Ron will be the deciding factor who will win round 1.

nope. ron should play how he played: within his role. he's not our x-factor.

the x-factors are our PG play and if we can defend aldridge, along with the defense on roy.

 

If ron doesen't shoot as much and post's up. It will contribute MUCH to this team.

 

It's a combination of factors,some more important than others. Consistent efficient team play and execution on both ends will decide the fate of the series.

 

I disagree. Ron very rarely poses mismatch problems on the offensive end because his game is just not very refined. If he just plays within the system, and takes the shots that flow well, we'll be fine. His defense on Brandon Roy is what is going to set him apart in this series. The real factors offensively for the Rockets are clearly Yao Ming and Aaron Brooks.

 

Ron and Brooks are the deciding factor for this series and maybe the next one. If they both know their roles, play within the game plan and get Yao involve in the offense, we will go very far in this playoffs.

 

Ehhhh? You're crazy. If Ron can post up someone smaller than him (and most guys at that position are considerably smaller than him; e.g., Roy or Outlaw), he can pound the ball straight to the basket. If a double team comes (which it will if such a mismatch occurs), a quick outlet pass leads to an open shot just as it would if Yao got the ball in the post.

Artest's physical presence yields tons of mismatches.

 

Yeah, I think its right here in the first post of the thread that he was referring to going down low to Artest. I cant recall the game but he absolutely destroyed one team down on the block for almost an entire quarter. Something that the Blazers havent seen much of. So far this series just about all of his "paint" scoring has come from penetration or cutting to the bucket.

And with the Blazers pining to shut down Yao, this will be like.....like......


"Clubbing baby seals??"


Yes...thanks Clyde.

 

DD said it best last week, about Ron playing his role.

 

I hope ron will play as well as he did in game 1. he didn't take too many ill-advised shots and he avoided dribbling. pretty basic stuff, but when he does that he is most effective on offense.

ron will continue to go all out on defense and take the open 3 on offense for the rest of the series--he's a pro.

 

I agree, in the sense that Ron's play varies SO much that he will swing the momentum of the series.

If we can get some good-all around ballsy efforts from Artest, we have a chance to beat any team, IMO.

 

Don't bet the farm on that. I'm not saying anything is a lock, but until they show they can get up from the beat down, I'd say we are in the proverbial cat-bird seat.

When they prove they can do that, I'll acknowledge their ability to "shutdown" anyone, and whether the series will need a critical "deciding factor."

Until then...

 

100% agreed. The "deciding factor" is whether the Blazers have enough heart to play like men instead of scared little girls. Game 1 was a matter of the Rockets playing their best, facing no adversity and the gutlessness of the Blazers.