First round: Blazers vs. Rockets predictions

[alex42083]

How many games, and who wins??

Votes are also made public.

Series schedule

Game 1 Sat. 4/18 @ Portland 7:30 p.m. ESPN

Game 2 Tue. 4/21 @ Portland 7:00 p.m. NBA TV

Game 3 Fri. 4/24 @ Houston 6:30 p.m. ESPN

Game 4 Sun. 4/26 @ Houston 6:00 p.m. TNT

Game 5* Tue. 4/28 @ Portland TBD TBD

Game 6* Thu. 4/30 @ Houston TBD TBD

Game 7* Sat. 5/2 @ Portland TBD TNT

 

[Rodolfo]

crap, I thought it was the 2-3-2 format...I change mine to Blazers in 5!

 

[Mamba]

Rockets in 6 ;]

 

[illmatic99]

We have some crazy momentum going right now. They have quite a few matchup advantages right now, but I think our bench and home court are far superior.

Series prediction:

Game 1- Portland
Game 2- Portland
Game 3- Houston
Game 4- Houston
Game 5- Portland
Game 6- Portland

 

[alex42083]

Rockets in 6 ;]

Boooo!

 

[alex42083]

We have some crazy momentum going right now. They have quite a few matchup advantages right now, but I think our bench and home court are far superior.

Series prediction:

Game 1- Portland
Game 2- Portland
Game 3- Houston
Game 4- Houston
Game 5- Portland
Game 6- Portland

Wow... if we could close it out in Houston... that'd be tremendous. The Lakers would better watch out if we did that!

 

[illmatic99]

Wow... if we could close it out in Houston... that'd be tremendous. The Lakers would better watch out if we did that!

The Toyota Center isn't nearly as intimidating a place for road teams to play as the RG is (granted, the Rockets' record at home is stellar).

Since March, we've just been a completely different team, altogether.

 

[Minstrel]

I pick Blazers in 7. Right now, I'm still not confident that they can beat a healthy Western playoff team on the road. Beating the Spurs last week was nice, but not only was Ginobili out, Duncan was hobbled and not much of a factor.

If Portland can beat Houston in Houston at least one game, I'll suddenly have much higher expectations for them in the next round.

 

[alex42083]

The Toyota Center isn't nearly as intimidating a place for road teams to play as the RG is (granted, the Rockets' record at home is stellar).

Since March, we've just been a completely different team, altogether.

I don't doubt that. We just have to take their early punch and try to stay in it and give ourselves a chance in the fourth quarter. The Houston fans may also be weary of their team's failure to advance in the playoffs. It'd be nice to put some doubt in them quickly and go up 2-0 in the series by Tuesday.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think we have a puncher's chance, but damn this is just not a good matchup at all.

I said Rockets in 6, but I think there's a 2 to 1 chance the Blazers can squeak it out in 7

Prediction:
game 1: Rockets
game 2: Blazers
game 3: Rockets
game 4: Rockets
game 5: Blazers
game 6: Rockets

 

[THE HCP]

I think we will need our HCA. Zers in 7!

 

[Entity]

Portland's the hottest team in the league right now. Houston hasn't left the first round in 12 years. Hopefully Portland can continue both trends.

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

I just don't see us winning the first game. Rockets in 7 at the most.

I voted for Rockets in 6.

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

but check this out

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sport...561&question29122=116574&question29123=116581

 

[maxiep]

I think we take the Rockets in six. I know we recently lost in Houston, but I think there are a few factors that bode well for us:

1. We have home court and after our playoff drought, the fans are going to make the Rose garden is going to be an awfully tough place to win. Houston had the same road record as did we.

2. We're playing our best basketball (10 out of our last 11) and Houston has struggled (6-4 in the last 10).

3. For all of the talk about our inexperience, Houston's PGs are Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry. Their backup SG is Von Wafer. This doesn't exactly scream "seasoned backcourt".

4. They're going to call the game a lot looser in the playoffs. That means Joel and Greg can be more physical than they were against Yao in the regular season.

 

[Wheels]

Blazers in 6!

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I picked Blazers in 6. Let me just say that I am not afraid of the Rockets. Why?

These Blazers are very different from the Blazer team at the beginning of the season.

We beat the #2 seed by 28 in an important game for us.

The Rockets just lost what is perhaps the most important game of the season for them.

We've won 9 out of the last 10 with multiple thumpings including beating the best teams
in the west.

As a blazer fan, I always worry about the team imploding. However, if the lakers were
playing as well as we are, the national media would pencil them in as NBA champs. I think
with home court we should be able to win a series.

Go Blazers!!

 

[Pinwheel1]

I picked Rockets in 6. I hate this match up. Hopefully our new found up tempo game will continue at least at home. We will need some easy baskets. Somehow we need to get Roy some open shots because he is going to be mugged all series long.

 

[Sedatedfork]

I picked Blazers in 7. The key is riding the momentum and going to Houston up 2-0. If we do that, given our momentum to end the regular season, I don't see how Houston can come back.

 

[Kaydow]

I picked the Blazers in 7 - based on HCA. If we don't have HCA, I don't think we have a shot.

Food for thought: If you're a Rockets fan, what do you think now when you look back at B-Roy's miracle 35 foot rain making buzzer beater on November 6th? That shot ended up netting us HCA in this match up.

Of course, if Blake doesn't clank 4/5 FT's in the final minute of December 12th's game vs the Clippers, or if Hedo Turk doesn't bank in a prayer on Dec 9th . . . we end up with the #2 seed (I guess it's all relative)

 

[Boise Blazer]

I picked the Blazers in 7 - based on HCA. If we don't have HCA, I don't think we have a shot.

Food for thought: If you're a Rockets fan, what do you think now when you look back at B-Roy's miracle 35 foot rain making buzzer beater on November 6th? That shot ended up netting us HCA in this match up.

Of course, if Blake doesn't clank 4/5 FT's in the final minute of December 12th's game vs the Clippers, or if Hedo Turk doesn't bank in a prayer on Dec 9th . . . we end up with the #2 seed (I guess it's all relative)

Or if teams arent allowed to make game winning shots after the shot clock expires (Spurs). Yeah, Im still bitter about that.

 

[oldmangrouch]

If it actually makes it to game 7 at the RG, you have to like our chances. The catch is, I don't see it going that far. While I don't think the Rockets are a "better" team, it does seem as if some of the individual match-ups are really bad for the Blazers.

Rockets steal one at the RG, and close out the series at home in game 6.

 

[Minstrel]

These Blazers are very different from the Blazer team at the beginning of the season.

We beat the #2 seed by 28 in an important game for us.

The Rockets just lost what is perhaps the most important game of the season for them.

We've won 9 out of the last 10 with multiple thumpings including beating the best teams
in the west.

It bears noting, though, that that one loss was to Houston. That's the only thing keeping me from getting carried away. Portland still hasn't shown they can beat a healthy Western playoff team on the road.

My hope is that they show it in this series.

 

[¹²³]

I think we have a puncher's chance, but damn this is just not a good matchup at all.

I said Rockets in 6, but I think there's a 2 to 1 chance the Blazers can squeak it out in 7

Prediction:
game 1: Rockets
game 2: Blazers
game 3: Rockets
game 4: Rockets
game 5: Blazers
game 6: Rockets

My prediction as well.