Cavaliers vs. Rockets

[G-Bones]

Watching the Rockets enjoy a 30-point lead of the Cadivers makes me think that we are not going to be stopped by LeBron and co. in the playoffs.  They look like an old and uninspired team that is ready to exit early in the playoffs. LeBron seems to have already moved on.

[hodgy03038]

Agree on everything you said.

[esel1000]

Exactly why we signed Moose and are going after Lou and Reke. DA and Brad gearing up for a run to the finals

[Granath]

Let me just copy my post from another thread into this one...

 


I'm tired about hearing Cleveland and how they'll be better in the playoffs. They won't. They're simply too vulnerable and too old.

The only reason Cleveland is even remotely dangerous is because they have Lebron. Bron's still awesome but he's not *quite* at the level he once was. I wouldn't put it past him to get back to that level in the playoffs but I've said it repeatedly. The guy has played an incredible amount of minutes in his career and at some point Father Time beats everyone. Lebron has now played over 52,000 minutes in his career including playoffs. He's played more minutes than old man Robert Parish. He's up there with guys like Havlicek, Gary Payton and Reggie Miller. He's only about 1,000 minutes from John Stockton, who played until he was 40!. Think about those guys at the end of their careers and it's amazing that he's doing what he is on the court. But I don't think he's the same player anymore. No one is after that many minutes.

Then there's guys like Wade, Jeff Green, Kyle Korver, Rose, JR Smith and Calderon. That's a good team from 5 years ago. But now they're all very flawed players and absolute sieves on defense. Think about that - their entire bench (well, Smith doesn't come off the bench) is absolutely inept on defense. We all know even a healthy IT is a turnstile on defense as well. That's the majority of everyone who plays significant minutes for the team.

Thompson and Shumpert are liabilities on the other end. Love is hurt and doesn't look motivated. Crowder has yet to fit in.

This isn't like the Houston team of the 90s or the Celtics team that just treaded water until the playoffs and came on strong. Those teams had good SRS ratings even if they didn't perform well in the regular season. They were also proven teams and were largely intact from previous winning years. Cleveland actually has a slightly negative SRS this year and is actually overperforming their expected W-L. Is it impossible to think they'll turn it around? Of course not. Not so long as Lebron is there. But as far as them being the "team to beat" in the East, that ship has sailed. Boston and Toronto are the teams to beat.

[LilRip]

That and these Rockets are legit. GSW is still favored but if the Rox stay healthy, I can see them dethroning the Dubs.

[SparzWizard]

That and these Rockets are legit. GSW is still favored but if the Rox stay healthy, I can see them dethroning the Dubs.

To beat a superteam, you need to form a superteam yourself. The Rockets have James Harden and CP3 complemented by Clint Capela and Ryan Anderson. The Warriors have Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, complemented by Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The Warriors have met their match.

[SparzWizard]

The Celtics need to focus on getting themselves winning consistently again. The Raptors, Wizards, and Bucks are the new competitions in the East.

You can scratch LeBron James off, he's toast.

[cons]

this year... i'm sayin theres a chance!! 

[BackDoorCut]

That and these Rockets are legit. GSW is still favored but if the Rox stay healthy, I can see them dethroning the Dubs.

To beat a superteam, you need to form a superteam yourself. The Rockets have James Harden and CP3 complemented by Clint Capela and Ryan Anderson. The Warriors have Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, complemented by Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The Warriors have met their match.

Clint Capela and Ryan Anderson are by no means in the same echelon as Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Klay Thompson could be a number 1 option on the right play-off team. He has 3 years of averaging 20 points per game to his name. Ryan Anderson has never averaged 20 and Clint Capela has just emerged this year. Eric Gordon is the 3rd member of their big three. None of the rockets Starting 5 give you the two way play that the warriors have except Chris Paul. The warriors have 3 players that will receive all nba defense votes at the end of the season. The rockets probably have 1. I'm not saying the rockets won't give them a run for their money. I just don't see them taking 4 out of 7 games against the warriors.

I understand where everyone is coming from with the Cavs recent woes but I think one needs to be weary prior to writing them off. I remember 2010+ Celtics having the same concerns. I remember thinking how foolish it was for people to write them off as I knew they had more in the tank. Personally I think we might have 'em this year. In saying that, I wouldn't be surprised if they willed their way past us this year just like those late Paul Pierce teams seemed to do against the 1st Cleveland stint teams led by Lebron.

