Hoosierhoopster

I'm glad I'm not a Rockets fan today. It's a quiet office environment this morning...

Vic has a good voice though. When he whines he whines in tune.

The NBA placed magnets in the balls.

The discussion is happening now, but will probably go away. I'm not usually one who thinks the fix is in, in the NBA -- and in fairness, the Rockets missing 27 straight 3's, unbelievable and an all time NBA playoff record low, coupled with CP3 being out had a lot to do with the Rockets' losing -- but, and I think this is a significant but, those 2 straight non-calls on the blatantly obvious and indisputable fouls on Harden's 3-point shots, made a huge difference in the game and again were simply indisputable. It wasn't like there was a question mark on either of them, that they were difficult to see, that the refs were out of position, there was just no possible valid excuse, they were blatant, inexcusable non-calls. That's 6 points, and really 7, as one was a four-point play. That's momentum. That's 6 or 7 points at a key time in the game. The moving screen that came shortly after was more questionable, I can live with that one, but not the non-calls on Harden's two 3-pointers (and I am one who normally complains about the way Harden leans in to draw fouls, here, there was just no question). It's not like there hasn't been a dirty ref in the NBA before, one went to prison. Someone was dirty last night.

I'm actually serious. I'm not even a Rockets fan. The repeated missed calls against GS followed by immediate calls on the other end are glaring. There's money involved.

OK I'm sorry at least one of these refs is dirty. Blatant foul after blatant foul ignored. Same ref has 'missed' 3 calls in a row.

This third quarter is huge for the Rockets. It's when GS brings it. Here comes the outside splash show, Houston will have to be ready for it. If they come out of the third with about the same lead, I think they'll pull it out. If not, it will probably fall away.

That was a MONSTER drive.

It’s like stickum in football in the 80’s. I can palm the ball easily with doe snot

This is another one of those good conversations that is going to have reasonable minds disagreeing. The efficiency of the 3 vs the long 2 is pretty clear generally, but there are players who score the ball very well from the elbow, etc. that plays a big role in how effective their teams are - for an extreme think the Duncan Bank shot, extremely effective and hard to defend - or guys today like DeRozan (playoffs aside) who can score effectively outside a layup. There is absolutely a role for the mid-range game, but it does have to take a back seat overall to the arc and at the rim, it’s one component but one that has to be reduced in favor of the others

He is often classy and supportive of other players particularly the rising ones -- James sought out Tatum on the floor at TD Garden after the Cleveland Cavaliers' 87-79 Game 7 triumph on Sunday. Then James showered Boston's 20-year-old forward with praise at his postgame news conference. "I just love everything about the kid, the way he plays the game, his demeanor, where he comes from," James said. "I just know he's built for stardom. He's built for success. And that's both on and off the floor." http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23628250/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers-respect-jayson-tatum-boston-celtics He said similar things about PG after their early playoff meeting with the P's. It's weird to think of him as one of the statesmen of the game, but he really is now. His 'taking my talents to South Beach" comment and the perception that he whines to the refs (in fairness he gets fouled all the time, but he's so strong the refs often let it go, like with Shaq) and the way he formed that Heat team rub many the wrong way. He's annoyed me at times, but all in all he's one of the best of all time, if not the GOAT, and he doesn't have those off court issues (think MJ, pre-social media and Internet everywhere lucky for him), and he's a really strong voice for the League.

"Tatum finished with 351 total points in 19 playoff appearances. That's the second-highest total in league history, falling just one point shy of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 352 points in 1970 (though then-Lew Alcindor did it in just 10 games). Tatum became the first rookie since Abdul-Jabbar to register 10 games of 20-plus points in a single postseason." http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23628250/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers-respect-jayson-tatum-boston-celtics Yep.

Really does. Dude is 33 going on timeless.

Well, that was impressive

Oh damn it

Ok no more personal stuff, banana or otherwise

Only replying as you tagged me. I understand where you're coming from, and there's definitely an issue with playing with Westbrook. Harden left and became League MVP. Vic left and became an All Star. Westbrook really is something of an enigma, back to back triple double seasons, assists at a high level, but is nonetheless extremely ball dominant and has missed more shots than anyone, takes more shots I think than anyone, and dominates at the end of games and in key games instead of facilitating. All that said, the problem with Durant is not that he left, it's that he joined the already ridiculously loaded Warriors because he could not beat them and wanted a ring. Listen to what Lillard said about that, and any number of other players -- but Lillard tends not to hold back. And asked if he would join the Warriors, Lillard: "Hell no." There are guys like Lillard, and then there are guys like Durant. Skill level here is irrelevant, it's the lame join the team that beat you that people, including myself, find disgusting. It's weak. It's also incredibly disrespectful to Oklahoma City, the fanbase, run to the team that just beat you. Had he come back the next year and fought to beat GS -- you know, with the team that was 1 game away from doing that -- people would view him very differently.

Fouls, there is literally no comparison. Durant joined the team he could not beat, after choking away a 3-1 West Con Finals lead. Everyone recognized it for exactly what it was - a wimp move. i’m sorry, what’s the comparison to Kawhi? There is no comparison. He has an injury that his docs have diagnosed differently than the Spurs docs and so they’ve had a disagreement over his decision not to play. Meanwhile all signs point (according to those in the know) to the Spurs working this out with him over the summer. What, you think he’s joining the Warriors?? Literally no comparison at all. i agree about Durant — in any era he would be one of the best. Still can’t stand him, still doesn’t change his wimp move. With MJ v LeBron, it’s really about individual judgment at this point imo. MJ was simply unstoppable during that run, which of course included time off for his little baseball experiment. Reggie would have at least one ring but for Jordan (then Shaq/Kobe). Jordan ripped your throat out as a player - Barkley, who at the time was a monster player, was flat out beaten by MJ in those playoffs and to this day acknowledges he was simply better than anyone else on the floor at the time. LeBron is much more like Magic as a player, which is for me a big part of the difficulty in comparing them. Kobe was like Mike, and Mike was better. LeBron is not like Mike, he’s his own thing, and maybe the GOAT, but I think that’s ultimately just a judgment call

And he’s been League MVP in the era of LeBron.

1, where else?!

Well had to think GS would bring the fight at some point. As good as the Rockets are, I’ve never liked D’Antoni’s short bench, 7 guys in the playoffs? GS is attacking in a way right now that wears the Rockets down fast

I don’t like Durant, and his move to the team that beat him was a chickensh$$ wimp move that rightfully drew the disgust of most players and fans. Can’t stand him. That said he’s clearly one of the best players today. I would put him behind Kawhi, but no further than 3rd.

Gotta say I’m amazed the Rockets are doing this well without CP3 in Golden State

I’m not really a LeBron fan either, but what he’s done and is doing right now, closing in on his mid-30’s, is amazing. We’ve come to expect it, so we take it for granted, but no one else is playing on his level (including Durant who thinks he is)

This list is as good as any, imo. i would probably have IT in at 10 or 11. Hakeem was amazing, completely owned Shaq in the run when Shaq was still young, but he did fall off hard and fast. Pound for pound to me IT is right there