The city of Cleveland has had it's fair share of heartbreaking moments in sporting history. They last won a major championship in 1964, when the Cleveland Brown defeated the Baltimore Colts for the NFL title. 46 years later, they are still searching for another major championship, and it looks like the wait will be longer now that their best bet at winning one has ditched the city he called home for 7 years.
Yes, LeBron James has left Cleveland for Miami. He will be joining Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, and with the three of them playing together in the same team, he hopes to win the coveted ring, which Kobe Bryant has on each of his fingers on his left hand. Yes, Kobe has 5 rings now, 5 championships that puts him one shy behind Michael Jordan. James, with all his MVPs and fantastic stats, will never be the greatest player ever if he doesn't start winning those rings. We can talk all day long about legacy and greatness, but without those rings, James is just another great player in the same boat with Steve Nash, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller, Allen Iverson and the list goes on and on.
And James wouldn't want that. That's why he is taking a paycut and ditching a city he called home for the past 7 years, an organisation who has bend over backward multiple times to give him everything he wanted, yet still fall short on delivering him the perfect support for a Championship win. Not to say he would never win one with Cleveland, but he prefers to take his chances with Wade and Bosh alongside him.
So, while Miami is building a dynasty, Cleveland is left devastated. Among others notable event in Cleveland's sports Hall of Shame:
The Drive - 1987 AFC Championship Game: Browns vs Broncos, leading by a touchdown with 5 minutes left, but John Elway lead his team 98 yards to tie the game and win in overtime.
The Fumble - 1988 AFC Championship Game: Browns vs Broncos, with 1 minute left on the clock, Earnest Byner was on his way to score the game-tying touchdown, but lost a fumble at the 3-yard line.
The Shot - 1989 NBA First Round Playoffs Game 5: Cavaliers vs Bulls, Michael Jordan scored the buzzer beater to win the series.
The Move - 1995: The Brown's owner decided to move the franchise to Baltimore, which led to plenty of lawsuits and ultimately, the suspension of the franchise for 3 years.
And now, the latest one to enter the list.
The Decision - 2010: James announcement - "This fall I am taking my talents to South Beach and play with the Miami Heat. The major factor was the best opportunity for me to win, to win now and for the future also. Winning is the most important thing for me. I feel like is going to be the best opportunity."
With Wade and Bosh alongside him now, it's a whole lot easier to win.
Showing posts with label NBA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NBA. Show all posts
Friday, July 9
Wednesday, June 18
Celtics 4 Lakers 2
Game over.
No one could have predicted the final score. It was one of the most lopsided score in NBA finals history.
131-92.
Boston’s 39-point win surpassed the NBA record for the biggest margin of victory in a championship clincher; the Celtics beat the Lakers 129-96 in Game 5 of the 1965 NBA finals.
The Celtics shot 49% from the field, shooting 43-for-87 compared to the Lakers 42% out of 27-for-64 shooting. Ray Allen was hot from the arc, shooting an NBA record-tying 7-for-9 from the three-point line and scoring 26 points. Kevin Garnett had 26 points while Paul Pierce, the finals MVP, had 17 points. Rajon Rondo had 21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and six steals for the Celtics.
Bryant, the regular season MVP, finished with 22 points on 7-for-22 shooting. Not much help from his teammates this time, with Odom only managing 14 points while Gasol only with 11 points. The Lakers came out from the locker room for the second half trailing by 23 points, and by the 4th quarter, they were resigned to the fact that it was over by then.
It was a different story for Boston Celtics. A year after winning just 24 games, then drawing bad luck in the draft lottery, the Celtics completed the most dramatic turnaround in NBA history with a Game 6 blowout that was equally impressive. It was also the 17th title for the league’s most-decorated franchise.
A good ending for a good season.
My hope for next season: to see the Rockets win in the first round of the playoffs.
No one could have predicted the final score. It was one of the most lopsided score in NBA finals history.
131-92.
Boston’s 39-point win surpassed the NBA record for the biggest margin of victory in a championship clincher; the Celtics beat the Lakers 129-96 in Game 5 of the 1965 NBA finals.
The Celtics shot 49% from the field, shooting 43-for-87 compared to the Lakers 42% out of 27-for-64 shooting. Ray Allen was hot from the arc, shooting an NBA record-tying 7-for-9 from the three-point line and scoring 26 points. Kevin Garnett had 26 points while Paul Pierce, the finals MVP, had 17 points. Rajon Rondo had 21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and six steals for the Celtics.
