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[SpaceCityHoops] The Rockets sent a message to the rest of the league in Cavs blowout

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Shaq2Yao, Feb 4, 2018.

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  1. Shaq2Yao

    Shaq2Yao Member

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    https://spacecityscoop.com/2018/02/04/rockets-sent-message-league-cavs-blowout/

    The Houston Rockets sent a message to the rest of the NBA after annihilating the Cavaliers on Saturday night from start to finish.

    About halfway through the first quarter, it was clear that the Rockets were going to score 120 or more points. James Harden and Chris Paul were able to get any shot they wanted, and everyone knew that they’d go on a huge run eventually.

    The Cavs never led, and Houston’s lead ballooned by as much as 35 points. The Rockets got easy layups, they got to the free-throw line, and they rained 3’s on Cleveland left and right.

    Houston limited LeBron James to just 11 points and Isaiah Thomas and J.R. Smith led the team in scoring with just 12. The Rockets held the Cavs, who have the league’s fifth ranked offense, to just 88 points.

    The Houston Rockets dominated Cleveland, a team who has made three consecutive Finals, on both sides of the ball. They outplayed, out hustled, and showed more commitment to winning than a ‘championship caliber’ Cavaliers team.

    During the blowout, the commentators covered a wide range of topics to fill in the time. In the midst of that, Jeff Van Gundy said something that has become more and more obvious. He was talking about the additions that the Rockets made over the offseason, and then he mentioned that Houston was clearly the second best team in the NBA. He’s right about that, and it is not even close.

    Of course, Rockets fans would like to hear that Houston is the best team in the NBA, but that isn’t very realistic at the moment. The Warriors have won two of the last three championships and their roster is as deep as ever.

    At 41-12, the Warriors still have the best record in the NBA, and they’re sending a league-high four players to the All-Star game. Golden State is one of the most talented teams that we’ve ever seen, and they deserve to be the top dogs.

    At times, the Warriors remind me of the “Big-3” era Miami Heat. Those Heat teams knew how good they were, and they understood that the playoffs were all that mattered. When the postseason came, they would flip the proverbial switch and end up in the Finals year after year. The Warriors have that switch, which is why they won’t panic if they go on a long losing streak or if everyone else starts to question how dominant they can be.

    At this moment, it’s the Warriors, the Rockets and then everyone else. The Rockets have been on a fire recently, winning 8 of their last 10 games. Those victories came against top-tier teams including the Cavs, Spurs, Wolves and Warriors.

    Houston won their season series with Golden State 2-1, with that loss coming in a game without James Harden. When Houston’s normal starting lineup is healthy, the Rockets are 16-1. And when Harden, Paul and Clint Capela start, the Rockets are 22-1.

    The only thing standing in the way of Houston potentially knocking out the Warriors in the postseason is health. The Rockets sent a message to the rest of the NBA and specifically the Warriors after they destroyed the Cavs.

    If anyone can knock out the Warriors, it will be the Houston Rockets.
     
    #1 Shaq2Yao, Feb 4, 2018
    DonKnock, Deckard, c1utchfan925 and 22 others like this.
  2. cebu

    cebu Member

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    Welcome to Houston LBJ.

    We already named NASA after you.
    We have LBJ Hospital named after you.
     
    #2 cebu, Feb 4, 2018
    c1utchfan925, da_juice, CCity Zero and 8 others like this.
  3. krosfyah

    krosfyah Member

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    Settle down.

    Here are some other games by the Cavs in the past 3 weeks:

    L Boston - 102-88
    L Minn - 127-99
    L Tor - 133-99
    L GS - 118-108
    L OKC 148-124

    Rockets beating them says nothing. The only message sent is that the Cavs are a train wreck.
     
    #3 krosfyah, Feb 4, 2018
    Deckard, da_juice, RocketWalta and 18 others like this.
  4. ApacheWarrior

    ApacheWarrior Member

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    Partly. Cavs usually fend their home court well.

    But yes, “Big Flashing Neon Sign” with the message don’t need to watch the movie “Train Wreck”
    just watch us (Cavs) instead.
     
