Warriors VS Rockets (Game 3)

Warriors Lead Series 2-1

The Rocket finally decided to take advantage of the Warriors sitting Curry out of the game. The Rockets were great offensively and looked like they actually wanted to play defensively, or did they. Let's break it all down.

If you look at the Rockets defense, you will notice it wasn't all as it seemed. They did a good job of contesting field goals shot by Klay, but they failed to contest any other shots. This actually worked with them somewhat as the Warriors couldn't hit shots, but then Maurice Speights was left wide open. He took advantage of this as he contibuted to 22 points off the bench and was a big reason why this Warriors team stayed in the game. If you take a look at the shotchart you will notice that the Rockets defense wasn't that great. Guys were left open but were just missing outside shots. The shots inside were usually not defended well and they got quality looks inside. 

Warriors Team - Shot Chart - www.nba.com/stats

James Harden, Dwight Howard, and Motiejunas were the guys that really made this Rockets offense go 'round. The pick and roll with Dwight Howard and James Harden wasn't guarded that well by Golden State until the second half where Motiejunas started spacing the floor and hitting shots. The Warriors got off to a very poor start defensively. It wasn't til the 4th quarter where the Warriors really cracked down defensively.

The Warriors did not rebound well. They lost the rebounding battle to Houston as the Warriors had 43 rebounds while the Rockets had 52. The Rockets had 16 second chance points. The Warriors also didn't take care of the ball well. Draymond Green had 7 turnovers in the game and had a turnover at the end of the game in which the Warriors could have possibly won the game. The turnovers really hurt Golden State and it kind of cost them the game. The Houston Rockets had 20 points off turnovers so it was a case of not getting back on defense either.

Stephen Curry has said that he would be very surprised if he didnt' play in game 4 so the Rockets should expect him to play. They have a lot of changes that they must make if they are going to keep this series alive.

Warriors VS Rockets (Game 1)

Warriors lead series 1-0

If you are a Rockets fan, this was probably a tough game to watch. Nothing was really working for the Rockets. I thing I really notice was that the Rockets seemed to be forcing shots. Every miss Corey Brewer had in the paint was because it didn't look like he was trying to make it, he was just trying to throw up a shot. It just wasn't a good game. The Rocket kept missing which lead to major frustration.

One thing the Rockets have to realize it that you can't try to outrun the Warriors. They are so talented in a full court offense that you have to slow them down into a half-court offense. The Warriors ended the game with 33 points off turnovers. The Warriors thrive off turnovers. When you turn the ball over 24 times against the Warriors, they are going to convert on those mistakes. There is more the whole Warriors lead right there in points. You have to score and you can't turn it over against this team.

Stephen Curry was the leading scorer for both teams with 24 points on the night, and he didn't even clock 20 minutes. That means 2 things, you team didn't score, and you let a guy score 24 points in about 20 minutes, that is more than 1 point per minute. If you can't keep your composure and contain Curry, you at least have to match the Warriors scoring, which they didn't because they turned the ball over and forced up shots.

Now let's give some credit to the Warriors though. They played great defense. They held the Rockets to 78 points. Not only that, but they limited their fouls too. James Harden, a supreme free throw shooter in the league, didn't register a single free throw in the game. He was so frustrated that he created contact to get a call, but instead, Harden was called for an offensive foul. Their defense was so great that the Rockets suffered with their shooting, and the Rockets are a great shooting team. The Warriors really protected the paint as guy just forced up shots in there.

Houston Rockets - Shot Chart - www.nba.com/stats

One of the more impressive stats that I noticed was the rebounding battle. The Houston Rockets had an amazing total of 51 rebounds! 51! The Warriors had 53. They topped the Rockets total of 51. That is impressive.

As you could tell from this game, it looks like it's going to be a scrappy, one-sided series, but if the Rocket can make these changes, they could make it more interesting.

Fantasy Friday: Shooting Guards

A good shooting guard is a good thing to have on your team. The only problem is that they are kind of few and far between. When you read this realize that some sucker will probably pick up Kobe Bryant and you will be laughing and pick one of these guys, because Kobe Bryant will most likely get injured or not be that efficient. Then Kobe Bryant will lead the league in scoring, make about three 3's per game, average a near triple-double, and win defensive player of the year. You will place all the blame on me and say "but Aaron, you said, 'When you read this realize that some sucker will probably pick up Kobe Bryant and you will be laughing and pick one of these guys, because Kobe Bryant will most likely get injured or not be that efficient.'!" And I will reply, hey man, no one said you had to listen to me. Then you will most likely be so mad that you will take your laptop and throw it out the window and your house will burn down. You will place all the blame on me and I will have to pay for the damages. So in advance, I say, take Kobe Bryant if you want to. If you want to take the risk fine, but don't blame me if it doesn't work. If you trust me though, you're best off taking these SGs.

