Paradigm Shift: The Great Compromise

the rockets had no answer for KD bc there's literally nobody that can stop him. nobody has an answer for him. the rockets game plan was to limit everyone else bc KD was going to get his regardless. the rockets were built perfectly to take down that team. And they nearly did withstanding an injury. ill remember that series forever being so vested in seeing hou about to take out a historic dynasty

no idea how anyone can say they weren't a legit contender and calling people delusional at that. but hey you got your own opinion. a 65 win team rated #1/#7 on offense/defense respectively going into the playoffs. that's as good as it gets

 

What's wrong with having to play your heart out to barely win? Houston played their hearts out, so did the warriors, and Houston won. I don't see how that discredits the rockets.

 

I disagree. Only the Rockets focused on beating GSW, every other team strategy was to just ride them out.

And if Rockets strategy was focused on beating a team with 5 all stars, beating all other teams should be no problem.

Hence the franchise and season best 65 wins. Dislike Morey, MDA, Harden, CP3, et al but that strategy took balls and executing said strategy required skill, talent and leadership at the highest levels.

 

Rockets owned GSW in regular season the last 2 years. Rockets were more than capable of beating a fully loaded GSW team because they showed they could do so consistently.

Even the hating media agreed only Rockets could challenge GSW. That is an amazing testimonial and achievement.

 

What's wrong with having to play your heart out to barely win? It's not sustainable for a long series. You think they were just unlucky to be cold shooting in Game 7. They had no lift after using up all their energy just to get this far. The Warriors didn't have to play their heart out every game. In all four of their wins, they blew us out in the 3rd quarter and coasted in the 4th.

I am not discrediting the Rockets. On the contrary, by admitting that they were not at the same level as the Warriors, I am giving them a ton of credit for making it a 7-game series. It could easily have ended in 5.

 

I never said it was not an amazing achievement.

 

Agreed fully, with the Warriors, they were holding back for stretches, you always suspect they got a hidden switch/lever that they can turn on.

Hidden gear they did not go to barring injuries and locker room issues.

 

Defense was not great, but man, that year Amare was suspended for the Robert Horry incident really put a nail in the coffin in that Suns era.

Suns should of won that year.

 

3 is worth more than 2.

Smallball will not win many games if leading League in paint points unless also leading League in FT points as well.