Houston Rockets' Playoff Schedule 2015: TV Info and Predictions for 1st Round
The Houston Rockets had a fierce battle at the end of the regular season for the top spot in the Southwest Division with the San Antonio Spurs, which had huge playoff-seeding implications.
As Houston, San Antonio and Memphis all jockeyed for position in the NBA's toughest division, the postseason picture became harder to project. Now that the dust has settled, the Rockets can move forward and focus on what lies ahead after seizing the No. 2 seed.
KPRC-TV's Adam Wexler—who linked out to Houston's full first-round schedule against the Dallas Mavericks—highlighted the significance of the Rockets seizing the division title:
Below is a peek at Houston's first-round schedule and TV coverage information, along with predictions as to how the Rockets will fare.
| 1 | Saturday, April 18 | Dallas at Houston | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| 2 | Tuesday, April 21 | Dallas at Houston | 9:30 p.m. | TNT |
| 3 | Friday, April 24 | Houston at Dallas | 7 p.m. | ESPN |
| 4 | Sunday, April 26 | Houston at Dallas | 9:30 p.m. | TNT |
| 5* | TBD | Dallas at Houston | TBD | TBD |
| 6* | TBD | Houston at Dallas | TBD | TBD |
| 7* | TBD | Dallas at Houston | TBD | TNT |
Rockets Playoff Preview, Predictions
Coach Kevin McHale plays an up-tempo brand of basketball, heavily dependent on outside shooting. It's helped the Rockets win a lot of games this season, but it may not translate to postseason success.
Prime MVP contender James Harden gets teammates involved in dishing out about seven assists per contest. Harden also gets to the charity stripe for 10 attempts on average, so his penetrating ability is a big reason Houston can sink shots from downtown.
Even with so much individual attention on him and how much he's carried his side, Harden is deflecting it away, per the Houston Chronicle's Jenny Dial Creech:
The offense sometimes gets in trouble when Harden is too intent on isolation plays. Although he can create for himself and others in such sets, he cannot carry Houston to the NBA Finals.
As ESPN's Skip Bayless points out, San Antonio managed to neutralize Harden down the stretch:
For all of the perimeter-shooting prowess the Rockets have enjoyed, their playoff fate will likely be tied to how well All-Star center Dwight Howard plays.
Utah Jazz personality David Locke observes how much of an impact Howard has had defensively for his team when healthy:
Howard missed half the 2014-15 season, mostly due to a nagging knee injury that required a medical procedure. His ability to protect the rim and to dominate in the low post will be integral to Houston's chances of going deep.
The Rockets' official Twitter account notes how steady the team has been no matter who is in the lineup:
Although Houston attempts a lot of three-pointers, it isn't shooting a great percentage as a team. The Rockets entered the regular-season finale converting less than 35 percent from beyond the arc.
If they fall in love with the jumper, there's a chance McHale's Rockets could be bounced in the second round. Their pace is the second-fastest in the NBA behind only Golden State, per NBA.com, which is less prone to turnovers, is a superior defensive squad and is first in true-shooting percentage, while Houston is eighth.
Harden and Howard give the Rockets elite talent on the perimeter and on the inside, and it should be enough to get out of the first round at the very least.
The Dallas Mavericks have experienced turbulence since trading for mercurial point guard Rajon Rondo. Wexler notes how Houston had the upper hand in the season series with and without Howard:
"#Rockets won season series vs Mavs, 3-1. Howard played only in the 4th meeting (HOU 108-101). pic.twitter.com/DyHd3wj9a2
— Adam Wexler (@awexler) April 16, 2015"
Grantland's Zach Lowe points out another glaring statistic in the Rockets' favor:
Even with a former NBA Finals MVP in Dirk Nowitzki leading the charge, Dallas doesn't seem cut out to win a seven-game series against its impending first-round adversary.
Anything beyond the conference semifinals would be a big step forward for this Rockets franchise, considering it hasn't gone that deep since after the 1996-97 season.
With the way the Spurs have finished off the regular season and how formidable Golden State is atop the West, Houston appears to be the No. 3 title contender with this particular nucleus. Matchups will dictate whether the Rockets can fly to the conference finals and beyond.
