Ballin’: Rockets Rise Continues Minus Yao
NBA March 13th. 2008, 7:50am
Houston 83, Atlanta 75: At what point does someone ask, “Maybe T-Mac’s not the problem, and Yao is.” The streaking Rockets – 20 wins in a row – are now just a game behind the Lakers for the best record in the West on the strength of a strong finish and holding the Hawks to 33 percent shooting.
Philadelphia 83, Detroit 82: Mr. Big Shot clanged one at the horn and the 76ers escaped with a nice road win. Thinking out loud here … would the athletic 76ers have a shot at stealing one from the Pistons in the playoffs?
New Orleans 100, San Antonio 75: It’s results like this that have us geeked for the Western Conference playoffs – the Spurs let the Hornets shoot 58 percent, and scored just eight points in the fourth quarter. CP3: 26 points, 17 assists.
New Jersey 104, Cleveland 99: Joe Smith was part of that deadline deal to do two things – rebound and defend. Fifteen seconds left, down two … Smith lets Vince Carter slip around him on the foul line and secure the board and the ballgame. Lebron: 42 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds.
Golden State 117, Toronto 106: If you’re the Rockets, how terrified are you of playing the Warriors in the first round? Baron Davis (23 points, 15 assists) against Skip to my Lou Alston isn’t fair in anything (rapping, rollerskating, checkers, Cribs), especially hoops.
88 Responses to “Ballin’: Rockets Rise Continues Minus Yao”
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March 13th, 2008 at 7:59 am
cavs suck…
at least MR. BIG SHOT choked. thats always good to see.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Dwight Howard had 22 points and 13 rebounds to help the Magic beat the Los Angeles Clippers 110-86, securing their first winning season since the 2002-03 season. They are now 5 games back of Detroit for the second seed. At Hedgehog Van Gundy’s press conference last night, he was addressing goals that they still want to accomplish before the year is up. 50+ win season, securing home court, and catching Detroit are their goals still to meet
HOW BOUT THOSE CAVS hahaha
March 13th, 2008 at 8:01 am
I’m no Rockets fan, but won’t McGrady deserve some MVP attention if Houston finishes #1 or #2 in the West?
March 13th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Cavs will get thier ass handed to them in the playoffs. I not a believer in a complete team overhaul mid season. You just can’t get the team to gel into one unit in 40 games. Next year could be scary for other team in the East if Cavs hold it together
March 13th, 2008 at 8:03 am
im still not writing them off, yet. but another ridiculous loss to an awful team is really fucking hard to take.
its so frustrating watching this team play, some nights theyll look unstoppable, then theyll go out and shit all over the bed. god damnit.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:09 am
TBL- what is it going to take for the Magic to get a write up
oh thats right, your excuse is the game was meaningless
March 13th, 2008 at 8:13 am
a scoop jackson article thats logical and makes a good point?
i smell a ghostwriter.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:16 am
im not worried at all, we lost to the nets whatever sucks but hey philly beat detroit they must suck 2 right..
wait and see until this team is finally healthy with boobie z etc back and playing
not concerned at all..the only teal that really concerns me in the east is detroit..orlando celtics good team but detroit is the only one that would worry me
but hey im a dreamer
March 13th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Spencer, no worries here in Detroit, Mr. Big Shot is just waiting to dispose of the Cavs. Good trade with Chitown, now the Bulls can make the playoffs.
Philly has a near zero chance of beating the Pistons in the first round. Yep, you heard it here first. Way to give Philly fans another reason other than the Flyers collapse to douse themselves in the Schuylkill.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:20 am
@GYD- agree with your first statement
March 13th, 2008 at 8:23 am
Hey Irish imagine if your boy Dwight had CP3 as his point guard 26 and 17 that kid is a beast.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:24 am
GYD…like he did last year?
im not trying to start shit, but the pistons are back to their old crap again. they can coast by and beat bad teams, but rasheed falls into this habit of jacking up threes, and he doesn’t know how to turn it off. im beginning to second-guess my assertion that detroit would run through boston like a knife through warm butter because detroit is a poorly coached team and the players can’t lock into focus like they could under larry brown.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:27 am
jb…are you the artist formerly known as cbh49er?
