Rockets Outclass Blazers

The Portland Trailblazers kept the Rockets' lead to single digits most of the night, but the home team seemed to be in the driver's seat the whole way. Luis Scola was a force, as was Yao Ming, who dominated the Blazers' centers. But it was Von Wafer that really lit up the scoreboard down the stretch, throwing down a reverse dunk from under the basket that brought the Toyota Center crowd to its feet.

This was not a must-win game because there is still time to jockey for position in the Western Conference playoff standings, but Portland was the team directly in front of them for home court advantage in the first round. They may still play the Blazers in the first round, but they will now have the tie-breaker for home court.

Rick Adelman is preparing for the playoffs by playing only 8 players and concentrating on the core group that he will be taking to the big dance. I suspect that Carl Landry will also be in that lineup when he returns. With luck, that will be later this week, in time for big games against division opponents New Orleans and Dallas next week. But before they can focus on those games, they have to take on powerhouse Orlando Magic in Toyota Center on Tuesday and withstand a back to back whirlwind California tour against Golden State and Sacramento on Thursday and Friday. There is no rest in the NBA. The last five games could be a bitch.