Rockets WIN Game 4......series tied 2-2


Pop said both teams went small but Rockets played very well with their three-guard unit.

"We started the game really without an edge," said Pop of the Spurs' start.
Houston led 17-9 early.

The Spurs are now 1-4 in the playoffs when their opponent has scored over 100 points on their defense.

Skip Bayless: As much as I've long loved the Spurs, I must admit, last night was a bad sign.

Mike D'Antoni: "I don't believe that much in momentum."

Gasol postgame: "We need to limit their chances of making threes & taking easier shots"......of course, this could've been said after any game.

It's a make or miss league......Rockets missed 21 open 3's in Game 3. Got the same shots last night in Game 4 and went 19-43 from downtown.

Eric Gordon : 22 points on 8-13 shooting & 6-9 from 3 in 32 minutes off the bench



James Harden against Spurs:

Game 1: 20/14

Game 2: 13/10

Game 3: 43:5

Game 4: 28/12



Second half stats

Harden:
14 PTS
5 AST
1 REB
50% FG (4/8)
+18

Kawhi:
2 PTS
0 AST
2 REB
25% FG (1/4)
-10

16 points will be a playoff low for Kawhi Leonard in scoring during this 2016-17 playoff run......had 18 when SA was blown out by Memphis.

The Rockets topped their game 1 performance. Offensive rating by game against the Spurs this series:

1. 123.0
2. 110.0
3. 96.6
4. 126.4

Rockets small-ball dominated......Spurs didn't have a huge rebounding edge. Going small makes Spurs pay for over-helping on the roll-man.

The loss of NeNe is looming very large with every offensive rebound the Spurs grab.
Clint Capela playing like a skinny Shaq on this dunk.

Golden State Warriors SWEEP:


Messed around & got a triple-double



Stephen Curry has tallied his third 30-point game of this postseason (23rd playoff career) with 30 points.


Warriors have trailed for 11 minutes total in the last five games.

Warriors have led by at least 20 points for 67 minutes this postseason.

Warriors have swept consecutive postseason series for the first time in franchise history.

Warriors earn their third-straight appearance in the Western Conference Finals, a franchise-first (sixth overall).


Warriors would have 82% chance to beat Spurs in Conference Finals according to BPI; 89% chance to beat Rockets.


Warriors in the playoffs: 8-0, wins by 12, 29, 6, 25, 8, 11, 11, 26

Cavaliers in the playoffs: 8-0, wins by 1, 6, 5, 4, 11, 22, 21, 7

ONE GAME A NIGHT THE REST OF THE NBA SEASON!

If Spurs-Rockets ends in 6, Western Conference Finals starts Sunday.
If it goes 7, winner of that only gets a day off before Game 1 Tuesday.



^^^at the VERY least......the Rockets will be playing this Sunday at 2:30 because they're not losing both of the next two games!!!


Five players in NBA postseason history with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 400 assists & 200 blocks:

Duncan
Kareem
Shaq
Olajuwon
PAU GASOL


A good deal of NBA rumor mill saying Blake Griffin to OKC next season.

Spurs WIN - Lead 3-2


Rockets lead by 2 at half-time, score the first five points of the 2nd Half. A hushness falls over the Spurs home crowd.

All-Time BAD 2nd Half for Harden

OVERTIME --- last six points scored by:


Harden played worse in OT......he was so gassed, had no lift at all......made such horrible decisions......turned the ball over FOUR TIMES.......Harden choked before our very eyes in the most important game of the Rockets season.

Harden blocked by a 50-year old to lose the game......most fitting ending possible to that game......ROCKETS had a timeout.

Didn't even get a shot off.


Tim Cowlishaw: Spurs may win because Kawhi had better OT than Harden...

Rockets 16 of 47 from 3

I'm guessing Leonard will be back for game 6, but it was odd to see him on bench most of last 10 minutes of the game......receiving NO treatment of any kind......post game Pop hinted at a "injury."

Game 5 Continued......The Game Harden Couldn't Finish


James Harden: "For sure, we let one slip away."

