Nothing’s Changed. Better This Way. Lift-Off.
“Now you’re looking for the secret, but you won’t find it, because of course you’re not really looking. You don’t really want to know. You want to be fooled” is a classic quote from the 2006 film, The Prestige. And it’s reminiscent for the way Houston’s perceived amongst other contenders in the league. Golden State is the favorite, yet again. Many think Milwaukee, Toronto, or even Philly or Boston, have a legitimate shot at a title. Some will argue Oklahoma City or even Denver has a path in the West. But, Houston? The Rockets can’t win the title, right?
Well, It’s been a prestigious season for the Rockets. They didn’t set the franchise-record for wins or get the one seed, like last season, but to overcome the adversity they faced to still get home-court advantage is impressive. Houston once stood at 11-14, and in fourteenth place in the West. After this, the team only suffered more injuries. But, courtesy of the supernova play of James Harden, the Rockets moved from the bottom of the West all the way up to the fourth spot. And Houston was seconds away from finishing second, but they blew another lead in the final game of the season. One Paul George shot slid the Rockets from the two to the fourth seed. But nothing’s changed. Just like last season, it’s championship or bust. The Rockets know this. So do the Warriors, the team they’ll face in the second round, if Houston can get past Utah first. It would be an earlier clash than expected, as it looked like the Rockets were going to finish with at least a top-three seed. But, for a Houston squad that succumbs to injury far too often, it just might be better this way.
The Rockets will square off against a familiar foe, the Utah Jazz, in the first round. They split the season series this year, 2-2. Houston knocked Utah out of the playoffs in last year’s Western-Conference Semifinals. This season, these two squads, who happen to be two of the NBA’s hottest teams since the All-Star break, will each other earlier than expected. The winner gets the defending Champs, Golden State, in round two. This may not be such a bad thing for Houston. For this Rockets team, when it comes to the playoffs, the elephant in the room has always been Chris Paul’s health. CP3 is more likely to still be around for the entirety of the second round, than perhaps suffering a similar fate as last season (knock on wood). One thing’s for sure: Golden State didn’t want to play Houston until the Western Conference Finals. This season, the two rivals will square off a round earlier.
The Eastern Conference hasn’t been this deep for years. Four teams have a legitimate chance to represent the East in the Finals. If the Rockets can get past the Warriors, they can beat anyone. They would likely face Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals, but nothing’s for certain. Houston’s toughest opponent all postseason will be Golden State, the defending Champs. It’s the hurdle the Rockets have been trying to jump since Chris Paul arrived in Houston before the start of last season. The Rockets are ready to prove that they are indeed the biggest threat to Golden State, by taking them out, once and for all. It should be an epic series, but if the Rockets can stay healthy, they have the depth and talent to beat the Warriors.
Houston has the opportunity of a lifetime to take advantage of their situation. The NBA playoffs are finally here, and for the Rockets, they begin in Houston on Sunday night. It’s time for lift-off, and Harden, Paul, and co. are peaking at the right time of the year. Get by the Jazz, and the Rockets face a Warriors team they’ve played well against all season, back to last year’s Western Finals. They’re still the two best teams out West. Some people just don’t want to admit that Houston is a dangerous matchup for Golden State. They don’t really want to know the truth: the Rockets scare the Warriors more than any team in the league. Golden State will be the favorites, and deservedly so. But if you think a healthy Rockets team is going down to this Warriors team in the second round, you just want to be fooled.