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Portland's too soft for Houston.
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/sports/...-Portland.html
Pity the Houston Rockets, who could be bounced in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Maybe that is a bad example because the Rockets slump every year right after tax day, just like the swallows coming back to Capistrano. But we could just as well end up pitying San Antonio or Denver or New Orleans.
We should pity whoever gets the Portland Trailblazers in the first round, because that is going to be one tough out and is likely to go seven games.
The young Blazers have turned the Rose Garden into a fortress, having recently beat the Lakers, Spurs and last night the Suns there. And the Spurs and Suns didn’t just lose, they got blown out. The Suns came in a team desperate for wins just to make the playoffs, and they were down 8 at halftime and just got steamrolled in the third quarter.
To beat the Blazers in a best of seven, you had better defend your home court because you know they are going to defend theirs. Portland is 29-7 at home and starting to play their best basketball now. After years of disappointment in Portland — from the era of the “jailblazers” to the struggles of Greg Oden — they are ready to rally behind their team. That arena is going to e rockin’ for the first round.
And the Blazers have the talent to steal a game on the road, too. Brandon Roy is one of the best, most physical ball handling guards in the league. Not only can he drive with quickness, but he is so strong it is hard to keep him off the spots he wants to get to on the floor.
LaMarcus Aldridge has quietly become one of the best, most efficient power forwards in the game. Steve Blake can bomb away from deep if you collapse your defense on Roy or Aldridge. The Blazers have one of the most active benches around, with Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Rodriguez, not to mention the ball of energy that is Travis Outlaw.
And all of those guys just seem to play a little better in the Pacific Northwest.
The Eastern Conference has more championship-caliber teams at the top, but there is nobody in the bottom half of the bracket that remotely scares Boston or Cleveland. The first round in the East will be primarily exercise for the best teams. The West may only have the Lakers as contenders, but rest assured they do not want Portland in the first round. Los Angeles hasn’t won in Portland in four years.
And they don’t want to have to find out how to do it in the playoffs. Nobody does. Which is why we should pity Houston — the current match up — or whoever draws the Blazers in the first round. There may not be a second round for them.
Portland's too soft for Houston.
I think that the Rockets would very much like the Portland team. I don't think the Blazers can beat this Rockets squad.
Blazers vs Rockets would be a great series
It wouldn't go more than five. We are a matchup problem for them, like Utah is a matchup problem for us.
If there was a team the Mavs could hand pick, it'd be these chumps.
I don't think id mind the mavs in the playoffs being as they usually play worse in the playoffs than they do in the regular season. Don't get me wrong the mavs are usually a awesome regular season team.
first time in 8 years rockets leave the 1st round
Young teams tend to implode at the first signs of real pressure. Portland is still going nowhere this year. Brag all you want about regular season games. You'll join the ranks of teams who just remember could of, would of, should ofs...
Oden will retire ringless*, unlike Bynum.
*As long as he remains a JailBlazer
Blazers I think have the best chance of an upset out of the bottom 4 right now
The blazers are a joke. Bring it mother ers.
sounds like they are getting too big for their britches lately. they will get a reality check in the playoffs
i actually found this pretty funny. Hey if Pryz thinks he can guard Yao than sure.
I'd love a Houston-Portland matchup. Absolutely love it. Portland thinks they are the now. Reality will hit them like a ton of bricks come playoff time.
Is that like a Royale with Cheese?drive with quickness
I don't know why you keep posting this. Everyone wants Portland in the first round.
Blazers suck major donkey ass
Kust kidding
I like this Blazers team
Portland will be our favorite matchup. Oden and Przbilla is too slow to do fronting on Yao and Yao will have a field day on defense because neither of the Blazers' centers can step out and shoot the jumpshots. Roy is playing great and he plays physical but so does Artest and Roy doesnt have the speed to blow pass him. the only concern i have is Aldridge but hes not going to win the series alone
We struggled in game one vs Portland because McGrady was still hobbling around court and Aldridge was torching us, shooting nearly 80% with Scola guarding him. Game two, McGrady was gone and a switch was made to give Hayes time on Aldridge which pretty much shut him down. Bottom line is we have lockdown defenders at all positions where Portland is strong, and Portland can't contain Yao. That is a strong advantage for Houston.
Aaron brooks quickness and yoa being well yoa, are two huge mismatches for portland, houston is playing great ball together after puting the mcgrady headache to the side for the rest of this season they are a scary team in my eyes.
Just Tlong11 ing in his cheerios again!
and you think rockets are afraid of sir-flop-a-lot???
HEY INDAZONE, PUT THAT JESSICA ALBA SIG BACK UP PLZ!!!
Last edited by djohn2oo8; 03-29-2009 at 10:13 AM.
It really doesn't matter but the one team I would prefer not to see the Lakers play is the Suns. My boy Shaq could raise havoc without a healthy Bynum.
Rockets in 5...MAYBE 6.
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