Good job. It was definitely a good call. What I'm saying is it wasn't crazy because yes they were a good team. Good, interesting prediction? Yes. Insane prediction? No. Did you put money on the raptors? Probably could have gotten 20-1 or something
With all due respect, you guys make all of this too complicated. If you're not a Harden can do no wrong guy, on this board, you are labeled a hater, and people think you're crazy because Harden's done so much with so little, yada, yada. Look. I like Harden. He has done a lot with a little. But I can't ignore the facts. Every year in the playoffs his game takes a step BACKWARDS. Whether the Rockets win or lose the series or whatever isn't the question. Other stars have also lost in the playoffs. MJ lost in the playoffs. EVERYONE loses in the playoffs sometimes. But not every star - heck almost few or none - EVERY year, year in and year out, see their game, via their stats and the eye test, take a step backwards in the playoffs. Harden's been through many version of Houston rosters. He's played against many different opponents in the playoffs. He doesn't struggle. He's just worse than the regular season. And its not just against the GSW. Dude was benched in possibly the most exciting playoff moment the team's had since they won a championship (possibly). There are reasons one can point to for this. The defense - which has improved but still isn't a strong spot (they've schemed the best to factor in that he just can't stay with decently quick guards laterally). The turnovers. The 3 point % which typically drops a lot. the FT rate - which math has shown actually goes UP across the league in the playoffs, yet goes WAY DOWN for Harden specifically. Maybe he gets there... one day, with the right coaching, and finally the right combination of roster moves. But if CP3 hadn't got injured, and they won last year, it was going to be one of those things where I wasn't sold that it was "on" Harden. CP3 delivered against the Jazz, and to me, was the more impactful player up to the point he got injured in the Warriors series, in terms of getting to be up 3-2. Just is what it is. As he's a Rocket, I'm rooting for the upside....
I did, but I stupidly only put $100 on them before the series. My brothers' pessimism got to me, the bastards. Only have myself to blame though.
Was it 20-1? Btw I never said the raptors weren't good, but I thought they would definitely lose to the bucks.
That's not true. Honestly you guys are making arguments that don't exist. I've said Harden was wrong on those late game plays, and I've said we need to get someone who excels in crunch time. There are a handful of Harden can do no wrong guys in the world. It's just a nuanced situation. However many versions of rosters Harden's been through, he lost to the favorites in a series once, and has been significantly improved since. Last year, with a lesser talented roster than the Warriors, he was up 3-2 - and yes, like every other superstar champion, he wasn't the best player in every one of those games. Then Chris Paul went down. This year, we just weren't that good. Danuel House and Iman Shumpert were not as good as Ariza, while Nene and Paul looked cooked, and Capela shat the bed. Rivers was the lone positive change for us. We took them to 6. We pissed away game 6. Harden brought 31/6/6 and very good defense. That's enough for the rest of a championship-level roster to pick up the slack. Just like Iggy did for Curry. Just like Irving did for Lebron. Just like Allen did for Lebron. Just like Horry and Elie did for Hakeem. Just like Terry did for Dirk. It's not complicated at all: James Harden doesn't have to be one of the best players in the history of the game in order to lead a team to a title. However, the rest of the team has to be on par with the supporting casts of others like him. We can't hope for miracles. We have to be stocked to win with a superstar the has flaws, just like all the superstars who have won the titl.
No no, it was something like 3-1 for the Raptors to win the series. It's tough to bet from here, all the betting sites are blocked, and most of the betting sites recognize a VPN.
I don't want to hear any more crap about us "blowing" games 5 and 6 after the Raptors blew games 2 and 5 despite even having more advantages.
Nah, they looked like themselves. They've just been doing so well as of late they made us forget that choking is a part of the franchise DNA.
That's how you don't fully choke when given an opportunity without Durant. Rockets should learn a thing or two
Raptors showing Rockets how to get it done. Hope Maury's paying attention. Just get Klay and KD to miss games, how hard could it be???
Despite having a superstar a hundred times better than Harden, better roleplayers, and playing the "right" way.