My Rockets-Blazers Preview

Probably because that is impossible anyways. Maybe more so with me being a Blazers fan. Nevertheless, a good preview, with well thought out points. Naturally, I don’t agree with them all, but that’s okay. Still I would like to respond, and hence this post.

We have the top 2 perimeter defensive players in Ron Artest and Shane Battier to throw at Roy.

True, those guys are going to make Roy work for everything.

We have Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes, and Carl Landry to make Lamarcus Aldridge’s life hell.

Hayes has done a pretty good job on Aldridge in the past. Scola? Eh.

We also have a small Chinese guy named Yao Ming to potentially put everyone in foul trouble, granted that the refs call half the fouls that occur.

That would be the best advantage, to be sure. But this is the playoffs. If the refs call it consistent on both sides, then Yao fouling out our centers is also going to foul out Artest guarding Roy. However, like I said, it’s the playoffs. They usually don’t call ticky-tack stuff and let the guys play. Not an advantage for Yao. Of course, we’ll see if the officials really do let the physicality go or not. No one knows for sure with them.

That leaves us with the pg play. I can’t say this enough, I wish Kyle Lowry was starting. But since I don’t run things, ABZ has a speed advantage while Steve Blake has a fundamental advantage.

Spot on assessment.

Blake isn’t an offensive threat except the occasional spot up 3, so Brooks doesn’t have to work much on defense.

Stats sure make it look that way, but don’t sell Blake sort on his scoring ability. If needed, he’ll take that scoring guard mentality. Fortunately, it’s not needed very often. He would prefer to set up his team mates. But failing to respect his shot ends up with him dropping 20 on you. I’ve seen it happen too often to discount his scoring.

Hopefully he’ll use that extra energy to get into the lane and shoot a high percentage shot or dish it off to a cutting Scola or open 3 point shooter. And I pray that he just gives Yao touches. If Yao shoots about 20 shots a game, they win. Hold me to it.

That would be a good tactic for Brooks against the Blazers. But I wouldn’t hold my breath about Yao’s 20 shots. Portland’s defense seems to let the star have his night, but shut down the role-players that they need to win the game. Now, Portland has not been able to do this in Houston so far this year, but at home, with the energy the home crowd brings to this team, it really energizes our defense. I wish we could find a way to take that energy on the road with us.

Home court is very important because they have two of the best home records. While having mediocre road records.

Agreed.

That said, Houston should have swept Portland.

But didn’t.

The Blazers stole one at home from a 30 foot prayer.

I was indeed beautiful.

We didn’t have Battier that game,

Excuses, excuses.

and I’m sure if we did, those last 2 plays from Roy would have a worse chance of going in.

Shoulda, woulda coulda.

The Rockets will destroy them in Game 1.

This is not the same team you played in Portland in November. They have grown exponentially since then. They’re confident, collected, sure of their roles, and absolutely on fire. In November, they had lost three of four, not sure if they belonged in the discussion, and still getting to know each other out there. That was your best chance to take a game at Portland, and you missed it. That’s not to say that it would be impossible, but the odds have dropped considerably since that day long ago in November.

1-Because they lost to the Mavs and they will come back as they always do when losing a game they should have won.

Brand new season, and the Blazers are not the Mavs.

2- To send an early message to the Blazers.

The Rockets are not the only ones with a message to send.

3- They’re a young team, only 3 players have played in the playoffs.

I think this has been covered by almost every national media outlet out there. The Blazers do not play like a young team. They play with confidence and poise. They are ordered and understand what it means to be playing as a team. Those are things that young teams just don’t do, and those are the things that kill young teams in tough games. They simply have not let age be a factor all year.

As the top said, I’ll write this with no bias. I think the Rockets are the better team.

Without a doubt, they are very good. It will be a very tough series.

They’ve had so many injuries, and had to waste half the season just to find their identity. And they still managed to compete for the #2 seed.

Don’t forget, that you’re not the only ones.

The only way the Blazers might win, is with their youth. They’re a young team, and if they start knocking down a few shots, they could carry a lot of momentum and take this series. If they start missing a few shots, they could become reluctant to take any more shots.

That hasn’t been the the Blazers’ modus operandi all year, I’d be surprised to see it start now.

The bench will be very very very very important in this game. Partially because they will see a lot of minutes because this will be a very physical game and players will get in foul trouble or get tired.

Absoultely agree. Excellent point.

The Rockets bench should demolish the Blazers.

This I gotta see…

Von Wafer should offset any offense from Rudy Fernandez.

Hmm. Possibly true.

Carl Landry will abuse Channing Frye.

This is most definitely true, if Channing even plays. But I would be surprised to see him get 2 minutes a game, save foul trouble on our centers. In which case, Yao will eat Channing for breakfast. If Landry is matched up on Frye, then the game is already over, one way or the other.

Kyle Lowry will score almost at will against Sergio Rodriguez.

Two months ago, I would have agreed with you. But Sergio has come absolutely alive lately, on both ends of the floor. With his play lately, I have gone from seeing Sergio as a liability, to seeing him as a strength.

And on top of that, we’ll see minutes from our veterans, Brent Barry and Dikembe Mutombo. Both are high time play off performers so expect 3’s and finger wagging from them.

Brent Barry or Travis Outlaw? I noticed that you forgot him in your evaluation of our bench, which is a shame, because he’s our third leading scorer and all. Mutumbo is a good backup center, but so is one Greg Oden. Sure, not as good as the hype, but on the second unit, he’s simply unfair.

Ron Artest’s play will be very key in the playoffs. If he looks to score 40 points a game with 0 assists, the Rockets have a slim chance. If he looks to score 15 points with 4 assists, the Rockets have a very good chance. I’m not worried about defense because he always brings his defense.

I completely agree.

All I want from Shane Battier, is fantastic defense(which is a given). And 2-3 spot up 3’s. And I’ll be perfectly happy.

That’s all we want out of Nicolas Batum as well.

Luis Scola needs to go to work early. He needs to bang inside against Aldridge because he can easily get 20 points against him. Also he needs to make LA work on defense. I expect 16 points and 8 rebounds from him in this series.

I know Kelly Dwyer (a Bulls fan) is down of Aldridge’s defense, but he’s pretty good, and well equipped to deal with a Euro-style big man. This will be a good matchup for both players.

Yao Ming is the reason the Rockets are where they are. He’s the center of their offense. Everything must go through Yao unless it’s in transition. Yao and Scola must go to work early. I want them to have 80% of the Rockets shots in the 1st quarter. He has to score at least 20 a game with 10 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Absolutely right. Yao is going to be the toughest cover for Portland. They’ll have to front him a lot, maybe even with Aldridge. It worked for a while in the last game, but then the Blazers inexplicably went away from it.

Rockets will win this series in 6.

I say Portland in 5, but I’m a homer.

Tried and failed, it’s ok though. We love you for trying.

sorry. just switch outlaw and frye :D
i’m not going to lie. in my opinion it’s going to be a 6 or 7 game series. if houston wins game 1. they win the series in 6. if houston loses game 1. portland wins the series in 7.