James Harden on final possession: "Something was supposed to happen. It didn't happen. Just tried to make a play."

Rockets offense = Harden stalled big-time late......misfired after halftime badly (10 of 35 on 3s.)

NOTE: all I've shared above is true......but who else in the NBA, out of ALL Point Guards, would be bashed for 33/10/10 on 24 shots and guarding the team's best big to less points than shots?



Entire Rockets team revolves around Harden driving and finishing or guys knocking down shots......Rockets hit just 33% of their 3's and Spurs shot 17 more shots.

If the rockets made 2 of the 20+ wide open 3s we missed we would've won!!!

Rockets are 1-4 in close games against San Antonio this season. 4 losses were all late game failures = Rockets are better, but Spurs execute-finish!

SPURS were 6 of 24 in fourth quarter, 2 of 7 in OT. Had nothing to do with stops.

Last night, Kawhi Leonard became fourth Spur ever with 20+ points and 15+ rebounds in a playoff game (David Robinson, Dennis Rodman, Tim Duncan)

Kawhi: "Spurs won't feel like they're in control of the series unless they close Game 6."

Now the question for San Antonio is: Do you hold Kawhi out of a Game 6 to buy him an extra few days to heal that ankle for a possible Game 7?



14 lead changes in Game 5.


The Rockets won't practice Today, a rarity for a Mike D'Antoni team. With a 7-man rotation, they need the rest!

Manu Ginobili: 4 career blocks of a game-tying/go-ahead shot in the final minute......last night may have been the biggest!


"Russ never would've" = SHUTUP!!!


Are Kylie and tyga done......what's he saying to her?

How WRONG was I - - - - - - sort of wish suchfriends was around to give me a slow clap



Series OVER = total EMBARRASSMENT


Consider this......James Harden didn't take his first shot until 6:00 minutes remained in the First Half.

At Half-Time, Hardens points = Hardens turnovers!

James Harden’s disappearing act in the Rockets’ exit was inexplicable to all

Watching ESPN low-lights, you can't see Harden in the picture......spent most of the game 30-40 feet from the basket.


SPURS held Rockets to 11 points in the 4th Quarter

Hello DARKNESS my old friend, Popovich has beat you once again


Popovich: “Tonight was one of those nights where we’re not as good as we looked and they’re no the team they were."

Popovich: "It was a total team effort... we're thrilled to win the series."

Popovich: "I want to congratulate the Rockets on a great season. We're not as good as we looked. They were not the team people are used to seeing."

Pop and his staff coached a great series. Starting Pau was the right move, found a formula to contain Harden.

Spurs' Gregg Popovich improves to 20-6 versus Rockets' Mike D'Antoni in playoffs. 5-0 in series......NEVER needed Game 7.

The Spurs beat the Rockets two games in a row after each Rocket victory.

D'Antoni: "I don't have any reasons it happened. We'll look at it. Try to figure it out. Some nights, life hits you in the face."

D'Antoni: "We didn't have the juice, didn't have the stuff. We'll figure that out, get better this summer and do it again,"

Harden: "I don't know what it was. We just didn't play well. Give them credit,"

The Rockets were 9-37 (24.3%) on 2-pointers, the worst percentage by any team in a game this season.

The Spurs won 61 games and were the 2nd seed and somehow the Rockets still managed to make losing to them feel embarrassing = rough but true!

Rockets average a 105.1 offensive rating, which isn’t good for this season, but is probably livable. Gave up a 110 defensive rating.

To sum it up = The San Antonio Spurs FOREVER changed the Houston Rockets logo:

According to TMZ - After Going 2-11......the beard went to a Houston Night Club......Travis Scott was performing and Kylie Jenner was there :eek:



May have looked a little like:

Tonight, John Wall became President......forced a Game 7







^^^check out the dude in the pink shirt

Things were going one way at half-time:


But Pop reminds us their are two halves (and two Kawhi ankle rolls)


Zaza Pachulia explains what happened on play that injured Kawhi Leonard, calls malicious intent "stupid" http://



Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant combined for 74 points, their most as teammates

And the Dubs take Game One

Lot's of discussion about this today......




