Which 1st/2nd round team will most challenge Rockets?

I think the rockets can handle anyone in the first round, NO can't guard CP3 and James, POR has no offense and we are the kryptonite for their defense, Denver has no defense and can't keep up with us on offense. The Clippers? Please, we would have blown them out both times if our best 3 were healthy.

In the 2nd Round? the only team I would fear is OKC, because them grabbing the 3 seed would require them going on some stupid run to close out the season, including the star players fully "gelling" at that point. Then again, it is Westbrick and we all know he has a knack for blowing 4th quarter playoff leads.

 

I know we are favorites but we should try to be less 'self centered' about our strength and their weaknesses.

 

This is not the East.
There is no easy path to the promise land in the West.
Just gotta grind and hope for a little luck.

Would like to avoid LAC, OKC, and the Spurs if at all possible.

 

I want to see a team like the nuggets 8th seed with paul Milsap somehow take the warriors to 7 games and make them tired as crap, along with the spurs/thunder. Watch out it looks like the thunder are about to make a run to challenge the 3rd seed.

 

Don't jinx us please! First we need to ensure Clint, James AND Chris all stay healthy to stand a chance against anyone.

 

Sure we can take the 1st seed but we'll likely end up with the 2nd seed and I see the best case scenario for us is if Thunder/Spurs end up as 4/5 and the winner of that series plays the Warriors in round 2 while we play one of Nuggets/Pelicans/Clippers in round 1 and (likely) TWolves in round 2.

 

I'm terrified of drawing the Clippers in round 1 and having it go seven games (or worse getting bounced).

 

If houston gets Pelicans then Wolves, They are lucky. Say if the wolves play spurs and take them to 7 games and win(Lenard out), and Thunder beat the clippers, it would be a dream senario. Warriors/Thunder would be neat to watch come playoffs, and if houston could take care of buisness with the twolves which will be hard on the road, but snag 1 road win before coming home, it could be over in 5.

Would be neat to see warriors/thunder goto 7, letting the rockets get fresh legs. Lets say if that all aligns correctly, + some rest to play them, playing game 1 at houston vs Thunder would be amazing. Harden would love playing westbrook in okc in the finals, and to see durant fall to his former team.

 

For me it’s still the team we face Friday, New Orleans.

Cousins/ADavis/Holiday.....Rondo, E’Twaun Moore. The two big guys playing at the same time may be a
handful for our small ball power forwards and Ryno.

Especially if they trade for a shooter or two, depth. E’Twaun is hitting 44% from 3’s & Darius Miller
at 42% from 3; but the others have dropped off since our last meeting.

 

This. I'm fine with the t wolves... we already showed the plan. Double teams on jimmy and Kat in the post, force them to shoot 3s and outscore them.

OKC is a matchup nightmare for us... Roberson is great against harden and capela, as great as he's been struggles with strength.

NO, again we'll have problems with but I think we'll be fine

 

I agree OKC, but not new Orleans. We'd kill em.

Ideally, I want Denver or Portland.


SIL

 

TWolves is the one that may surprise a lot of people. I can see them going into the finals actually.

 

a team that is bad at shooting 3s all around is not going to the finals. and they shoot the least. not in this time of pace and space basketball. that teams ceiling is a close 1st round battle.

 

Honestly, a lot can change in 3 months.

- Thunder can remain dysfunctional. Or the proverbial lightbulb can suddenly turn on, and they'll be one team no one wants to face, in the 1st round.
- Ditto for Minny. They're still trying to figure things out, but Butler and Towns is probably the scariest 2-5 duo in the league.
- Spurs will still be the consistent machine they are. They might make a trade. They'll probably have Kawhi back, by that point in time.

I don't think the Clippers are anything. And I think that, even though NO's 2 bigs are the best bigs in the league, the rest of that team sucks. Even Jrue.

 

Come on, now. The Spurs always have a fighting chance, no matter who they put out on the floor, because of Pop.

That team of "scrubs" blew out a Memphis team with Marc Gasol, in Memphis.

 

Why are you so sure Aldridge and Leonard won’t be available in the playoffs? Also Pop makes the best adjustments in a playoff series.

 

Here's what I'd like:

1st Round: Blazers or Nuggets

2nd Round: Timberwolves

 

some people just never learn with the spurs