I think Nate and his assistant coaches will review the tapes and allow each of those coaches work with their players that they are assigned to. Nate rotates his bench a lot , noticing if teams are going small, big , or quick on the floor. He does a decent balance with this during the season which has benefited our players getting experience throughout our bench. Fry is on an upswing now and hopefully no one else in the club gets the Flu like Batum did. I think Batum, Frye, Oden and Przy will get ample minutes to attack Yao and company. Wafer and Brooks got Portland the last time and I think they will be circled as players to be focused on. We also didn't have Oden in Houston on February 25th, 2009.
really? I didn't see Brandon having much trouble getting free for good looks the last time they matched up, and that was something I went into the game looking for. Neither of those two can match his quickness especially the way he runs guys off screens. Heck, for the same reason Roy doesn't seem to have any problem getting good looks vs Kobe with the game on the line. Heres guessing he's shaking whoever is initially guarding him and collapsing their D all series just like he's done to the league all season. STOMP
I didn't say I was counting on limping Yao, I was comparing mismatches. Portland has two obvious ones that are at least equal to Yao vs Gregzilla. I probably should have included Artest vs Batum, but I liked how Nic did vs Ron last game. I also was comparing injury situations... We'll see if Yao's troublesome foot flares up again, but remind me how many games Blazer players have been missing of late to injury? My analysis was which team was healthier and it seems to me that Portland missing Webster vs Houston missing McGrady alone makes that a landslide advantage Portland. right, but as my link indicates whats always been true... neither ever has been a two guard as both are much bigger. Speed kills especially at the wing spots and those two can't keep up with Brandon. so basically you aren't correct in much of your critique of my analysis STOMP
You could look at this as Portland has never lost in a playoff series and Huston has lost, what, three times!!!!!
tmac was playing hurt all year. the rockets have been much better since he shut it down. the rockets really have no injury worries at this point. it doesn't matter than neither have been a two guard in the past. both guys have consistently defended the other team's best perimeter player regardless of whether that player was a two guard or small forward. the two of them are the best duo in the league to throw at roy to attempt to defend him.
My prediction: You guys are gonna hate Shane Battier (sp?) with a passion. He is gonna make Roy's life a nightmare. My personal (viewing)experience: Last year in one of the LAL/HOU games I saw the greatest defense EVER played on Kobe Bryant. Im not talking about a night where Kobe just happened to be off, but where Shane MADE him suck. You guys will see this soon...Shane has an amazing ability to but his hand 2-3 inches away from a players eyes without touching his face or arms when the offensive player is shooting. He is able to do this time and time again without fouling, its rather amazing. Win or lose...Shane Battier will be in all of your nightmares...especially Roy
Lol. I was just thinking that Shaq has a lot more experience shooting NBA free throws than Steve Blake. What doesn't kill you doesn't necessarily make you stronger. Sometimes it just reinforces the sucking.
I badly wanted us to trade for Shane Battier; I love the way that guy plays. It's tough for me to hate a guy who plays good, legal D. On the other hand, I HATE Bruce Bowen. He's a dirty, cheap player. Brandon Roy can't win this series for us. It's going to take LaMarcus Aldridge and Travis Outlaw going for at least 18 per night each. I propose going at this team with Roy at the point, Rudy at the two and Travis at the three. The Rockets have two elite perimeter defenders, not three.
ohhhhhkay! Missing arguably their best player... no big deal! Shane played 2 guard a lot early in his career with the Griz but he's slowed noticeably since. This is not a good matchup for them as neither has the quickness to keep up with Brandon who'll easily be able to get his vs what you deem the best duo in the league to cover him. If that were truly so, I'd feel better about the Blazers championship hopes. Kobe + anyone easily tops Artest and Battier. So does LeBron + anyone and a healthy Spurs club (w/Manu). There are others too. We shall see the games soon enough... STOMP
I have strong faith that the Lakers would win that series, but yes, Portland concerns me more than any other team in the west right now...but at the same time I think most teams dont have as much of a problem as the Lakers do with POR...so yes with all due respect and flattery, Im hoping Houston beats you guys to make life easier for the Lakers.
I think Houston has FAR more pressure on them then Portland does. The Rockets are a team that has choked in the playoffs for the last several years. It seems to me that a significant percentage of their fans don't believe they will be able to pull it out. That and in what was a hugely important game they had a big lead in they came up empty. If Portland takes the first 2 games I wonder if doubt will start to creep into the Rockets minds.
this season, tmac wasn't anything close to arguably the rockets best player. in fact, it is very arguable that him just being on the floor was a negative for the team this season with his physical state. look at what the rockets did with him and what they did without him. tmac was absolute shit this season. roy isn't a good matchup for any defender. he's one of the best players in the league. he is going to get his(or get other people their's by drawing tons of attention away from them). but no team in the league has two perimeter defenders the caliber of battier and artest to guard roy(and any perimeter player). both battier and artest are better defenders than kobe and both battier and artest are better defenders over the course of a game than lebron(though his athleticism along with his defensive skills would make him the better choice over a small number of possessions). the spurs with a healthy manu? are you crazy? bowen is slowing down and manu has always been overrated as a defender and never at the level of battier or artest.
