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@  Cooper : (26 March 2014 - 03:02 AM) The west playoffs are going to be a lot less predictable than usual, you could make a logical argument for each team being able to win a series or two.
@  Drew in Abilene : (26 March 2014 - 02:55 AM) Memphis would certainly pose a challenge in the first round... Though I think I might still prefer a first round series vs the Grizzlies and second round vs. the Spurs as opposed to a one-two punch of Golden State or Portland then the Thunder.
@  Dan G : (26 March 2014 - 01:00 AM) There's even a chance that Memphis moves up to the 5th seed and that would be horrible for us if we stay the 4th seed.
@  Dan G : (26 March 2014 - 12:58 AM) YaoMan makes a good point but with the way Portland is playing, they are likely to end up being the 6th seed rather than the 5th. It would be beneficial for us to move up to the 3rd, and we have an outside chance at the 2nd seed.
@  Drew in Abilene : (25 March 2014 - 11:02 PM) I agree with YaoMan. I think those two teams represent a great opportunity to establish ourselves with a deep playoff run.
@  YaoMan : (25 March 2014 - 03:17 PM) My thoughts are, based on how we match up with certain teams, perhaps sitting in the 4th seed would be favorable. Getting Portland in the 1st round and SA in the second are teams Rockets have success against. Of course, never count out SA in the playoffs...
@  Cooper : (24 March 2014 - 06:02 PM) Are you really better if you get 2 seed and bounced in round 2 than 4 seed and a WCFs appearance?
@  rocketrick : (24 March 2014 - 05:11 PM) Yes because our team, my team, the Rockets, continue to improve
@  rockets best... : (24 March 2014 - 05:01 PM) even if that means playing a teams we match up against poorly?
@  rocketrick : (24 March 2014 - 04:53 PM) Simple. Its called Home Court Advantage in 2nd round. Period. End of Story.
@  rockets best... : (24 March 2014 - 04:51 PM) @rocketrick, since you want us to climb in the standings. how do you think that can benefit us in the playoffs?
@  rocketrick : (24 March 2014 - 04:37 PM) What????????
@  rockets best... : (24 March 2014 - 04:37 PM) there goes that negative positivity again
@  Drew in Abilene : (24 March 2014 - 04:37 PM) @rocketrick, please make sure to be respectful of other posters, whether that be in comments on the forum or in the shoutbox.
@  rocketrick : (24 March 2014 - 04:34 PM) Of course other teams are making the same push
@  rockets best... : (24 March 2014 - 04:33 PM) we aren't the only ones making a playoff push
@  rockets best... : (24 March 2014 - 04:33 PM) yes I did....however they have a history of beating these teams
@  rocketrick : (24 March 2014 - 04:32 PM) Rockets should and obviously are STRIVING RIGHT THIS MINUTE FOR #2 Seed for Second Round Home Court Advantage/ DUHHHH>>>>
@  rocketrick : (24 March 2014 - 04:30 PM) how about the challenging teams they play..........whoops didn't consider that right????
@  rockets best... : (24 March 2014 - 04:30 PM) besides the position we are in now is favorable

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Houston Rockets 129, Minnesota Timberwolves 106 - Balance of Power


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#1 Red94

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    Posted 21 March 2014 - 02:54 AM

    New post: Houston Rockets 129, Minnesota Timberwolves 106 - Balance of Power
    By: Rob Dover

    The Rockets were handed the benefit of the schedule tonight as the Minnesota Timberwolves came into town off the back of an overtime game against Dallas the night before. Though the Timberwolves came out of the gates quickly, they faded noticeably as the game went on and the Rockets slowly but surely pushed the game out of reach. In their second consecutive clinical showing, the battle hardening that comes from playing a string of playoff contenders was in full evidence - the team played efficiently and from the moment they drew level in the second quarter the result never really seemed in doubt. A very balanced attack (7 players in double figures) and some hot shooting from behind the arc allowed them to blast their way to 129 points, and it's difficult to lose if you can put that many on the board in regulation.

    Thoughts:

