New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season
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Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
I guess the long distance travel somehow favored the visiting team when the Lakers and Clippers play.
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Blogtable: Rockets' chances of beating Warriors in these playoffs?
Each week, we ask our scribes to weigh in on the most important NBA topics of the day.
From NBA.com
Fabulous read with the consensus that Harden is fresher as he meets the Warriors one round earlier in the playoffs
https://www.nba.com/article/2019/04/27/blogtable-rockets-chances-against-warriors-season
Each week, we ask our scribes to weigh in on the most important NBA topics of the day.
From NBA.com
Fabulous read with the consensus that Harden is fresher as he meets the Warriors one round earlier in the playoffs
https://www.nba.com/article/2019/04/27/blogtable-rockets-chances-against-warriors-season
Too much Kawhi as Raptors demolishing the Sixers. Embiid is a bit neutralized by big body Gasol. Who can stop Kawhi, he seems to feel nobody can.
Most entertaining part of the game, seconds left in the first quarter, Raptors TV announcer was on top of his throat screaming, 'Lowry at the buzzerrrrr.............AIR BALL !!!!! Much too much expectations for Kyle.
Most entertaining part of the game, seconds left in the first quarter, Raptors TV announcer was on top of his throat screaming, 'Lowry at the buzzerrrrr.............AIR BALL !!!!!
Much too much expectations for Kyle.
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Biggest news of the day. If both are out of the game it doesn’t look good for GSW
Curry, Thompson questionable with ankle injuries for Game 1
Warriors All-Stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have been listed as questionable for Sunday's Game 1 against the Rockets (3:30 ET, ABC) with right ankle injuries.
"We'll see how they're doing (before the game)," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told the media. "I'm not going to make a definitive statement on whether they'll both play. Let's just call it questionable. And there's nothing implied there. They both came in today and got some work, and we'll see how they're doing."
Curry, who has a history of ankle injuries, sprained his right ankle early in Friday's series clincher against the Clippers. Thompson sprained his ankle later in the same game, with the injury being described as "significant" by Kerr.
"He was limping last night," he said. "So, as I said, we'll see how he's doing (before the game)."
Thompson said after Friday's game, in which he scored just nine points, that he expects to play "fully" in today's series opener with the Rockets.
Curry, Thompson questionable with ankle injuries for Game 1
Warriors All-Stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have been listed as questionable for Sunday's Game 1 against the Rockets (3:30 ET, ABC) with right ankle injuries.
"We'll see how they're doing (before the game)," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told the media. "I'm not going to make a definitive statement on whether they'll both play. Let's just call it questionable. And there's nothing implied there. They both came in today and got some work, and we'll see how they're doing."
Curry, who has a history of ankle injuries, sprained his right ankle early in Friday's series clincher against the Clippers. Thompson sprained his ankle later in the same game, with the injury being described as "significant" by Kerr.
"He was limping last night," he said. "So, as I said, we'll see how he's doing (before the game)."
Thompson said after Friday's game, in which he scored just nine points, that he expects to play "fully" in today's series opener with the Rockets.
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Series Preview: Rockets aim to finally knock off rival Warriors
Familiar gameplans, multiple superstars mark rematch of 2018 West finals
By Shaun Powell
This guy has a terrific perspective of the game.I enjoy his articles......
The Houston Rockets made the Golden State Warriors sweat bullets in the 2018 Western Conference finals, and bring a pair of All-Stars who can cause trouble once again. Meanwhile, the two-time defending champion Warriors are seemingly less than perfect after a shaky first-round ouster of the LA Clippers.
Star power in this series abounds with James Harden, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Chris Paul all here. Both teams suffered first-round hiccups, but aside from no DeMarcus Cousins for Golden State, they enter this series healthy.
Warriors-Rockets Series Hub
But like last spring’s series, this one will be largely affected by one factor: can the Rockets hit their 3-pointers? If they can, the Warriors could be confronted by their biggest threat in the Steve Kerr era since the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers. If they can’t, this will be over quickly.
If the Rockets can make a respectable amount of 3-pointers and do so with efficiency, the Warriors will be pressed into matching that firepower. It’s a make-or-miss league once the playoffs begin and nowhere is that more true than in this series.
The Rockets are dead set on their style of play: Harden in isolation and spread floor … or bust. The Warriors, meanwhile, are all about setting screens and star power. That has served them well for five-plus playoff runs. Is there any reason to think it won’t serve them well in this series? That’s up to Houston to decide.
