i like the jazz more than the rockets(and you could actually make a case that the new jazz are one of the few teams i really like in the western conference other than the warriors); i love carlos boozer, ak, and okur. that being said, gsw would rather face the rockets than the jazz. for reason that the rockets are less of a 1-2 punch than a 1.5 punch.

but it's not just that; jazz's home crowd is ridiculously solid. that, they just won a game 7(showing they can win on the road), and the fact that jazz's frontcourt is a rebounding machine, means golden state must make sure their 3s must go into the hoop on the 1st try; there'll be no second chance points against the jazz. so golden state must play a lot more sound on offense, which will be hard, since golden state really likes jacking up shots which aren't fundamentally sound. did i mention how ak anchors the defense and boozer is a huge low post threat, 2 things that don't bode well for the warriors.

i'll believe that warriors can advance if they can hang tough(not necessarily win one on the road on one of the 1st two games, but stay close and not get blown out at all) in the 1st two away games.

(btw i don't consider myself a rockets follower, but i feel for t-mac. he truly did all he could to try to win game 7)