Series winner could have homecourt in Round 2
Thanks to Golden State, Game 2 of the Jazz-Rockets series suddenly has huge league-wide implications.
The No. 8 seeded Warriors beat top-seeded Dallas on Sunday night to take homecourt advantage in the first round of its series against a heavily-favored opponent many projected to win the NBA championship.
If Golden State advances - and the Warriors have now beaten the Mavs four straight times this season - they will face the winner of the Utah-Houston series in the second round.
Despite Golden State's high level of play right now, you can bet the Rockets and Jazz would prefer taking their chances against the red-hot Warriors than 67-win Dallas in the conference semifinals.
And Houston and Utah would own homecourt advantage in a series with Golden State, which is always helpful.
But first things first.
Houston has a 1-0 lead over the Jazz, thanks to its 84-75 victory in Game 1.
Utah certainly isn't doomed if it loses tonight - not with three of the next four games in the series scheduled to be played at EnergySolutions Arena - but the Rockets can give themselves some room for error by taking a 2-0 lead.
I think Houston will do it, before the Jazz come home and even the series in Games 3 and 4.
.......
Given Game 1 results from around the league, what do you think of these unexpectedly legitimate pairings for the Eastern Conference finals, the Western conference finals and the NBA finals?
EAST: Cleveland-New Jersey
WEST: Golden State-Denver
NBA FINALS: New Jersey-Golden State
Now, won't those possibilities have ratings-conscious TV executives waking up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night?
- Steve Luhm
The No. 8 seeded Warriors beat top-seeded Dallas on Sunday night to take homecourt advantage in the first round of its series against a heavily-favored opponent many projected to win the NBA championship.
If Golden State advances - and the Warriors have now beaten the Mavs four straight times this season - they will face the winner of the Utah-Houston series in the second round.
Despite Golden State's high level of play right now, you can bet the Rockets and Jazz would prefer taking their chances against the red-hot Warriors than 67-win Dallas in the conference semifinals.
And Houston and Utah would own homecourt advantage in a series with Golden State, which is always helpful.
But first things first.
Houston has a 1-0 lead over the Jazz, thanks to its 84-75 victory in Game 1.
Utah certainly isn't doomed if it loses tonight - not with three of the next four games in the series scheduled to be played at EnergySolutions Arena - but the Rockets can give themselves some room for error by taking a 2-0 lead.
I think Houston will do it, before the Jazz come home and even the series in Games 3 and 4.
.......
Given Game 1 results from around the league, what do you think of these unexpectedly legitimate pairings for the Eastern Conference finals, the Western conference finals and the NBA finals?
EAST: Cleveland-New Jersey
WEST: Golden State-Denver
NBA FINALS: New Jersey-Golden State
Now, won't those possibilities have ratings-conscious TV executives waking up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night?
- Steve Luhm
11:41 AM
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