Harden and Paul are too good to not have a championship by now, and it’s not for the lack of trying. The timing of their careers -- plus the Warriors’ dynasty -- has denied them a ring thus far.
No team will be rooting for a Durant free agency defection from the Warriors this summer more than Houston. But that’s about next year. How about now?
Three things to watch
1.Will the Warriors copy Utah’s method for defending James Harden? Harden insists he’s seen every defense known to man. But in the first round, the Jazz offered a twist. A defender was attached to Harden’s left hip and shadowed him on his strong side. The idea was to minimize his left hand, force him right and hope for the best. It worked to a degree as the league’s top scorer in the regular season shot 36 percent in the first round. That won’t work against the Warriors.
2. Can Paul finally rise to the occasion? He’s headed to the Hall of Fame someday. Will he bring a championship ring with him? This isn’t a make-or-break year for Paul in that regard, but he’s not getting any younger and his body remains suspect until proven otherwise. Paul has reached one conference final in his career. A big performance against the Warriors, coupled with good health and a win, will go a long way to repair his reputation for coming up short.
3. Will the Warriors’ two-headed center overcome the Rockets’ one? Golden State received positive vibes in the paint from Andrew Bogut and Kevon Looney late in the regular season. But the Clippers’ Montrezl Harrell devoured them in the first round. Bogut does bring a defensive presence and Looney is active on the pick and roll (and a willing mid-range shooter). Their goal is to limit Rockets center Clint Capela’s lob-catching and impact on the series and keep Houston from having a Big Three.
The number to know
5-for-30 -- During the three years since they acquired Kevin Durant, when you include postseason games, no team has a winning record against the Warriors. But two teams are .500 against the champs over that time: The Boston Celtics are 3-3 and the Rockets are 9-9. While Boston has outscored the Warriors by 4.3 points per 100 possessions over their six games, the Rockets have been outscored by 3.3 over their 18 meetings with Golden State. Five of the Warriors' wins have been by double-digits and in last year's conference finals, they won Game 2 by 29 points and Game 5 by 41.
The Rockets have had the advantage in close games; Over the last three years, they're 7-3 in games against the Warriors that were within five points in the last five minutes. Houston's success in those games is less about their own shooting and more about how the Warriors have shot in the clutch.
Against Houston over the last three years, Golden State, the best 3-point shooting team in the league, is 5-for-30 (17 percent) from 3-point range with the score within five points in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime. Stephen Curry (4-for-13) and Draymond Green (1-for-2) are responsible for all five of the makes, while Kevin Durant (0-for-7) and Klay Thompson (0-for-6) have come up empty from beyond the arc in those situations.
Against all other opponents over the last three years, Golden State has shot 37 percent from 3-point range in those situations. Curry is 40-for-87 (46 percent), Durant is 23-for-54 (43 percent), and Thompson is 22-for-67 (33 percent).
-- John Schuhmann
The pick
More than any other team in the West, this is the one that spooks the Warriors the most. Houston may be the only squad capable of shaking up Golden State. That alone is why the Rockets won’t win this series. The Warriors can’t be caught off-guard and won’t look beyond Houston as they did against the Clippers. A motivated Warriors team is a dangerous one and perhaps an unbeatable one as well. Look for Durant, Curry and Thompson to take turns coming up big at various points, more than the Rockets can handle. Warriors in 6.
Series Schedule
Game 1: Sun, April 28, Houston at Golden State, 3:30 ET, ABC
Game 2: Tue, April 30, Houston at Golden State, 10:30 ET, TNT
Game 3: Sat, May 4, Golden State at Houston, 8:30 ET, ABC
Game 4: Mon, May 6, Golden State at Houston, 9:30 ET, TNT
* Game 5: Wed, May 8, Houston at Golden State, TBD, TNT
* Game 6: Fri, May 10, Golden State at Houston, TBD, ESPN
* Game 7: Sun, May 12, Houston at Golden State, TBD, TBD
Familiar gameplans, multiple superstars mark rematch of 2018 West finals
By Shaun Powell
This guy has a terrific perspective of the game.I enjoy his articles......
The Houston Rockets made the Golden State Warriors sweat bullets in the 2018 Western Conference finals, and bring a pair of All-Stars who can cause trouble once again. Meanwhile, the two-time defending champion Warriors are seemingly less than perfect after a shaky first-round ouster of the LA Clippers.
Star power in this series abounds with James Harden, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Chris Paul all here. Both teams suffered first-round hiccups, but aside from no DeMarcus Cousins for Golden State, they enter this series healthy.