Can't wait to take on his former team in the NBA Finals:

Number 1 vs. 2 in the East & West

It's not how you start a race......but how you finish:

John Wall Last 19 Minutes = OUCH!
Points 0
FG 0-11
3-pt FG 0-7


Celtics who have scored more than 25 points in a Game 7 since 1965:
Havlicek, Sam Jones, Cowens, Bird, McHale, Pierce, and......Kelly Olynyk

Game 2


Last night was the warriors’ largest playoff win in 69 years.
(largest: 39-point victory on 4/6/48, Philadelphia at St. Louis).

Warriors, who have won 10-straight in the playoffs, are the ninth team in NBA history to post a double-digit postseason winning streak.

Warriors' bench scored 63 points in Game 2, a season-high (regular season or postseason).

The Warriors have won each of the last 4 quarters by at least 11 points each.

Golden State has earned its fifth wire-to-wire victory of this postseason.





Spurs: 136 points is most allowed by a Gregg Popovich-coached team in a playoff game.

Spurs have their largest playoff deficit under Gregg Popovich (41 points)

Largest 1st Half Deficits - Spurs Under Gregg Popovich

Tuesday 31 at Warriors
May 1, 2017 30 Rockets
March 6, 2011 29 Lakers

Wow Wow Wow = Pop rarely says anything about scoring, but concerning Aldridge he said, "He's got to score for us."

Gregg Popovich: "LaMarcus has got to score for us. He can't be timid. He turned down shots...He's got a major responsibility in Game 3."

LaMarcus Aldridge has $42 million left on his deal through 2019.

I doubt you her Popovich going "full court" about this last night:

Eastern Conference Finals Game 1


James 8th 30-plus point game of the Playoffs: 34pts, 13-21FG, 8-9FT, 8reb, 7asst......James didn't finish the dunk, but this picture is representative of how the night went:


Since Dray called LeBron a bitch:
41-16-7
41-8-11
27-11-11
36-6-13
25-10-7
41-13-12
33-10-4
35-10-4
39-6-4
35-8-7
35-9-6
38-9-7

12 W's & 0 L's


All Around BEATDOWN in BEANTOWN


Kevin Love - 32 pts
LeBron James - 38 pts

Last teammates to score more than 30 at Celtics in playoffs?

Jerry West & Elgin Baylor - 1966

Game 3


Kevin Durant has his third 30-point/10-rebound game in the 2017 postseason (16th career in the playoffs) with 33 points and 10 rebounds.

All five Warriors starters have scored in double figures for the third time this postseason.



Per Elias, Manu Ginobili currently has the most points off bench in playoff game for a player 39 or older - since starts tracked in 1970-71



When you realize that David Lee is our for the rest of the Post-Season:

Game 3 (first night in Cleveland)


Celtics’ play from the beginning was just so much more sustainable on both ends with those lineup changes.

LeBron got all star teammates and lost a home game with the other team missing their star player = NO HEART!!
11 points & 6 turnovers


Last time LeBron James played entire 4th quarter and didn't score at home......February 24, 2006 against Wizards

Cavaliers were 16.5 point favorites

---The upset is the largest upset in the NBA this season, largest in the last 20 postseasons



LeBron has taken 2 free throws in the final minute of a one-possession game this season......his career rate is ~17


Playoff Games With Fewer Than 15 points:

LeBron James: 6
Michael Jordon: 0

We've (still) never had two teams sweep their way to The Finals.



Simply put......the Celtics are a MUCH better defensive team with Isaiah Thomas OFF the court:

NET RATING

Playoffs:

Bradley with Thomas: -4.6
Bradley w/out Thomas: +3.0

Vs. Cavs
AB w/ IT: -44.9
AB w/out IT: -15

Last night: -1.8




The LAND was PISSED:

Game 4 = Golden State SWEEPS their way to the NBA Finals


Warriors will make 3rd straight NBA Finals appearance......first team to start a postseason with 12 straight wins.

