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This is the Rockets best chance at a title in nearly 25 years

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Nook, May 9, 2019.

  1. Nook

    Nook Member

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    I am surprised by the amount of doom and gloom in the media and on the GARM about the Rockets.

    First, the Rockets didn't really "blow a chance" or "choke" anymore than the Warriors did in game 3 and game 4. The Rockets won two very close games at home and lost a close game last night. It is just the law of averages and the Rockets are not going to win every close game. The Rockets started out very sluggish and still were in the game until the end. That says something, and it is on the road.

    Last year the Rockets had a 3-2 lead going into game 6 and still their chance at an NBA title wasn't as great as it is right now. Last year the Warriors were healthy and the Rockets were without Paul.

    This year the Rockets have to win the next two games (one at home) and they will knock the Warriors out.

    In this series, there have been two players clearly better than everyone else. Those players are James Harden and Kevin Durant. As it is, Durant will not play in game 6 and likely will not play in game 7.

    The Warriors this season are very short on depth. The loss of Durant means the Warriors have to spread 40 minutes out over their bench. That means that an inferior player will be getting starter minutes. That doesn't even take into account the fragile physical condition of Steph Curry.

    The Warriors are in part a defensive nightmare because they could get Durant off switches into an envious match up were he, at 7'01" could get his shot almost at will. Now, the Warriors are not going to be able to do that. That means an increased load for Curry and Thompson........ and Draymond Green.

    Without Durant, it is going to be easier to guard Curry and Thompson.

    If I told you before the series starter that the Rockets only had to win games 6,7 and Paul would be healthy, and Durant would not, I am sure everyone would be happy with it.

    There are no guarantees, the Rockets could easily lose this series......... but they could easily win it it. It is almost a coin flip at this point.
     
  2. JW86

    JW86 Member

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    Truth is, history tells us that Harden chokes in these moments and with a declining CP3, a non-existent loud mouth center who's not delivering and given our defensive mistakes then Klay and Curry are actually more likely to go off and go back to their old ways: passing, lots of ball and body movement and lots of threes. Not sure Rockets are ready for that, they sure as hell weren't last night.
     
  3. Roc Paint

    Roc Paint Contributing Member

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    Ill take our chances

    Go Rockets!
     
  4. treyk3

    treyk3 Member

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    I absolutely love your optimism. I think the change of pace will ultimately doom us but would LOVE to be wrong. These Warriors are very talented. KD is the best player on the court but he kind of muddles up that team. The Warriors will win 55-60 next year without him. They are very good. About even with us and next year after they re-tool the loss of Durant and Cousins with some role players. They are going to be dangerous again.

    Edit: if we win game 6 and we stay uninjured, I will feel better about this game 7 than I did last year. But we have to win 2 in a row including on the road against a great team. A team that won 73 with this core.
     
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  5. Rasheed

    Rasheed Member

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    [​IMG]
     
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  6. Amiga

    Amiga I get vaunted sacred revelations from social media
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    I think it's about the same chance as last year, including after CP3 injury. We won last year if not for the horrible reffing. But it was basically 50/50. Chance of a champ is lower this year however. No East team would have beaten last year Rockets. This year Bucks can.
     
    mastan likes this.
  7. ChillyPete32

    ChillyPete32 Member

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    The Warriors are still very talented without KD but have no depth whatsoever and have to play two games over the next 4 days with long flights in between. Even though it seems insane I agree that we probably have a better chance this year down 3-2 than we did last year up 3-2 with CP3 hurt, assuming KD is out for Game 7. There was no way we were winning Game 6 last year. Even though you could never do this, I was in the camp of basically punting Game 6 last year, resting everyone, and coming home fully rested for Game 7. If I were the Warriors I would sort of consider doing this as well if they know they don't have KD for Game 7.

    But I do agree that last year we would have easily waxed Cleveland and this year the Bucks or Raptors are good enough to beat us, so our odds of winning it all might be worse (plus Denver/PDX after this grueling series won't be completely automatic, though their series is pretty grueling as well).
     
