ddub96 said:

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I remember tonight why I don't really miss the nba. The rockets were ultimately outclassed by an unbelievably talented team who can shoot incredibly well. But they also thrive off of momentum and that can absolutely be helped. And that is where I have trouble taking the nba seriously.

I have often talked with friends about how the nba isn't going to "fix" a game but I also think you are completely ignoring the obvious if you don't think they influence outcomes. Tonight was a perfect example. Rockets shot horribly but golden state was given the chance to get back into that game by the officials. The calls were that bad as I watched. Time and time again the rockets couldn't buy a call until golden state had all the momentum. Now it is up to the rockets to overcome it and they weren't good enough. But that game was absolutely not called straight up - specifically the 3rd quarter - and they gave golden state the chance to get back into it.

This article certainly supports this theory from a former nba official (the one convicted in points shaving). No fix but certainly a league agenda.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/early-lead/wp/2017/06/12/former-nba-referee-says-league-wants-officials-to-help-cavaliers-win-game-5/

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I wouldn't take anything Donaghy says seriously. Even ignoring the point shaving, it's been obvious for some time all he cares about getting his name out there to make a buck. He's the NBA equivalent of Pete Rose signing baseballs saying "I bet on baseball" because someone will pay him to do it.

Refs are refs. They aren't consistent. They aren't infallible. They miss a ton of calls and can absolutely impact the flow of the game.

But just like ref-blaming in any sport -- you notice the times it hurts you, but ignore the times it helps you. The one constant is the team on the losing side of things is the one predominantly blaming the refs -- in any sport... so that should give you an idea if it's really the difference-maker or the scapegoat.

CP3 is a wuss and shoulda played tonight.

TexAgs1992 said:

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PascalsWager said:

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The Rockets got the trophy they were playing for all year: the MVP. They got everything else they could've hoped for too: lots of ticket sales, lots of TV money, and lots of attention.

This is probably as good as it gets for this team. Unkind offseason, and probably a hangover regular season. The problem is and always was Leslie Alexander. He never allowed them to tank when it was smart to do so. Criticize Morey all you want, but Ryan Anderson has his contract because Alexander demanded a 49 win team.

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Are you stupid or just dense?

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If you're going to namecall, at least tell me how I'm wrong.

Hickory High said:

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3rdGen2015 said:

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PascalsWager said:

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CFTXAG10 said:

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I'm actually pulling for the Warriors to sweep or get it done in 5 games. Then have Morey find a way to pair Harden with LeBron. Would finally move him out West and create some interesting storylines throughout the season.

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With full maxes for both CP3 and Lebron, both of of them will be making ~50mill in their age 37 and 38 season respectively. Not sure if this is the best path forward. They're old, and it goes quick. CP3 is notoriously injury prone.

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Do you want to win a championship or do you want to lose in the WCF again?

I want to win a 'ship. Sign them both.

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Do that and we can't pay anyone else.

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Not necessarily. It'll probably require moving both Gordon and Ryno (which might not even be possible), but the money could work out. It'll depend on if Tilman is cool with paying the repeater's tax.

OnlyForNow said:

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CP3 is a wuss and shoulda played tonight.

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Autism at its best

Why is it dumb? You can't play 10 mins to help your team win?

I'm not saying do unrepairable harm to your leg, but come on, give a little effort.

3rdGen2015 said:

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Hickory High said:

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3rdGen2015 said:

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PascalsWager said:

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CFTXAG10 said:

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I'm actually pulling for the Warriors to sweep or get it done in 5 games. Then have Morey find a way to pair Harden with LeBron. Would finally move him out West and create some interesting storylines throughout the season.

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With full maxes for both CP3 and Lebron, both of of them will be making ~50mill in their age 37 and 38 season respectively. Not sure if this is the best path forward. They're old, and it goes quick. CP3 is notoriously injury prone.

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Do you want to win a championship or do you want to lose in the WCF again?

I want to win a 'ship. Sign them both.

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Do that and we can't pay anyone else.

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Not necessarily. It'll probably require moving both Gordon and Ryno (which might not even be possible), but the money could work out. It'll depend on if Tilman is cool with paying the repeater's tax.

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We can't move Anderson. He's basically untradeable. Period. Unless Morey gets a GM to take a REALLY bad deal or sabatoges our future by giving away all of our draft picks, this offseason is pretty hopeless.

TXAG14 said:

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This team was put together to make 3pt shots. They missed 27 in a row tonight. That is why they lost.

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I think they exhausted so much energy on defense that they had little left on the offensive end.

Need more firepower

So, no? You don't want one of the better players on the team to play?

There is a good chance that him returning could have been a detriment to this team. If he couldn't drive, hit jump shots, play defense, control the ball with that injury the we were better off without him being on the court. I don't think there is any way you could keep me out of that game unless I was physically unable to play, but sometimes the hardest and smartest decision is to not be selfish and possibly cost your team.

Zach Lowe on Simmons podcast opined the smart move by Rockets would be to come to an agreement with Paul of only a 2 year deal at max. They both agreed giving Paul a 5-year max deal would be insanely dumb, but they have no idea what kind of handshake deal took place when Paul came to Rockets.

I turned it off immediately after the buzzer. Did anybody listen to any of the Rockets post game?

I don't doubt he is mentally tough.

I didn't know it was that severe, so yes if t was the same injury as Harden and Curry then he physically couldnt play.


So I still wish he would have played.

Hickory High said:

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3rdGen2015 said:

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Hickory High said:

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3rdGen2015 said:

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PascalsWager said:

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CFTXAG10 said:

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I'm actually pulling for the Warriors to sweep or get it done in 5 games. Then have Morey find a way to pair Harden with LeBron. Would finally move him out West and create some interesting storylines throughout the season.

