2018 PLAYOFFS: (1) Houston vs. (2) Golden State

[Andrew]

It is indeed. Second round was the furthest he'd been prior to this season.

[Dee4Three]

I think the Warriors get the W tonight, and they still win the series.

But I am totally up for a Rockets vs Celtics finals, would be nice to have a change.

[shadowgrin]

THIS IS THE BEST NBA FINALS SINCE 2016.

[SoF'nAwesome]

THIS IS THE BEST NBA FINALS SINCE 2016.

the scenes if we get a rockets vs celts finals

[Andrew]

A tense final minute, basically coming down to who made the last mistake. Unfortunately for the Warriors, that was Draymond Green.

The big story heading into Game 6 is going to be Chris Paul's health and availability. Looks like he re-injured his hamstring.

[Jackie Kong]

Playoffs got exciting.

[Dee4Three]

Harden has missed his last 20 threes, his last 9 in game 4, and all 11 in game 5, and the Rockets still won both.

That doesn't bode well for Golden State...

[Sauru]

Harden has missed his last 20 threes, his last 9 in game 4, and all 11 in game 5, and the Rockets still won both.

That doesn't bode well for Golden State...

if paul is injured golden state gonna be just fine

[Dee4Three]

Harden has missed his last 20 threes, his last 9 in game 4, and all 11 in game 5, and the Rockets still won both.

That doesn't bode well for Golden State...

if paul is injured golden state gonna be just fine

I agree.

[Andrew]

If Harden can break out his funk and CP3 is healthy enough to go, the Rockets can get the job done; if not in six, then at home in seven. You just can't count the Warriors out until it's a done deal, though. They're missing Iggy, but it's not like they can't win with the players they've got out there. An offensive explosion as in Games 1 and 3, and they can defy the odds as far as the 83% of Game 5 winners going on to win the series after a 2-2 tie.

That said, the Rockets have shown some impressive defense at times in this series, including in Game 5. That's always noteworthy for a Mike D'Antoni-coached squad.

[[Q]]

I guess they can run Harden at PG but Eric Gordon needs to keep his hot shooting going. Maybe play a little Joe Johnson at PG

I think they could win without Paul as they could just play like they did last year. Plus, no Paul forces the warriors to change their game plan

[Andrew]

Looks like they'll have to win without him. Officially ruled out for Game 6, possibly longer.

[shadowgrin]

Can't believe that this NBA Finals series is being wasted with a commentary tag team of Reggie Miller and Chris Webber. Marv Albert can only do so much to make the commentary tolerable.

[shadowgrin]

Gordon and Harden alternating on playing point, thank fuck they don't have to depend on the corpse of Joe Johnson giving them minutes.

[Dee4Three]

A little run by GS, big three by Durant and Houston immediately called timeout.

That Trevor Ariza euro was probably the most methodical euro I've ever seen.

[Dee4Three]

Really bad officiating both ways right now, seems evenly bad.

The defense by the Rockets in the second quarter was pretty bad, but GS has played horrible defense all night. So much miscommunication, not used to seeing this with the Warriors.

That was not a foul on Curry when Harden took that three, but I think it was a make up call for the Harden foul on Durants three that also wasn't a foul.

[Dee4Three]

Those last two threes by Harden were travels. Commentators calling it a "moonwalk", dude isn't in the act of dribbling when he takes that hop backwards. If the ball was still going up towards his hand when he stepped back, it wouldn't be a travel.

Fucking hate that. I don't mind the Rockets winning, it would be great. They havn't made a finals since winning the title in 95, but man that stuff he gets away with is brutal.

[Andrew]

It's turned into a three-point shootout, which the Rockets won't win. Not while they're forcing up bad looks that are heavily contested.

[Dee4Three]

Eric Gordon missing 3 of his last 4 free throws could end up being the difference in the game.

That foul on Nick Young in the corner was really stupid.

[Dee4Three]

And this is why James Harden is so hard to watch.


Dudes looking for fouls on every posession instead of just playing basketball. This 4th quarter he has played some seriously bad, and ugly basketball. Dude actually got called for that stiff arm on the perimeter, I was shocked.

Play basketball, not the refs. Jesus christ.

[Andrew]

Harden is overdribbling and forcing shot after shot. Game 7 awaits. CP3 might have to pull a Willis Reed if the Rockets are going to get it done, because this kind of directionless offense will not.

[Dee4Three]

James Harden and Eric Gordon played horrible basketball in the second half of the 3rd quarter and the 4th... my god. Eric Gordon missing a couple wide open 3s, driving without a purpose, missing free throws. Harden looking for a call on every posession, not just playing basketball, also driving without a purpose.

That entire big run had nothing to do with Durant. I think Curry is the most important player on Golden State, and after watching tonight it's not even close. He's good at drawing so much attention and being shifty, he shakes up the other teams defense real bad. Durant was deferring to him, and it was the right thing to do. Klay was getting open on Curry's penetration quite a bit. Beautiful, clean basketball played by the Warriors in the second half.

The way LeBron and Harden play at times is so hard to watch, that playing for a foul and complaining all the time.

[shadowgrin]

Warriors winning despite all odds, love a good underdog story.

[Dee4Three]

Warriors winning despite all odds, love a good underdog story.

That brand of basketball displayed by the Rockets in the second half is what's concerning. Harden dribbling the shot clock down to 5 seconds... without anybody else touching the ball... and either taking a contested shot from the perimeter or driving into 2 or 3 Warrior defenders. Playing the refs instead of playing basketball, it's crap.

It's not just "the Warriors got the win and they were supposed to". They will have momentum in game 7 because of the way that game ended, and if Paul plays and isn't 100%, they are going to be in trouble.

[NovU]

Rockets are half the team without CP3.

Without him, they are kinda like the Cavs, Harden needs to be the best player in the game to stand any chance which is not easy when opponent knows what is coming. There is a good reason why the team became so good right after CP3 joined even tho he is an undersized grandpa point guard which doesnt bode well with the trend. You need 2+ superstars to contend, remember?