Warriors-Rockets Series Hub
But like last spring’s series, this one will be largely affected by one factor: can the Rockets hit their 3-pointers? If they can, the Warriors could be confronted by their biggest threat in the Steve Kerr era since the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers. If they can’t, this will be over quickly.
If the Rockets can make a respectable amount of 3-pointers and do so with efficiency, the Warriors will be pressed into matching that firepower. It’s a make-or-miss league once the playoffs begin and nowhere is that more true than in this series.
The Rockets are dead set on their style of play: Harden in isolation and spread floor … or bust. The Warriors, meanwhile, are all about setting screens and star power. That has served them well for five-plus playoff runs. Is there any reason to think it won’t serve them well in this series? That’s up to Houston to decide.
Harden and Paul are too good to not have a championship by now, and it’s not for the lack of trying. The timing of their careers -- plus the Warriors’ dynasty -- has denied them a ring thus far.
No team will be rooting for a Durant free agency defection from the Warriors this summer more than Houston. But that’s about next year. How about now?
Three things to watch
1.Will the Warriors copy Utah’s method for defending James Harden? Harden insists he’s seen every defense known to man. But in the first round, the Jazz offered a twist. A defender was attached to Harden’s left hip and shadowed him on his strong side. The idea was to minimize his left hand, force him right and hope for the best. It worked to a degree as the league’s top scorer in the regular season shot 36 percent in the first round. That won’t work against the Warriors.
2. Can Paul finally rise to the occasion? He’s headed to the Hall of Fame someday. Will he bring a championship ring with him? This isn’t a make-or-break year for Paul in that regard, but he’s not getting any younger and his body remains suspect until proven otherwise. Paul has reached one conference final in his career. A big performance against the Warriors, coupled with good health and a win, will go a long way to repair his reputation for coming up short.
3. Will the Warriors’ two-headed center overcome the Rockets’ one? Golden State received positive vibes in the paint from Andrew Bogut and Kevon Looney late in the regular season. But the Clippers’ Montrezl Harrell devoured them in the first round. Bogut does bring a defensive presence and Looney is active on the pick and roll (and a willing mid-range shooter). Their goal is to limit Rockets center Clint Capela’s lob-catching and impact on the series and keep Houston from having a Big Three.
The number to know
5-for-30 -- During the three years since they acquired Kevin Durant, when you include postseason games, no team has a winning record against the Warriors. But two teams are .500 against the champs over that time: The Boston Celtics are 3-3 and the Rockets are 9-9. While Boston has outscored the Warriors by 4.3 points per 100 possessions over their six games, the Rockets have been outscored by 3.3 over their 18 meetings with Golden State. Five of the Warriors' wins have been by double-digits and in last year's conference finals, they won Game 2 by 29 points and Game 5 by 41.
The Rockets have had the advantage in close games; Over the last three years, they're 7-3 in games against the Warriors that were within five points in the last five minutes. Houston's success in those games is less about their own shooting and more about how the Warriors have shot in the clutch.
Against Houston over the last three years, Golden State, the best 3-point shooting team in the league, is 5-for-30 (17 percent) from 3-point range with the score within five points in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime. Stephen Curry (4-for-13) and Draymond Green (1-for-2) are responsible for all five of the makes, while Kevin Durant (0-for-7) and Klay Thompson (0-for-6) have come up empty from beyond the arc in those situations.
Against all other opponents over the last three years, Golden State has shot 37 percent from 3-point range in those situations. Curry is 40-for-87 (46 percent), Durant is 23-for-54 (43 percent), and Thompson is 22-for-67 (33 percent).
-- John Schuhmann
The pick
More than any other team in the West, this is the one that spooks the Warriors the most. Houston may be the only squad capable of shaking up Golden State. That alone is why the Rockets won’t win this series. The Warriors can’t be caught off-guard and won’t look beyond Houston as they did against the Clippers. A motivated Warriors team is a dangerous one and perhaps an unbeatable one as well. Look for Durant, Curry and Thompson to take turns coming up big at various points, more than the Rockets can handle. Warriors in 6.
Series Schedule
Game 1: Sun, April 28, Houston at Golden State, 3:30 ET, ABC
Game 2: Tue, April 30, Houston at Golden State, 10:30 ET, TNT
Game 3: Sat, May 4, Golden State at Houston, 8:30 ET, ABC
Game 4: Mon, May 6, Golden State at Houston, 9:30 ET, TNT
* Game 5: Wed, May 8, Houston at Golden State, TBD, TNT
* Game 6: Fri, May 10, Golden State at Houston, TBD, ESPN
* Game 7: Sun, May 12, Houston at Golden State, TBD, TBD
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Celtics are looking solid against a very disorganized Bucks team and lead at the end of the 1st. Giannis has only 1 point
26-17
26-17
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
what a difference the last half of the 2nd period was as Bucks tie at 46
At the end of the first half
Celtics 52-Bucks 50
At the end of the first half
Celtics 52-Bucks 50
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Well basketball is a 48 minute game and in the second half its was all Celtics who smothered the Bucks and outplayed, and outclassed the Bucks.
