left open, it is unstoppable. 2. All around balanced team. In other words, you can win in many different ways no one can stop all of them. Or, you have very few weaknesses where your opponent can exploit. I think a lot of people just write off a team like Phoenix simply because of their style. I think this is a mistake. You have to ask, can anyone stop them from running? What are their weaknesses? Can anyone exploit those weaknesses. This also applies to the cliche "defense wins championships." An offense that cannot hit shots can never win championships no matter how good the defense is. Bad shooting is a weakness that would be exploited in the playoffs.
I agree, I am worried most about Phoenix. However, I was very impressed that with the comeback in the last game. That alone shows a huge improvement over the drubbings from last season. Phoenix is just ridiculously lucky this season, like the 3 point game winner against the Bulls? Sickening. They live on those kind of insane 3's. Hopefully their luck won't sustain the whole season.
Phoenix's weakness against Dallas was rebounding. Shawn Marion is not a great rebounder imo because his numbers are inflated b/c of pace. And last year's WCF, Shawn Marion was Pho's only legit rebounder. The front court of Marion, Diaw and Tim Thomas was good for running, shooting, and PNR, but were just destroyed on the boards by Dallas. This year, Phoenix has Amare back, and he's looking good. Their defense isn't bad, but they gladly give up easy buckets if it allows them to run. I think the key would be to force turnovers and keep 100% focus and intensity...I know that's kind of unrealistic, but it's really a mental game vs the Suns. Any time you mentally slip on defense, some one is going to cut and Nash will find him for a layup. Also, I think once you create a turnover, don't necessarily get lulled into a running game. Again, pace control is easier said than done, especially now that Phoenix isn't as undersized as they were in the past. Having Diaw on my fantasy team this year has forced me to track him a lot. He is their weak link. His passing is good, but his offense is very up and down. Somehow if we can force Diaw to be the man, the Rockets would have a good shot I think, but then Phoenix would just sub in Barbosa and stick to a small lineup with Barbosa, Nash, Bell, Marion, and Amare... All in all, while Phoenix isn't a perfect team, I am still adamant that they are a terrible matchup for the Rockets. They have everything the Rockets are bad at defending: good 3pt shooting, quick guards, long and athletic bigs, and they run better than any other team in the league besides perhaps a healthy Denver team.
We definietely can compete with anyone as we have seen this season. The only thing that concerns me is inconsisitent play of Rafer Alston.
i have always wondered why teams double nash all the time when he PnR, y not just let him score on you when he blows by (this does not mean you let him blow by, but try to defend him as adequetly as possible with man to man) and play tight man to man on everyone else. THis way, you are forcing nash to beat you by himself and even if he gets like 40 pts, if everyone else gets like 20 pts, phoenix will not be able to win. case in point is when dallas in the playoffs two years ago shut down all of the rocket's role players in the 7th game and forced yao and mac to beat them...yao and mac combined for like 70 pts while the rest got like 6 pts... i kno there is some major flaw to my theory but it has always seemed kinda logical im ready to get flamed now
it's all about the D, and our team plays good D... and we got Mingrady... easily championship caliber
Without T-mac and Yao = HELLO LOTTERY! With only Yao = Miss the playoffs barely With only T-mac = Eliminated in 1st or 2nd round With T-mac + Yao = Eliminated in 2nd round or WCF With T-mac + Yao + Bonzi = CHAMPIONSHIP!
IF Yao and TMac are healthy we can beat any team in a serie. I just don't see a better duo out there anywhere.
We have two unstoppable guys Yao & TMac. Yao is basically unstoppable. TMac when he's on he's unstoppable. We can play the power game inside and hit open 3s against phoenix. Their weakness is if somehow we can trap Nash, they're good as dead as fish out of water. This also applies to the cliche "defense wins championships." An offense that cannot hit shots can never win championships no matter how good the defense is. Bad shooting is a weakness that would be exploited in the playoffs.