Stephen Curry hit 21 threes in the Western Conference Finals, setting the NBA record for most threes in a four-game series.

A Golden State Of Mind
2015: The New Hope
2016: The Empire Strikes Back
2017: The Return of the Jedi??


Klay Thompson averaged: 11ppg on 32.6% vs Spurs...in the 4 game sweep.
Klay averaged 22.3 ppg on 46.8% during the regular season.


It was an elimination game at home and Lamarcus Aldridge had 8 points and 7 rebounds

IF it was his last NBA game, this Spur legend did it with class!

If this was Manu's last game-season, sadly for Rockets fans, he gave us one last iconic play:

NO MATTER what happens in the Eastern Conference Finals, the NBA Finals won't start until June:

Game 1: Thursday, June 1 @ 6pm
Game 2: Sunday, June 4 @ 5pm

Steve Kerr (kind of) joins Pat Riley as only two to make it to the NBA Finals in each of first three seasons as head coach:


If it wasn't for the Cavilers last season, Golden State would be going for 3 in a row:

Game 4

Boston led by as many as 16 points during the 1st half of Game 4......it was ALL Cleveland in the 2nd half:









TNT wraparound show KILLED it after the game......Chuck giving Shaq grief about riding Kobe's coattails could only happen on this show!!!

Chris Bosh news: porbably BEST he NEVER plays again, but if he somehow does, I'd bet on the Rockets giving him another shot!

thanks for all the recaps of these playoff matches. I didn't get to see much of it besides the occasional short summary, these games usually start between 2 and 4 AM in my timezone. So who you think will win the finals?
My guess is GSW with 4-2 ...

Thanks, I appreciate the fact someone other than myself is checking this thread out. Actually, I see Golden State winning in FIVE......on their home court. Of course, The Warriors had the opportunity to win in FIVE last year and we all know what happened.

Personally, the playoffs have been crap this season. Very few solid match-ups, mostly blowouts. Hopefully the Finals will be better, but I doubt it!

Game 5 = Cavaliers headed to the Finals


LBJ: 35 points, 8 assists, 8 rebounds
Kyrie: 24 points, 7 assists
Love: 15 pints, 11 rebounds
Deron: 14 points





13 = consecutive wins in series-clinching Playoff games – the longest such streak in NBA history.

2017 NBA Finals Game One


LeBron James is now 1-7 in Game 1's of the NBA Finals.

LeBron James OVERALL losing record in the NBA Finals is now 17-24 for his career.

LeBron's 28 points was enough to surpass 6000 NBA Playoff Points!


75 games in 2017 NBA playoffs
46 decided by 10+ points
20 decided by 20+ points

Halftime
•Durant: 23 points, 6 assist, 4 rebounds
•James: 19 points, 4 assist, 11 rebounds

At the end of the third quarter, Warriors lead the Cavaliers 93-72. Kevin Durant has a game-high 30 points......Durant parted the Sea of Cavaliers for some of the easiest layups & dunks:


Golden State outclassed Cleveland and dominated the entire game:
Durant 38
Curry 28


Most Points Without a Turnover - NBA Finals Game Last 30 Seasons
2000 Shaquille O'Neal 41
2017 Kevin Durant 38

Stephen Curry has tallied his first 20-point/10-assist game of the 2017 postseason (first 20-point/10-assist career game in The Finals)......the greatest shooter in the NBA was knocking down 3's from field-goal range:


Steph Curry - "Anything I try to do on the floor, I feel like I can accomplish."

Game 1 was LeBron James' 41st Finals game. It was just the 2nd time his team was outscored in each quarter. (2013- Spurs)

Steph continues to lead in plus-minus, +20......LeBron a minus-22.

Cavs defense = terrible in the regular season, didn't have a single steal in Game One......Golden State had 12.

Warriors tallied four turnovers last night, tying the NBA record for fewest turnovers in an NBA Finals game.

Fewest Turnovers for a Game in NBA Finals History

2017 Warriors 4
2013 Spurs 4
2005 Pistons 4

The Cavs have 13 players on their roster in the box score, six of them didn't score a point.