    • Both teams were missing their starting centres tonight, but that hurt the Timberwolves a lot more than the Rockets. For Houston it was a further chance to see Asik get extended minutes, and their excellent depth means that they have plenty of big bodies to fill the void on the bench. Minnesota promoted Gorgui Dieng in the absence of Nikola Pekovic, and while he played very well there was a distinct lack of cover when he and Love went to the bench (normally Turiaf would play that role for the Wolves but he was also injured tonight). It's worth highlighting the incredible performance of Dieng though - he finished with 22 points and 21 rebounds! On this evidence he looks to be a bright prospect for the Timberwolves' future. Maybe there are some decent rookies lurking among the weeds after all.
    • I was really encouraged by what I saw from Asik tonight. Since coming back from his knee injury he has looked tentative and uncoordinated, but tonight (after shaking off the rust in an opening stint where he was thoroughly outplayed by Dieng) he showed signs of significant improvement. What was most encouraging was that he seemed comfortable receiving the ball just inside the dotted line in the paint - much further out than his regular comfort zone. Several times tonight he had the ball in this area and was able to take the ball to the basket, either finishing or getting fouled. Even at his best last year this was not something he was capable of doing consistently, and the further he can extend his finishing range around the basket the more valuable he becomes. He also continued to set crunching picks that got the guards open time and time again for three point shots. Kirk Goldsberry recently talked to Truehoop about how the screen-setting is the most undervalued skill in basketball, and on the basis of tonight I think Asik would probably have scored very highly.
    • Another player who had an excellent game for the Rockets tonight was Donatas Motiejunas. This was probably the best I've seen him play all season - he was confident and fluid in the post, active defensively but without picking up the silly fouls he seems to get tagged with all the time, and seemed to be hitting everything he tried. He finished with 20 points (on 9-11 shooting) and 6 rebounds. What I saw from him tonight was a level of clinicalness that I haven't seen before, especially when matched up against a smaller defender. When both teams went small in the second quarter he feasted against the 6'8" Dante Cunningham, and he made no mistake whenever he found himself in the paint against the diminutive JJ Barea. It remains to be seen if he can maintain this level of play, particularly when he doesn't have a size advantage, but if he can it will be a major boost for the team.
    • The Rockets recovered from a slow start using a line-up of Beverley/Lin/Harden/Casspi/Motiejunas. While this group is unlikely to see heavy minutes together when everyone is healthy, it's an intriguing one because everyone is capable of stepping out to hit the outside shot and on tonight's evidence I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more of it. The great spacing it provides leaves Motiejunas room to go to work inside, and really supercharges Harden's drive-and-kick game.
    • One thing I've noticed is that Lin seems more confident taking pull-up jumpers than he used to be. In the past he would look to pivot in the paint if his driving lane was cut off, often losing the benefit of the havoc created by the initial penetration. Recently though he seems to be making an earlier decision to shoot in those situations, and it's paying off. There have been a couple of tough shots he has made in recent games (in particular that one in the overtime against Portland), and he had a few more tonight. There are several potential playoff opponents with good shot-blockers (the Thunder and the Clippers spring to mind) that this will come in very handy for.

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    #2 Buckko

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      Posted 21 March 2014 - 06:55 AM

      It has been very entertaining to see Dmo develop tonight. We've all seen him have the pieces to the game like a puzzle, just not together. However with the recent light bulb of defense turning on in his head and tonight's showing of all his skill-sets shown fluently together, we can start discussing that he has learned how to put the pieces together.


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      #3 feelingsupersonic

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      Posted 21 March 2014 - 12:48 PM

      In your second point about about Asik taking the ball to the basket I am reminded by Jeff VanGundy's comments on Howard. Yesterday I was rewatching the Rockets Heat game and VanGundy pointed out the 3 or 4 times where Howard from as far as the free throw line took the ball to the basket and once even dished as he penetrated in the paint. I wonder if it's a coincidence or if the Rockets bigs have been influenced by the drive and kick game. Who knows.


      Thanks for the recap Dover.
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      #4 BrentYen

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      Posted 21 March 2014 - 04:33 PM

      Asik was from Bulls, they did a lot of plays that Center stays around high post I think.


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      Is a big Jeremy Lin fan and was a big ROX fan. More importantly, a huge bball fan in general.


      #5 feelingsupersonic

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      Posted 21 March 2014 - 08:30 PM

      I'm pretty sure Asik wasn't capable of such movement even last year BrentYen.
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      #6 BrentYen

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      Posted 22 March 2014 - 02:02 AM

      @FSS, I can not disagree with you on this......lol.


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      Is a big Jeremy Lin fan and was a big ROX fan. More importantly, a huge bball fan in general.


      #7 08huangj

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        Posted 22 March 2014 - 05:13 AM



        kk


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        #8 ale11

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        Posted 24 March 2014 - 06:42 PM

        In your second point about about Asik taking the ball to the basket I am reminded by Jeff VanGundy's comments on Howard. Yesterday I was rewatching the Rockets Heat game and VanGundy pointed out the 3 or 4 times where Howard from as far as the free throw line took the ball to the basket and once even dished as he penetrated in the paint. I wonder if it's a coincidence or if the Rockets bigs have been influenced by the drive and kick game. Who knows.


        Thanks for the recap Dover.

         

         

        Jones seems uncapable yet. We all think of him as a great ball-handler who could somehow be a tweener, but he seems unable or unwilling to kick it out every time he drives. Sometimes it seems ugly and I'd like for him to kick it out if a teammate is open (which most of the times, there's one completely unguarded in the corner).

         

        Overall, it's nice that he is contibuting to the team though, he'll find the balance between getting his and finding the open shot eventually


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        #9 thejohnnygold

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        Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:12 PM

        I agree and he has had some nice alley-oop passes to Dwight when driving.


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        #10 YaoMan

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          Posted 25 March 2014 - 10:06 PM

          I agree and he has had some nice alley-oop passes to Dwight when driving.

          Yeah his interior passing off the drive isn't bad but his kick-outs to shooters seems to be non-existent.  I'm hoping that's something he will develop and understand as he progresses.


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