A New Challenger Rises in the Southwest

[phxspurfan]

The Spurs just played a team that can seriously contend for a le. The Rockets (rockettes, sprockets) have been ridiculed as being post-Dream has-beens. But the reality is that they have always been that one piece, or piece of luck, away from being a true contender.

After always being labeled as a one-and-done playoff team, they are starting to show signs that they will finally break that habit, and sooner rather than later. Without T-Mac, they are winning as a team and everyone is playing hard, buying into the defensive game, while also playing steady offense.

The one hole, and X-factor, I see with their team is Aaron Brooks. If he can continue to learn the facilitator role and demonstrate he can handle playoff-type pressure -- pressure defense he was shown at times today -- the Rockets will exit the first round victorious and find themselves on a nice long/long overdue playoff run.

I see their chemistry improving just as the Spurs typically do in March. They look healthy, finally, and ready to challenge in the West as a dark horse.

[Spursmania]

I do agree they have clearly improved and have become another very good Western conference team, but I don't see them getting past the Spurs in a 7 game series or the Lakers for that matter. Thus, I do not believe they will be vying for the LOB against the Eastern conference winner.

[celldweller]

The Spurs just played a team that can seriously contend for a le. The Rockets (rockettes, sprockets) have been ridiculed as being post-Dream has-beens. But the reality is that they have always been that one piece, or piece of luck, away from being a true contender.

After always being labeled as a one-and-done playoff team, they are starting to show signs that they will finally break that habit, and sooner rather than later. Without T-Mac, they are winning as a team and everyone is playing hard, buying into the defensive game, while also playing steady offense.

The one hole, and X-factor, I see with their team is Aaron Brooks. If he can continue to learn the facilitator role and demonstrate he can handle playoff-type pressure -- pressure defense he was shown at times today -- the Rockets will exit the first round victorious and find themselves on a nice long/long overdue playoff run.

I see their chemistry improving just as the Spurs typically do in March. They look healthy, finally, and ready to challenge in the West as a dark horse.

All my SpursTalk Cash: ($7650) says one and done.

[rapliketp]

The Rockets play Utah next. Easily a loss for Rockets. The Spurs back at first in the SW division.

[crc21209]

The Rockets play Utah next. Easily a loss for Rockets. The Spurs back at first in the SW division.

No way the Rox win in Utah. We should be fine. Houston's next four games are at Utah, vs. Clippers, at Phoenix, and at the Lakers. We on the other hand only play 2 winning teams in the next 6 games. We got the Warriors, Hawks, Clippers, Hornets, Thunder, and Pacers.

[RocketsYAO11]

oh I think the rockets is a team without T-MAC
they played very hard tonight everyone should respect them

[MrChug]

i do agree they have clearly improved and have become another very good western conference team, but i don't see them getting past the spurs in a 7 game series or the lakers for that matter. Thus, i do not believe they will be vying for the lob against the eastern conference winner.

+1000

[MrChug]

oh I think the rockets is a team without T-MAC
they played very hard tonight everyone should respect them

I think we actually DO respect them, but it's not that we think they could beat us in a 7 game series that's all.

[Kai]

I do agree they have clearly improved and have become another very good Western conference team, but I don't see them getting past the Spurs in a 7 game series or the Lakers for that matter. Thus, I do not believe they will be vying for the LOB against the Eastern conference winner.

^ Pretty much the consensus opinion for us Rockets fans. We do still have a lot of room for improvement.

[timvp]

Meh, I'm not worried about the Spurs losing to the Rockets in a series. With Thomas to defend Yao, Udoka and Bowen to defend Artest and Parker in playoff defense mode defending Brooks ... I'd say the Spurs matchup extremely well with Houston. As long as the Big Three were healthy, I can't imagine the Spurs losing to the Rockets.

[whottt]

I bet Udoka's willing to pay for the Rockets to fly back and play the Spurs again tomorrow.

He was single handedly destroying the Rockets and then Pop pulled him when he was RED HOT.

[m33p0]

The Spurs just played a team that can seriously contend for a le. The Rockets (rockettes, sprockets) have been ridiculed as being post-Dream has-beens. But the reality is that they have always been that one piece, or piece of luck, away from being a true contender.

After always being labeled as a one-and-done playoff team, they are starting to show signs that they will finally break that habit, and sooner rather than later. Without T-Mac, they are winning as a team and everyone is playing hard, buying into the defensive game, while also playing steady offense.

The one hole, and X-factor, I see with their team is Aaron Brooks. If he can continue to learn the facilitator role and demonstrate he can handle playoff-type pressure -- pressure defense he was shown at times today -- the Rockets will exit the first round victorious and find themselves on a nice long/long overdue playoff run.

I see their chemistry improving just as the Spurs typically do in March. They look healthy, finally, and ready to challenge in the West as a dark horse.

you lost me at 'seriously'.

[024]

Meh, I'm not worried about the Spurs losing to the Rockets in a series. With Thomas to defend Yao, Udoka and Bowen to defend Artest and Parker in playoff defense mode defending Brooks ... I'd say the Spurs matchup extremely well with Houston. As long as the Big Three were healthy, I can't imagine the Spurs losing to the Rockets.

yeah i don't imagine the spurs losing to the rockets in the playoffs either. with a healthy team, the spurs can match up with any team not named the lakers. i would still like the rockets to drop two spaces, though, and face the lakers instead. rockets can still take on the lakers, especially if bynum is still not at fulls strength. brooks would burn fisher, rockets can throw artest and battier on bryant, and yao would own gasol. scola can probabaly defend odom pretty well and the rockets are just as deep as the lakers. i don't want the spurs to eliminate the rockets and in the process get rid of a legitimate challenger for the lakers.

