we have no chance against the lakers. They will get all the calls, stern wants a Lakers/Celtic finals so bring on the jazz!
In the last couple games of the season I could see Phoenix actually trying to fall out of that 5 seed if they are unable to move up just from the simple fact that Utah is the one team they match up with terrible. Deron abuses Nash, Boozer kills Amare down low, and Shaq has the same problems chasing around Okur that Yao does. So might fall into a first round matchup with Utah just by default.
The Lakers and here's the way I see it: The Lakers are an untested bunch. 1) Kobe hasn't done a damn thing since Shaq got traded. Sure, he's still great but truth be told he hasn't been out of the first round. 2) Pau Gasol, nevermind never getting out of the first round, this guy has never even won a single playoff game! 3) Odom is a good player but he's a glorified role player. He's as untested as the rest of these guys with their current group. 4) Bynum likely won't play. Can this team pull it all together? That remains to be seen. I realize from top-to-bottom they're probably the best starting lineup in the NBA and Derek Fisher is a winner that has always been a thorn in our side. All the same, i'd still rather play them than Utah. The same Utah team that plays great at home and has all the chemistry and swagger going for them right now. Sure, payback and the chance to redeem last year's collapse would be great but for now i'd rather play against the odds and take a team like the Lakers that's just DYING to be exposed and putting the hammer down. Who's with me?
why do I keep seeing these playoff preference polls? It's not like we'll win against either one. So it really doesn't matter who we'll face.
I'm tired of reading this and all the other responses. do you think we all don't know the Rockets are the Underdogs in ANY series? play the damn game and let us know who you would rather see in the round. that goes for the team , too. just shut up and play some inspiring basketball and we'll see you whiny losers in the second round... the Spurs or the Suns, for that matter, could both take the third seed before the season is over. I dont want to go anywhere near Phoenix or San Antonio in the First Round. give me homecourt against the Jazz all day, every day.
Whew. I'm glad you figured that out, now we don't even have to play. Thanks for saving us the trouble! It's not like it's a fair competition where anybody could win... Seriously, where do people get off posting this malarkey?
This strange, but I think if we had Yao Ming, I would rather play the Lakers, instead of Utah. Without him, I'm going to make my final decision and say Utah, he actually puts up his same numbers against them, but their two quick big man who aren't quite centers causes lot of problems for him. Against the Lakers, he could abuse Gasol and Bynum and get them into early foul trouble, while if he were to get into trouble or even if Scola couldn't handle...there would be Hayes and Mutombo sitting on the bench. But since we won't have Yao, it is Utah.
Yao himself said (after his injury) Utah is the best match up Rockets can have in the playoff. Of course it doesn't mean easy match-up.
There is no easy matchup in the playoffs. But with us having 2 good pf, Scola and Landry (last year we had offense killer Hayes only) and having better bench, Bobby Jackson who is a great backup pg we could beat Utah, no doubt.
utah is better than they were last year. they now have 3pt shooting to go with their good inside game and great execution. they start FOUR all-stars and ronnie brewer. they have milsap, harpring, and korver off the bench. they are a better team than us, they just don't focus quite as much on the road, but keep in mind they only need to win one on the road....they are too good at home. i hate the jazz but im just being realistic, we will lose to the jazz. we depend far too much on outside shots and we don't get many easy baskets. jerry sloan is going to pick us apart. i'd almost rather play the lakers just because they aren't as good defensively, and outside of kobe they have players that can be limited in production by our defense.
Oh, I can stand to think of what Deron will do to rafer again.....Last year, it felt like deron couldnt miss.....rafer play scared against D-will & c-paul I hate both of them but I want the lakers, because I feel like utah will thrash us
what series were u watching? deron was not dominating against us. he avg 15-16 and 8 assists (which are good #s) but not dominating.
Definitely Utah. LA's front court size is too much for us to handle. They will overpower us in the post on offense, take away TMac's penetration on defense, which leaves the Rockets as a 3pt shooting team. On the other hand, the Jazz is a different story, especially considered they are a bad road team. If we can win 3 out of next 6 games, include the game against the Suns, we should secure the 5th seed with HCA vs Jazz.
Doesnt matter, we have mcgrady, so its an auto-lose series no matter vs who we play. Last year we had the homecourt advantage and still lost to utah (with ofcourse mcgrady disappearing at game 7). This year no home court advantage, theres no chance in the world we going to win at utah. Vs the lakers same case, kobe going to rise to the challenge and guard mcgrady which will result in an aweful mcgrady performance, while on the other side, mcgrady needs to "rest" so battier will guard kobe. Either way, instant lose because gasol is going to eat everyone inside.
