Merged: Avery - Houston would beat Portland

Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
Re: Avery - Houston would beat Portland

Roy and Aldridge have become pretty adept at drawing ticky-tack fouls on opponents. I'd go so far as to say that Roy is getting superstar treatment on a Dwayne Wade level. But Houston is so good defensively, and Artest/Battier/Yao have such defensive reputations, that they don't seem to get that love from the refs as much.

We actually do have a defender who can play just as physical as anyone on the Rockets' roster--Greg Oden. He just needs another year or two of seasoning before refs let him get away with things that Artest does.

Anyway, I still like our odds of beating this team. Houston really only plays well one way--through Yao. And Yao really isn't very mobile, so it's not like he's going to adjust much. In a 7 game series you can make adjustments to take Houston out of its game, and we have three guys (Przybilla, Aldridge, Oden) that make us more equipped than anyone to adjust to them.

On the other end, they really don't have anyone who can guard Aldridge. They are a bunch of 6'6 to 6'8 guys that Aldridge can shoot over all night. If they put Yao on him he'll just go around him and draw fouls. If they double him then you have to deal with Roy.

Portland can adjust to Houston. But I really don't think Houston can adjust to Portland.
 
Re: Avery - Houston would beat Portland

It is a funny thing - I think the Rockets will prevail in a series against the Blazers, this year - but if they do not go against each other - I think the Blazers have a better chance of going deep in the playoffs than the Rockets.

Strange that.

As for Houston playing only one way - not exactly true. Brooks runs circles against both Blake and Sergio - and I trust Adelman to adjust to this in a 7 game series if Yao is somehow neutralized.
 
Re: Avery - Houston would beat Portland

I would have to say that Avery is probably right as long as Portland doesn't have home court. Some of the key guys off the bench only play well at home(Oden, Rudy, Sergio). If Houston has home court advantage they would win in 7 games. I don't think anyone is going to beat Portland at home during the playoffs.
 
Re: Avery - Houston would beat Portland

http://blogs.wweek.com/news/2009/04/06/houston-the-trail-blazers-have-a-problem/

Houston, The Trail Blazers Have A Problem
8:50 AM April 6th, 2009 by Hank Stern

Phoenix’s loss yesterday to Dallas meant the Trail Blazers made the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Congrats! But after watching Houston out-tough Portland hours later, the Blazers sure better hope they don’t draw the Rockets in the first round. In addition to the ability of both Ron Artest and Shane Battier to guard Brandon Roy and Portland’s lack of answers for Yao Ming.......

[video=youtube;I1StTXx-CUc]


.....the video above certainly shows ex-Blazer Von Wafer certainly would have something to prove against his former team.
 
Re: Avery - Houston would beat Portland

andalusian said:
It is a funny thing - I think the Rockets will prevail in a series against the Blazers, this year - but if they do not go against each other - I think the Blazers have a better chance of going deep in the playoffs than the Rockets.

Strange that.

As for Houston playing only one way - not exactly true. Brooks runs circles against both Blake and Sergio - and I trust Adelman to adjust to this in a 7 game series if Yao is somehow neutralized.
Click to expand...

True, Brooks is one of many quick short PG's who give Portland fits. But he's also a 40% fg shooter who doesn't look to pass. He's no Tony Parker or Chris Paul. It's like back in the day with Damon Stoudamire--he can beat you in a game or two, but in the big picture he's as likely to shoot you out of it.

I actually like Brooks and have since his Duck days. But I really don't think the Rockets want the offense to go through him and Artest. Both of those guys absolutely kill ball movement.

Scola is the x factor guy on that team to me. We have to sag off him to focus on Yao, and I seem to remember him being a pretty effective scorer for the Argentinian team when they needed him.
 
Re: Avery - Houston would beat Portland

mook said:
Scola is the x factor guy on that team to me. We have to sag off him to focus on Yao, and I seem to remember him being a pretty effective scorer for the Argentinian team when they needed him.
Click to expand...

Exactly. To me, Scola is the player that makes Houston so tough to deal with on offense. Obviously, Yao is their best player, but everyone knows about him and focuses on him. Artest is a mixed bag...sometimes he's a very effective offensive player, sometimes he tries to do too much and ends up a net negative. But Scola is both talented and heady...he kills teams that have to focus too much on Yao.