    #7 ChillyPete32, May 9, 2019
    Last edited: May 9, 2019
  8. Rudyc281

    Rudyc281 Member

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  9. Rileydog

    Rileydog Contributing Member

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    It’s tough to be a Rockets fan after last night, but be like James and take a step back. Big picture, we should be happy and maybe optimistic. The path to the title is there.
    Refs: After Game 1, we haven’t been openly screwed by the league or refs. Yeah, we can bicker here and there about calls, but the games have been decided by the players. I never thought that would happen.
    Harden’s legacy: Every star that would be a champion has his moment. This is Harden’s moment. Yes, he has shrunk in big moments in the past. Yes, he has failed. But it is undeniable that he has grown his game, evolved, and isn’t making the same dumb mistakes as before (i.e., hurling himself into the paint, hoping for a call, turning over the ball and fast break the other way). But... Can he close? Last year, we won games because CP closed and got us key buckets and productive possessions down the stretch. Now that falls on Harden. It’s make or break time.

    Subplots for the Worriers
    : KD never felt the love. Curry has always been the darling. Will KD return? Do Curry, Klay and Dray really, really want him back? This season long sub-plot has surfaced and coincides with Harden’s would-be moment. This is Game of Thrones quality drama.

    X’s and O’s
    : Durant iso against Tucker is out. Curry iso against Capela is gonna be the key matchup. Were we better off with Durant playing? Can’t imagine it, but maybe it is true? But maybe, the biggest impact is Durant isn't available to guard Harden. He is the only one who has been able to slow Harden down.

    Nook is right. The chance is there. It's unfair to put it all on Harden, but that's how it's gonna be.
     
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  10. Shaq2Yao

    Shaq2Yao Member

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    I like our chances this year much better than last year after Game 5!

    Rockets can do it! End this Warriors juggernaut in the next two games!
     
  11. Nook

    Nook Member

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    Right.

    Did the Rockets choke in game 3 when they were down 2-0 and had every excuse to just roll up in a ball? How about when the Rockets and Warriors went to overtime in game 3? Wouldn't that have been a perfect time to choke? They didn't.

    Did the Rockets choke in game 4?

    Did the Rockets choke when they were down 17 points after the first quarter of game 5, on the road? No, they fought back.

    The reality is that these two teams are very closely matched, and both teams are capable of winning and losing close games.... which is exactly what has happened this series.

    I am not saying the Rockets are a guarantee to win this series but this is a golden opportunity.
     
  12. zcarenow

    zcarenow Member

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    Best chance to make it to the finals. One step at a time. The bucks are a beast right now.
     
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  13. xaos

    xaos Member

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    Plot twist: Rockets win game 7 by hitting 27 threes in a row.
     
  14. Hakeemtheking

    Hakeemtheking Member

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    Nook, our margin of error is razor thin. A couple of **** ups in either 6 or 7, and our season is done. Hard to feel confident with that perspective.
     
    Nook likes this.
  15. YOLO

    YOLO Member

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    man wouldn't that be something. just go into oracle for their final game ever there and do the opposite of what happened a year ago.
     
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  16. LCAhmed

    LCAhmed Contributing Member

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    Game at a time my friends! Let's get it.
     
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  17. Nook

    Nook Member

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    I think the chances are slighlty better this season against the Warriors. Last year the Rockets had less depth and were more dependent on Chris Paul than this season. Also, the Warriors are not as good.

    I agree with you, the Bucks are capable of beating the Rockets and Warriors. However, that is pie in the sky at this point. I also think if the Rockets beat the Warriors, you will see something click for the Rockets. They have been chasing a ghost for years now.
     
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  18. xaos

    xaos Member

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    Last year one thing that happened is we only played 5-6 useful guys and it really really wore on our legs. The Warriors have been pushed hard these playoffs and are about to be asked to do more.

    We need to make sure that we make for a hard-fought first half and hustle break away sometime in the third. That's usually the Warriors recipe, because most teams can only give their all for so long. The tables gave turned these next two games and we have an opportunity to exploit that.

    The Warriors margin for error is razor thin.
     
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  19. UTAllTheWay

    UTAllTheWay Member

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    Klay and Steph clearly have the ability to win games for them as they showed last night in the 4th quarter.

    The big question mark is whether they can do it for an entire game.
     
  20. Nook

    Nook Member

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    I am not saying that the Rockets will beat the Warriors.

    All I am saying is that this is the Rockets best chance so far.

    The Rockets still have to play very well to win.... and there are always outliers, someone gets hurt on the Rockets, the Warriors go 0-27 again or the Warriors get extremely hot.

    The reality is though, that before the season even started, if Morey was told his team is healthy.... the Warriors are without KD and he only needs to win games 6-7, you better believe the Rockets take those odds.
     

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