Bryant, the regular season MVP, finished with 22 points on 7-for-22 shooting. Not much help from his teammates this time, with Odom only managing 14 points while Gasol only with 11 points. The Lakers came out from the locker room for the second half trailing by 23 points, and by the 4th quarter, they were resigned to the fact that it was over by then.
It was a different story for Boston Celtics. A year after winning just 24 games, then drawing bad luck in the draft lottery, the Celtics completed the most dramatic turnaround in NBA history with a Game 6 blowout that was equally impressive. It was also the 17th title for the league’s most-decorated franchise.
A good ending for a good season.
My hope for next season: to see the Rockets win in the first round of the playoffs.
Sunday, June 15
Celtics 3 Lakers 2
The Lakers are still alive.
Facing elimination, they managed to dig deep and prevent Boston from celebrating on their own turf, forcing Game 6 and bringing the game back to Boston.
Kobe Bryant lead the home team with 25 points, and he had plenty of help from his teammates. Four other Lakers were in double figures, with Lamar Odom coming alive with 20 points from 8-for-10 shooting while Pau Gasol had 19 points and 13 rebounds.
No team has overcome a 3-1 deficit in the finals to win a title. The first 28 failed, and now the Lakers, who blew a 24-point lead and lost Game 4 and nearly squandered a 19-point lead in Game 5, have a chance to do something extraordinary.
Paul Pierce had a massive game, with 38 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists. He kept the game close for his team, with a pair of free throws to cut the Lakers lead by two with less than two minutes to go. But with less than a minute left on the clock, Bryant poke the ball out of Pierce's hand and finished the play with a dunk to put the Lakers up by four.
With the score now at 100-95, Bryant missed one of two free throws with 16 seconds left, and Eddie House nailed a three-pointer to make it 101-98 with 14 seconds left. Fisher then made two free throws and stole Boston’s last pass to ensure that there will be another game in the series.
Game 6 will be in Boston on Wednesday.
Facing elimination, they managed to dig deep and prevent Boston from celebrating on their own turf, forcing Game 6 and bringing the game back to Boston.
Kobe Bryant lead the home team with 25 points, and he had plenty of help from his teammates. Four other Lakers were in double figures, with Lamar Odom coming alive with 20 points from 8-for-10 shooting while Pau Gasol had 19 points and 13 rebounds.
No team has overcome a 3-1 deficit in the finals to win a title. The first 28 failed, and now the Lakers, who blew a 24-point lead and lost Game 4 and nearly squandered a 19-point lead in Game 5, have a chance to do something extraordinary.
Paul Pierce had a massive game, with 38 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists. He kept the game close for his team, with a pair of free throws to cut the Lakers lead by two with less than two minutes to go. But with less than a minute left on the clock, Bryant poke the ball out of Pierce's hand and finished the play with a dunk to put the Lakers up by four.
With the score now at 100-95, Bryant missed one of two free throws with 16 seconds left, and Eddie House nailed a three-pointer to make it 101-98 with 14 seconds left. Fisher then made two free throws and stole Boston’s last pass to ensure that there will be another game in the series.
Game 6 will be in Boston on Wednesday.
Friday, June 13
Celtics 3 Lakers 1
A hole is a hole, doesn't matter how deep it is.
Unless of course, it's a hole that you dig yourself.
The Lakers put themselves into a deep hole when leading as many as 24 points, they let Paul Pierce and his merry men cut the lead, and in the end, did a comeback that would embedded into playoffs history. Celtics beat Lakers 97-91, and the Lakers now trail Boston Celtics 3-1, and no team has ever dug its way out of such a hole in the Finals.
Lamar Odom, who struggled in the first three games of the finals, came alive in this one with 19 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. But he did most of his damage in the first half, and when the going gets tough, he disappeared down the stretch. Nobody was willing to shoulder the burden, and it was up to Kobe Bryant to keep the team alive.
Bryant however shot 6-for-19 from the field and scored 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter. The other Los Angeles starters all reached double figures, but their contributions were minimal down the stretch. Bryant shot 4-of-8 and his teammates went 4-of-13 for eight points in the final period. That was when the game was lost.
And now Boston Celtics is just one win from another NBA title.
