Stephen A. Smith reacts to Houston Rockets defeating Oklahoma City Thunder game 1

"What the hell is counterfactual?"

Props to Stephen A for admitting he didn't know the word. I wish more talkers were so candid.

 

stephen A (who works in 5 SAT words per show) definitely knows what counterfactual means haha

 

Harden hasn't even put on his cape yet.

Game 1 was simply Harden being Harden.

Super Beard hasn't shown up yet.

And SAS was just as befuddled by Rockets D as the Thunder were. Rockets played their switch everything defense, but disguised it as a zone.

There is a difference.

 

And if we're being frank, Harden's not in great shape yet, and he still trashed virtually every defender they sent his way.

Could be he did a lot of lifting/bulking to help him defend bigger guys.

By typical Rockets standards, he is better rested for the playoffs than he's ever been by a MILE. He's going into the playoffs kind of like Kawhi does every year, well rested, get better as playoffs progress, have others help him carry the team in the first round or two.

 

Here is an example of Rockets disguising their switch everything with a zone look.

 

Harden is 15th in league in defensive win shares. In the whole league.
Kawhi 3.3 DWS
Harden 3.2
Simmons 3.1
Covington 3.0
Butler 2.7
Jaylen 2.6
etc

 

Beard so underrated.

I hope teams keep underestimating him.

 

It's always the same shtick between these two ...

It's like watching re-runs of the Office on Netflix ... I already know the skits and I still laugh at the same jokes!

Go Rockets!!!
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Stephen A praises Harden, but he is salty that OKC won. Max is a half- baked “ analyst”. Stupid show.

 

You don't hang on their every word and opinion as if it is gospel !?

 

Wasn’t this the episode where Fred buys the stolen tv and his friend said it’s his tv and he bought it from the same guy and in the end the police came and said it actually was someone else’s.

I guess Fred and his friend are like the two L.A. teams and the cops are the Rockets swooping in to take the trophy away.

 

Thunder aren't worthy of Killer Move, Serious Series: Serious Stepback.

 

Harden came into the “bubble” in incredible shape. His “boot camp” training routine was pretty well documented during the league’s coronavirus break. He did the opposite of bulking up though, and lost 10-15 pounds working, and focusing more on endurance and cardio. So I’m not sure what you are seeing. I will give you that even though he came into the “bubble” with what is probably the best conditioning of his career, there is still a difference between normal cardio/endurance and basketball game shape.

 

This clip shows exactly why this is scripted garbage. They basically agree that Houston can do it but SAS has to go find some weird reason to disagree with Max just so that there will be discussion. After the first spiel he's suddenly the one on the Rockets' side. Also 11 assists and distributing the ball well? He had 11 rebounds and 3 assists. SAS clearly didn't watch the game and is just reading a script.

 

No, I think that skinny harden picture is many months old now, he showed up to camp a bit above that and now he’s above what he showed up in camp. Right now he’s in a totally totally different shape than the skinny harden picture.

i don’t really care what they say, it’s super obvious. Looks like he tried to bulk up in the bubble or maybe he had the rona so the weightloss wasn’t healthy and he put it back on quickly which makes total sense for how he’s looking healthier but not as skinny.

Anyway, don’t care that much. He’ll be fine by round 2.

 

not a real thread until @tinman bashes the OP

 

GD I love this place!

 

DaMiaN LiLlaRd gEts bEttEr iN thE PlayOffS.

So much playoff success for that guy.

 

but obviously the most important show on Clutchfans
@Os Trigonum