We should really be watching the other LA team too.

After watching last night's Clippers Grizzlies matchup, I'm kinda waffling on wanting to face Memphis in the playoffs. The Clippers for all their fancy passing and dunking have a lot of holes in their games. For starters, when your starting center shoots 41% from the free throw line, that means he can't play in crunch time. It's simply too easy to funnel the ball to him and stick him on the line for bricks. And really, Blake's game has not really progressed this season. If he ain't flying and jamm'n he ain't doing a whole lot out there. He's simply not a good defender. Odom is giving them very mediocre output. So, basically, if the guards ain't nailing shots all over the place, that team is in trouble against playoff ceded teams.

On the other hand, Memphis was a total juggernaut against them last night, on the road, in a playoff environment. Memphis just might have the best defense in the league. In my opinion they do. Conley starts up top and does a great job, then they've got the rest of the team that is so smart defensively. They're fun to watch. They remind me of the Van Gundy led Rockets teams. They simply lock teams up defensively.

Then on the offensive end, they run on steals and long boards where they have the significant man advantage and easy layups. On everything else, they walk it up and just grind down the shot clock, controlling time of possession, making the defense work. You could probably count on one hand the number of non-fast break possessions they had where they put up a shot with over 8 seconds on the shot clock. Then they come in with those two big horses on the glass and hog down the offensive boards and turn a 24 second possession into a 48 second possession and some 72 second possessions. They offensive rebound hard and they've got the defensive perimeter guys that get back to thwart the opponent breaking out on them with the transition D.

Memphis is really playing with an edge right now. Prince is fitting in terrifically. Ugh! Before the Gay trade, I was hoping our playoff matchup would work out to be them. Now, I'm thinking I'd rather face the Clippers. Unfortunately, I don't think the Clippers are going to catch Memphis. I think Memphis just locked themselves into #3 last night with that W over the Clips. And I think if we face Memphis in the playoffs with them playing the way they are now, just controlling tempo and playing that sick defense, I think they'll punk us in 5 games...maybe 4. I think I'd rather take my chances with Paul and take my chances running all our bigs out there to foul Blake and Deandre constantly and put them on the line for a 7-game series.

 

ever is very long time ............ how do you know ?

 

they game CP3 GM powers bro, he isnt leaving

 

2 things would absolutely make the Grizzlies a better matchup for the Rockets:

1. Depth. This year, if the Rockets are going to pull an upset, they're going to need like 2 incredibly hot shooting nights (15+ 3s), 1 foul trouble game where a star player on the opposing team just never gets in a rhythm, and a James Harden "I'm the best player on the court" game. When comparing the two teams, it's just easier to get big men into foul trouble, and the Grizzlies don't have nearly as deep a bench if any of their starters get 2 quick ones early. CP3 is simply too smart to ever be limited by fouls, and he's the heart and soul of the Clippers. Both teams have outstanding wing defenders Prince/Allen vs Barnes/Hill, but you've also got Bledsoe for the Clippers, who's far better than anyone coming off the Memphis bench.

2. Style. As good as the Grizzlies are at controlling tempo, Chris Paul is just a level above everyone else. As I said before, the Rockets are going to have to win at least 2 track-meet, no defense games, and I just don't have confidence that they can do that against an offense that's arguably just as good as theirs. The Grizzlies play elite defense, but even elite defense can get beaten if guys start making contested 3s, and you could envision Memphis simply getting outpointed by trading 2 for 3. Los Angeles has shooters galore in their lineups, and will undoubtedly score on the Rockets porous defense.

Either way the Rockets would be heavy underdogs, and I would be ecstatic if they were able to get 3 home games, even if the outcome of the series was never in doubt.

 

the clippers are a hoax. Most people saw them for who they were, I doubt they'll even get HCA in the playoffs. Denver and memphis are better.