There are times when you see a team seemingly try to work the standings at the end of the year to get an opening round matchup they think is favorable. In order to do so, they may even rest guys in hopes of losing the last game or two.
The Houston Rockets were probably thrilled after the regular season finale, knowing that they would be matched up with the Los Angeles Lakers. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves got the much tougher matchup on paper against their rivals, the Denver Nuggets.
Well, the Timberwolves have a 2–1 lead in their series. The Rockets are just one game away from being swept.
Lakers are one win away from an opening round sweep
It’s understandable why the Lakers seemed like the opponent that would give you a free pass to the second round. With Luka Doncic out with a left hamstring strain and Austin Reaves sidelined with an oblique strain, both would likely miss out on playing in the first-round series (they haven’t suited up yet).
The Nuggets, ending the regular season on a 12-game winning streak, moved past LA to become the third seed. They certainly looked like a much more formidable opponent led by three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
Obviously, the easier first-round matchup would be the Lakers…right? That’s what the majority of sports writers and media believed, as nearly all of them picked the Rockets and Nuggets to advance.
The Rockets are going to think about how they blew Game 3 late and ended up losing in overtime. The offense has mostly been awful in the series. Yes, Kevin Durant has missed two of the three games, but they only scored 94 in the one he did play.
In the No. 3-6 Western Conference matchup, Minnesota has won two straight. The Wolves have taken advantage of playing against a team that has little rim protection, and they doubled up Denver in points in the paint in Game 3.Â
Now, the Timberwolves still need to win two more in the series, so it’s far from over. No NBA team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-7 series, so to say the odds of the Rockets coming back are long would be an understatement.
You can never assume anything in the playoffs. Rockets fans certainly wanted the Lakers in the first round. Now, most of them want head coach Ime Udoka to be canned after 1 more loss.Â
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