If you follow the NBA at all you’ve probably already seen this, but I’m just going to leave this here without comment:
Nice. I had not seen that, but I only sort of follow the NBA anymore. I don’t know that it was sooo disrespectful, but maybe there’s something to that given the history between the Rockets and Clippers this season.
I don’t feel like Harden was trying to be disrespectful; it almost seems like Harden himself can’t believe how hard Johnson ate it, as he relaxes and looks at him on the floor like “what happened?” and only when the other Clippers player starts running toward him he snaps out of it and takes the shot.
The western division is now tighter than a duck’s ass. A team can lose one game and drop five spots. Portland has been on fire since the all star break and is presently sitting in third place. Lillard is playing brilliant basketball and the team is near the top of the league in defense. They actually seem inspired instead of just tired. A tough schedule coming at them, though, with GS, Boston, Cavs and Rockets all coming up this month.
The East is the same way. Both conferences have two teams way ahead of the field (47-win Toronto, 45-win Boston, 51-win Houston, and 50-win Golden State), and a sort of condensed/compressed middle class.
East:
38 - Cleveland
37 - Washington
37 - Indiana
35 - Philadelphia
34 - Miami
34 - Milwaukee
West:
39 - Portland
38 - New Orleans
38 - Minnesota
37 - San Antonio
37 - Oklahoma City
We should get a more entertaining playoffs than last year, where Golden State and Cleveland just scythed through the field. If we’re lucky, we’ll even get some new blood in the Finals (presumably from the East). The Raptors are #3 in offensive rating, #3 in defensive rating, and finally running a modern offense. If I had to pick someone today to win the East, I’d go with the Raps. Boston depends too much on super-young guys, and Cleveland still can’t defend.
Any thoughts on the awards? I’d bet my house on Harden winning MVP. Highest PPG, highest win shares, plenty of team success, and a mea culpa from voters who foolishly picked Westbrook last year.
I’ll grudgingly agree with Harden, although I can’t stand the guy. Lillard is getting some MVP talk, but he’s not quite there yet, IMO.
I think Harden will win MVP, but if I had a vote it would be for LeBron. A case could be made for Westbrook again because he’s 0.4 rebounds/game away from averaging a triple double.
Me neither, and let’s hope it remains so.
With my beer-drinking days more or less over, I’m still gonna break out a couple Stellas for tomorrow’s Raptors/Rockets game. Didn’t think at the beginning of the season that this would be an elite match-up, with Houston going into tomorrow’s game with a franchise record 17 straight wins, while the Raps are the first to clinch a playoff spot (in an admittedly not-as-strong eastern conference).
Great neck-and-neck game the Raps won last night against a surprisingly strong Pistons side, as Derozan does the following with four seconds of regulation remaining, like maybe he was a little pissed, or something. (while Lowry is some jubilant little kid). Equally impressive - with 1.1 in OT left, DD drives to the basket, drawing four Pistons to him, as DD kicks out to Fred Van Vleet, who goes dowtown to win the game.
One of the best neck-and-neck games I’ve seen this season. It was one of the first times the Raptors actually got some American coverage, (HUH!) on ESPN, so it was cool they could get finally get some more eyeballs their way, especially to showcase their 17-point comeback midway in the game. (other than that part - totally neck-and-neck)
I mentioned earlier about Valanciunas’ 3-point exploits, but didn’t realise the centre is, uh, third? in the NBA at 46% (min. 50 attempts) (heh, meanwhile his FT% has crashed mightily to 80%).
Wow - Portland third in the west. I wonder, though, how the Blazers would fare if Lillard ever got injured.
Kudos to Derozan (and then Love) for opening up on their depression. And of course some idiot Yahoo commenter goes off about it being some kumbiya-fest. Get real.
Though I’ve never been fond of Love, good for him.
Toronto is awfully young, too. the entire roster has three players born before the 1990s. I’ll grant they don’t have any children like Jayson Tatum, but it’s not a grizzled squad. Toronto is a favourite, especially if they finish first - home court matters - but Boston can certainly beat them.
Cleveland though, yeah. Everyone was super excited after the tradefest when they had a little run, but that’s over now.
As to the MVP debate, I know James Harden is a boring choice, but it’s gotta be James Harden. Traditional stats? He’s leading the league in points, dishing 9 assists a game, and does those things despite the fact the Rockets don’t overplay him (he’s not even top 20 in minutes per game.) He draw fouls - most foul shots in the league. Analytical stats? Best win shares in the league, best efficiency in the league. And he’s leading the best TEAM in the league. That’s an MVP all the way.
I wonder how bad Steph Curry’s ankle is, and whether the Warriors plan to rest him in rounds 1 and 2.
Curry could probably sit out the first round, but he’d better be healthy from that point forward. The West is always loaded with surprisingly tough playoff teams in subsequent rounds.
“I Got a Story to Tell” by Steve Francis, very worthwhile reading.
They’d better hope he’s a fast healer, as Portland took GS to school (again) last night, despite 40 points by KD. They’ve beaten them twice in the past month, which means the Blazers own the tiebreaker.
I’ve always been skeptical of Mike D’Antoni-coached teams - not that I have a problem with him as a coach. Fundamentally, few people understand the basics of the game better than he does, but the style of play and the kinds of players he seems enamored with don’t always add up to post-season success. In short, sometimes Mike D’s shit just doesn’t work in the playoffs.
I kinda wonder if last night’s game against Drake, I mean Toronto, was a precursor of yet another early exit for Mike D.
Only if the Finals have series with three games in four nights. Despite that, and one of the most putrid periods I’ve ever seen the Rockets play, they still managed to come back to tie it with 2 minutes to go.
They should be fine. Unlike those Suns teams he coached, this one actually plays a little defense every once in awhile. Be nice though if he could get Wright some playing time and help take the load off Capela, Mbah a Moute, and Nene. And I think Joe Johnson is now a player emeritus taking Gerald Green’s minutes. But other than that, I’m feeling good about their chances.
Going to be fun to watch.
Saw a great stat on the dingbatty Jay and Dan show (who are almost as venerable as their erstwhile archnemesises, Tim and Sid):
Most triple doubles since 2008-09:
Russell Westbrook 99
Cleveland Cavaliers 43
Houston Rockets 42
Golden State Warriors 35
Boston Celtics 32
Raptors are doing great right now, including a tough OT win last night over basement-dwelling Mavs. Funny how the Raps have been tested recently by lowly teams (who’ve played way above their season performance level).
Hoping they’ll beat OKC tomorrow for a team-best 12 straight wins.
If TO goes out first round…
…I will
wither.
:smack: er make that 100 for Mr. W.