Also not quoted here, but are you kidding me ? Lebron is most definitely not toast. He's averaging 26.6, 7.9r, 8.7a on .545 from the field. Everyone around him is toast.

[keevsnick]

That and these Rockets are legit. GSW is still favored but if the Rox stay healthy, I can see them dethroning the Dubs.

To beat a superteam, you need to form a superteam yourself. The Rockets have James Harden and CP3 complemented by Clint Capela and Ryan Anderson. The Warriors have Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, complemented by Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The Warriors have met their match.

Clint Capela and Ryan Anderson are by no means in the same echelon as Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Klay Thompson could be a number 1 option on the right play-off team. He has 3 years of averaging 20 points per game to his name. Ryan Anderson has never averaged 20 and Clint Capela has just emerged this year. Eric Gordon is the 3rd member of their big three. None of the rockets Starting 5 give you the two way play that the warriors have except Chris Paul. The warriors have 3 players that will receive all nba defense votes at the end of the season. The rockets probably have 1. I'm not saying the rockets won't give them a run for their money. I just don't see them taking 4 out of 7 games against the warriors.

I understand where everyone is coming from with the Cavs recent woes but I think one needs to be weary prior to writing them off. I remember 2010+ Celtics having the same concerns. I remember thinking who foolish it was for people to write them off as I knew they had more in the tank. Personally I think we might have 'em this year. In saying that, I wouldn't be surprised if they willed their way past us this year just like those late Paul Pierce teams seemed to do against the 1st Cleveland stint teams led by Lebron.

Also not quoted here, but are you kidding me ? Lebron is most definitely not toast. He's averaging 26.6, 7.9r, 8.7a on .545 from the field. Everyone around him is toast.

I agree. I am optimistic we can beat them. I even think we should be favored. But if we lost to the Cav's in a playooff series I wouldn't be surprised either. I may hate lebron the person, but Lebron the player i respect the hell out of.

[SHAQATTACK]

I hope Lewhine goes to Lakers ......although i like Luke Walton and will feel sorry for him.

Lavar, Magic and Lebron .....yup LA fans deserve this death sentence .  .....and a clown owner who will let these bozos trash the franchise.

[GreenEnvy]

That and these Rockets are legit. GSW is still favored but if the Rox stay healthy, I can see them dethroning the Dubs.

To beat a superteam, you need to form a superteam yourself. The Rockets have James Harden and CP3 complemented by Clint Capela and Ryan Anderson. The Warriors have Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, complemented by Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The Warriors have met their match.

Clint Capela and Ryan Anderson are by no means in the same echelon as Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Klay Thompson could be a number 1 option on the right play-off team. He has 3 years of averaging 20 points per game to his name. Ryan Anderson has never averaged 20 and Clint Capela has just emerged this year. Eric Gordon is the 3rd member of their big three. None of the rockets Starting 5 give you the two way play that the warriors have except Chris Paul. The warriors have 3 players that will receive all nba defense votes at the end of the season. The rockets probably have 1. I'm not saying the rockets won't give them a run for their money. I just don't see them taking 4 out of 7 games against the warriors.

I understand where everyone is coming from with the Cavs recent woes but I think one needs to be weary prior to writing them off. I remember 2010+ Celtics having the same concerns. I remember thinking how foolish it was for people to write them off as I knew they had more in the tank. Personally I think we might have 'em this year. In saying that, I wouldn't be surprised if they willed their way past us this year just like those late Paul Pierce teams seemed to do against the 1st Cleveland stint teams led by Lebron.

Also not quoted here, but are you kidding me ? Lebron is most definitely not toast. He's averaging 26.6, 7.9r, 8.7a on .545 from the field. Everyone around him is toast.

Klay, at best, is the no. 1 option on a 4-and-out playoff team, if he’s lucky.

Tell me a team he could be the best player on and they win a game, let alone series.

While I agree that Clint and Ryan (lol) aren’t Klay and Draymond, the latter two are by no means superstars, they are products of their environment.

I would not expect Houston to win 4 of 7 in a playoff series against Golden State. Their two best players haven’t proven anything and Golden State is a proven model.

I’d honestly favor other teams putting it to together (Wolves, Thunder, Spurs) and taking the Warriors by surprise than the Rockets outgunning them. It could happen, just seems very unlikely.

[gouki88]

That and these Rockets are legit. GSW is still favored but if the Rox stay healthy, I can see them dethroning the Dubs.