10. Wesley Matthews: He is a risk. We don't know how he will respond. You may want to take K-Mart instead. Will Wes do great in Dallas, or will he be traded mid-season for Festus Ezeli because he is playing so bad. Well, if you take him, let's hope he will do great in Dallas. Wesley Matthews is a great defensive player and is deadly from deep. Watch out for him because he will shoot the lights out.

9. J.J. Redick: He will give you three pointers. He will give them to you. I am a bit worried that he is not doing so well since the playoffs and I fear it could be his down fall. Let's hope he can keep his numbers going up as Chris Paul gets less and less productive. Producing 16.4 PPG last season and 2.6 three pointers per game, he doesn't have much else to offer. Don't forget about Redick though, because chances are, most people will.

8. Victor Oladipo: This man looks like he will be the best player going into his 3rd season. He averaged over 17 PPG last season and contributed in other areas as he averaged 4.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, and 1.7 steals. He is looking good, we just don't know if he will be an all-star and we don't know how much he will improve. Hopefully, he will do great.

7. Paul George: He is in the risk category. So buyer beware. This man is coming off from a severe injury but if Paul George goes back to being regular Paul George, then the results will be amazing. The season before Paul got his injury, he was considered the best fantasy player in the league as he averaged 21.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.9 Steals per game. Great right? And he only averaged 2.8 turnovers. So if you want to take the risk, grab George.

6. Monta Ellis: Another Pacers player whose season is unclear. Monta could again produce a near 19 PPG and 4.1 Assists or his numbers could plummet. He is a great defender averaging a good 1.9 steals but we are unsure how this change of scenery will be for him.

5. Dwayne Wade: He has the skills and is most likely a future Hall of Famer, but  with Dragic, Bosh, Deng, and Whiteside, will his numbers drop? Probably. That's why he is down here. His great fantasy numbers he has been averaging for the last multiple year will most likely go down and Wade hasn't has a season where he played at least 70 games in 5 years. So take the old man if you want. You just better hope for a healthy season.

4. DeMar DeRozan: This boy is still averaging quite numbers in Toronto. 20.1 PPG and 4.6 RPG along with the steals and assists. He will most likely continue to increase his numbers but he doesn't have a lot to offer besides scoring. He is not a shooter if that is what you are looking for. So don't take him for that. But there aren't many players that average over 20 PPG and average just 2.3 turnovers per game.

3. Klay Thompson: He is a young player rising. Younger than Stephen Curry still. He still has a lot of potential. I would take him in a heartbeat because I see major improvement in Thompson this upcoming season. While he shoots many threes, I can see his 21.7 PPG from last year rising. He made over three 3 pointers per game last year. Not to mention he averaged a little less than 2 turnovers per game last year! This is why Klay is at number 3.

2. Bradley Beal: As Beal enters his 4th season in the NBA, he could very well become an all-star. In the playoffs he had shown that he could lead the team when John Wall went down. This 3 point sharp shooter can score, rebound, and assist and we all know it. He is expected to have his stats increase by a big margin here. We'll see if it happens.

1. James Harden: Of course he is number one. He is going to give you scoring. He will give you rebounds and assists. He will make 3s. And he will give you plenty of free throws. Not to mention he was really healthy last year. James Harden was probably the best player to have in fantasy last year. If you have him this year your team could be the best. The only downside is that James Harden commits turnovers. Oh well. You will obviously have to put up with that but it will be the same with LeBron and Kevin Durant. The way I figure it, he will be either the best or the second best fantasy player this year. Pick him up if you have the chance!

Well, there are your shooting guards. Some notable mentions that weren't on here are Kyle Korver and Kevin Martin so keep them in mind if these guys aren't available (or you just don't trust me). Again, remember that no one is telling you that you have to pick these guys up. So if you place a bunch of money and lose, it's not my fault. But it would be wise to draft these great players. 

3-0 One More to Go!

Well, this Conference Finals hasn't been that great so far. We have seen 2 teams dominate while the other 2 are left in the dust. The Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers have a 3-0 lead against their opposing teams. Notice what the teams have done so well this series.

The Warriors have been great. They have done a great job of using guys like Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green. They make sure that James Harden is the only one scoring by keeping him out of the paint. When you keep him out, he is forced to take jumpers and he isn't able to kick the ball to a wide open player spacing out. The Rockets could really use a guy like Montiejunas or Beverley but they are both out with injury which is very unfortunate for a team like the Rockets. Stephen Curry has done a great job spacing the floor and they are doing a great job of getting it in the paint. When they get it in the paint, they either score or kick it out for a 3 pointer. The Rockets haven't played bad, they just haven't finished out in 4th quarters, leaving the Warriors up 3-0, with One more to go.