Pierce scored 20 points, Garnett had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Ray Allen had 19 points. The trio had plenty of help from the bench in the fourth quarter, first from Eddie House who hit a jumper to put Boston up by one late in the fourth, and later on James Posey hit a dagger right into the Lakers' heart with a 3-pointer with less than 2 minutes left.
Game 5 will be in Staples Center this Monday.
Unless of course, it's a hole that you dig yourself.
The Lakers put themselves into a deep hole when leading as many as 24 points, they let Paul Pierce and his merry men cut the lead, and in the end, did a comeback that would embedded into playoffs history. Celtics beat Lakers 97-91, and the Lakers now trail Boston Celtics 3-1, and no team has ever dug its way out of such a hole in the Finals.
Lamar Odom, who struggled in the first three games of the finals, came alive in this one with 19 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. But he did most of his damage in the first half, and when the going gets tough, he disappeared down the stretch. Nobody was willing to shoulder the burden, and it was up to Kobe Bryant to keep the team alive.
Bryant however shot 6-for-19 from the field and scored 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter. The other Los Angeles starters all reached double figures, but their contributions were minimal down the stretch. Bryant shot 4-of-8 and his teammates went 4-of-13 for eight points in the final period. That was when the game was lost.
And now Boston Celtics is just one win from another NBA title.
Pierce scored 20 points, Garnett had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Ray Allen had 19 points. The trio had plenty of help from the bench in the fourth quarter, first from Eddie House who hit a jumper to put Boston up by one late in the fourth, and later on James Posey hit a dagger right into the Lakers' heart with a 3-pointer with less than 2 minutes left.
Game 5 will be in Staples Center this Monday.
Wednesday, June 11
Celtics 2 Lakers 1
The Lakers were rescued by the sharp-shooting of Sasha Vujacic.
Vujacic turned saviour when the rest of the Lakers starters (not including Kobe) combined for only 22 points, making just a pitiful 7 of their 28 shots. Vujacic came of the bench to shoot 7-for-10, including 3-for-5 from the 3-point range.
Kobe Bryant, as usual, led the team with 36 points, but apart from these two players, there rest of the Lakers didn’t help much. Lamar Odom continued his woeful shooting throughout the series with a disappointing game and only 4 points and 5 turnovers, while Pau Gasol was nowhere near his best.
Boston didn’t fare well too, with Paul Pierce scoring only 6 points from 2-for-14 shooting while Kevin Garnet scored 13 points from 6-for-21 shooting. Ray Allen was the only hot shooter for Boston, and his 25 points managed to keep the game close for the Celtics. The final score was 87-81, and they made everyone at the Staples Center fidgeting in their seats until the final horn sounded.
They had a reason to be so. No team in NBA playoff history has ever overcome a 0-3 deficit. And the Lakers made sure that they do not have to be the first one to do so.
Game 4 will be at the Staples Center this Friday.
Vujacic turned saviour when the rest of the Lakers starters (not including Kobe) combined for only 22 points, making just a pitiful 7 of their 28 shots. Vujacic came of the bench to shoot 7-for-10, including 3-for-5 from the 3-point range.
Kobe Bryant, as usual, led the team with 36 points, but apart from these two players, there rest of the Lakers didn’t help much. Lamar Odom continued his woeful shooting throughout the series with a disappointing game and only 4 points and 5 turnovers, while Pau Gasol was nowhere near his best.
Boston didn’t fare well too, with Paul Pierce scoring only 6 points from 2-for-14 shooting while Kevin Garnet scored 13 points from 6-for-21 shooting. Ray Allen was the only hot shooter for Boston, and his 25 points managed to keep the game close for the Celtics. The final score was 87-81, and they made everyone at the Staples Center fidgeting in their seats until the final horn sounded.
They had a reason to be so. No team in NBA playoff history has ever overcome a 0-3 deficit. And the Lakers made sure that they do not have to be the first one to do so.
Game 4 will be at the Staples Center this Friday.
Monday, June 9
Celtics 2 Lakers 0
Boston Celtics is two games away from being crowned as the new champion. While the Los Angeles Lakers need to dig deep to keep the series alive.
Trailing Boston by 24 points with less than 8 minutes left, the Lakers got within two before losing 102-108. They finally decided to play some ball late in the fourth quarter, however, it was a little too late as they ended up being on the losing end.