It's always good to win the first one of any series but its even better to get the win on the road
I said many times that there are just too many good teams this year in the east and west so surprises will happen
I really feel that the way the Celts handled the Pacers and swept them and now beats the Bucks by 22 points there is something to e said for the Celtics to be peaking at the right time
I thought the second half would have the Bucks taking it to the Celts
Man was I wrong
We got a series
It's always good to win the first one of any series but its even better to get the win on the road
I said many times that there are just too many good teams this year in the east and west so surprises will happen
I really feel that the way the Celts handled the Pacers and swept them and now beats the Bucks by 22 points there is something to e said for the Celtics to be peaking at the right time
I thought the second half would have the Bucks taking it to the Celts
Man was I wrong
We got a series
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
What a wild and crazy game as neither team played well with countless costly turnovers as well as too many made free throws by the Rockets kept the game close to the very end. However Steph playing with 5 fouls makes a three pointer to put the Warriors up by five where they held on to win
104-100
This was not a well played game by either team as Warriors errors and turnovers kept the Rockets in the game where they lead only briefly.CP3 ejected with 4 seconds left
This series is going to be a battle fest
104-100
This was not a well played game by either team as Warriors errors and turnovers kept the Rockets in the game where they lead only briefly.CP3 ejected with 4 seconds left
This series is going to be a battle fest
Woke up to see a pleasant win by the C's. Surprised me. But as a C's fan, I believe in them. Then I watched the replay of the 2nd half and Horford was magnificent on both sides, with 2 consecutive blocks on Giannis. Boston came prepared, knowing Giannis is the king of the open court, often ready with 3 defenders waiting for him, as pointed out by Hubie Brown, who is my favorite commentator as he was doing the colors in my first ever live TV game in the States during the 1984 playoffs between the C's and the Knicks. Love the ways he calls the game, very clear and straightforward. Kyrie did great, and he really enjoys these moments, with 11 assists and cheering the team on while on the bench to boot. Hope they keep up the good work.
I did not expect the Celtics to beat the Bucks in game one in Milwaukee - and it wasn't even close. Celtics looked good.
The Warriors beat the Rockets - Harden wasn't getting the foul calls on his jumper / lean into the defender move. I was very happy the refs didn't give James those cheap fouls.
Did CP3 touch the ref when he was called for a technical with a few seconds left at the end of the game? If so he will be sitting out the next game. Looked to me like he did - but maybe not.
The Warriors beat the Rockets - Harden wasn't getting the foul calls on his jumper / lean into the defender move. I was very happy the refs didn't give James those cheap fouls.
Did CP3 touch the ref when he was called for a technical with a few seconds left at the end of the game? If so he will be sitting out the next game. Looked to me like he did - but maybe not.
I may have inadvertently triggered an 80s Showtime Lakers fan into becoming a Celtics fan. It all started when he met up with me ( he lives in Costa Mesa) while I was staying with Steve during my LA visit. We talked about basketball and he told me he lost interest after the Kobe era and learned I was a through thick and thin Celtics fan. When I came back to Manila, he would message me a lot about how I got him interested in the Celtics and he would report the game results of the C's every now and then. And today it continued, he game me an analysis of the C's game win and I almost asked him if he is now a Celtics fan. A few weeks ago he told me after seeing the Clippers' success this season, he felt LeBron was thinking he should have moved to the Clippers. Like Steve, he was very critical of LeBron's every move after joining the Lakers.
It all started when he met up with me ( he lives in Costa Mesa) while I was staying with Steve during my LA visit. We talked about basketball and he told me he lost interest after the Kobe era and learned I was a through thick and thin Celtics fan. When I came back to Manila, he would message me a lot about how I got him interested in the Celtics and he would report the game results of the C's every now and then. And today it continued, he game me an analysis of the C's game win and I almost asked him if he is now a Celtics fan. A few weeks ago he told me after seeing the Clippers' success this season, he felt LeBron was thinking he should have moved to the Clippers. Like Steve, he was very critical of LeBron's every move after joining the Lakers.Similar threads
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