March 13th, 2008 at 8:29 am
No I am the artist formerly known as jayjayb49ers just was too damn long
March 13th, 2008 at 8:31 am
ah…true story, it was pretty long. i got threw off by the 49ers surname.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Spencer I like your assessment of Detroit.No way they should have lost to the Cavs last year Flip’s a dumbass. How do you not double LeBron when he is just killin Tayshaun.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Lebron played horrible last night, in all seriousness. Some inexcusable turnovers.
While I do want Sasha to ultimately be the starter, I didn’t want him to get the keys handed to him immediately…after missing 23 games. Make him earn it, Coach Mike. He was a disaster.
If Cursed is reading this, sure would have been nice to have Z down low on that FT missed rebound. Of course those boards are meaningless…
March 13th, 2008 at 8:33 am
spencer,
Last year was last year. I don’t think the Cavs are any better, BTW.
And, I’ll agree with your comment about Sheed jacking threes and their lack of focus against lesser teams. I’m also not sold on Flip and his coaching prowess come playoff time, so I have to concede that point also.
All that being said, I think the starters should have a little more juice come playoff time as Flip has cut their minutes and actually spent some time trying to develop the bench. That may pay off big, or it could go boom.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Spencer096, do you really think Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas had the same type of impact on their franchises? Was Larry Bird arrested or convicted of sexual harassment? Was the Pacers franchise brought to mud because they had to settle for a 10M with a ex-employee?
I agree with you that Bird didn’t make the right decisions but he’s not the only one to blame in Indiana because Walsh is still there as a GM also. Isiah did it by himself (enabled by Jimmy Dolan) and still managed to get into a sexual harassment suit….
Double standard? No way. Scoop Jackson writing a column based on the race card? Always….
BTW, anyone here saw Bruce Bowen stomp Chris Paul jewels yesterday? Bowen should get a 2 game suspension (at least) for that. I’m tired of this “great defender”…..
March 13th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Nick…Mike Brown as a coach: yay or nay?
March 13th, 2008 at 8:37 am
CH4OS…yea, i think they do. walsh is a puppet GM these days and it’s pretty clear who’s calling the shots. has isiah had a historic brawl, numerous shooting incidents, strip club incidents, drug incidents, rape incidents? the pacers, despite their efforts to field an all-white team, have taken the crown the jail blazers took off.
if this was in a bigger city, he’d be massacred like isiah is.
isiah is still worse tho, but not by that much.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:38 am
@spence: I’ve always been big yay on Coach Mike. Love the focus being on defense. When you have the best offensive player in the league, that shit will sort itself out; instead work on the D. That being said, the defensive effort has been subpar lately. He needs to light a fire, which I think he will.
I guess what I’m saying is, he’s not an elite coach like Pops or Sloan, but he’s fine.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:41 am
GYD…i agree that the piston’s bench, especially the front court’s development, is an improvement and a genuine strength. and i also agree that last year was last year, and im not really sold on the new cavs yet either.
we’ll just have to wait and see. hell, the way the cavs are playing, theres a good chance they wont even meet the pistons.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Bruce Bowen is an asshole.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Nick…focus on defense? where was that last night? 38 first quarter points? 17-22 shooting? joe smith at the end of the game? dear god that was fucking atrocious. he STILL doesnt make any 3rd quarter adjustments even tho EVERYONE has been screaming that at him for as long as he’s been coach.
he shuffles lineups on a daily basis, which he did even before the new guys came on board.
for a defensive team, they let up way too much easy shit that anyone can see. outside of lebron, and larry when he was here, NOBODY plays passing lanes…WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?
i dont see him lighting a fire because i find it hard to believe that lebron trusts him. the players look to lebrizzy because he’s the big dog and mike i just some guy who runs practice. its awful. everything i said about flip applies to mike brown. HUGE nay in my opinion.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:46 am
spencer096, i don’t think you can compare, what’s Bird fault that Artest snapped because of a beer and goes to the stand with S-Jax? At least he traded them, meaning he was trying to get the “rotten apples” away but because of that he managed to acquire bad contracts (Troy and Dunleavy) and another head cases like Daniels.