Portland can't neutralize Yao...no team can. But if Przybilla and Oden can play him relatively tough, well enough that they can hold him to his season averages without needing double-team help, then Aldridge can stay with Scola and Portland has a chance to get some stops.
 
Re: Avery - Houston would beat Portland

One interesting twist McMillan had yesterday was how often you saw Aldridge covering Yao. It was a surprisingly effective strategy, because Aldridge is much more mobile and can front him more easily (and recover if the ball moves around to the back side.)

Again, though, you have the problem of Przybilla trying to cheat off Scola, and being too slow to recover. Scola seemed to feast on midrange jump shots.

I'd really like to see Aldridge front Yao with Oden behind him on Scola. Oden seems a step quicker than Przybilla, and has the leaping ability to alter Scola's jumpshot. We didn't really get to see that look yesterday.
 
Re: Avery - Houston would beat Portland

It occurs to me how funny it can be when history repeats itself. This whole issue seems to harken back to the same problems we had in 2000 with the Lakers. Our PF (Aldridge/Sheed) abused their PF with length. Their center (Yao/Shaq) created all kinds of matchup problems that our slow-but-good center (Przybilla/Sabonis) never really could cover for. Often times it was their PF (Scola/Horry) who was the difference maker with their ability to hit jumpers and make the smart play.

The more things change....
 
We do not want Houston in 1st Round

Artest and Battier are in Roy's head. Scola does a decent job against LMA... and Yao would embarrass poor little Greggy in front of a national audience.

I'd rather get the Spurs than the Rockets.
 
Re: We do not want Houston in 1st Round

Hank The Dwarf said:
Artest and Battier are in Roy's head. Scola does a decent job against LMA... and Yao would embarrass poor little Greggy in front of a national audience.

I'd rather get the Spurs than the Rockets.
Click to expand...

You got banned from O-Live?
 
Re: We do not want Houston in 1st Round

Roy is playing w/a bum knee, it's definitely screwing with his mobility right now..

LMA is on fire, he'll pwn scola every night.

indeed, Yao is an Olympian, greg is not, so what can you do there?

Rudy is still playing hurt, hes not near as consistent as he should be....


i think we'd win a series, cuz we have Boom Boom Batum who needs to play more.
 
Re: We do not want Houston in 1st Round

We're a desperation shot by Roy with 0.8 seconds left, in OT mind you, from being 0-3 against the Rockets and we are 2-1 against the Spurs including a thorough drubbing a few weeks back.

I know it's simple minded, but doesn't Houston seem to be giving Portland more trouble this year than the Spurs?
 
Re: We do not want Houston in 1st Round

i agree i dont wanna see the spurs or rockets in the first round... however that seems kinda impossible at this point unless we fall to 7
 
Re: We do not want Houston in 1st Round

Complete bullshavick. The Blazers would have won that game yesterday if it weren't for the minutes Frye played.
 
Re: We do not want Houston in 1st Round

I dont care who we play in the 1st round. BRING IT ON!
 
Re: We do not want Houston in 1st Round

I actually agree. I don't like the Houston matchup in general. However, the bottom line is I don't think the Blazers can win a series unless they have home court. And with home court I think they can beat anyone. The disparity has just been to pronounced to be ignored.
 
Re: We do not want Houston in 1st Round

Foulzilla said:
However, the bottom line is I don't think the Blazers can win a series unless they have home court. And with home court I think they can beat anyone. The disparity has just been to pronounced to be ignored.
Click to expand...

Exactly my thoughts. Getting HCA is critical for playoff success this year.
 
I think we lose in the first round regardless. This is how we will gain the experience we will need down the road. No shame in that.
 
Re: We do not want Houston in 1st Round

hasoos said:
Complete bullshavick. The Blazers would have won that game yesterday if it weren't for the minutes Frye played.
Click to expand...

Don't forget their asstastic performance at the free throw line. That didn't help.

But last night was Frye's worst game of the season. And that is really, really fucking bad.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top