Houston has a good shot at homecourt advantage: Houston games: @Seattle = Win @Portland = Win Hornets = We are long overdue... but ? Phoenix = ? @Utah = Will come down to this one Utah games: @GS = Loss (Utah on road and GS has a lot to play for) Denver = Win @Dal = Loss Pho = Loss Port = Win Hou = It will come down to the last game unless someone melts down. I also think Pho and Dal's strategy with key players could be a factor.
My view: Houston games: @Seattle = Win @Portland = Win Hornets = Win Phoenix = Win @Utah = Whoever wins this gets homecourt. Utah games: @GS = Loss (Utah on road and GS has a lot to play for) Denver = Win @Dal = Win - Dallas will have already clinched and have nothing to play for Pho = Win - See above....... Port = Win Hou = Whoever wins this gets homecourt. DD
Wait, you have them losing @GS, but not @Dal? We shouldn't count on the Jazz to lose home games, but these two road games should be losses for the Jazz. Even if Dallas has nothing to play for, they're still a formidable team, especially at home while the Jazz suck away-wise.
The bottom line going into the finale against the Jazz is: 1 We know the Rockets will not be 2 games ahead and therefore cannot clinch 2 The Rockets being one game ahead is the same as being tied with the Jazz therefore 3 Even if we win the next 4 games, all the Jazz have to do is go 2-2 to make the final game decisive. Conclusion: The odds still favor the Jazz, even though our schedule is easier. But you still have to play the games and anything can happen.
The point is that Dallas will not be playing their regulars, and Utah will be trying hard.....it happens at the end of every year. DD
AK out for rest of season and maybe start of the playoffs.... link That is good news for the Rockets.Things are really going our way now. Go Rockets!lLet's take the HCA and get a good start of the playoffs.
good and bad, it would suck if Jazz got raped because they weren't at 100% in terms of health. It will be another reason for people to say Rockets aren't legit because one of, if not the best, defender on the Jazz didn't play. First person that comes to mind that would say this....Barkley.
Ok We have 4 games left before the last showdown if we go 4-0 in those games, then we need Utah to go 4-1 in their 5 games before the final showdown. If that happens we will both have 52-29 records going into that showdown, winner take homecourt. If we go 3-1 and lose to phoenix, then they could go 3-2 and lose to phoenix and dallas who both will be playing for different things (phoenix holding off San Antonio, and Dallas going for 69 wins) They also have a dangerous game against Golden state and we have one against new orleans. should be a great showdown, with AK47 down this could get interesting. two teams stumbling to a playoff showdown.
Warriors are playing hard and Denver is playing well. I'm not so sure the Jazz could take them. I'm afraid of Phoenix and Dallas not playing hard enough to beat the Jazz though , this could be bad.
Here are the remaining games (and my predictions) for Houston and Utah. I think we can go 4-1 and finish the season at 52-30. I'm counting our win against Phoenix because hopefully they're still 3 games ahead of the Spurs at this point and they'll rest their starters when they play us. Utah on the other hand has a tougher schedule and I see them going 3-3 for the last 6 games and finishes the season at 51-31. Rockets schedule: @ Seattle (W) @ Portland (W) vs. New Orleans (W) vs. Phoenix (W) Phoenix starters should see limited minutes @ Utah (L) Rockets and Utah play their bench for the final regular season game. Utah schedule: @ Golden State (L) Desperate team vs. Denver (L) Desperate team @ Dallas (W) Dallas starters should see limited minutes vs. Phoenix (L) Hopefully San Antonio keeps it close which forces Phoenix to play their starters for this game. vs. Portland (W) vs. Houston (W)
ak needs to stop being a see you next tuesday... it's not like he was shooting much anyway. He can play with an injured thumb... If he doesn't play and Sloan decides to put Harpring on T-mac... sweep...
found this pretty funny--the postings of a true jazz fan... 4 and out would be "too boring". This year, the Jazz (and their fans) are not accustomed to losses without "flair"...this is how it really will happen in the playoffs: The Jazz go up 3-0 to the Rockets. Game 4: Jazz miss two free throws that could give them a 4 pt lead with 2 seconds left, McGrady nails a 45 foot 3 pointer at the buzzer for the win. Game 5: McGrady sits out the 4th quarter due to back spasms. Kirk Snyder fills in and torches the Jazz for 22 pts in the quarter (6 three pointers) with Derek Fisher guarding him. Rockets win by 3. Game 6: Jazz lead by 13 with 58 secs remaining. McGrady (healthy again) makes 5 three pointers in the final minute to lead the Rockets to a 2 point win despite the defensive efforts of Derek Fisher. In the process, T-Mac sets a new playoff record with 75 points. Game 7: Jazz enter the 4th quarter with a 31 point lead. Yao Ming and McGrady sit out the quarter due to recurring back spasms. Despite this, the Rockets make an improbable comeback. The Jazz become the first team in playoff history to not score a single point in a quarter. Rockets win by 1, and win the series 4-3. pretty optimistic eh?
Yeah, I'll try to control my tears if Utah is missing their 10 ppg, 6rpg monster of a couple of playoff games.
Yea no kidding. AK47 has been one of the biggest surprises this year (in a bad way), his fantasy value dropped tremendously. He's no where near the player he was last year, so I dont think hes an X-factor in the Jazz-Rox series.
ya i know Kirelinko has been a big bust fantasy wise, mainly because he isn't the most efficient finisher.. His minutes dropped from 37 to 29 he still gets tons of blocks and steals and plays good defense, which would bother T-Mac, If AK47 is not playing Tmac has almost free reign to play against rookie Brewer or Harpring? this would be HUGE on the offense it doesn't make much a difference.
Uhhhh well AK47 can't stop T-Mac anyways. It's a moot point. They have a better shot at roughing T-Mac up with Harpring and Fisher rather than letting Ak47 get humiliated by T-Mac... Mac always balls AK47 up. I'm sure in the playoffs, Harpring and Fisher couldn't do a damn thing to stop him either. We just have to worry about boozer and Okur and probably Williams. I'm not worried about the Jazz's defense on us, i'm worried about our defense on them.
