[Official] Media conspiracy/watch the spineless media come crawling back thread

We've got to start collecting these things all in one place.

 

Moved up to #3 in the NBA.com power rankings. Media conspiracy

http://www.nba.com/article/2016/12/19/power-rankings-week-9-houston-rockets-utah-jazz

It's still hard to pick against the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers meeting again in The Finals. And the build-up to their Christmas Day meeting should be great. But, especially in the Western Conference, some threats to a Finals rematch are building up.

The San Antonio Spurs just keep rolling along, getting better and better defensively after a slow start on that end of the floor. The LA Clippers have regressed a little and will be missing Blake Griffin for a few weeks, but are too good not to be in the mix come April and May. And now, two more Western Conference teams are putting themselves in the conversation about the league's elite.

The Houston Rockets are 10-0 in December, a stretch that began with a win at Golden State. Mike D'Antoni's squad ranks second in defensive efficiency this month, climbing from 27th to 14th on that end of the floor in the last two weeks. The Rockets don't just have a potent starting lineup anymore. With Patrick Beverley healthy and Eric Gordon coming off the bench, they've managed to build on leads when James Harden sits down.

3

Last week:
5
Houston Rockets
Record: 21-7
Pace: 100.4 (9) OffRtg: 111.4 (4) DefRtg: 104.1 (14) NetRtg: +7.2 (5)

The Rockets (who have won their last six games that were within five points in the last five minutes) know how to close. They turned a three-point deficit into a four-point win with a 9-2 run in the final 1:47 of the fourth quarter against Brooklyn on Monday, and then turned a 12-point deficit into an overtime win with a 14-2 run in the final 2:05 in Minnesota on Saturday. Mike D'Antoni has used his Ryan Anderson-at-the-five lineup late in those close games, but hasn't used it much otherwise. It has scored 46 points in just 16 minutes thus far, the Rockets are 10-0 in December, and James Harden was one rebound shy on Saturday from three straight triple-doubles.

This week: vs. SAS, @ PHX, @ MEM
​

 

Rockets retain #1 slot in the CBSsports power rankings. Watch that spineless media come crawling back:

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/powerrankings/

1
Rockets Last week's top team has kept the good times rolling, now racking up 10 in a row. Houston is now 5-0 on back-to-backs this season after pulling a rabbit out of its hat Saturday against Minnesota. An MVP candidate, the league's longest winning streak and the ability to find ways to win ... that's the formula for a really good team.​

 

Spineless ESPN media conspirators come crawling back

3. Houston Rockets
2016-17 record: 21-7
Previous ranking: 5

Houston has exceeded preseason expectations more than any team on the map. ‎James Harden & Co. are on a 62-win pace. So while we applaud the passion of Rockets Twitter, we also have to share this counsel: Smell the roses. And enjoy the view. The selection of Russell Westbrook as First Trimester MVP is -- wait for it -- based on the First Trimester. It doesn't mean our April vote has been decided in December. It doesn't mean our MVP criteria has changed. We always vote for who we feel has assembled the best season based on a number of factors. After 27 (or so) games -- on this scorecard -- Westbrook has had the best season in the West. So far.​

 

and a lot of people found the whole "Donatas Motiejunas - X Factor" thread silly. There's no accounting for taste.

 

nice, deserves its own thread.

 

NBC seeing the error of its previous spineless ways. But in true media conspiracy fashion, they still admit to being "lazy" about coming up with a decent headline to honor the rockets. #mediaconspiracy

http://nba.nbcsports.com/2016/12/19/week-9-nba-power-rankings-houston-rocketing-up-rankings

Week 9 NBA Power Rankings: Houston rocketing up rankings
By Kurt HelinDec 19, 2016, 1:46 PM EST

We’re sorry about the lazy wordplay in the headline. I blame the stress of the holidays for not coming up with something better. That or Donald Trump. Either works. Houston has flew all the way up to third in the rankings, Utah has climbed to seventh, while the Sixers stay out of the bottom thanks to Brooklyn.

3. Rockets (21-7, LW 5). The real key to the Rockets 10-game winning streak? They are allowing 98.4 points per 100 possessions on defense, second best in the NBA in that stretch (Memphis). They are up to 14th in the NBA in defense overall this season — that’s better than Cleveland — and have played well on that end since the return of Patrick Beverley. People are still asking if the Rockets are for real, there’s a good test of that Tuesday night when the Spurs come to town.​

 

no, because you know what they say . . . ridicule is the sincerest form of flattery.