The Cavaliers are up because of one reason. The Hawks have played horribly. Maybe they are playing bad because the Cavs are playing great defense. Maybe it's cause the Hawks are playing horrible defense. Maybe it's cause the Hawks don't have a star player to carry them. Or maybe it's because of injuries like the Thabo Sefolosha incident. All of these things contribute to it. The Hawks are just not like the Hawks. If this was the Warriors against this injured Cavs team without Love or Irving, the Warriors would be up 3-0. Honestly, If your the Hawks, you have to realize that this roster won't win you a championship. They desperately need a star player. They have no one to rely on to make big shots at the end of game. Who shot those last shots in the game, was it Mack or someone like that. I don't even really know who it was. They are depending on some random bench player to make shots. Sure, I like getting everyone involved, but there is a point where you need someone to take over. But instead, the Cavs are up 3-0 with One more to go.

Warriors VS Rockets (game 1)

Final Score: Warriors win 110-106



Warriors lead 1-0

The Warriors had an 11 point lead with about 2 minutes remaining. The Rockets didn't care. Trevor Ariza didn't care. He just couldn't win the game. Stephen Curry said no. You will not win the game Trevor Ariza. He nailed the dagger 3. Let's take a look at how the Warriors won this game.

The Warriors played the fast pace game that they wanted to. They had 28 fast break points. They also had 50 points in the paint. Really great game for the Warriors. Now I know that Stephen Curry had a great game as he had 34 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds, and shot 6-11 from 3 point range, but Draymond Green played really great. He had 13 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. That is a solid game. He was really the key to the Warriors ball movement. This kid had a total of 70 passes. Shawn Livingston played wonderful. He had playoff winning experience with the Nets last year and he is crucial to the Warriors bench. He had 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. I do want to see David Lee match-up with Josh Smith, but the Warriors seem reluctant to play him. So far the Warriors are doing great. Though they could shoot a little better from 3 point range. Everybody besides Curry shot 4-18 from deep. Klay Thompson only shot 1-7. They could improve that.

The Rockets played great. They got Andrew Bogut in foul trouble to start off the game and he only played about 16 minutes. After that, they just got out in transition and got to the rim. They play just like the Warriors do, so it's not surprising that the Rockets had 28 fast break points and 52 points in the paint. They really need to play better defense. You could tell that there was a lot of confusion and lack of communication. The battle of the bench is going to be the deciding factor in this series. The Rockets could use a little more from their bench players. I don't think that 27 points will be enough from their bench. Corey Brewer just needs to be a little more aggressive and Terrance Jones just needs to sink some shots. This is going to be a tight series. It is probably going to be the more interesting one too. Let's see how it will play out.

Rockets VS Clippers (game 5)

Final Score: Rockets win 124-103



Clippers lead series 3-2

The Rockets did a lot of things right. The Clippers had a tough time with this team. This Rockets team showed everybody what they are capable of. Let's breakdown what the Rockets did right in this game and what they need to do to tie the series.

The Rockets had a great game. One noticeable thing they did was that they started Josh Smith. Josh Smith did have an okay game, but his defensive rating was the worst on the court. They honestly need to insert Jones into the starting line-up. James Harden had a wonderful game and he looked like he always had in the regular season. He started off the series where he was just missing. Everyone was like "James! Where were you!"

 

It's okay James, your back. That's all that matters. He had a triple-double last night. 26 points, 10 assists, and 11 rebounds. He could step up his shooting a little as he only shot 1-8 from the 3 point line. Dwight Howard also had a great game. He had 20 points and 15 rebounds. He was also great on the defensive end as well. Jason Terry had a wonderful game with 11 points, 7 assists, and 0 turnovers! He also was great on the offensive end with a rating of 141.1. Corey Brewer played great with 15 points off the bench. The best individual performance I think was by Trevor Ariza. He had 22 points, shot 4-6 from downtown, had 3 steals, and had a defensive rating of 89.5. He was the MVP of the game. At least, that's what I thought.

The Clippers have some work to do. They desperately need some offense from the bench. There bench was 10-31 from the field and 3-14 from the 3-point line. Spencer Hawes had a great game off the bench but he was the only bench player that really produced. They can't rely off of 55 points from Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. That won't win them games. Also, they need to rebound better. They lost the rebound advantage 58-39. That can't happen. Everyone needs to be trying to get the rebound. When DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin combine for all but 12 of your rebounds, the other teammates aren't trying enough. They really need to protect the paint better. I would be more concerned with the paint than the 3-point shooting of the Rockets right now. You can't let them have a chance to comeback. Can the Rockets do it? We'll have to wait and see.

