2013 Playoffs First Round - OKC Thunder (1) vs. Houston Rockets (8) Series Thread

[Mr. I'm So Rad]

Let's get it :rockon:

http://2a56b976980e0793ddee-5cc5435fcbc367bb03f9a415e7067a97.r91.cf2.rackcdn.c om/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/okc_main.gif

VS.

http://www.nbabasketballarenas.com/images/Houston-Rockets-Logo.gif

SCHEDULE

http://i45.tinypic.com/14a2pz.jpg

* = If Necessary

[Fudge]

THUNDER UP! We're coming for you, Beard!

[DMV2]

Harden didn't look good against OKC except for one game if I recall correctly.

Should still be a great series though.

[Legends66NBA7]

This series and the Denver vs Golden State series are going to be really exciting to watch.

[DMV2]

This series and the Denver vs Golden State series are going to be really exciting to watch.
Spurs vs Lakers, and Clippers vs Grizlies(rematch) too.

So pretty much all 4 WC series gonna be really good. :applause:

[Heavincent]

James Harden facing OKC in the playoffs?

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/THISGONBGUD.gif

[Fallen Angel]

Harden didn't look good against OKC except for one game if I recall correctly.

Should still be a great series though.

No, it shouldn't. OKC is taking this series in 5 games, max.

[Fudge]

Watching Houston's offense tonight against an average defense like LAL's makes me feel so much better about this series. Seems like they're TOO reliant with Harden. And Lin can't hit a 3 to save his life.

[KG215]

I want to say OKC in 5, but it wouldn't surprise me if it went 6 games because the Rockets ability to get insanely hot from 3. It does have the potential to be an exciting series where it goes 5 or 6 and most of the games come down to at least the 4th quarter, if not the final minutes. But then again, it wouldn't surprise me if OKC won in 5 and had 2 or 3 comfortable 20ish point wins.

Another thing, Houston has looked really bad the last few times I've watched them. Maybe it's just end of the season fatigue, and they'll be re-energized for the playoffs, but if the Rockets team I've seen in their last few games, this will be a quick series.

[shoops]

I don't get why this is supposed to even be good... Rockets took one of the reg season games though that was like a fluke game, but the other 2 times the Thunder owned Harden's soul. Barring that they somehow play out of their minds, I feel like they're gonna get utterly destroyed. Fvck...wish they hadn't fvcking lost against the suns the other day :mad: :mad:
Oh well, the only good thing that might happen is if McHale gets fired after a trouncing...hopefully


Watching Houston's offense tonight against an average defense like LAL's makes me feel so much better about this series. Seems like they're TOO reliant with Harden. And Lin can't hit a 3 to save his life.
Their offense is a sham when crunch time rolls in, they just go away from any disciplined play and start isoing like crazy, McHale relies way too much on Harden. Lin actually shoots that 3 at a steady clip, but he's pretty damn streaky, and today McHale shouldn't have sat him out as long as he did, he became ice cold.

[TylerOO]

Im getting hyper just thinking about this series. Imagine Harden beats them...OMFGZZZZzzzZSZLWKJL:WE

[BlackVVaves]

The match-ups in the west are exactly what they should be. This is no exception.

Having Harden play against his former team is a great storyline to follow. I doing the series will be close, but I'll be interested to see how Harden vs Westbrook goes.

[The-Legend-24]

Harden vs Durant, shit is gonna be a free throw contest.

:oldlol:

[DMV2]

Harden vs Durant, shit is gonna be a free throw contest.

:oldlol:
:oldlol:

[thabisyo]

Harden vs Durant, shit is gonna be a free throw contest.

:oldlol:

:applause:

[Random_Guy]

Harden vs Durant, shit is gonna be a free throw contest.

:oldlol:

:applause: :roll:

[KungFuJoe]

Harden is the worst chucker I've ever seen. He's the only guy that you can say was the worst guy on the court even though he scored 30.

He's a ****ing cancer. It's bad enough he jacks up shit shots...he doesn't play any D (Meeks dunked on his ass) and he routinely gets like 8 TOs...all during crunch time.

[Legends66NBA7]

Spurs vs Lakers, and Clippers vs Grizlies(rematch) too.

So pretty much all 4 WC series gonna be really good. :applause:

Spurs vs Lakers would have been more interesting with Bryant in that series, but yeah Memphis vs Clippers Round 2 should be great, but that will be a grind out series.

OKC vs Houston is going to be uptempo and high octane offense, same with Denver vs Golden State.

[Crafty]

Okc in 5

[SacJB Shady]

I feel Houston blew it. They had a shot for 6th, but loss to the Suns and Lakers and went from 6th to 8th in two days!

[apesta]

This series will be an easy one for Thunder unfortunately. I just can't see the Rockets being competitive enough to take it to the distance. The inconsistency of their play is really their problem all season long. If Harden continues to play like he did in his last two regular season game, the series will end quick. He needs to stay control and not rely on the refs. He must get his teammates involve.

