And thankfully, no more of this for the Rockets. Ever again.

Why? Tmac retiring or something? O_o

But this Portland team has grown tremendously this year. When you have 3 rookies with significant roles on the team surrounded by a group of other young players, that’s what is going to happen. There are so many examples of things that we worried about even at mid-season that are simply not a concern anymore. It’s surprised nearly all of us. Consider:

Batum has turned into a fantastic defender. Compare his performance against individuals from early in the year to later games. IE: the performances against Kevin Durant were night and day. He frustrated the hell out of Melo, even while battling the flu.

Outlaw has taken the biggest step of his career. He’s playing much better defense, going to the hoop instead of just taking jump shots…basically the argument that he hurts us as much as he helps has nearly vanished from our message boards. That’s saying something.

Rodriguez. Solidly claimed his position as backup point guard. I used to hate on this guy… I was wrong.

Rudy: Rudy’s always been amazing, but now he’s amazing AND knows how to play with his team.

Oden: Coming off the bench has been great for him, and he’s a matchup nightmare.

LaMarcus: The dude has straight stepped up his game and become what we all knew he could be. Shed the soft label.

Sorry, but that team that barely eked out a win has grown up.

In a vacuum, maybe… but the Blazers have gone from a team with a defensive efficiency at around twenty, to thirteenth in the league. Since Oden has come off the bench, in the last fifteen games, the Blazers have been the fourth best defensive team in the league.

So, McGrady going for 16 or 18 points or whatever it was in the November matchup meant nothing? He was on fire, your best offensive option.

I’m also so tired of the season series argument. Both teams defended home court. If there were four games played, a true season series winner could be named… but defending home court is expected.

and please stop making the argument about the growth of the blazers. Both teams have grown tremendously this season. Blazers have three rookies yeah yeah yeah…the rockets have wafer who is like a rookie, lowry who is new to the team and no mcgrady so our defense is better. Plus having three rookies isnt a good thing inthe playoffs so i dont know why yall blazers fans are excited about that

If the Rox are to win this series then punching portland in the mouth in game 1 with a solid win is a must. If we come back to Houston down 0-2 then in my eyes the series is as good as over. It’s time for our young bench to get their game faces on because the boys are going to need every ounce of help they can muster to win this series.

I’m inclined to agree with Dave, Rox in 6.

It should be a great series regardless of the outcome.

Love the rockets, shame the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the conference have to play in the first round.

Blazers traded for Von wafer, they knew he was decent when he gets minutes. But he is not as good as Rudy or Outlaw or Oden, which is why he was not re-signed. And he is argubaly your best bench player, so Portland has the advantage there.

As far the previous games, the only one that matters was the most recent one when both teams were had the players that will be playing in this series (e.g. Oden and no KneeMac). Houston rolled the Blazers, so the Rockets have to be confident at home.

But it will all come down to LMA. If he consistently scores in the paint, which he has been doing post all-star break against just about everybody, then Houston just does not have enough offensive fire power, espcially if they keep forgetting to get the ball to Yao in the 4th quarter.

I think this will be fantastic series, but PDX has the HCA and more weapons. Portland in 7, and Rockets are left figuring out whether they should keep Artest.

Landry didnt play in that game so thats another plus to houston if you say thats the only game that matters. Also, LMA had 22 and 9 against houston in the last game and came out on fire but then the rockets were able to slow him down, without landry who is probably the best defender for LMA. Aldridge will get his points but what will matter is artest and battier’s defense on roy because if roy is held in check the blazers dont have enough offensive firepower against the rockets half court d

“we won the season series 2-1*, neener neener neener!”

• is there because each team won at home and now the situation reverses in the playoffs.

And really? do you keep going back to that because there is simply no other good argument you can think up?

Maybe you’re just afraid that in the playoffs, teams scout each other out and take away the 1st and 2nd options and that scares you. Without Artest/Yao, what do you have? Von Wafer who couldn’t sniff the court in Portland? I’ll take my chances with our 10 weapons—i mean Frye might even start if he were on your team..and thats sad.

So come on. At least make some good arguments: i.e. Blazers are green. Blazers are a bunch of rooks. Roy has trouble with Artest’s physicality. Oden will be neutralized by the bigger Yao and get into earlier foul trouble because of his star status. LMA has thus far been pretty ineffective. PG is a weak spot for BOTH teams.

Something. Just not this crap about the season series. Especially when you call out the best closing team in the NBA for doing just that and don’t recognize the tear we’ve been on lately or that WE DIDNT TRY HARD in the last meeting because we had clinched the playoffs just before the game.

Give me a break.

The Blazers adjusted to playing without their injured SF from the beginning of the year and have worked on incorporating Batum, Rudy, and Oden. They are improved because they are gelling.

The Rockets change? Lose TMac for the season and trade away the starting PG. This is about even to you? Seriously?

Blazers in 6.

Granted, you will get slew of homer calls, and Yao will cry his way into a few fouls he shouldn’t get. It’s not a matter of IF Ron Artest goes insane and starts putting up bad jumpshots only a streetballer would consider high percentage, it’s WHEN. Sure, Aaron Brooks creates problems because that friggen june bug so fast, and Von Wafer has the “I couldn’t get off the Portland Bench when I was there” can of Pringles on his shoulder that I’m sure he’ll be dipping into for motivation every time he touches the ball, but that’s about it.

You can’t double B Roy in the 4th when Ron Ron gets tired without leaving Rudy or Blake open for 3. You can’t stop Aldridge from 15-18 feet, nor in transition. You can’t stop us. Portland has been chewing through teams in the past month, and although you have the season advantage over them, you can’t deny they have been playing much better in the last month than at any point prior in the year. It’s all going to come down to half court execution and who’s got the most horses in the stable. I think the Portland bench will outlast you, and I think the home court will play into our favor.

I like the blazers alot and same for the Rockets…. but the rockets basically have an all around better team than the young blazers have..Rickets will win in game 6. Blazers will have a better playoff chance next year when the team matures and they find a more stable center other than grandpa Greg.

the rockets can talk about good home wins. New Orleans twice, Dallas, Denver twice, San Antonio, Utah twice, Miami, Phoenix, Orlando, Atlanta, Cleveland (holding lebron to possibly his worst nba game), and your beloved blazers twice. Plus we beat Boston on the road with a clutch 3 by wafer, and orlando on the road. So yes the rockets struggled against the lakers, but we only played them with our current roster healthy once, and that was the artest-kobe game. Houston was 4-2 against the easts top 3 with wins at boston and orlando. The rockets dont match up well against the lakers but you cant hold that against them for the series against the blazers

Yes, our one win was close, but a win nonetheless. We would be even 2-2 if you would have come into the rose garden this month. Or 2-1 if we got to play you at home twice. Plus, what about the whole “regular season getting thrown out the door, it’s a new season,” crap people always mention? Really, either side can’t use old stats to prove much, it’s a new season, both teams have worked in new players and will try to employ new strategies. But, if you want to go there, the home team (portland) wins the series in seven.