<div class="quote_poster">Quoting HoustonHoopa33:</div><div class="quote_post">While I too think the Lakers should wrap this up in LA, I would not be the least bit surprised if the Rockets push this series to 6, or even 7...I am having a horribly hard time convincing myself that the Lakers are the better team in this series...</div> This is where your biased behavior plays a factor. There's no way the Rockets will win Game 5, or even push this series to Game 7. Let's be realistic man. You really believe the Rockets can come to Los Angeles and actually win three straight games from here on out? It would be very miraculous, and it would definitely shock the NBA world. The Rockets understood they had to win Game 4 to make it a three game series, but with Steve Francis' key turnover with 30 seconds left took away that prediction. With your team going to LA, their confidence will be drained completely. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting HoustonHoopa33:</div><div class="quote_post">are they more talented, yes...better team? arguable...however, to have this much trouble with an inexperienced and young team in the playoffs for the first time in five years should be humoring the Spurs and Kings nicely...how do you have four future hall-of-famers and only be winning the series by only 8 points over 4 games??? While on the outside it appears yall have a comfortble and relaxing 3-1 series lead, as a veteran squad you should remind yourselves that 1) it could EASILY be 3-1 Rockets, and 2) this type of play will get you NOWHERE v. SA or Sac...</div> More talented? Yes. Better team? Absolutely. That's if the Lakers want to play for 48 minutes with determination. We haven't seen that yet in the playoffs. Just because the Lakers haven't blown your Rockets away in this first round series, you just feel they're going to crumble against the other top teams in the West? C'mon now. The Lakers are very capable of destroying the Spurs, the Kings, and the Timberwolves. The question is, are they hungry enough to do battle for 48 minutes and dominate every category on both sides of the court? <div class="quote_poster">Quoting HoustonHoopa33:</div><div class="quote_post">Good game and all, but yall need to relax with your bold statements of how easy a series this is and was gonna be...its STILL not over, and yall are foolish to think otherwise...</div> It's pretty much over. Like I said earlier, the Rockets are through with this series. They blew their opportunity in Game 4, and there's no way Phil Jackson and the crew will allow the Houston Rockets to win three straight games.
well, considering that the Rockets could easily be up 3-1 in this series, I wouldn't completely count them out....however, beating the lakers three consecutive game is a daunting task...but I wouldn't go as far as to say game 5 is a lock...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">There isn't a heck of a lot of difference between 61% and 49%. Tim Duncan's free throw shooting is more bizarre to me. He was a mid-70% free shooter for many years, and all of a sudden he's become Shaq at the line.</div> 62% from 30% he's shooting now is a big difference. It would help out the Lakers alot.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting HoustonHoopa33:</div><div class="quote_post">While I too think the Lakers should wrap this up in LA, I would not be the least bit surprised if the Rockets push this series to 6, or even 7...I am having a horribly hard time convincing myself that the Lakers are the better team in this series...are they more talented, yes...better team? arguable...however, to have this much trouble with an inexperienced and young team in the playoffs for the first time in five years should be humoring the Spurs and Kings nicely...how do you have four future hall-of-famers and only be winning the series by only 8 points over 4 games??? While on the outside it appears yall have a comfortble and relaxing 3-1 series lead, as a veteran squad you should remind yourselves that 1) it could EASILY be 3-1 Rockets, and 2) this type of play will get you NOWHERE v. SA or Sac... </div> Doesnt matter if you win by 2 points or 20, a win is a win. Almost, should've, could've would've doesnt show up in the record books. If the rockets were the better team, they would of found a way to win those close games. They didnt. The suns gave the spurs trouble last year in the first round, but we all know who the better team was. As for houston giving LA a hard time, yes that is true but all season long, LA has been playing down to the level of its competition, which really annoys the hell outta me. But they do tend to pick their game up when they play better teams. As long as we win, its all good