Only three teams - Boston in 1969, Portland in 1977 and Miami in 2006 - have overcame a 0-2 deficit to win the title. The question now will be, can Kobe Bryant lead the Lakers to be the fourth team to do so?
Celtics got plenty of help from the bench in game two. Leon Powe, a second year reserve had the game of his career, scoring 21 points in 15 minutes while Posey and Brown added 8 and 6 points respectively. The Lakers bench? Well, they managed 23 points among themselves, two more than what Powe alone had.
As usual, Boston big three carried the team with a total of 62 points while Lakers big three (Kobe, Gasol and Odom) had 57 points. Boston also went to the line 38 times compared to the Lakers 10. The big difference managed to unsettle Phil Jackson, but he short stop of accusing the officials of being one-sided.
Game 3 will be in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Friday, June 6
Celtics 1 Lakers 0
The Finals have began. And Boston Celtics drew first blood.
Celtics closed out the Lakers 98-88 in Game One of the Finals. Eventhough they finished with the league best record with 66 wins, they are the underdog in this series. Their performance getting to the Finals raised a lot of questions about their credibility. They needed 7 games to shut down the Hawks and the Cavaliers, and were lucky to get past the Pistons in 6 games.
Lakers meanwhile, swept the Nuggets, closed out the Jazz on the road and trashed the defending champion Spurs comprehensively. They have the league MVP in Kobe Bryant, and a very young team.
Bryant didn't have a good game though. He was 9-26 from the field and only scored 24 points. During the regular season, he also had a tough time against the Celtics, shooting 15-for-46 and averaging 25 points. Boston won both games. Could it be finally the Celtics are showing their defensive mettle, with Kevin Garnett, the league defensive player of the year leading the way?
But Bryant didn't get much help from his teammates. The Lakers wound up shooting 41.6 percent - far below their postseason field goal percentage of 47.8 percent. And they were outrebounded 46-33.
There was drama during the game, when Boston's captain Paul Pierce shook off a sprained knee and scored 22 points. He was carried off from the court midway through the third quarter when he was bumped from behind by his teammate accidentally, that left him sprawling on the court and unable to get up. But he returned soon after, and drained two consecutive 3-pointer that put Boston up by 4 points at the end of the third quarter. They never trailed after that.
The Lakers aren’t in trouble just yet. Losing the opening game of the Finals doesn’t spell instant doom. The Lakers still have Bryant, and he doesn’t typically follow a poor-shooting game with another.
Game 2 is on Sunday, and looking at the way it is, it's going to be another cracker.
Celtics closed out the Lakers 98-88 in Game One of the Finals. Eventhough they finished with the league best record with 66 wins, they are the underdog in this series. Their performance getting to the Finals raised a lot of questions about their credibility. They needed 7 games to shut down the Hawks and the Cavaliers, and were lucky to get past the Pistons in 6 games.
Lakers meanwhile, swept the Nuggets, closed out the Jazz on the road and trashed the defending champion Spurs comprehensively. They have the league MVP in Kobe Bryant, and a very young team.
Bryant didn't have a good game though. He was 9-26 from the field and only scored 24 points. During the regular season, he also had a tough time against the Celtics, shooting 15-for-46 and averaging 25 points. Boston won both games. Could it be finally the Celtics are showing their defensive mettle, with Kevin Garnett, the league defensive player of the year leading the way?
But Bryant didn't get much help from his teammates. The Lakers wound up shooting 41.6 percent - far below their postseason field goal percentage of 47.8 percent. And they were outrebounded 46-33.
There was drama during the game, when Boston's captain Paul Pierce shook off a sprained knee and scored 22 points. He was carried off from the court midway through the third quarter when he was bumped from behind by his teammate accidentally, that left him sprawling on the court and unable to get up. But he returned soon after, and drained two consecutive 3-pointer that put Boston up by 4 points at the end of the third quarter. They never trailed after that.
The Lakers aren’t in trouble just yet. Losing the opening game of the Finals doesn’t spell instant doom. The Lakers still have Bryant, and he doesn’t typically follow a poor-shooting game with another.
Game 2 is on Sunday, and looking at the way it is, it's going to be another cracker.
Saturday, May 31
Wallace led to Pistons downfall
The Celtics finally managed to do something that they have not done during the past 2 series.
The finally won away from home.
