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2018 NBA Playoffs: Houston Rockets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves preview

By Michael Dugger

(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

Predictions

As much as I have tried to talk myself into this series going the full seven games, I don’€™t think Minnesota is equipped to handle the firepower of Houston. The Wolves have struggled in all four of their matchups to contain the Rockets, and I don’€™t see things changing much in the playoffs.

Harden and Chris Paul have been criticized for their failure to carry their teams deep in the postseason (overblown in my eyes), and I don’€™t see them slipping up in the first two rounds of this NBA Playoffs, let alone in the first round against this Timberwolves team.

Houston will have its difficulties with Minnesota’s size, but the Rockets have the best two players in the series and have a great team built around them. I tried to make a case for this to extend to six games, but this Rockets team seems primed for bigger things.

Next: Power ranking all 16 teams in the 2018 NBA Playoffs

Prediction: Rockets in 5