The Cavs shot better from 3PT (35.5%) than they did from the field (34.9%)...

Ummmm......Cavaliers are now 0-5 in NBA Finals games coached by Mike Brown.

Rihanna was sitting court-side for Game 1


This doesn't mean a thing if they don't win the series......but the Warriors just achieved the highest (FLO) rating in NBA history:



Let me repeat: "Ummmm......Cavaliers are now 0-5 in NBA Finals games coached by Mike Brown."

Tyronn Lue didn't have a clue as what to do last night:

About an hour until Tip-Off for Game 2 and ESPN lets this graphic hit the screen......ESPN knows:

Half-Time Game 2



Cleveland put up 50 shots in the first half.

Cleveland had 20 turnovers in Game 1 --- a glaring must fix --- have 7 in first half......Golden State had 13 turnovers in the first half and lead by three.

LeBron's First-Half shot chart:




3 pointers
Cleveland 3/12
Warriors 8/20

2017 NBA Finals Game 2



What was a 3 point game at HT ended up being a 29 point shellacking.

A Masterpiece performance by KD
33 points on 22 shots
5 blocks
3 steals
monster rebounding......his help D was incredible all game.

Steph jacking them up for the hash line.
32 points
10 rebounds
11 assist

Klay - 22 points 7 rebounds
Draymond - 12 points 6 rebounds 6 assist
Ian & Shaun......10 points each



Golden State hit an NBA Finals record 18 three-pointers (18-of-43 3FG, .419)

Steve Kerr: "The talent on the floor in this series is just unbelievable."

LeBron said there's a reason he didn't go to the podium, elected not to share that reason.

LeBron: "I don't want to get into what we could do better right now. It's too fresh."

The Cavs got outplayed in EVERY aspect of the game


ONE Saving Grace
Cavs lost by combined 48 points in Game 1 and Game 2 last year and went on to win the series......of course, Draymond was suspended and that Warrior team didn't have Keven Durant.

2017 NBA Finals Game 3


How do LBJ and Kyrie each drop 40 on that efficiency and still lose at home there......that's how damn good Golden State is!!!

Steph Curry is averaging 29/10/9 and is a +52 in these Finals......HE WILL NOT win Finals MVP.

The Warriors have had two 30-point scorers in back-to-back Finals games, the 1st time a team has done so since 1962 (Lakers: West & Baylor)

Some would rather LeBron take on Dray and KD at the rim than pass to a wide-open Kyle freaking Korver:


Longest Scoreless Drought to End Finals Game - Last 15 Seasons
2016 Warriors 4:39 G7
2016 Cavaliers 3:22 G5
2017 Cavaliers 3:09 G3

Kerr on his plan against LeBron/Kyrie


LeBron - "I gave everything that I had to this game."
LeBron - “It’s the most firepower I’ve played in my career. Even when you plan well, you gotta play A++ because they’re going to make runs.”


LeBron played 45:37
45:37 w/LeBron on the floor, Cavs +7
2:23 w/LeBron off the floor, Cavs -12


4th Quarter in 2017 NBA Finals
Durant James
Points 31 11
FG 10-15 4-11


LeBron James by Quarter This Series
Points FG Pct
1st 39 70%
2nd 25 71%
3rd 21 40%
4th 11 36%



2017 Finals PER (After Game 3):
1. Durant: 32.4
2. LeBron: 29.2
3. Curry: 29.1
4. Love: 20.3
5. Kyrie: 15.8

For those thinking Cavs can comeback like being down 0-3 last year --REMEMBER--Draymond didn't get suspended for kicking out last year. He got suspended for an accumulation of Flagrant points. Flagrant's aren't an issue this year......and The Dubs have KD!


Tristan Thompson's stats in the finals
Game 1: 0 points, 4 rebs
Game 2: 8 pts, 4 reb
Game 3: 0 pts, 3 reb
80 million dollars in the bank

And the stripes grow thinner:



Actor Michael Rappaport brought a broom......told where to put it by Cavs fans.

