2026 West 1st Round Playoffs: (4) Los Angeles Lakers Vs. (5) Houston Rockets

There's a better chance of a slice of chocolate cheesecake lasting longer than one episode on my 600 pound life than the Lakers beating the Rockets in a 7 game series.

Yeah, Marc Spears can shove that slice of cheesecake down his throat and **** that **** out so he can then be less full of ****. F'n clown...

 

I just wanna see Capela dominate Ayton.

 

Imagine if we would have got Alvarado instead of the Knicks. Plenty of good pgs making a difference on other teams.

 

Exactly why Tracy McGrady always was a First Round Exit.

Exactly why you give hypotheticals of if I was a Laker with Shaq I would win a Championship. Hell No, your mentality and work ethic wasn't even close to Kobe Bryant.

 

Let me phrase it like that..... in his era, they always wanted to play the Hero....but being a Villain would have helped them much more.

Him as a playoff exiter, then Kobe after his rape allegations, even he wanted to play hero.....

Embrace the Darkness.......that is more marketable.

 

JJ Reddick no doubt will do alot of Small Ball Lineups to get Alperen Sengun to stay on the perimeter and get him tired out. That is the only strategy for JJ. Luke Kennard, Dalton Knecht, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura as a PF,C.

Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith must be ready to play PF, C. Hit shots and BE READY TO REBOUND.

 

Why on earth does everyone have to step up according to the board?

We’re playing the worst team in the playoffs. We just need everyone to achieve their average.

This should be an easy series. If we don’t win, it’s not on the role players. Stone, Udoka, Durant, Amen, Sengun. The series depends on the work these people have done or will do. In any series, some role players excel and some regress because of opponent strategy. We need our leaders to carry us.

 

The Rockets are the worst team in the playoffs because they have the worst coach in the playoffs.

Also with how spaced out the game are, Luka will be back by game 4.

 

Yep, we're the only series with Sat, Tues, Fri. The other three are Sat, Mon, Thus. Hm, I wonder why that is so?

I've seen 3-8 weeks recovery and 4-6 weeks. Doncic was injured on April 2. Three weeks would put him back for the Friday game in Houston.

I just don't know if he'll be back, it doesn't look like enough time. But I do think starting strong and taking away the Lakers hope early is very important. Lebron can still play and I'm bracing myself for some fun Foster and Brothers games upcoming!

We obviously have to win one of the first two games in LA. Losing both probably makes this a very scary series. I fear LA at home in the first game, hopefully we win at least the second. Go back to Hou 1-1 and win the next two there. 3-1 and then close out. A game 7 in LA can't happen.

 

McGrady has no shame. From failing to ever lead the Rockets out of the first round to wishcasting their playoff demise two decades later... The one time the Rockets won a playoff series in the McGrady era was when he was off the active roster with an injury.

 

I guess it was a friendly interview. The correct response would have been,

"Hey, the Rockets have a far better chance now than back when you were on the team.....Oh, nothing to say? Where you goin'? Don't be like that. Hey, come back, we still got 25 minutes to fill."

Rockets Playoffs 2004-2010

 

4 of the 8 series have games 4 and 5 at the exact same time as the Rockets/LAL, and two come after. There is no conspiracy or help to the Lakers - this victim mentality is embarrasing.

 

Honestly rockets need to do they job and be up 3-0 in no reality should this team lost one game until Luke comes back

 

That’s exactly what would happen. Stone would use the first round win to say the team is fine.

 

Every fan base has a contingent of fans who are convinced the NBA hates their favorite team.