Deron Williams is out the next two games for Dallas. We sort of need them to lose atleast one of these games.
maybe if we win couple of rounds, the NBA will bow to the Rockets, and emulate their dysfunctional play of 3s, ISO, inconsistent D, playing down to bad teams and playing well against playoff teams, losing games in the clutch when having a lead. Fighting back after a big deficit, win that game just to lose the next 2 games and so on
Oh, I am fully aware the ramifications of making the playoffs and I don't care. I want the Rockets to make the playoffs and try to advance. Morey will probably buy a second round pick this year anyway.
I have a feeling this team, along with some newly acquired players, will come together and do well in the Play Offs if they make it. Just a hunch. It happens.
I said as soon as the Harden trade happened, that Durant will eventually never forgive his owner for destroying a perennial Finals team made up of 3 young players. That might have something to do with his decision. He knows his owner isn't about winning and about the dollars. Les has shown he will spend money when he thinks we're in a position to contend. I don't know if he'll come to Houston. But I think the above will play a role if he does decide to leave for greener pastures.
[rQUOTEr]http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on...things-to-know-about-the-rockets-playoff-push The Houston Rockets face the Indiana Pacers Sunday with considerable playoff ramifications for both teams. Here are four things you need to know about the Rockets' playoff chances. Spoiler 1. They've got the inside track on multiple fronts Houston has to hold off the Mavericks and/or the Jazz to secure a playoff spot. Their magic number is 10, and they only have nine games left, but that number's a little messy. They do control their own destiny, by virtue of the fact that they a. hold conference tiebreaker over Utah and b. play Dallas again with a 2-1 advantage already in season series. A win would not only secure tiebreaker over Dallas, but short their magic number by a game. 2. The Rockets' schedule seems tough on the surface, but is actually much softer They face Indiana, who has been inconsistent, on Sunday. Then they have their last tough stretch of the season, facing four more playoff teams in a row. However, they face the Cavs on Tuesday when LeBron James may rest, along with other Cavs starters as they work in some rest. Much of that may depend on how Toronto does Monday vs. OKC. Then the Rockets face the absolutely-reeling Bulls, the red-hot Thunder, and then the Mavericks, before closing the season vs. dregs in the Suns, Wolves, Lakers, and Kings. Let's count the last four games as wins, even though Houston always manages to find ways to disappoint us this year. That gets them to four of their magic number of ten. Let's lop off at last three more losses for either Dallas or Utah, because neither is going to go on that hot of a streak to close, especially with their respective schedules. So even in a toughest-case scenario, Houston only needs to find three wins out of Indiana, Chicago, OKC, Cavs when resting, and the Mavericks, and only two if one of those wins comes vs. the Mavericks. Effectively, if they win that game vs. the Mavericks, they're a lock. 3. They're playing... better than they have They've dropped three of their last four, so that sounds a little crazy, but in March, they are 7-6 , with the 13th-best offense, 10th-best defense, and ninth-best point differential per 100 possessions. After a rough start to the season, they've basically been a .500 team since the All-Star break. That may not seem like much to be excited about, but it's improvement, and all they need is to find the right first-round matchup and get hot. More importantly? Notice that defensive number. They are 10th in defense in March. That's huge. That's been their Achilles heel this season, in execution and design. Defense was what led them to the 2-seed last season, paving the route to a Western Conference Finals appearance. It was really the playoffs when their defense tailed off and they started to really struggle, despite reaching the WCF. If they can get back to that defense-first mentality, they can make a run. 4. Their path to a playoff run isn't all that crazy There's a decent chance that the Rockets can make a push for the six seed and a matchup with OKC by beating out Portland. There's an outside, desperate fling hope of them catching the Grizzlies for the 5-spot. Memphis is five games up in the loss column, but their closing schedule is a nightmare wrapped in a death gauntlet and their injury report reads like an extended history of every player to play for the team, ever. A 4-5 matchup vs. the Clippers would give them confidence after upsetting L.A. last year, especially the way they did it, coming back from down 3-1. A 3-6 matchup vs. OKC is also favorable, as they've hung with OKC this year and can counter their scoring punch with James Harden while matching OKC's interior size. And even a 2-7 matchup, while obviously a loss in most conceivable outcomes, isn't the worst of things. They've always played the Spurs well, and Dwight Howard is the kind of long, athletic center that gives him trouble. That's not a matchup the Rockets walk into saying "Welp, we're done," at the very least. The Warriors, on the other hand, very much are that matchup. The Rockets have no shot there and should do everything in their power to give themselves a puncher's chance by staying as far away from the Warriors as they can. You know, like every other team. The Rockets have had a disappointing season, but they're still in position to reach the postseason and they are still one of the most talented teams in the field. If they can just click at the right moment, Houston has the weapons to make a ruckus in the playoffs. They're not going to be a pushover, if they can mentally lock in and collectively decide that themselves. However, they have to close out these last nine games, and that starts with Sunday's game vs. the Pacers. [/rQUOTEr]
Once again, nice find, J.R.. That article certainly paints our playoff hopes in a brighter light. I don't agree with the author in the opinion that we'd have the same confidence playing the Clippers though. After what we did to them last year, they would look to destroy us and I never underestimate Doc's influence. Hate him or love him, the man is a great coach and motivator. The only thing that would be in our factor is the Clippers' turmoil and Blake Griffin coming back from his "injury." I cringe at the thought of James allowing JJ to go off every game, CP3 spinning Pat around or DJ/Blake decimating Dwight, based on his recent, God-awful showing. The Spurs? Terrifying. We match up with them better than GS, but IMO, the Spurs are the best team in the league. Their depth will show in the playoffs. OKC? It seems to be the popular choice. We've kept up, but at any moment, Durant and *****Break err Westbrook could go off for 35 each.
I still believe this!!! No way in hell a smart guy like Morey would allow JBB to keep playing Brewer with the way he's playing. No way in hell would you sit DMo the entire game in a must win situation. Morey doesn't want the 7th seed which is why we lost tonight. We had a glimpse of what this team can really do when we used all weapons at our disposal in the "real must win game" against OKC by playing Smoove, Goldilocks, KJ and barely played Brewer. This is Moreys' master plan, to get the 8th seed and have a redo with the Warriors with healthy Bev and DMo in the lineup. :grin::grin:
A rematch o the WCF without going through the fluff? Tanking to get the 8th seed? could be the stuff of legend.
Why do they want to play GSW, to get blown out 40pts every game and swepty 4-0. Whats the point. 14th pick sounds better.. but whatever.
Because they haven't humiliated fans enough this season and Houston fans can't get enough humiliation. So here they go one last time. Curry & the Warriors are gonna beat that ass.
This will be so embarrsing that houston will be a laughing stock of the nba. Not going to even watch game 1... meh.