    #4 ApacheWarrior, Feb 4, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2018
    Houstunna and D-rock like this.
  5. Os Trigonum

    Os Trigonum Member
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    media conspiracy
     
    #5 Os Trigonum, Feb 4, 2018
    c1utchfan925, Lawlruschang, RiceRockets and 2 others like this.
  6. jayfree

    jayfree Member

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    I'm serious.... it's happening!
     
    #6 jayfree, Feb 4, 2018
    Lawlruschang, hakeem94 and ApacheWarrior like this.
  7. aroundtheblock2

    aroundtheblock2 Member

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    There's nothing good that came from that game besides a W for the Rockets. The Cavs obviously quit and did not play with much attitude or enthusiasm. If I were Houston, I don't take a damn thing from this game besides the W and as a fan I'm not reading into it much more.
     
    #7 aroundtheblock2, Feb 4, 2018
    c1utchfan925, Little Bit, Elephant810 and 2 others like this.
  8. aroundtheblock2

    aroundtheblock2 Member

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    This, and nothing more. This game was garbage.
     
    #8 aroundtheblock2, Feb 4, 2018
    Rocket River likes this.
  9. hakeem94

    hakeem94 Member

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    lol they quit because they felt they stand no chance not because they were lazy
     
    #9 hakeem94, Feb 4, 2018
  10. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Member

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    The message the Rockets sent to the rest of the league was that the Cavs are a mess.
     
    #10 Sweet Lou 4 2, Feb 4, 2018
    da_juice, Mazulis, Red Chocolate and 5 others like this.
  11. hakeem94

    hakeem94 Member

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    and this also
    [​IMG]
     
    #11 hakeem94, Feb 4, 2018
    dragonwill and Killatron 2000 like this.
  12. Batman Jones

    Batman Jones Member

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    Loved the story but this part above does not compute. When our normal starting lineup is healthy we have Harden, Capela, and Paul. So how are we only 16-1 when all five starters are healthy (including Harden, Paul, Capela) but 22-1 when just those three are healthy? I have a lot of brain fog from chronic illness and my math isn't so good anymore but this just seems like an error. Am I reading it wrong?
     
    #12 Batman Jones, Feb 4, 2018
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  13. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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    They only played 17 games with all their normal starters and 22 games with Capela, Herden, Paul. There were 5 gaves that either Trevor or Anderson didn't play that they still won.
     
    #13 rockbox, Feb 4, 2018
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  14. Reeko

    Reeko Member

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    I don’t think the Rockets sent any message...the Cavs are a sh*t show right now and their defense is horrific...beating them as they are right now doesn’t send some message IMO

    the last GS game was a message, beating up the Cavs isn’t the game that shows that we’re for real
     
    #14 Reeko, Feb 4, 2018
  15. hakeem94

    hakeem94 Member

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    i beg to differ, imo they did...in previous times rockets struggled in national tv games and struggled to persist and consistently win... now they just blow out and toy with everyone
     
    #15 hakeem94, Feb 4, 2018
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  16. Tfor3

    Tfor3 Member

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    I disagree. If you beat them by 5-10, I agree with you.

    However bruh, they beat them by 32 (35 pts at some point) and ALWAYS led. So YEAH- they sent a message - shitshow or not.
     
    #16 Tfor3, Feb 4, 2018
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  17. Reeko

    Reeko Member

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    I feel u, it’s just that to me, games like the win against GS are where we really sent a message and showed we’re for real

    GS is a lion, Cleveland right now is an old dog with worms and an ear infection
     
    #17 Reeko, Feb 4, 2018
    Jontro likes this.
  18. fba34

    fba34 Member

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    We slapped them in the mouth. LeBron played passive as a result. He got blocked on one play and seemed like he disappeared afterwards. MJ and Kobe would've been pissed
     
    #18 fba34, Feb 4, 2018
  19. Tfor3

    Tfor3 Member

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    I see what you mean
     
    #19 Tfor3, Feb 4, 2018
  20. nickb492

    nickb492 Member

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    I thought the San Antonio game was more impressive than anything.
     
    #20 nickb492, Feb 4, 2018
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