So... when the fuck is this shit over?

Golden State is the better team. Lebron is positively carrying the Cavs. I'm not even a basketball guy, but fuck... that team doesn't deserve him.

Plus, no offense to anyone who lives in Cleveland, but ... Cleveland is the lamest city in the U.S. Contrary to pop culture narrative, Cleveland does not rock, and is super lame.

Seattle, NYC, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Austin, even fucking Portland... these cities rock. Cleveland is exactly like it's depicted on that episode of 30 Rock that's pretty much entirely devoted to making fun of Cleveland.

2017 NBA Finals Game 4


The Cavaliers' 137 points are the most a team has scored in the NBA Finals when facing elimination.

LeBron James has the most triple-doubles in NBA Finals history = 9. Other than Magic Johnson, no other player has more than 2.

Ervin Magic Johnson: "Congratulations to Lebron James for becoming the King of Triple Doubles for the NBA Finals with 9 and breaking my record."



Kyrie Irving becomes just the 8th player in NBA history (dating back to 1963) with multiple 40-point games in the NBA Finals


The Cavaliers made an NBA Finals record 24 3-pointers in Game 4 while shooting over 50% from downtown.


Warriors Transition Points – NBA Finals
Game 1 26
Game 2 33
Game 3 40
Game 4 7

Curry -25
Durant -22
Iguodala +9

Steph Curry was a plus-52 in the Finals going into tonight. He was a minus-25 in Game 4.

Draymond Green getting ejected then coming back into the game is a Buffalo Wild Wings commercial in real life

Draymond Green: ""We've got a golden opportunity to go & close this thing out at home."

Draymond Green: "You've got to give them credit, they were very aggressive. But when everyone has 2 fouls, it's hard to match the physicality."

Draymond Green on Technical Foul-Up: "I don't pay that much attention to anybody in Cleveland, honestly. Don't seem to be the sharpest people around."

Draymond Green: "I don't pay attention to people in Cleveland honestly. Don't seem to be the sharpest people."



I don't think Draymond deserved either technical foul, and this is not a believable explanation:


It was also a very poorly officiated game. Refs completely lost control.
All the above being said......take away refs and I think Cavs still win this one. Hell of a performance from almost all the Cavs!!!


And we have more stripes:

Golden State is the better team and I expect them to close it out tomorrow night (Monday) in Oakland. I've never been to Cleveland and have no comparison. My Brother-in-law lives there and loves it......the winters are brutal.

Guys, I'm flying out to Vegas in a couple of hours and I'll be betting Game 5 (and 6 if needed - Thursday) at the sportsbook. SO, I may have some stat updates, but nothing with pictures or anything like this unless we reach a Game 7 next Sunday.

2017 NBA Finals Game 5


Basically, Golden State cruised their way to another Championship, losing just one game in the postseason!

Best Record in Single Postseason
2017 Warriors 16-1
2001 Lakers 15-1
1983 76ers 12-1

Warriors have won their fifth NBA Championship in franchise history, including two in the last three years:






The Sports Book at the Mirage was packed Monday night. We arrived in time to watch the 4th Quarter and it was standing room only. The crowd was 90% Warrior fans......Golden State jerseys were 10 for every one Cavs jersey.


Best Odds to Win 2017-18 NBA Title
Warriors 1-2
Cavaliers 3-1
Spurs 12-1

Source: Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook

LeBron James was the first player to lead both teams in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in a playoff series of any length.

File this under RIDICULOUS

Phil Jackson worked for the Knicks for 1,200 days. He was paid $60 million for it or $50,000 a day.

Chris Paul is now a Houston Rocket 🚀

Rockets send: Patrick Beverly, Lou Williams, Sam Decker and a 2018 pick to the LA Clippers in the Sign-&-Trade deal.

Now the Rockets have two point guards and lose their best defender (beverly). Will they move Harden to the shooting guard?

damn, my favourite team will no longer be my team coming season :-(
I loved CP3 and Blake Griffin together, wonder what he will be doing now.