I don’t think you can say they are the same thing, because Bird is not the coach also.
I do think that if the Pacers played in NY, LA or Chicago that would be a lot bigger deal than it is, but that comes with the terrority. If you win in NY it’s a way bigger deal also, so there’s risk and reward there.
I agree there are a double standard, but not based on race like Scoop Jackson try to make us believe, but because the Knicks are from NY city and Pacers are from Indiana. Was Isiah criticized when he only managed to get his talented team to the 1st round in the Playoffs when he coached in Indiana?
Of course, Isiah has a track record of ruining everything he touches…that helps also…
March 13th, 2008 at 8:47 am
who is going to stop Dwight Howard in the eastern conference playoffs?
double- triple team him and you leave the three point aces wide open
who is the highest scoring team in the East? thats right
March 13th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Yao Ming teaching how not to get the double eye poke.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:50 am
@spence: Eh, they’ve had some lapses, but this was the 3rd best team in the league last year on Defense. I’ll give him a little longer leash. I really think Snow should be getting some of AO’s minutes. AO is a sieve on defense.
Yes, I realize Snow is the worst offensive player in the league, but he’s also one of the best on D. 10 minutes of him could go a long way.
March 13th, 2008 at 8:52 am
CH4OS…i agree. and im considering this without thinking about race, more along the lines of city and perception. race isnt the issue here (when scoop starts talking about that, i just turn it off). i guess i just liked the basketball comparison scoop made, and didnt really think (or bother to read) about the race aspect at all.
but come on, artest was a head-case before he went into the crowd. he was suspended and fined out the ass multiple times, yet there he was still keepin on. and that was when he was one of the most productive players in the league, you mean to tell me you couldnt get anything for him?
March 13th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Eric Snow is injured…
March 13th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Spencer096, i totally agree that Larry Bird should have traded Artest sooner…way sooner…if I remember correctly, before he went to the stands some “media” was talking about Artest being the league MVP…time really flies…
March 13th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Nick…yea, but theyre 22nd in the league this year.
after watching mike brown, im just waiting until he trots out the ben wallace, AV and eric snow lineup…
March 13th, 2008 at 8:59 am
spence: We’re 13th in defensive efficiency, which does suck.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Where’s Irish, and why didn’t he get a shout out in that Sports Illustrated interview?
March 13th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Nah, jb is just my cousin…
It’s on tonight Nick, Spencer and all you Cleveland fans. Caron is coming back on his birthday.
\Please forget I ever said this if the Wizards get blown out
March 13th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Flip = Mike Brown
March 13th, 2008 at 9:02 am
i just hope nick young doesnt posterize someone again.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:02 am
cbh: bring it.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:02 am
@nick- what TBLs interview? haha im on his shit list
March 13th, 2008 at 9:04 am
I still say you need a commenter post.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:04 am
hey cuz whats up with Agent Zero?
March 13th, 2008 at 9:05 am
irish…you def need a commenter post.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:05 am
who knows. i dont see myself leaving my job anytime soon, so it could be in the future. we should start our own
March 13th, 2008 at 9:06 am
I’m on board with that idea.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Agent Zero is scared to come back, he needs to get his ass in gear, there isn’t much of the season left.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Lakers vs Rockets is gonna be a huge game. LA just needs to win at New Orleans on Friday.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:10 am
You think he resigns with the Wizards?
March 13th, 2008 at 9:10 am
@cbh- he is scared of Dwight, get real lol
nick- something needs to happen by next NBA season
March 13th, 2008 at 9:12 am
If the Lakers play the next 4 games like they played in their last 4, they are going to lose in New Orleans, Houston, Dallas and Utah. This is not serious contender unless Bynum comes back at 100% before the Playoffs (which is not going to happen).
