The huge weight of the ‘first-round curse’ has been lifted off the Rockets’ shoulders. They have advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1997.
Their reward is a matchup with the defending Western Conference Champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, in the conference semifinals.
The acquisition of Ron Artest, the rise of Von Wafer and a healthy Yao Ming all contributed to a series win in six games against a younger Portland squad, which will mature into a better team next season. In the series-clinching win Thursday at Toyota Center, Yao had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Artest scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Rockets.
The Rockets are not satisfied with getting out of the first round, but Kobe Bryant and the Lakers will be the next obstacle in Houston’s quest for its third NBA title. The Lakers present quite the hurdle. They are the No. 1 seed in the West, coming off a five-game series win against the Utah Jazz.
The key in this series for Houston is to forget about winning the first-round series. The Rockets must realize the playoffs are a war, and all they have won is one battle. The Lakers are rested and always play the Rockets well. They will have extra confidence after sweeping Houston during the regular season.
The Rockets are underdogs, but if the Lakers are going to be pushed to the limit on their way to the NBA Finals, the Rockets are the team to do it. Houston can rotate two of the top defenders in the league in Artest and Shane Battier on Bryant, the reigning MVP.
Artest and Battier must use their defensive skills to hound Bryant and get the ball out of his hands. The Rockets would love to see guys such as Trevor Ariza and Derek Fisher taking shots.
Yao will have to be a force down low and limit All-Star Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum’s offense. Bynum is slowly fitting in to the Lakers’ offense after recovering from a leg injury. The more he plays, the better he will become.
Artest will be this series’ biggest key. His offense is just as important as his defense. He needs to lead his team on the floor, especially when Yao is struggling, in what could turn into a great series.
But the stars can’t do it all. Houston will need production from bench players like Wafer and Carl Landry to keep up with the Lakers’ deep bench.
The Rockets have had a great season, but my prediction is the Lakers in six games.