With that accomplished, they closed down the Pistons 4-2 to emerge as the Eastern Conference Champions and set a date with the Los Angeles Lakers for bragging rights as the World's Champion. Lakers earlier routed the defending champion San Antonio Spurs 4-1 where Kobe Bryant shows why he is the league MVP by carrying his team to the first finals for the Lakers since 2004.
Celtics started strong in game 6 today and led up until the middle of third quarter, where Pistons had a 10-2 run and started to pull away as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter. Just when it seemed the Pistons might be in control with a 70-60 lead early in the fourth, the Celtics scored nine points in less than 2 minutes and went on a 19-4 run that put them ahead 79-74. No thanks to Wallace.
Wallace really had a bad game. He had 5 fouls, 4 points out of 2-12 shooting with 0-6 from the three-point line, and 3 turnovers, one of them was a poor pass after a defensive rebound that turned into a basket for the Celtics.
And when they were down by 6 with less than a minute left, Wallace attempted a three which missed badly, and when Tayshaun Prince committed a turnover off a steal from Posey, it was as good as over for the Pistons.
But it's good to see Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce in the finals. They deserve to be there, after playing in the league for so many years. Garnett was with the Timberwolves for 12 years, and never made it to the finals. Allen was with the Supersonics and it was even worse there. While Pierce has been with the Celtics for 10 years now, it is the team that drafted him in 1998.
So it's going to be Celtics-Lakers finals. Boston has 16 NBA titles, the Lakers 14. Their rivalry, while most recently heated in the 1980s, goes back to the days of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. In the 1980s, it was Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. This year, it's going to be Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce. Another history in the making, more Hall of Famers creating histories.
Whatever it is, it is definitely going to be a great finals.
The finally won away from home.
With that accomplished, they closed down the Pistons 4-2 to emerge as the Eastern Conference Champions and set a date with the Los Angeles Lakers for bragging rights as the World's Champion. Lakers earlier routed the defending champion San Antonio Spurs 4-1 where Kobe Bryant shows why he is the league MVP by carrying his team to the first finals for the Lakers since 2004.
Celtics started strong in game 6 today and led up until the middle of third quarter, where Pistons had a 10-2 run and started to pull away as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter. Just when it seemed the Pistons might be in control with a 70-60 lead early in the fourth, the Celtics scored nine points in less than 2 minutes and went on a 19-4 run that put them ahead 79-74. No thanks to Wallace.
Wallace really had a bad game. He had 5 fouls, 4 points out of 2-12 shooting with 0-6 from the three-point line, and 3 turnovers, one of them was a poor pass after a defensive rebound that turned into a basket for the Celtics.
And when they were down by 6 with less than a minute left, Wallace attempted a three which missed badly, and when Tayshaun Prince committed a turnover off a steal from Posey, it was as good as over for the Pistons.
But it's good to see Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce in the finals. They deserve to be there, after playing in the league for so many years. Garnett was with the Timberwolves for 12 years, and never made it to the finals. Allen was with the Supersonics and it was even worse there. While Pierce has been with the Celtics for 10 years now, it is the team that drafted him in 1998.
So it's going to be Celtics-Lakers finals. Boston has 16 NBA titles, the Lakers 14. Their rivalry, while most recently heated in the 1980s, goes back to the days of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. In the 1980s, it was Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. This year, it's going to be Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce. Another history in the making, more Hall of Famers creating histories.
Whatever it is, it is definitely going to be a great finals.
Tuesday, April 22
Down and almost out
I had a good piece about the NBA playoffs ready to be posted, when I suddenly realised that my favourite team is on the verge of being knocked out of the first round.
Not that there's anything new with that, since the Rockets with Tracy McGrady have never make it pass the first round before. Come to think of it, McGrady has never made it to the second round in his 10 years playing in the NBA. He was knocked out when he was playing for the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic and now, I think he has jinxed the Houston Rockets as well.
What more can I say?
Rockets managed to finish a respectable fifth in the highly competitive Western Conference and managed to grab homecourt advantage against their first round opponent - Utah Jazz. Being eliminated by Jazz last year in 7 games, I'm sure revenge must be in some of the senior players mind, especially McGrady. But they fall in the first game, trailing throughout the whole game and shooting at a miserable 37% from the field. The main culprit: McGrady and Bobby Jackson, who is starting in the absence of point guard Rafer Alston.
