Game 6 Preview: Blazers vs Rockets: Win or go home, again. | NBA Playoffs

(For more playoff coverage: 2009 NBA Playoff Coverage: Portland Trail Blazers )

Posted by Andy Popp

Win or go home, again.

The Blazers are back in Houston for the 5th time this season, where they're currently winless. Can they finally take one on the Rocket's home court to force a game 7?

We know the teams. We know what's at stake tonight. At this point in in a playoff series, there are no secrets. Everyone's out of surprises. Teams know each others plays. They know how their opposition is scheming against them. Teams win these games by executing.

The Blazers need…

• solid games from Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge.
• to take Yao Ming out of his comfort zone. Force him to work every second that he's on the court.
• Steve Blake, Rudy Fernandez and Travis Outlaw. At least 2 of them in double digits.
• the referees to let 'em play.
• to be physical. No touch fouls tonight. Put Luis Scola on the floor via a closeout-turned-spear. Nothing easy.
• to rebound. Control the glass on both ends.
• to avoid getting discouraged if the calls start to go against them. Stick to the gameplan.
• to get easy buckets. Score inside. Attack the basket. Get to the freethrow line.

We saw the Blazers make a stand on Tuesday. Hopefully, their emphatic game 5 victory will carry over into tonight's game.

Expect another methodical, physical game. The last thing the Rockets want to do is to come back to Portland with the series tied 3-3.

On Tuesday we saw what kind of fight the Blazers had in them. Tonight, we see what the Rockets are made of. The Blazers are -5 tonight.