Took a look at the Rockets and Warriors playoff stats so far. The two teams are pretty close. Rockets have a huge advantage in low turn overs. W/L%: Rockets .800 1st, Warriors .800, 1st. Offensive Rating: Rockets 113.6, 1st; Warriors 110.7, 5th Defensive Rating: Rockets 103.9, 2nd; Warriors 101.9, 1st Net Rating: Rockets 9.7 1st; Rockets 8.8, 2nd Turn Overs: Rockets 9.7 1st; Warriors 13.4, 8th https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2018.html#all_team-stats-per_game
playoff stats are dependent on who your opponents have been. you cant really compare teams like that.
this. but you can look at who those opponents were and see that we played the tougher teams in both rounds, and still OPs stats show a close comparison. its feasible to believe if we faced the easier opponent in both rounds those stats would be far in our favor.
This is true. But what you can look at is opponents played and outcome relative. For example we played the best defense in the league (last couple months) and against the dpoy. We also played Minnesota who was better in the series but not great overall. Meanwhile, gsw has played a bad spurs team who still has an ok defensive scheme and the pelicans who aren’t good defensively. So, it appears we have played tougher defenses than gsw. The narrative is gsw is clicking and on all cylinders and rockets have steuggled, especially offensively. That would match up with the competition played, except we still managed to have a better offense than gsw. So we have been shooting like crap, played the best defense and yet our offense has proven to be more dominate thus far. It’s interesting.
It is VERY interesting. If the Rockets had shot well as a team, they would have destroyed both opponents. As it is, they shot below average against the 2nd best defense in the league and still had the #1 offense and the best margin. People are wildly underestimating this team as they have done all season. This is a team that can shoot 40% from the field and 30% from 3 and still beat you by double digits. If the Warriors or the Cleveland Lebrons had posted a 50 point, +30 quarter in the playoffs or KD / Lebron had posted a 41 point, 10 assist, 0 turnover night there would already be a documentary being filmed about their historic dominance. The Rockets are so underrated that neither of those things even lasted a full news cycle. I can't wait to see the Rockets put together a complete game (i.e. a 140 to 110 beatdown) against GS and how the media reacts if they do.
Rockets should've lit Minnesota up for over 120 ORTG, easily. Everyone missing those corner 3s in the first 3 games was a joke.
Keep in mind they've played the majority of their games without Curry. They'd have a huge advantage if he had played all the games, especially considering their inferior opponents.
Harden has been shooting 40.7%FG and 34.4% from Downtown, this is far from being great. Down from the regular season. 45% FG - 37% from 3 (Regular season) This is only shooting wise as his D and playmaking were good most of the games. Minny series: 2 great games, 2 mediocre shooting nights by his standard, 1 abysmal game Utah: 1 great game, 2 mediocre shooting nights (3s not falling), 2 bad games by his standard........(under the weather) His tendency is to start the series strong with 1 or 2 games scoring well, then he goes through some transformation as teams close in on him more. I dun think it's a playoff novelty.
We really need our defense to play at its best against GSW... Hope we can continue to play this well defensively
This is exactly right. I'm not saying we cant win but If we don't at least shoot our average from 3 then we are in trouble. I think our overall FG% will go up on driving to the basket because they do not have an elite rim protector but we have to hit our open threes.
They are also much better defensively without Curry and they were aided by a terrible Spurs offense. Rockets have a better defense due to Capela.
You'd think the Rockets were limping backwards by the skin of their teeth into the western conference finals with the way the media is acting.
I think Harden/CP3/EGO being able to have an "easier" time finishing at the rim at a better rate against the Worriers would really help open things up for all the other shooters. There's no more Towns/Gibson/Gobert at the rim. This should help the Rockets play more the way they want to. Not saying Draymond/KD/Looney wouldn't make it tough at the rim to finish, but they are no Gobert...let's be honest here. I like the Rockets chances to play better and in rhythm this series vs the Worriers