March 13th, 2008 at 9:13 am
I believe he does, Ernie Grunfeld knows the reprecussions will be massive if he let’s Gilbert walk, and I think Gilbert wants to stay.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Damn I hate Rafer Alston. He re-appeared last night after two months in hiding.
Oh, and TBL, never ever say (or even imply) that Yao Ming is the problem again. He’s a badass.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:15 am
i wish Orlando could afford Gilbert. fuck, i wish we could afford a backcourt
March 13th, 2008 at 9:20 am
@irish: Afford a backcourt? You just gave $30+MM to Jameer.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:21 am
i know, i want to hurt Otis Smith
March 13th, 2008 at 9:22 am
I think you just need a real PF, then you can slide Rashard to SF, and Hedo to 2-guard. Screw a PG for now. You don’t have the cash for it.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Hedo would be pretty beastly at 2-guard. he could shoot over any defender on him.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:30 am
@ CH4OS The Lakers HAVE to play better on defense if not they lose 3 out of those 4 thats enough to drop to 3rd or 4th in the west. I dont think Bynum will be 100%.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:32 am
@nick- i hear rumors of Jermaine O Neal, but like i said rumors
March 13th, 2008 at 9:33 am
its gonna be spurs jazz again…only two teams who can defend in the west.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:35 am
How? Maybe Indy would take Rashard back?
March 13th, 2008 at 9:37 am
@jb49ers, the Lakers don’t play any defense because Gasol simply doesn’t play defense, and i don’t get why Phil Jackson insists in playing Vlad and Odom at the same time. With Gasol-Odom-Vlad the team doesn’t defend anybody inside. It’s a horror to watch their defense, if the Raptors had Bosh healthy the Raps would have won the last game against the Lakers. And if they play like that the next 4 games i see them losing all 4 games, of course i don’t know if they were simple not motivated to play against “lesser” teams, so let’s see their true value in the next 4 games against Playoff teams on the road…
And no, Bynum would not come back at 100%, i’m even questioning if he’s going to come back. Last report, says that he’s returning mid-April at best…
March 13th, 2008 at 9:39 am
rumors from a morning show, it would be a nice idea though to have jermaine oneal at PF and dwight at C
March 13th, 2008 at 9:43 am
yea, but we dont even know if j-o’neal is even alive let alone a functional bball player.
then again, i wouldnt be surprised if he goes crazy once he lands on a contender.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Trevor Ariza being out hurts there defense also. Vlad plays no defense Lamar is okay and Gasol gets bullied. Kobe, Ronny, Fisher are solid. Sasha and Farmer are respectable, aggressive/annoying defensive players.
Howard and Oneal would be a pretty solid 1-2 punch.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:46 am
yeah they would be, but we all have dreams and aspirations
March 13th, 2008 at 9:48 am
mmonast says:
im not worried at all, we lost to the nets whatever sucks but hey philly beat detroit they must suck 2 right..
wait and see until this team is finally healthy with boobie z etc back and playing
not concerned at all..the only teal that really concerns me in the east is detroit
Does it worry you at all that with all the injuries the Cavs will have no time to mesh as a team. I mean Boobie will have played with the 4 new guys maybe 10 games by the time he gets back. I liked the trade, but with all the injuries I just don’t see the Cavs being able play well enough together to beat Boston/Detroit.
March 13th, 2008 at 9:49 am
jb49ers, Gasol gets bullied also because he’s guarding Centers not PF’s. But he’s not a good defender never was and never will, but right now he’s just horrible guarding Centers.
Odom is a so-so defender in the perimeter but a terrible defender against bigger PF’s that post him up.
Ariza was playing at a high level before his injury, but still Phil Jackson has no excuses to play Gasol-Odom-Vlad at the same time. Play Luke Walton at the 3 and you have a improved defense…but i learned a long time that try to understand Phil’s logic is a waste of time. At least he “looks” that he knows what he’s doing….