To beat a superteam, you need to form a superteam yourself. The Rockets have James Harden and CP3 complemented by Clint Capela and Ryan Anderson. The Warriors have Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, complemented by Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The Warriors have met their match.

Clint Capela and Ryan Anderson are by no means in the same echelon as Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Klay Thompson could be a number 1 option on the right play-off team. He has 3 years of averaging 20 points per game to his name. Ryan Anderson has never averaged 20 and Clint Capela has just emerged this year. Eric Gordon is the 3rd member of their big three. None of the rockets Starting 5 give you the two way play that the warriors have except Chris Paul. The warriors have 3 players that will receive all nba defense votes at the end of the season. The rockets probably have 1. I'm not saying the rockets won't give them a run for their money. I just don't see them taking 4 out of 7 games against the warriors.

I understand where everyone is coming from with the Cavs recent woes but I think one needs to be weary prior to writing them off. I remember 2010+ Celtics having the same concerns. I remember thinking how foolish it was for people to write them off as I knew they had more in the tank. Personally I think we might have 'em this year. In saying that, I wouldn't be surprised if they willed their way past us this year just like those late Paul Pierce teams seemed to do against the 1st Cleveland stint teams led by Lebron.

Also not quoted here, but are you kidding me ? Lebron is most definitely not toast. He's averaging 26.6, 7.9r, 8.7a on .545 from the field. Everyone around him is toast.

Klay, at best, is the no. 1 option on a 4-and-out playoff team, if he’s lucky.

Tell me a team he could be the best player on and they win a game, let alone series.

While I agree that Clint and Ryan (lol) aren’t Klay and Draymond, the latter two are by no means superstars, they are products of their environment.

I would not expect Houston to win 4 of 7 in a playoff series against Golden State. Their two best players haven’t proven anything and Golden State is a proven model.

I’d honestly favor other teams putting it to together (Wolves, Thunder, Spurs) and taking the Warriors by surprise than the Rockets outgunning them. It could happen, just seems very unlikely.

Exactly, TP.

Klay Thompson could no way be a #1 option on a good team. He doesn’t have the repertoire on offence. He’s the absolute perfect supplementary piece, but that’s the best he’ll be

[bopna]

At the way the Cavs are playing, they are dangerously close at dropping all the way down to the 7th seed.
They are a Lebron tweeked ankle away from being totally eliminated from the playoffs.

We miss 5 of our important rotation players and we keep on being competitive, the Cavs will be toast if they don' even have Wade never mind LeChoke.

[LilRip]

That and these Rockets are legit. GSW is still favored but if the Rox stay healthy, I can see them dethroning the Dubs.

To beat a superteam, you need to form a superteam yourself. The Rockets have James Harden and CP3 complemented by Clint Capela and Ryan Anderson. The Warriors have Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, complemented by Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The Warriors have met their match.

Clint Capela and Ryan Anderson are by no means in the same echelon as Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Klay Thompson could be a number 1 option on the right play-off team. He has 3 years of averaging 20 points per game to his name. Ryan Anderson has never averaged 20 and Clint Capela has just emerged this year. Eric Gordon is the 3rd member of their big three. None of the rockets Starting 5 give you the two way play that the warriors have except Chris Paul. The warriors have 3 players that will receive all nba defense votes at the end of the season. The rockets probably have 1. I'm not saying the rockets won't give them a run for their money. I just don't see them taking 4 out of 7 games against the warriors.

I understand where everyone is coming from with the Cavs recent woes but I think one needs to be weary prior to writing them off. I remember 2010+ Celtics having the same concerns. I remember thinking how foolish it was for people to write them off as I knew they had more in the tank. Personally I think we might have 'em this year. In saying that, I wouldn't be surprised if they willed their way past us this year just like those late Paul Pierce teams seemed to do against the 1st Cleveland stint teams led by Lebron.

Also not quoted here, but are you kidding me ? Lebron is most definitely not toast. He's averaging 26.6, 7.9r, 8.7a on .545 from the field. Everyone around him is toast.

I agree that Klay and Draymond are significantly better than Capela and RA but CP3 and Harden are able to get the most out of their complementary pieces. They’re long and rangy and can switch multiple positions. Even Harden has put in some effort on D this year.

While GSW is rightfully favored, I can see the upset happening. Especially if the Rockets get a lucky shooting game.