Rockets and Tracy McGrady Will Have to Wait Until Next Year

    The past few postseason for the Rockets have ended in first-round exits.  The man who has received the most criticism for the team's failure has been Tracy McGrady.

    At the beginning of the season, the Rockets did not even appear to be in the playoff race.  However, at the Rockets began their historic 22-game winning streak, they instantly became contenders again as they catapulted into the first seed of the Western Conference.

    Despite the loss of Yao Ming to another injury, as long as the Rockets kept demonstrating that they could still win, they could still be considered legitimate contenders.

    After Boston ended the Rocket's winning streak, they quickly became mired in mediocrity and dropped to the fifth seed earning themselves a first round match-up with the team that ended their post season run last year.  The sad thing is, history is going to repeat itself.

      Last year, the Rockets were taken to game seven after winning every single one of their home games and they still lost.  Their home loss to the Utah Jazz eariler this week may have them given their opponents the psychological edge.  Houston will have to be able to win on the road to beat the Jazz.  That may be difficult given that the Utah Jazz have the best record in the league when playing at home.

      The Jazz also post numerous mismatches against the Rockets.  Part of the Rockets' success has been due to the never-aging Mutumbo filling in for Yao.  However, Mutumbo will probably see very little time against the Jazz.  The Jazz center, Okur likes to venture past the 3-point line, where Mutumbo is not very effective.  The Rockets may put Shane Battier on Deron Williams to try to limit his effectiveness, but Williams has shone that when his shot is not falling, his assists soar.  The Jazz's power forward Carlos Boozer will also give the Rocket's fragile front line a load to handle. 

    Despite the overall skill that McGrady has, he simply cannot carry his mismatched team out of the first round.  McGrady and the Rockets will add another first round exit to their list and have to look forward to next year.