[k0kakw0rld]

Harden is the worst chucker I've ever seen. He's the only guy that you can say was the worst guy on the court even though he scored 30.

He's a ****ing cancer. It's bad enough he jacks up shit shots...he doesn't play any D (Meeks dunked on his ass) and he routinely gets like 8 TOs...all during crunch time.
Kobr Bryant? :confusedshrug:

[Shepseskaf]

Harden vs Durant, shit is gonna be a free throw contest.

:oldlol:
What's its really gonna be is a flopping contest.

[2swift4u]

Houston made a big mistake when they let that 7th place slip away. No way they will beat OKC.

[maybeshewill13]

Thunder in 5.

[CeltsGarlic]

One thing sucks that they stopped playing Dmo. The fvck is wrong with you, McHale?

[brantonli]

This series will be deteremind by how well the Rockets role players manage to do. Heck, the Lakers game wouldn't be close at all if Asik actually managed to catch ANY of Harden's passes inside. Delfino hasn't been shooting very well lately.

From the Rockets perspective, we need to run and run and run. The Rockets fall to pieces in crunch time, mainly because their offense as a freewheeling team work best when they aren't worried about each possession being important, and hence can jack up open threes of drive at will. When hte game is on the line, players are shit scared of shooting too early, and it ends up in ISO plays.

Thunder in 5 :( I do hope we can snatch at least 1 game though, the only one we won was when Harden absolutely blew up, pretty sure the Thunder won't allow that again.

[shoops]

This series will be deteremind by how well the Rockets role players manage to do. Heck, the Lakers game wouldn't be close at all if Asik actually managed to catch ANY of Harden's passes inside. Delfino hasn't been shooting very well lately.

From the Rockets perspective, we need to run and run and run. The Rockets fall to pieces in crunch time, mainly because their offense as a freewheeling team work best when they aren't worried about each possession being important, and hence can jack up open threes of drive at will. When hte game is on the line, players are shit scared of shooting too early, and it ends up in ISO plays.

Thunder in 5 :( I do hope we can snatch at least 1 game though, the only one we won was when Harden absolutely blew up, pretty sure the Thunder won't allow that again.
That's a good point. It also might have to do with discipline. I think McHale is to blame for a lot of that. Playcalling at the end of games is almost nonexistent, or way too predictable. What was up with that inbounds play that he had to call a second timeout right after coming out of one? :facepalm The players' body language didn't look very good in the huddle either.

Delfino was pretty good vs the Suns, but vs the Lakers he was shit, shot was waaay off. Anyways, the way it's looking now and ending on a pretty low note, if they get dominated in 3-4 of the games, I'd probably hope they just get swept if it means McHale gets canned...

[stevieming]

That's a good point. It also might have to do with discipline. I think McHale is to blame for a lot of that. Playcalling at the end of games is almost nonexistent, or way too predictable. What was up with that inbounds play that he had to call a second timeout right after coming out of one? :facepalm The players' body language didn't look very good in the huddle either.

Delfino was pretty good vs the Suns, but vs the Lakers he was shit, shot was waaay off. Anyways, the way it's looking now and ending on a pretty low note, if they get dominated in 3-4 of the games, I'd probably hope they just get swept if it means McHale gets canned...

yeah Parsons just walked off and ignored Mchale while he was talking. Guess Parsons already knew it was yet another harden Iso play...

Considering it was end of game OT, no one looked pumped or up for it, they all looked like they had given up.

[deja vu]

My Prediction: 4-1 Thunder

[9512]

I am optimistic and think the Rockets will take 2 games.

Thunder 4 Rockets 2

:mad: :mad: :mad: They should've won against the Suns and Lakers and lost both! :mad: :mad: :mad:

[shoops]

Considering it was end of game OT, no one looked pumped or up for it, they all looked like they had given up.
Yeah I noticed that, the huddle was dead and they looked like they didn't care at all. Maybe the players wanted to play OKC or something...dunno. They seemed to have the same attitude in the Suns game, no effort. Probably giving up on McHale

[NBAller]

lol, LETS GO ROCKETS
FEAR THE BEARD

Hopefully James Harden goes gorillas on these disrespecful guys. They had a franchise player in the closet smh. :rockon:

Unleash the chains on them man, show them some real thunder or else we're ****ed. Bring Linsanity and Garcia's scoing with yall too. Asik play your god damn mind out.

[iggy>]

okc in 4

[Clutch]

OKC will take this one easy.

[KG215]

My head is telling me OKC inf 4 or 5 but my gut is telling me OKC in 6. I just can't get the 3 games this year out my mind. I know the Rockets had some weird scheduling/traveling quirks the 1st two games, but we still beat them like they stole something and f***ed our wives/girlfriends and one of those games was in Houston.

The 3rd game, the one the Rockets won in Houston, they needed Harden and Lin to combine to score almost 80 points (Harden had 47 and Lin had 29 or 30) to win by 3. And they were down by 15 in the 4th quarter of that one and neither Durant or Westbrook could buy a bucket in crunch time. Something that almost never happens. One of them, maybe, but not both, not for the last 5-6 minutes of a game like that.

