Round 2!

And so Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs has finally come to an end. This Saturday marked the end of the playoff run for our beloved Houston Rockets. All of China and Asians everywhere are mourning the loss.

After watching the series, I conclude that Carlos Boozer is a BEAST. Hey, so Cavs fans are still bitter about this Hairy Liar... but give Boozer a break. If he stucked with the Cavs, he'd be playing the Sidekick role to Lebron James. Worst yet, if we put Boozer as a Batman character, he wouldn't even be Robin to Lebron's Batman. He'd be like Batgirl... the big Z - man Zydrunas Ilgauskas would be Robin. So Boozer proves to all he can't be trusted, but that doesn't mean he can't play basketball.

Carlos made Yao look foolish in the series. The Rockets had noone that was able to contain him, averaging 24.6 ppg and 11.0 rpg while being guarded mostly by a 7-6 big man is impressive. I say Van Gundy 'act a fool' in not putting my favorite finger-wagging player from Congo to spice up the defensive frontline. But hey, I lack the credentials of coaching at McQuaid Jesuit High School and serving under Pitino, Pat Riley, Don Nelson, and the likes.

Prior to the start of the Rockets-Jazz series, Tracy McGrady had said its up to him to carry the team on his back through the first round of the playoffs. Well... apparently McGrady's back broke down and the Rockets broke down with it. Sure, on the stats sheet Yao and McGrady had great games... but when it came down to crunch time, Cap'n Crunch wasn't down with them Rockets. Into the waning final 2 minutes of the game (and the Rockets' season), it seemed McGrady, his back, and the team overall was just breaking down. The Jazz were in the penalty, where any and every foul would earn you a trip to the free throw line... and what does our perennial All-Star T-Mac do? He shoots... and misses, next time down the court... he dribbles here and there... goes around the screen... and shoots some more. Apparently leadership, good decision-making down the stretch, and coming through in the clutch are not attributes that McGrady has.

You ask... "But what about Yao you racist Chink?" ... as if I don't hate on my own people. Hey man... like I said.... Boozer destroyed Yao. Boozer was like the Europeans rampaging through China during the Open Door Policy of the 1900's. Instead of opium, Boozer got layups, dunks, and rebounds. Yao did bring it on the offensive end... well... he is a 7-6 big man with a shot.

Oh... and what the heck was up with Rafer Alston banking in a 3-pointer from the top of the key?!?! Okay enough talk about how the Houston Rockets lost a series they should have won... and please squash the rumors of Jeff Van Gundy quitting/resigning/getting fired. He has two key pillars on Yao and McGrady to build around, and as long as McGrady finds a way to stop choking under pressure... or bringing in someone that doesn't cook under pressure (ala "Big Shot Bob" - Robert Horry), the Rockets should find themselves going deeper in the playoffs next year.