March 13th, 2008 at 9:52 am
I think they can make a run western conference finals. But really next year will be the year IF they can avoid the injuries again.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:07 am
@TBL: I think Houston would be thrilled to play Golden State in the 1st round.
Of the other bottom 3, Phoenix and Dallas, GS appears to be a pushover.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:22 am
70 posts and no one’s talking about how the Hornets just punked the hell out of the Spurs by TWENTY-FIVE points.
With Duncan, Parker and Ginobili all in and contributing too.
Now I ain’t crazy enough to think this’d be the way a 7-game series would go. I give Popp far more respect that that.
But come on. That was a statement win. The statement – you don’t want New Orleans in a series against you.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:24 am
CP3 is the best PG in the leauge + TP is one of the worst defending PG in the leauge = big night for my man CP3.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:26 am
i think NO is a good team, but i want to see how they perform when it counts. Same with Houston, i think both teams are early exits in the playoffs. IMO
March 13th, 2008 at 10:28 am
i hope dallas gets hot at some point so i dont look like an idiot for picking them back to come out of the west in november.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:28 am
Who do you have in the WCF, irish? Based on *today’s* seedings?
March 13th, 2008 at 10:32 am
@BFFredo, i think all teams in the West would prefer to face the Hornets instead of Mavs, Suns or Warriors, based only on their inexperience in the Playoffs.
After last night, it’s even more weird that people only consider LeBron and Kobe as MVP candidates. What more CP3 needs to do? Another great game against one team that usually stops other “MVP’s” and with a stomp courtesy of Mr.Bruce Bowen…
March 13th, 2008 at 10:37 am
@nick- what to win the conference? im still going with the Lakers.
but i still believe Robert horry will come to life when it counts and make the Spurs even harder to beat
March 13th, 2008 at 10:40 am
I think I’m going with the Spurs, but it has nothing to do with Robert Horry. I think he might be legally dead at this point.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:45 am
im going with the t-wolves. i smell a late run.
March 13th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Anyone think Bowen will get suspended for that stomp on CP3. Somebody on the Hornets should have clocked him. Melvin Ely talking to you big guy.
March 13th, 2008 at 11:05 am
If Stu Jackson doesn’t suspend Bowen for that, then you start to have double standards. He suspended Dirk for a hard foul on AK47, and now he doesn’t suspend Bowen for a deliberate stomp on CP3? At least Dirk was making a foul to avoid a easy basket, Bowen was just being Bruce Bowen…
March 13th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Spence the Jazz have no clue how to play any defense.
Just to get on the record here assuming the seeds stay similar and no significant ballers get hurt:
Spurs over the Lake Show in the WCF
Bos over Det in the ECF
Spurs over Bos in the Finals (same finals prediction as before the season)
If the Cavs would’ve avoided some injuries and gotten the 3 seed we would have handled Detroit in the 2nd round. As is, we can’t beat Boston even w/ the best player in the world, and Orlando cannot beat Detroit.
March 13th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Orlando can hang with the best of them believe it or not fellas. The only time you guys see the Magic is when they play the team where you guys live. Orlando is rarely televised on ESPN, ABC, or TNT. Other than the highlights on sportscenter that you see of my main man throwing it down on every team, you guys dont see any Orlando games. Orlando is under the radar and i love it. They will make noise in the playoffs. Please do not make me pull out the Dwight Howard card on all your teams
March 13th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
I’ve seen a ton of Orlando games, they can’t beat Detroit in a 7 game series (assuming the Pistons big 4 are not suspended). I’ll put my money where my mouth is on that.
Orlando is a good team, but they are the 4th best team in the East.
March 13th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
i respect your opinion, but at the same time i know your a cavs fan
how have you seen a lot of Magic games?
March 13th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
League Pass brah – best $150 you’ll EVER spend.
March 13th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
im glad you spend that type of money to watch my favorite team LOL
March 13th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I’m reserving a pick until I see the health of every team headed into the playoffs.