Houston with clinched HCA

[SpursDynasty]

I am pretty much shocked after how Utah started this season, that Houston ended up having home court advantage. I really hope Utah wins the series as they will give Dallas more compe ion in the 2nd round (Went 2-1 vs Dallas this season, all games with Dirk and Howard in).

I still think the NBA should either do away with divisions, or if they are going to have divisions, guarantee the top 4 seeds homecourt advantage. Stern says they want to reward the division winners in some way due to how scheduling plays out with having divisions.

It's pretty re ed for a 5th seed to open with homecourt advantage. Or for a 6th seed to have homecourt advantage in the playoffs in the first round (last year). Vice verse. Dallas, Phoenix, and Utah are all the division winners in the West, yet Utah doesn't have homecourt.

Interesting day tomorrow. Golden State could clinch a playoff spot with a GS win and Clippers loss. GS has Dallas, Clippers have Phoenix.

[Roxsfan]

Why, they have a better record. So if you win the shiity NW division, that's supposed to mean something. Roxs have a better record than Utah and the only reason it was ours to take and not theirs to take was due to the following:

Most dominant center Yao out 32 games, Tmac out 10 games.


The only reason roxs did not do well overall against the mavs was b/c only the first game had Yao and Mac...thats it. So your comment about the jazz giving mavs more competion is bs.

WHAT JAZZ FANS THINK:
http://jazzfanz.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=22104

[trueD]

SpursDynasty, I can appreciate good sportsmanship, but wanting your team to play Utah because they would give Mavs more compe ion? DAYUM.

Houston is a sleeper in the west imo, and with a healthy ballclub is better than Utah by a mile. I call bull !

[ponky]

no shock whatsoever with yao out half the season and t-mac also out for some time...the rockets are much better than the jazz, they just haven't had the opportunity to showcase their full starting lineup for most of the season.

[mardigan]

I just cant understand why Phoenix are playing 7 guys so much still. You would think they would want to rest up

[Xylus]

I just cant understand why Phoenix are playing 7 guys so much still. You would think they would want to rest up

ing D'Antoni...

[SpursDynasty]

I just cant understand why Phoenix are playing 7 guys so much still. You would think they would want to rest up

I know why teams with 60+ wins and decided seeds are still playing their starters this late in the season. I've already posted it a few times, so no need for me to say it again. It starts with P though.

[mardigan]

You should see how many minutes most of their players played tonight. Everyone starter over 30 minutes, Marion even played 40. I just dont get what D'Antoni is doing

[Next Superstar]

Utah has been in a absolute nosedive the past month, they are pretty lucky they played so well early. They just arent a very quick or athletic team. Against teams like the suns and warriors they just cant keep up. Utah seems like a team everybody would want to play in the playoffs. The Jazz-Rockets series might set offensive bball back a good 50 years, its probably going to be tough to watch.

[ponky]

I just cant understand why Phoenix are playing 7 guys so much still. You would think they would want to rest up

this is one of the reasons i think the warriors have the eight spot locked up, i just don't think d'antoni will chill and allow the suns to rest even if it means a loss (they have to play the clippers)...he's so crazy and passionate about winning that he doesn't want to lose even if it's a meaningless game that will give his guys some rest

[trueD]

You should see how many minutes most of their players played tonight. Everyone starter over 30 minutes, Marion even played 40. I just dont get what D'Antoni is doing

Yep, tomorrow against the Clips 90% they'll be running again...

Maybe we'll see that momentum has it's merits. Plus, they'll have the rest of the week off.

[J.T.]

Actually I am sure the Mavs would rather play Utah than Houston. Houston is scary good when TMac and Yao aren't hurt. Utah is very beatable, especially with how they've been playing after the ASB. I think Houston vs Dallas could easily go 7 games.

[NBA Junkie]

As much crap as Garnett has gotten for failing to get the Wolves out of the first round, the same should be said for Tracy McGrady, but for some reason, nobody ever mentions it.

[mabber]

Actually I am sure the Mavs would rather play Utah than Houston. Houston is scary good when TMac and Yao aren't hurt. Utah is very beatable, especially with how they've been playing after the ASB. I think Houston vs Dallas could easily go 7 games.

Without a doubt. I will be pulling for the Jazz and/or a long series.

[AZLouis]

Yep, tomorrow against the Clips 90% they'll be running again...

Maybe we'll see that momentum has it's merits. Plus, they'll have the rest of the week off.

During the 04-05 season when Phoenix had tied the franchise record for wins in a season, they had one game left in the season versus Sacramento and Antoni chose to rest Nash and Marion and got blown out 132-107.

But it'll be an interesting dynamic with the 8th seed unsettled.

GS has given Dallas fits this season. Though I think Dallas would beat them handily in a 7 game series, they have a better chance of wearing down the Mavs than the Clips do.

[leemajors]

As much crap as Garnett has gotten for failing to get the Wolves out of the first round, the same should be said for Tracy McGrady, but for some reason, nobody ever mentions it.

isn't that always brought up when he is in the playoffs? they play the second round soundbyte all the time on PTI.

[Flopper]

As much crap as Garnett has gotten for failing to get the Wolves out of the first round, the same should be said for Tracy McGrady, but for some reason, nobody ever mentions it.

what the are you talking about? people ALWAYS bring up the fact that Tracy hasn't gotten out of the 1st round.

[nsrammstein]

I respect the Rockets more than the Jazz. Sure people may think that the Mavs are the least intimidating 66 win team ever, but I seriously do not give a .

[mabber]

As much crap as Garnett has gotten for failing to get the Wolves out of the first round, the same should be said for Tracy McGrady, but for some reason, nobody ever mentions it.

Garnett has taken his team to the WCF's. T-Mac not ever getting out of the first round is discussed widely every year.

[traitoravery]

I really hope Utah wins the series as they will give Dallas more compe ion in the 2nd round.

No they wont. T-Mac is on a mission right now did you see that shot the other night against PHX. If i were Mavfan I would be kinda scared

[ponky]

No they wont. T-Mac is on a mission right now did you see that shot the other night against PHX. If i were Mavfan I would be kinda scared

He's not the only one on a mission. Anyway, we've handled T-Mac and Yao before in the playoffs and it WAS scary and should we meet them again, I don't think we'll be on the losing end of the stick at the end of the series but I could easily see the series going seven games again. I relish the thought of seeing the Rockets/Mavericks matchup in the playoffs. The series would be fun, entertaining, compe ive and I've always liked the Rockets as a team.


BTW, people should stop using the word *scared*, it's kind of silly for a kid's game and when all these teams are playing well.

[LEONARD]

So you're still not admitting that you've been wrong about Houston all season Jeff??

SpursDynasty, I can appreciate good sportsmanship, but wanting your team to play Utah because they would give Mavs more compe ion? DAYUM.

Houston is a sleeper in the west imo, and with a healthy ballclub is better than Utah by a mile. I call bull !

Jeff has been saying all season that Houston sucks and Utah is an elite team with SA, Dal, & Pho