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With full maxes for both CP3 and Lebron, both of of them will be making ~50mill in their age 37 and 38 season respectively. Not sure if this is the best path forward. They're old, and it goes quick. CP3 is notoriously injury prone.

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Do you want to win a championship or do you want to lose in the WCF again?

I want to win a 'ship. Sign them both.

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Do that and we can't pay anyone else.

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Not necessarily. It'll probably require moving both Gordon and Ryno (which might not even be possible), but the money could work out. It'll depend on if Tilman is cool with paying the repeater's tax.

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We can't move Anderson. He's basically untradeable. Period. Unless Morey gets a GM to take a REALLY bad deal or sabatoges our future by giving away all of our draft picks, this offseason is pretty hopeless.

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I agree with you that Ryno is untradable without sacrificing the future, but I think it would be worth the gamble if getting Lebron was a sure thing. Being the second best team isn't good enough IMO. But I'm sure the few of us who stick around in the next couple weeks will have some real debate about this.

Pumpkinhead said:

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KenAg06 said:

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Looks like the fix is in

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But 'fix is in' for whose benefit? Doesn't look like the Warriors are jumping with joy about Foster.

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Pretty sure it was to their benefit.

3rdGen2015 said:

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Hickory High said:

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3rdGen2015 said:

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Hickory High said:

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3rdGen2015 said:

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PascalsWager said:

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CFTXAG10 said:

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I'm actually pulling for the Warriors to sweep or get it done in 5 games. Then have Morey find a way to pair Harden with LeBron. Would finally move him out West and create some interesting storylines throughout the season.

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With full maxes for both CP3 and Lebron, both of of them will be making ~50mill in their age 37 and 38 season respectively. Not sure if this is the best path forward. They're old, and it goes quick. CP3 is notoriously injury prone.

---

Do you want to win a championship or do you want to lose in the WCF again?

I want to win a 'ship. Sign them both.

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Do that and we can't pay anyone else.

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Not necessarily. It'll probably require moving both Gordon and Ryno (which might not even be possible), but the money could work out. It'll depend on if Tilman is cool with paying the repeater's tax.

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We can't move Anderson. He's basically untradeable. Period. Unless Morey gets a GM to take a REALLY bad deal or sabatoges our future by giving away all of our draft picks, this offseason is pretty hopeless.

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I agree with you that Ryno is untradable without sacrificing the future, but I think it would be worth the gamble if getting Lebron was a sure thing. Being the second best team isn't good enough IMO. But I'm sure the few of us who stick around in the next couple weeks will have some real debate about this.

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Morey always seems to have a move up his sleeve, just gotta hope he does this time too.

3rdGen2015 said:

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Hickory High said:

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3rdGen2015 said:

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Hickory High said:

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3rdGen2015 said:

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PascalsWager said:

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CFTXAG10 said:

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I'm actually pulling for the Warriors to sweep or get it done in 5 games. Then have Morey find a way to pair Harden with LeBron. Would finally move him out West and create some interesting storylines throughout the season.

---

With full maxes for both CP3 and Lebron, both of of them will be making ~50mill in their age 37 and 38 season respectively. Not sure if this is the best path forward. They're old, and it goes quick. CP3 is notoriously injury prone.

---

Do you want to win a championship or do you want to lose in the WCF again?

I want to win a 'ship. Sign them both.

---

Do that and we can't pay anyone else.

---

Not necessarily. It'll probably require moving both Gordon and Ryno (which might not even be possible), but the money could work out. It'll depend on if Tilman is cool with paying the repeater's tax.

---

We can't move Anderson. He's basically untradeable. Period. Unless Morey gets a GM to take a REALLY bad deal or sabatoges our future by giving away all of our draft picks, this offseason is pretty hopeless.

---

I agree with you that Ryno is untradable without sacrificing the future, but I think it would be worth the gamble if getting Lebron was a sure thing. Being the second best team isn't good enough IMO. But I'm sure the few of us who stick around in the next couple weeks will have some real debate about this.

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Sure, if Lebron is a lock, trade all our draft picks. Outside of that, not worth it. I'm scared of the under-the-table agreement we made with CP3 to get him to agree to the trade. Fearing its a 4 or 5 year max.

It's fun to speculate about what ifs, but the bottom line is that the Rockets are not playing the Cavs in the NBA Finals primarily because of 7-44. The Celtics are not in the NBA finals because of 7-39 from beyond the arc. The NBA game is predicated on hitting a healthy percentage of those shots.

rvk246 said:

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Do your hardest to convince LeBron to come here. Just imagine 3 point guards in our offense and all the lineup possibilities.

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THIS.

And do better than the Hampton Inn

They missed 27 threes in a row - an NBA playoff record. When you choke that bad you're supposed to lose.

Nice overall season, however so they still have that.

I never let myself think we would win tonight since I heard Paul was out. Sad that it was winnable and we missed 100 points worth of 3s but it's not really hitting me that hard. We are the 2nd best team in all NBA behind a team that might be the all time best and probably would have beaten them with a healthy Paul.

Now to hope GS rolls Cleveland and lebron gets pissed and comes to houston to make the NBA a 2 ream league instead of a 1.

Frok said:

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rvk246 said:

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Do your hardest to convince LeBron to come here. Just imagine 3 point guards in our offense and all the lineup possibilities.

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THIS.

And do better than the Hampton Inn

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Also imagine how many easy layups we can get with LeBron's strength when the threes aren't falling.