So I don't know. I think the Rockets could maybe take at least one game in Houston because of their ability to get incredibly hot from 3, and maybe it happens twice, or they find a way to steal a game in OKC by shooting lights out from 3.

[Shade8780]

Thunder in 5. Harden will have a monster game and lead the Rockets to a win, but the rest of the series will be easy for OKC.

[SamuraiSWISH]

If I was Harden, I would be licking my chops at the opportunity to face my former team in a seven game playoff series. Talk about dispensing justice with a basketball. He better have some epic games. Try not jacking so many threes, and playing for soft foul calls, and go out there and torch them.

[Proctor]

If I was Harden, I would be licking my chops at the opportunity to face my former team in a seven game playoff series. Talk about dispensing justice with a basketball. He better have some epic games. Try not jacking so many threes, and playing for soft foul calls, and go out there and torch them.
This.

Hoping for some big games from Harden, otherwise this will be a complete and utter sweep.

[Dagouch]

Not a fan of either Team but rooting for OKC. I'm kinda curious on what Lin is going to do in this postseason. His first postseason experience.

[Electric Slide]

If I was Harden, I would be licking my chops at the opportunity to face my former team in a seven game playoff series. Talk about dispensing justice with a basketball. He better have some epic games. Try not jacking so many threes, and playing for soft foul calls, and go out there and torch them.
He will more than likely play bad due to fatigue from carrying this team all season.

Plus, OKC has defended him well all season. The last game was the only game where Harden played well in.

[All Net]

OKC in 5 0r 6.

I think generally they have guarded Harden very well this year.

[pegasus]

I have a feeling Harden will be a no-show like he was in the finals last year. 4-0 OKC.

[Ballin095]

Lets Get Ready For A Sweep!!!!

[KG215]

If I was Harden, I would be licking my chops at the opportunity to face my former team in a seven game playoff series. Talk about dispensing justice with a basketball. He better have some epic games. Try not jacking so many threes, and playing for soft foul calls, and go out there and torch them.
Well, the one game he did torch OKC, they only won by 3, and that was with him getting 30 points of help from Lin.

[Graviton]

The matchup I will be looking at closely is Lin vs Goatbrook. Lets see is Westbrooks goes ham or Durant gets hot. Parsons is a better defender than Lin, think Westbrook has the matchup advantage in this series.

[rmt]

James Harden facing OKC in the playoffs?

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/THISGONBGUD.gif

This guy looks like Blair :roll:

[ReturnofJPR]

Thunder in 5

[rmt]

OKC in 5.

[IGotACoolStory]

What's the record for most free throws shot between opposing players in the same game in the playoffs? That will be broken in this series.

[Young X]

Thunder in 5.

[imdaman99]

i remember harden taunting the OKC bench when he lead that comeback in their last game against them. i dont think OKC will forget that as they look to embarrass him. think how they played against him in the 1st game. harden got trashed and blocked about 6 times.

[demons2005]

The THunder will win this one in 5 despite Westbrook choking a game away. LOL at people who say he's better than Rose just because of an injured season they will be eating their words next year

[Graviton]

The THunder will win this one in 5 despite Westbrook choking a game away. LOL at people who say he's better than Rose just because of an injured season they will be eating their words when Rose returns in the 2014-2015 season
You are correct.

[GOATbrookisGAWD]

You are correct.
:lol :cheers:

[O_City_Thunder]

I gotta wait til Sunday.......THEN, I gotta wait til Wednesday! :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[NBAller]

I gotta wait til Sunday.......THEN, I gotta wait til Wednesday! :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:


:roll: :roll: us too man us too

[dunksby]

I won't be able to catch the playoffs this year :( Hoping to see OKC have won it all when I get back. Cheer on my behalf :cheers:
Thunder up! :bowdown:

[LakersForlife]

thunder 4-0

[loganwadams]

The fact that 2 of the 3 games that OKC played the Rockets was a blowout (average of 25 points), tells me that the Rockets literally have no hope in this series. OKC in 4 games.

[NBAller]

thunder 4-0

Not gonna happen, buddy.

:no: (mutombo "no")

[WWRWestbrookDo?]

OKC in 5

[willds09]

game 1, harden will have 30 or more, but rockets will lose to tha thunder by 7 or more.

[9512]

If the Rockets can split one at OKC.

They come back home to the Toyota Center with a best of 5 series.

Gotta win one at OKC's home court. :rockon:

[Cowboy Thunder]

Really wanted to sweep the Lakers, but sweeping the beard will be fun.

Lots of respect for all the Houston fans, fun town. :applause:

[Cowboy Thunder]

Thinking about Houston makes me wish I was eating fajitas at El Tiempo :cheers:

[loganwadams]

As a Clippers fan, I'm ready for the Thunder and Ibaka. REVENGE!!