Rockets VS Clippers (game 3)

Final Score: Clippers win 124-99



Clippers lead series 2-1

This was a game that both teams needed. Only one could win it of course. This game was won by the Clippers. Let's see how they won this game.

The Clippers stayed calm and got their bench involved in the game which I though was surprising. The Clippers played a total of 13 players. Austin Rivers had 25 points. The whole bench had 46 total points. The best thing about their bench was they played great defense. Except for Glen Davis. He sucked on defense. The Clippers had 50 points in the paint and had only 32 contested jumpers. It is hard to complain with how they did, but they could get J.J. Redick more touches. He only touched the ball 34 times. That should increase and it needs to. This guy plays the most for the team. That's about it though. Blake Griffin played great. As long as Chris Paul has no more delays, I don't see why they can't make it to the next round.

The Rockets did a lot wrong. They shot 58.1% from the free throw line. The team had a defensive rating of 125.1 and an offensive rating of 98.4. That can't happen. They did do great with their turnovers as they kept it under 20. So they fixed that a little. James Harden was great with his passing as he had not only 11 assists but also 4 secondary assists and 1 free throw assist. That is impressive. They really have to pick up the defense for them to win though. That is just to start with. They also have to find a way to contain Blake Griffin. They have a lot of work to do. Let's see what they will change in game 4.

Rockets VS Mavericks (game 5)

Final Score: Rockets win 103-94



Rockets win series 4-1

It was a nice series while it lasted. Too bad Chandler Parson couldn't play. Too bad Rajon Rondo couldn't make his coach happy. Too bad Patrick Beverley wasn't there. Too bad the Rockets social media manager was fired for making a picture of a horse with a gun to his head (sounds like a social media manager that has no common sense of social media). Too bad Dirk couldn't win another championship. Too bad the refs couldn't have a little more common sense (they were okay, but nobody else seemed to like them). And too bad this series is over.

The Mavericks did a lot of things wrong in this game 5. First off, Devin Harris was a horrible back up for Barea and they should have had Felton back up Barea at point. Second, Amar'e Stoudemire didn't get the touches he needed. He only had 16 touches in the 11:22 minutes he played. If he had touched the ball more and let him get in the post, that would have spaced out the floor better and would have help the Mavs control the tempo a little better. Same with Tyson Chandler. Now they did do a great job of getting Dirk some touches. Third is that they turned the ball over way to many times. They did a great job making the Rockets turn the ball over but they turned it over just as much as the Rockets. The good thing were that J.J. Barea and Dirk had great games. You might be like "Barea!?" Yes Barea. He only had 6 points but he had 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals. The thing that stood out to me though, was how he controled the game. He had more touches than Dirk which obviously seems like that his team trusts him. He looked comfortable on the court. Of course, he is familiar with Dirk and this team. Dirk had 22 points and 14 rebounds but he couldn't win. I feel bad for Dirk because he wants to win more than anybody, but he couldn't.

The Rockets had an okay game. Somethings that weren't so good were that stood out. First, there were way too many turnovers. The team had 21 turnovers while James Harden himself had 6. Then, Trevor Ariza shot 1-7 from three point range. The team only shot 52% from the free throw line. And their teams assists were only one more than their teams turnovers. Some good things. Dwight Howard had 4 blocks and 4 steals. Josh Smith had 20 points off the bench. And Dwight Howard had the most touches for the team with 55 which was more than James Harden who had 44, which means that the floor is spaced for this three point shooting team and they don't rely on Harden as much.

Like I said, this was a great series, but it's over, so that's it for the Mavericks. Great time watching them and I will miss this team.

Rockets VS Mavericks (game 1)

Final Score: Rockets Win 118-108



Rockets lead series 1-0

Tough game for the Mavs. They did a great job with Howard and Harden. Who would have thought that Brewer would come out with 15 points and shooting 3-4 from 3-point range though. The Mavs just got to keep it up. The way I see it, the Rockets just got lucky this time. The Mavs played their best they had played all season really. Just the fact that Terry and Brewer were knocking down hard shots made it a tough game for the Mavs.

Playoff Rondo! It looks like he's here. He had 15 points, 5 assists, and only 5 turnovers! That is pretty good for Rondo. Everyone was in the game. Ellis was doing great. Dirk had an amazing night. The only thing is I want to see Parsons do a little better. He was 0-4 from 3-point range. Also, Dirk needs to limit some turnovers

The Rockets just need to keep doing what they were doing. The Mavs took out their main guys and the Rockets found a way to get everyone involved. They played great basketball. Passed the ball. If they keep this up, they could find themselves going on to the next round.