And if I thought the first game was just a minor hiccup, they proved me wrong by losing the second game. So there goes the homecourt advantage. There goes the whole season just like that, and suddenly, 22 games winning streak seems like an eternity away. What's good is a streak if you can't just hold it up long enough to get you far in the playoffs?
Not that there is no chance for a comeback. There is still 5 games left in the series, and anything can happen. But statistically, it's a bit far-fetched. The Jazz is 37-4 during the regular season playing in Salt Lake City. That means they only lost 4 times, and that is indeed an impressive record. The only bright side about this is one of the losses is to the Rockets, so maybe there is still hope.
But in order for that to happen, they need to shoot better, distribute the ball more and one thing for sure, McGrady needs to step up and carry the team on his shoulder.
That, in my opinion, is the only way they can break the jinx.
Not that there's anything new with that, since the Rockets with Tracy McGrady have never make it pass the first round before. Come to think of it, McGrady has never made it to the second round in his 10 years playing in the NBA. He was knocked out when he was playing for the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic and now, I think he has jinxed the Houston Rockets as well.
What more can I say?
Rockets managed to finish a respectable fifth in the highly competitive Western Conference and managed to grab homecourt advantage against their first round opponent - Utah Jazz. Being eliminated by Jazz last year in 7 games, I'm sure revenge must be in some of the senior players mind, especially McGrady. But they fall in the first game, trailing throughout the whole game and shooting at a miserable 37% from the field. The main culprit: McGrady and Bobby Jackson, who is starting in the absence of point guard Rafer Alston.
And if I thought the first game was just a minor hiccup, they proved me wrong by losing the second game. So there goes the homecourt advantage. There goes the whole season just like that, and suddenly, 22 games winning streak seems like an eternity away. What's good is a streak if you can't just hold it up long enough to get you far in the playoffs?
Not that there is no chance for a comeback. There is still 5 games left in the series, and anything can happen. But statistically, it's a bit far-fetched. The Jazz is 37-4 during the regular season playing in Salt Lake City. That means they only lost 4 times, and that is indeed an impressive record. The only bright side about this is one of the losses is to the Rockets, so maybe there is still hope.
But in order for that to happen, they need to shoot better, distribute the ball more and one thing for sure, McGrady needs to step up and carry the team on his shoulder.
That, in my opinion, is the only way they can break the jinx.
Sunday, March 30
The Dinosaurs are back
This video made me laugh for a good 10 minutes (courtesy from ClutchFans Forum). 4 rockets players, Battier, Novak, Mutombo and Francis did their best dinosaur impersonations in a commercial for "Walking with Dinosours", the live theatrical adaptation.
I think J.E. Skeets summed it up pretty well. Rockets players impersonate Dikembe, Dikembe and the Rockets players impersonate dinosaurs, and dinosaurs knew Dikembe personally, most likely impersonated him behind his back. There. Circle of life complete.
(You have to be a fan to get the joke)
Sunday, March 16
The real test
The Rockets have won 21 consecutive games, the second most in the league history, rivaled only by the 1971/72 Lakers team which won 33 straight with the help of their center, Wilt Chamberlain. They went and beat the Knicks in the finals to lift the trophy.
Now, Rockets are without their center, and also the star player of the team. Yao Ming leads in scoring and rebound for the team, and when he went for surgery a few weeks ago, a lot of people wrote down their chances. No way they can continue the streak without Yao.
But 9 games later, they are still winning. Now they sit at the top of the Western Conference, sharing the lead with the Lakers. Lakers have been revitalized with the arrival of Pau Gasol, climbing their way up the table and becoming yet again a force to be reckon with.
Of course, there is also the Kobe factor.
Tomorrow, it's going to be Rockets vs Lakers. Clash of the top two teams. It's going to be an important game for the Rockets, because this is where their mettle will be tested. This is when their championship credentials will be proven. This is The Game.
And after the Lakers, it's going to be the Celtics, who have the best record in the NBA now, then another encounter with the Hornets. Then it's going to be the Warriors and the Suns.
These are going to be tough games for them. Their shooting percentage has been dropping lately, and they've been relying a lot on their defense. And also unexpected heroes. McGrady has been tanking for the team, but in every game, there have always been the unlikely heroes. Landry and Scola did his part, and so did Novak and Mutombo. And in yesterday's win against the Bobcats, it was Michael Harris, who was one of Rockets' final training camp cuts. And I haven't even heard of him until yesterday.
