[Feigen] Rockets' return to health revives playoff optimism!

IzakDavid13 · Apr 18, 2014

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/spo...off-optimism-5411707.php?t=6dd7c9403df992f472

By Jonathan Feigen

April 17, 2014 | Updated: April 17, 2014 11:23pm

The Rockets' regular season had been over for roughly 15 minutes, ending with a defeat in New Orleans that did not seem to bother anyone in the losing locker room.

The game was not about the final score. But if there was any doubt, Pat Beverley - as he so often does - gave voice to the thoughts he and his teammates shared.

Beverley returned from the training room, dropped into his chair, and half sang/half shouted, "Playoff ti-ime!"

It would be accurate to say the Rockets have looked forward to this since Dwight Howard signed on last July. It is indisputable that they have been counting the days for the regular season to make way for the postseason, ever since their place as the Western Conference's fourth seed seemed assured and the matchup with the Trail Blazers likely.

That might have been part of the problem. While the Blazers have rolled into the postseason, winning nine of 10 games, the Rockets staggered to the regular-season finish line, needing late comebacks to edge portions of the Nuggets, Pelicans and Spurs. The Rockets won just two of the final five games, just five of the last 11.

Asked if the momentum the Blazers have and the Rockets lack heading into the playoffs can be important, Rockets coach Kevin McHale said: "Very much so."

Moments later, however, he added a qualifier and with it pointed to the Rockets' optimism as they head to Sunday's Game 1 at Toyota Center.

"A lot of it is, are you struggling (when) you have your whole team, or are you struggling because you have injuries?" McHale said. "We struggled mightily when we play (shorthanded). I don't know how that can surprise anybody. We struggled mightily in January and December when we didn't have our guys.

"When we have all our guys - which hopefully, knock on wood, we'll have for the Portland series - we've been solid. Before Christmas … we started to get practice time. Guys started getting healthy, and everybody started coming back, and you can really feel the momentum building. About the New Year on, we really had a great run. But every time we ended up losing two guys, three guys, we slumped."

The Rockets will need to be at full strength, and not only because they have played so poorly with players out and the Trail Blazers have almost never had anyone out, having used just two lineups this season, the fewest in NBA history.

Back in nick of time

Beverley and Howard, who have been back from injuries for three games, are especially crucial against Portland. Beverley can be a defender to slow guard Damian Lillard, while Howard is a force against the Blazers, averaging 25.5 points, his most against a Western Conference opponent, on 63.3 percent shooting. Lillard shot worse (38.5 percent to 42.7 on the season) and turned the ball over more often (4.0 per game to 2.4 on the season) against the Rockets.

Beverley seemed immediately up to speed after returning from his knee injury. Howard has been up-and-down since coming back from his sore ankle. If he can dominate as he has through stretches against Portland, he can expose the Blazers' lack of depth inside, especially with Omer Asik playing so well down the stretch.

Asik could even find himself playing with Howard again. Before that experiment was eventually deemed a failure, one of its best stretches included Asik's defense on LaMarcus Aldridge in an early-season win at Portland.

The problem is that the Rockets often need help on Aldridge, who averaged 26.8 points and 15.5 rebounds against them. As much as the Rockets are a different team when Terrence Jones is aggressive and effective, he has had trouble staying on the floor against Aldridge, averaging just four points and two rebounds against his hometown team. Donatas Motiejunas has struggled badly down the stretch. Aldridge, however, shot just 35.7 percent with Asik on the floor.

The series almost could not be more evenly matched going in. The teams had 54-28 records. The Rockets had a 3-1 edge in the season series but needed a stunning comeback to pull out an overtime win in the final meeting when James Harden had perhaps his best game of the season. Averaging 30.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists against Portland, he scored 20 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Animosity surfaces

There has even been some tension, with Blazers guard Wesley Mathews complaining about the calls Harden received and Lillard about the defensive tactics of Beverley. And that's before the playoff heat gets turned up.

"It's going to be a great series," forward Chandler Parsons said. "Portland has had a great year. But we're comfortable. We're confident playing against them. Everybody is getting healthy at the same time. We'll be ready to go."

Of course, the Blazers will feel the same way. Winning almost every night this month will do that. The Rockets can't claim that, but they have seen what happens when they are whole and get some practice time together.

"It is a concern," Howard said of the last-season slide. "But one thing I've noticed throughout my career is there are roller coasters during the season. There are times you are going down and there is a boost to go back up. I think we've hit our down already, and we're on our way back up. That's a good thing."
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It's Playoff Time!!!

I can't wait!!!

Let's Do This!!!

ThaShark316_28 · Apr 18, 2014

ITS CLOBBERIN' TIMEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

RedHotRockets01 · Apr 18, 2014

I'M SO F***ING FIRED UP ITS NOT EVEN FUNNY!!! LETS DO THIS H-TOWN!!!

Joshfast · Apr 18, 2014

Pull_Up_3 · Apr 18, 2014

SHOKI3 · Apr 18, 2014

man oh man i so excited!!!

Surfguy · Apr 18, 2014

Jeff Van Gundy picked us to win it all? That's like the kiss of death.

JHarden713 · Apr 18, 2014

can't wait

BigggReddd · Apr 18, 2014

Yay go team

Haymitch · Apr 18, 2014

But on a serious note...

vstexas09 · Apr 18, 2014

Let's not jinx it. Remember Yao in 2009??

<3myrockets · Apr 18, 2014

it's happening! [insert meme]

BabyBatterBoy · Apr 18, 2014

vstexas09 said: ↑

Let's not jinx it. Remember Yao in 2009??
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STFU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lucnguye92 · Apr 18, 2014

Alright let's go Astros!

white lightning · Apr 18, 2014

Spoon!

chenjy9 · Apr 18, 2014

lucnguye92 said: ↑

Alright let's go Astros!
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Wrong place and timeline. Astros have not been relevant since the White Sox swept us in the World Series.

Baba Booey · Apr 18, 2014

I cannot wait until Sunday night! I am taking Monday off from work.

GO ROCKETS!

maxiep · Apr 18, 2014

An interesting perspective.

We struggled mightily when Aldridge was out and/or playing hurt. We've struggled to get him back in a rhythm with the team since he's returned. Even though we've won 9 of 10, I'm not sure he's fully coalesced with the team the way he was in December and January.

The Blazers have known we don't have the talent to magically flip a switch and play differently than we did in the regular season. The Rockets appear much more confident in their ability to do so.

HPD · Apr 18, 2014

Westernconfrencefinals

B-Bob · Apr 18, 2014

maxiep said: ↑

An interesting perspective.

We struggled mightily when Aldridge was out and/or playing hurt. We've struggled to get him back in a rhythm with the team since he's returned. Even though we've won 9 of 10, I'm not sure he's fully coalesced with the team the way he was in December and January.

The Blazers have known we don't have the talent to magically flip a switch and play differently than we did in the regular season. The Rockets appear much more confident in their ability to do so.
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I have actually really enjoyed your (totally reasonable) posts and contributions here at Clutchfans, but I fear that, what with us getting in slobbering SPARTA! mode that someone will accidentally kick you into a pit.

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[Feigen] Rockets' return to health revives playoff optimism!

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Joshfast "We're all gonna die" - Billy Sole
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