Rockets 2020 - Topic

MADmartigan

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#131

Jan 24 2020 02:52am

Quote (Article @ Jan 24 2020 02:47am)

You just decided to ignore the above comment? :rofl:

Harden haters are normal. All he has to do is get hot in the playoffs and win the 2020 NBA Finals.
If the Rockets don't get it done people will blame Westbrook and Mike D'Antoni will be gone.

Either way it will work out just fine. A new head coach wouldn't upset me. I'd welcome it!
So it's like we have nothing to lose. It feels like house money in the playoffs this year.

MADmartigan

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#132

Jan 25 2020 04:20am

Russell Westbrook tallies 45 points, 10 assists and six rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets to a 131-124 road victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Westbrook records his eighth career game with at least 45 points, 10 assists and five rebounds, tying the NBA record held by Oscar Robertson and teammate James Harden.

Russ is starting to look like the MVP from three seasons ago. A welcomed sight with Harden still struggling.
Regardless of the seeding if the Rockets 'get hot' in the playoffs I think they'll be in the mix with anybody.

MADmartigan

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#133

Jan 28 2020 02:35am

Playing without stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon drops a career-high 50 points to carry the Houston Rockets to an improbable 126-117 road win over the Utah Jazz.

No big three of James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Clint Capela at Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Houston Rockets were literally huge underdogs playing the hottest team on the planet.
And the Rockets still went on the road, during a back-to-back, and took down the 2nd seed!

When the 4th best player on the team, Eric "Splash" Gordon can drop 50 points on 14-22 shooting and 6-11 threes, along with 16-20 free throws. That speaks volumes for how good the Rockets can be if everything can come together just in time for the playoffs.

I know there's another level of elite play the Rockets haven't reached yet. They've shown it in flashes only.

This is why I could care less if the Rockets are a 5th or 6th seed in the 2020 NBA playoffs.
A healthy roster from April to June will prove to be more important. They've got the talent to win.

I'd like to see the Rockets try to push for a higher seeding (2, 3 or 4) but winning road games in the playoffs shouldn't be impossible.

Kimiko_tan

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#134

Jan 28 2020 02:36am

Quote (Madmartigan @ Jan 28 2020 03:35am)

Playing without stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon drops a career-high 50 points to carry the Houston Rockets to an improbable 126-117 road win over the Utah Jazz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0tLaS_iPrs

No big three of James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Clint Capela at Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Houston Rockets were literally huge underdogs playing the hottest team on the planet.
And the Rockets still went on the road, during a back-to-back, and took down the 2nd seed!

When the 4th best player on the team, Eric "Splash" Gordon can drop 50 points on 14-22 shooting and 6-11 threes, along with 16-20 free throws. That speaks volumes for how good the Rockets can be if everything can come together just in time for the playoffs.

I know there's another level of elite play the Rockets haven't reached yet. They've shown it in flashes only.

This is why I could care less if the Rockets are a 5th or 6th seed in the 2020 NBA playoffs.
A healthy roster from April to June will prove to be more important. They've got the talent to win.

I'd like to see the Rockets try to push for a higher seeding (2, 3 or 4) but winning road games in the playoffs shouldn't be impossible.

Prolly best if they are a 6th seed

MADmartigan

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#135

Jan 28 2020 02:41am

Quote (Kimiko_tan @ Jan 28 2020 02:36am)

Prolly best if they are a 6th seed

If the 3rd seed is Utah or Denver, I think the Rockets would take either team out in 5 or 6 games. It would be a shorter series without a lot of stress for me. But the LA Clippers as a 3rd seed could be a 7-game battle worthy of being the best first-round series in the NBA Playoffs. It would be two heavyweights with superstars galore. At full health for both teams the Rockets and Clippers are the Lakers' biggest threat in the Western Conference.

MADmartigan

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#136

Jan 28 2020 02:51am

For some strange reason I still believe it's going to be the Rockets vs. Mavericks though.
A Texas-sized showdown in that 4 vs. 5 matchup. It's been on my mind all year long!

Only thing about that is it means playing the Lakers in the second round. A lot tougher road.
I'd rather be in that 2-7 vs. 3-6 bracket. Avoiding the LA Lakers until the conference finals.

I just hope the Rockets are healthy and peaking at the right time. That's all it really is a lot of times. Being lucky.

CiroC

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#137

Feb 5 2020 01:34am

Not sure about this trade...

MADmartigan

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#138

Feb 5 2020 01:41am

Quote (CiroC @ Feb 5 2020 01:34am)

Not sure about this trade...

It's not over yet. The Rockets can still add $12 million in salary for another player.
When it's all said and done before Thursday's deadline I may be jumping for joy!

I'm sad to lose Clint Capela but how often was he minimized by Mike D'Antoni's offense?
If we're comfortable playing small ball (11-1 in 12 games without Capela) I'm okay with it.

We'll see if anything else develops between now and tomorrow at 2 p.m. Texas time.
I love the Robert Covington and Jordan Bell additions. Also the free 2nd-round pick.

The key is going to be parlaying that $12M on another impact player. Somebody that's good.

MADmartigan

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#139

Feb 7 2020 12:59am

Russell Westbrook, last 30 days:

33.4 PPG (2nd in NBA, Lillard)
52.6 FG% (2nd in NBA, Giannis)*
8.2 APG (5th in NBA)

The Rockets have won 5 straight games with this 6'6"-or-shorter lineup.
Those 5 games were against the Jazz, Mavs, Pelicans, Hornets and Lakers tonight.

Robert Covington debut with the Rockets:

🚀 4/7 from three
🚀 +15 +/- (highest on team)
🚀 Late block on AD
🚀 Two clutch threes

Trust100Percent

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#140

Feb 7 2020 01:07am

Covington came up HUGE for the Rockets today, he fits in so well on this team. I would go forward with hesitant optimism though, Davis dominated as expected against the small lineup and the Lakers tried WAY too hard to feed him all game long. Rockets also won't shoot 45% from 3 each game, what I am most surprised about is how few free throws the Lakers got. Going into this game I expected 25+ fts between Davis, Howard and McGee, 8 total between them.

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