Paulo Alves

As far as the opponent goes, I don't feel too strongly either direction.

I think all of these teams, including the Nuggets, are about the same caliber.

The Nuggets are just hotter right now.

But I do think that really good defense is what stifles the Rockets the most.

And I think lower resistance on the defensive end is what this team can more easily exploit to get to a second round.

So I have the Timberwolves as the opponent I least like.

Because with Gobert, with Anthony Edwards, with David McDaniels, as you said, I think they are not the format because I think they can bog the game down more for the Rockets offense.

And then I have very little faith on our defense to stop them, especially if Anthony Edwards goes magnet ball as he usually does against us.

Not that Luka does it any less against the Rockets or against...

well, within the last few weeks of any team.

But the Wolves are the team that I'm the most scared of.

Beyond that, between Denver and the Lakers, you've got to say the Lakers are the easier matchup.

I just, I don't believe that defense.

I don't believe it's sustainable.

And their offense comes a lot from their three main guys.

If our wings lock in defensively, I do think we have the defensive stoppers to throw at them and the defensive hooks to throw at them to at least slow them down a little bit better defensively.

Then they can slow us down.

I just think these games are going to be shootouts.

So I would prefer the Lakers over the Nuggets, but I would prefer the Nuggets over the Wolves because I think just the Wolves have a recipe for disaster.

And I swear it's not recency bias from them having beat us without end.