What one Portland reporter thinks is the Rockets' key tonight

Man, I just watched the replay. The refs weren't so bad. Mchale ****ing lost it.

 

Your thread title gives me a headache.

 

for the players tonite it's win or go home (after 2-4 more games). for mchale it's win or go to the retirement home.

 

The they-looked-like-they-were-hyperventilating part is interesting. Hopefully everybody is more settled tonight.

 

Hopefully we don't panic and do the things that worked well in the regular season matchup.

Aldridge will not score 46 again.

 

if mchale employs elite strategy to contain LA to 39 points, we shall win in a breeze.

 

Why does Canzano think that undertakers limp?

 

People keep saying Aldridge won't score 46 points again but I wouldn't be suprised if he reached/surpassed that mark a few times this series. The Rockets have no one that can stop him, he's been playing at an MVP level since his return, and the Rockets can't afford to have Howard on him the entire game.

 

Yeah, that was interesting. It was a reminder that they are after all young guys. John Wall said this about his Game 1

“It’s very intense. I’ve watched it, been to a couple games, but it’s very different when you’re on the court. There was one segment when I couldn’t really breathe when I was going up and down the court. So it’s pretty big, with just making sure you’re sticking with your pace and doing what you want to,” said the 23-year-old Wall,

 

Honestly I thought McHale looked like he was hyperventilating. He looked nervous the whole game. He made me feel like no lead was secure. Almost like come on guys lets not blow this.

Stotts on the other hand looked like he was on a mission. And he was going to lead his team to victory. So when I read that article that McHale is the X Factor, I get it. If McHale can lead and not just try to survive we got a shot. If not then it's all on talent and I'm not sure we have enough with just that.

 

I think the key is to get Howard going on offense from the beginning.
This will calm Harden down and make it easier for him to score.
Like it or not, this is a young team that only gains confidence when they are able to put up points.
Defense is critical, but that is unlikely to be the first thing that we see from the start.

 

I took the 2 aspirin, but was unable to watch the Rockets win.