I will be watching the game closely tomorrow, from the net. And hopefully, at the end of it, I'll be jumping up and down and grinning wildly.
33 in a row? Sounds impossible, but with some luck and hustle play, it can happen again.
And the Rockets might just rewrite history.
Now, Rockets are without their center, and also the star player of the team. Yao Ming leads in scoring and rebound for the team, and when he went for surgery a few weeks ago, a lot of people wrote down their chances. No way they can continue the streak without Yao.
But 9 games later, they are still winning. Now they sit at the top of the Western Conference, sharing the lead with the Lakers. Lakers have been revitalized with the arrival of Pau Gasol, climbing their way up the table and becoming yet again a force to be reckon with.
Of course, there is also the Kobe factor.
Tomorrow, it's going to be Rockets vs Lakers. Clash of the top two teams. It's going to be an important game for the Rockets, because this is where their mettle will be tested. This is when their championship credentials will be proven. This is The Game.
And after the Lakers, it's going to be the Celtics, who have the best record in the NBA now, then another encounter with the Hornets. Then it's going to be the Warriors and the Suns.
These are going to be tough games for them. Their shooting percentage has been dropping lately, and they've been relying a lot on their defense. And also unexpected heroes. McGrady has been tanking for the team, but in every game, there have always been the unlikely heroes. Landry and Scola did his part, and so did Novak and Mutombo. And in yesterday's win against the Bobcats, it was Michael Harris, who was one of Rockets' final training camp cuts. And I haven't even heard of him until yesterday.
I will be watching the game closely tomorrow, from the net. And hopefully, at the end of it, I'll be jumping up and down and grinning wildly.
33 in a row? Sounds impossible, but with some luck and hustle play, it can happen again.
And the Rockets might just rewrite history.
Saturday, March 8
15 points blowout
17 in a row. Now if that is not impressive, I don't know what is. Oh, I know. 18 in a row. Now that would be something.
But up next would be the surprise-of-the-season team - the Hornets. Chris Paul and his rag-a-tag band might have a different ball game up their sleeve, what with Peja Stojakovic finding his range again beyond the arc, and Tyson Chandler making himself present in the paint. The hornets are clinging to the second spot in the tough Southwest Division, but it won't be for long now. But I believe the Rockets are not interested in second spot, they are looking for the top spot, and with that, the Western Conference title. Wouldn't that be something?
But a lot has been said about this streak. Will they have what it takes to sustain until the playoffs? With Yao Ming out for the season, what will happen when they are up against the top teams with the big man? The Suns have Shaquile O'Neal and Amare Stoudamire. The Lakers are prospering with Pau Gasol and the soon to be fit Andrew Bynum. And Spurs can always rely on Tim Duncan. And in the playoffs, it's another ball game. You choke, you lose. And Rockets are well aware of this. Numerous first round exits must be painful for veteran players like Tracy McGrady, who never seem to be able to carry his team past the first round. Last year they did well to take the first two games against the Jazz, but in the end they lost the 7th game. And three years ago, it was the Mavericks who dispatched them in 6 games.
Speaking about the Mavericks, they got trashed yesterday morning by an energetic Rockets team. Dirk Nowitzki was suspended for the game, for the flagrant foul he committed on Andrei Kirilenko. The game was close until the third quarter, when the Rockets pulled away and the Mavs struggling with their shots. In the end, it was a huge win, something that they've been getting quite often nowadays.
With 21 games more to go, a lot of things can happen. And that includes a record breaking 30 games winning streak. Hey, it is possible!
All they need is to believe in themselves. Which they are, at the moment.
But up next would be the surprise-of-the-season team - the Hornets. Chris Paul and his rag-a-tag band might have a different ball game up their sleeve, what with Peja Stojakovic finding his range again beyond the arc, and Tyson Chandler making himself present in the paint. The hornets are clinging to the second spot in the tough Southwest Division, but it won't be for long now. But I believe the Rockets are not interested in second spot, they are looking for the top spot, and with that, the Western Conference title. Wouldn't that be something?
