Think about it. Do you really want the Lakers in the first round??

I'd rather play against Lakers than SA or Mavz.

 

Coming playoff time, the Lakers are, without a doubt, the most dangerous team in the league. The biggest difference between the regular season Lakers and the playoff Lakers will be their defense. They turn their D up a few notches in the playoffs. I would rather see the Wolves or the Spurs in the first round than the Lakeshow. In fact, the way the Wolves have been playing lately, we could send them to another first round exit if we face them.

 

I'd rather see us play LA for one simple reason..

the matchup itself.


It would be *the* marquee matchup of the playoffs until the actual finals itself.. and I feel we'd have a good chance to pull off an upset as well, or at the very least give them one hell of a run for their money.

 

I like the Wolves and a second round. Something to build upon and hopefully allow the players to trust Jeff a little more.

 

We're locked into 7th, and the chances that the Lakers will be 2nd are slim to none.

The only way they can be 2nd is if they surpass Sacramentoi n the standings, while Minnesota surpasses BOTH the Kings and the Lakers.


Division winners take the #1 and #2 seeds. So Minny would have to have the best record in the West, with the Lakers next for us to play the Lakers.

 

Sane: we're not locked in 7th. 6th is unlikely but it's still possible. And the Lakers at 3rd isn't a stretch at all.

That said, I want to face the Lakers in the third round.

 

I really really can't see us catching 6th.

I'm sure you've seen the Rockets schedule, so I suggest you take a look at Memphis and Dallas's schedules. Memphis are on track to win 50, and the same goes for Dallas.

Barring a major MAJOR injury to one of these teams (Pao Gasol or Dirk Nowitzki), then I see less than a 1 or 2% chance we can catch either.


But if you're going to argue with me, please look at the Memphis and Dallas schedules first.

 

Teams ranked in the order I would like to have the Rox face them (from wanting to face them, to NOT wanting to face them)

1. Minn
2. Lakers
3. Mem
4. Mavs
5. Spurs
6. Kings
.......Denver (which isn't going to happen no matter what)

 

The way Minny plays, Spurs may very well take the division title. Facing Spurs is the first round is bad. We'd better catch up Grizz and give us the option to choose between #6 and #7.

 

Here's my take. I'd love to see a championship parade as much as the next guy. I'd love to go on some 95-esque run and romp through the playoffs. I'd love to see our slow-pace, hard-nose defense punish teams in the playoffs.

But we're not there yet. I don't see us leaving the first round. Not yet. Think of those Kings teams a few years ago; they paid there dues with a first round playoff loss. We're a good team, and we'll soon be a great team . . . next year.

So if we must lose in the first round, let's do it in the most epic fashion imaginable. Give me the spotlight. Give me the games in primetime. Give me first-team announcing crews. Give me drama. Give me the Lakers.

A Lakers matchup would sizzle. It wouldn't just be the most hyped first-round matchup this year, it would be one of the most glamorous first-round matchups in NBA history. I know I'm speaking in Walton-tongue but I'm serious. The Shaq/Yao rivalry has an energy unlike nothing else in the NBA, and a seven game series would kick it into overdive. Francis/Payton. Cat/Kobe. Van Gundy/Jackson. (You don't think that would heat up? Talk about two different styles of coaching).

The Rockets/Lakers series would be symbolic. The Lakers represent the NBA's Present. The Rockets could be its Future. An epic showdown would have the media talking, every day, every game, about the "emergence" of this new force.

Wouldn't that be delicious?

 

I agree with Rasselas, we are not going to get out of the first round, pretty much no matter what. The most we can come away with is experience. Let's be tested by the hottest fire and earn our mettle as fast as possible.

 

We must choose LAL or Wolves in the 1st round.

 

I think this what this thread is all about, matchup.

 

While I agree we're not getting out of the first round anyway, I want the Lakers for two reasons:

1) Practicality: Yao facing Shaq for a week seems like it would qualify as a growth experience.

2) Sentiment: Anytime we've ever done anything memorable against that team it's pointed to greatness. It's Yao's 2nd year just like it was for Dream in '86. He deserves a chance to really show us something.

Yeah, we have a better chance of beating Minnesota, but if we do everyone's going to say we beat a team that has never gotten out of the first round. I'd rather take my chances against the 4 HOFers.

 

T-wolves will be Rockets' ideal first-round opponents. Lakers will be a close second. The reason that Lakers are so dominate in the playoff is because of Shaq. He really turns up his game in the playoffs. There hadn't been any player in the league that can stop Shaq. Not until YAO! So this is the big difference. Lakers without Shaq dominating cannot dominate in the playoffs. The whole Lakers roster is built around Shaq. Kobe is good, but a perimter player is much easier to stop than a low-post threat in the playoff. Lakers' lack of defense and Rockets league-leading defense will keep the Rockets on top.

Rockets have pretty much owned the regular season match up vs Lakers this year. The last Rockets loss vs Lakers was a giveaway, with Rockets leading by 10 points with 8min to play in the fourth quarter. Imagine Yao making Shaq his b*tch in a playoff series? How sweet that will be!

 

I'll be very happy just to get to the first round. I'll be ecstatic to get to the second round. I'll be delirious to get to the finals. I'll be dancing naked in the streets if we win it all.

 

yes.

 

Hell yeah i want the lakers. Potentially having Yao vs. Shaq for 7 games would be great. This would be the best series in the entire first round. Kobe will probably miss a few games as well with his court troubles. I think the rockets are up to the task of beating LA.