We all know CP3 hasn't been playing great and hasn't been very aggressive. What if... CP3 IS CONSERVING HIS ENERGY FOR ONE CLOSE OUT GAME TO END THE b**** DYNASTY FOREVER CP3 knows he has no hamstrings. He is saving his Last Dragon Glow moment for when it's for everything. CP3 is old, but he always has an "OH! I remember that!" game. He hasn't had one yet this series. Rockets are going to Oracle 2-2. CP3 is creeping ever closer to the final level. Don't lock if posted.
Are you implying CP3 will go beast mode for one game to end the Worriers reign at the expense of blowing out his hamstring again and sit out for the WCF and Finals even? I believe CP3 still has it in him but would be bitter sweet if it happened as I mentioned above. Would rather him play very good and knock down some 3s at a decent clip sprinkled in mid range....
I'm not big on prognostications, but I think CP3 will lean on Harden and EG to get a win in Oakland. If, by the grace of basketball Jesus they win that one, CP3 will unleash in game 6. Remember last year, with the series tied 2-2, CP3 unleashed in a game 5 win in Oakland 20pts 6asts 7rebs but blew out his hamstring. I think he saves it for when it's a close out game.
I think so. You have to start looking at the cost benefit analysis. Rockets have a better chance beating Nuggets, Blazers, Toronto, or Bucks without CP3 than they do the Warriors.
I think there's something to what you're saying. CP3 can at least look for his shot more, even if that doesn't mean diving into traffic. But these are his playoff games so far: I think his ceiling is lower now, but he has been playing 'steady'. He's letting the offense come to him because he hasn't been efficient when he's forced it (23 points on 19 shots, 15 points on 16 shots, etc.) I would just like to see him take more of his open threes and mid-range twos against the Warriors. Shouldn't be much hamstring risk there.
Well whatever the case I think all of us fans would rather traverse the road to the Championship with CP3 playing the whole way. I don’t think we will need a beast mode CP3.... would be nice but we saw what it cost last year. He’s still better than “serviceable” this year and I’ll take the current CP3 play over one beast mode game personally. We need CP3 against all the other teams if not only to maintain that 48 min really good PG play every game....
I was terrified that he was gonna blow out his hamstring on those repeated jumps for the jump ball. So not worth it. Much prefer to see the man pace himself.
I swear he was about to pull his hammy right before he made the pass to a cutting Austin Rivers. CP3 tried so hard to get by his man....
The problem with your theory is that CP3 was pretty much great in every playoff game against the Worriers last year. Dude was their kryptonite. I hope that you are right and that he is just conserving his energies vs. decline due to aging.
It’s a nice fantasy. Sometimes, fantasy becomes reality, @DreamShook. In 1945, towards the end of WW2, a physicist who had begun writing science fiction, Arthur C. Clarke, began quietly circulating a paper proposing communication satellites. From Wired Magazine: 1945: Arthur C. Clarke begins privately circulating copies of a paper that proposes using space satellites for global communications. It was a bold suggestion for 1945, as the war was just winding down and most people were undoubtedly more concerned about the necessities of life than they were with beaming radio waves down from space. But Clarke, a physicist and budding science-fiction author, had his head firmly in the future. The paper, "The Space-Station: Its Radio Applications," suggests that space stations could be used for broadcasting television signals. (Deckard channeling @tinman) What would have been seen by the general public as science fiction, a fantasy, had they known of Clarke’s idea, became reality. So why not a team appropriately named the Rockets, from a city that’s famous for being the headquarters of NASA, be the team to end a wannabe dynasty and earn a trip to the Western Conference Finals, with a chance to advance and battle for a championship? Why not indeed? Clarke, famous for writing 2001: A Space Odyssey, had a vision. We once had our own vision, a Dream that became a reality. It is time for a new dream to become reality. Time for another championship, with Dream watching and cheering us on. Let’s do it.
It makes me believe in my theory even more. CP3 was playing so incredibly hard last year and his hamstrings couldn't take it. This series it feels like CP3 is picking his spots. He is playing 40 minutes a game, but he is letting Harden take over offensively then playing defense or going after boards.
Well, Game 5 is the one we need honestly. Looking back at the 23 pt 17 asst game he had at Oracle earlier in the year it has always felt to me like he was holding back a bit in these playoffs. On the road is where we need our stars to lead the way. Role players will play well at home, so if CP3 is holding anything back he needs to unleash it in Game 5 and then let the avalanche of momentum close this thing in 6. I do not like Rockets chances if we have to play Game 7 at Oracle, they've gotta win now.