But a lot has been said about this streak. Will they have what it takes to sustain until the playoffs? With Yao Ming out for the season, what will happen when they are up against the top teams with the big man? The Suns have Shaquile O'Neal and Amare Stoudamire. The Lakers are prospering with Pau Gasol and the soon to be fit Andrew Bynum. And Spurs can always rely on Tim Duncan. And in the playoffs, it's another ball game. You choke, you lose. And Rockets are well aware of this. Numerous first round exits must be painful for veteran players like Tracy McGrady, who never seem to be able to carry his team past the first round. Last year they did well to take the first two games against the Jazz, but in the end they lost the 7th game. And three years ago, it was the Mavericks who dispatched them in 6 games.
Speaking about the Mavericks, they got trashed yesterday morning by an energetic Rockets team. Dirk Nowitzki was suspended for the game, for the flagrant foul he committed on Andrei Kirilenko. The game was close until the third quarter, when the Rockets pulled away and the Mavs struggling with their shots. In the end, it was a huge win, something that they've been getting quite often nowadays.
With 21 games more to go, a lot of things can happen. And that includes a record breaking 30 games winning streak. Hey, it is possible!
All they need is to believe in themselves. Which they are, at the moment.
Saturday, March 1
Streaking Rockets
14 straight win. The longest in the NBA so far this year. And one short of tying the franchise record. And that was an unbeaten February for them, going through the whole month unbeaten.
With Yao Ming out injured for the rest of the season, it looks like a daunting task for the Rockets to keep up with their winning ways. But with Tracy McGrady back to full health, and the Rockets rosters providing ample support, they might just have the chance of progressing far in the playoffs this time around. The West has not been won yet, and any 9 teams at the moment have the chance of winning it. The Rockets are sitting way down on 7th place, but only 2 games separate them from the Spurs who are at the top of the Conference.
The thing is, the lead has been changing for the past few days. The surprising Hornets have been on top, Suns and Lakers alternated a few times, and the rest of the pack are keeping close to them. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Rockets making it to the top, if they keep on playing like they did in February.
I have been particularly impressed with rookie Carl Landry. The power forward has been performing well, averaging 7.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game with an average of 16 minutes each game. He is also shooting really well, averaging 64.2% from the floor. Other than him, Luis Scola is also doing well, pumping in good numbers for the team, and for the first time in many years, the Rockets finally have a good supporting cast. The recent trade also landed them Bobby Jackson, a 10 years veteran who can provide enough experience and some offense from the bench.
Up next, it's Allen Iverson and the Nuggets at home tomorrow. Then it's the Pacers, and then the Mavericks, which could be the pivotal game that determines which team will finish above the other. But with 24 more games to go, a lot of things can happen. They still have to play the Hornets twice, and Spurs one more time. These might be the games that might shake the standings in the tough Southwest Division.
But if the Rockets keep on playing the way they do right now, with superb defense and workable offense, it could be a good season for them.
And I'm counting on that.
With Yao Ming out injured for the rest of the season, it looks like a daunting task for the Rockets to keep up with their winning ways. But with Tracy McGrady back to full health, and the Rockets rosters providing ample support, they might just have the chance of progressing far in the playoffs this time around. The West has not been won yet, and any 9 teams at the moment have the chance of winning it. The Rockets are sitting way down on 7th place, but only 2 games separate them from the Spurs who are at the top of the Conference.
The thing is, the lead has been changing for the past few days. The surprising Hornets have been on top, Suns and Lakers alternated a few times, and the rest of the pack are keeping close to them. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Rockets making it to the top, if they keep on playing like they did in February.
I have been particularly impressed with rookie Carl Landry. The power forward has been performing well, averaging 7.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game with an average of 16 minutes each game. He is also shooting really well, averaging 64.2% from the floor. Other than him, Luis Scola is also doing well, pumping in good numbers for the team, and for the first time in many years, the Rockets finally have a good supporting cast. The recent trade also landed them Bobby Jackson, a 10 years veteran who can provide enough experience and some offense from the bench.
Up next, it's Allen Iverson and the Nuggets at home tomorrow. Then it's the Pacers, and then the Mavericks, which could be the pivotal game that determines which team will finish above the other. But with 24 more games to go, a lot of things can happen. They still have to play the Hornets twice, and Spurs one more time. These might be the games that might shake the standings in the tough Southwest Division.
But if the Rockets keep on playing the way they do right now, with superb defense and workable offense, it could be a good season for them.
And I'm counting on that.
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