[urunobili]

I bet Udoka's willing to pay for the Rockets to fly back and play the Spurs again tomorrow.

He was single handedly destroying the Rockets and then Pop pulled him when he was RED HOT.

uselss if Pop is going to a sloppy Mason and Fin at the end of the game.. doesn;t matter how hot u got... he's gonna ing bench you...

[screw_ston713]

I admire the Spurs organization but the spurs havent been playing at some high level above the rest of the west. The only clear favorite team to come out the west is Lakers. Spurs continue to blow leads, lose close games, and lose big games. No game seems to be of importance. Against lakers it was no big deal its just the regular season, the loss to Boston it was no big deal its just regular season, the loss to Rockets in a game against a divisional team to take sole position of the 2nd seed but its no big deal.

[tlongII]

I admire the Spurs organization but the spurs havent been playing at some high level above the rest of the west. The only clear favorite team to come out the west is Lakers. Spurs continue to blow leads, lose close games, and lose big games. No game seems to be of importance. Against lakers it was no big deal its just the regular season, the loss to Boston it was no big deal its just regular season, the loss to Rockets in a game against a divisional team to take sole position of the 2nd seed but its no big deal.

That is called rationalizing.

[Spursmania]

That is called rationalizing.

No, it's called realizing when a win is really essential. It's called recognizing when you need to win and when you'd like to win. The playoffs versus regular season games. The playoffs are must wins, no other game really is. We'd like to win them but they are not must wins. Now Playoffs? Those games are all that matters. It's where Champions are made and those, my friends, are what the Spurs live for.

[SynicFan]

The Spurs just played a team that can seriously contend for a le. The Rockets (rockettes, sprockets) have been ridiculed as being post-Dream has-beens. But the reality is that they have always been that one piece, or piece of luck, away from being a true contender.

After always being labeled as a one-and-done playoff team, they are starting to show signs that they will finally break that habit, and sooner rather than later. Without T-Mac, they are winning as a team and everyone is playing hard, buying into the defensive game, while also playing steady offense.

The one hole, and X-factor, I see with their team is Aaron Brooks. If he can continue to learn the facilitator role and demonstrate he can handle playoff-type pressure -- pressure defense he was shown at times today -- the Rockets will exit the first round victorious and find themselves on a nice long/long overdue playoff run.

I see their chemistry improving just as the Spurs typically do in March. They look healthy, finally, and ready to challenge in the West as a dark horse.

I applaud your unbiased approach

[phxspurfan]

Meh, I'm not worried about the Spurs losing to the Rockets in a series. With Thomas to defend Yao, Udoka and Bowen to defend Artest and Parker in playoff defense mode defending Brooks ... I'd say the Spurs matchup extremely well with Houston. As long as the Big Three were healthy, I can't imagine the Spurs losing to the Rockets.

See that's what I thought about the Rockets during the game. Except vice-versa: Yao was defending Duncan, Artest was defending the wings, Scola was schooling Bonner and Brooks was doing his best with Parker. The issue I am concerned with is whether Duncan will morph into Playoff Duncan. Because Yao, when uninjured, has had no problems stepping up his game in the playoffs, and we can assume Parker will perform. But can this team win, even against the Rockets, with one superstar at 100%?

If Manu comes back and has an impact, will Artest be able to slow him down?

[xtremesteven33]

Spurs over Rockets in 5

[arodz]

I see their chemistry improving just as the Spurs typically do in March. They look healthy, finally, and ready to challenge in the West as a dark horse.

Isn't that the same rederick we hear from Rockets fans every year? How high were they last season when they rode that 20 game win streak. How'd that work out in postseason?

[mytespurs]

Isn't that the same rederick we hear from Rockets fans every year? How high were they last season when they rode that 20 game win streak. How'd that work out in postseason?

But, to be fair, this is a new year and possibly a rockets team with a new at ude. This team has the talent to go far if they can put it together on all sides of the ball.

[Bruno]

Rockets and Blazers will be the easiest matchups for Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.

[urunobili]

Spurs over Rockets in 5

[Agloco]

The Spurs just played a team that can seriously contend for a le. The Rockets (rockettes, sprockets) have been ridiculed as being post-Dream has-beens. But the reality is that they have always been that one piece, or piece of luck, away from being a true contender.

After always being labeled as a one-and-done playoff team, they are starting to show signs that they will finally break that habit, and sooner rather than later. Without T-Mac, they are winning as a team and everyone is playing hard, buying into the defensive game, while also playing steady offense.

The one hole, and X-factor, I see with their team is Aaron Brooks. If he can continue to learn the facilitator role and demonstrate he can handle playoff-type pressure -- pressure defense he was shown at times today -- the Rockets will exit the first round victorious and find themselves on a nice long/long overdue playoff run.

I see their chemistry improving just as the Spurs typically do in March. They look healthy, finally, and ready to challenge in the West as a dark horse.

Now they've lost that one piece and are a contender.......