First, I want to apologize. My finals begin next week, thus the lack of activity on the front page. Having said that, we’ve had some riveting discussion in the forums, much of it pertaining to Dwight Howard. Join us.
I started a post last night with the intent of dissecting the ‘Scola at the 5’ lineups in comparison to the other frontcourt options the team had. NBA.com has production breakdowns of every lineup combination for every team’s roster so I was looking into Scola-Patterson. I got overwhelmed and gave up. There was just simply too much information available. Lazy of me, I know, but I didn’t feel like spending an hour dissecting that stuff. But it’s all out there, and statistically at least, the Rockets know if that lineup decision McHale made so often actually hurt the team. From a visual observation standpoint, at least, it seemed to me–and I would think the majority of you–that it killed them.
I don’t think the scenario that brings Dwight Howard to Houston is that far-fetched given what we know. Thus far, everything has fallen into place with it looking like the Magic will have to deal him. The only real fear is some dark horse suitor–like Portland–emerging at the 11th hour. At this moment, of the teams that reportedly had had interest in a rental, Houston looks to be able to offer the best package.
After vehemently endorsing a tank job in preseason, I wrote around mid-year that the Rockets, after racing too far ahead of the pack, absolutely had to make the playoffs to avert a potential PR disaster. They didn’t and, as expected, it’s happening. Three straight years at 14 sounds really, really bad. I don’t typically preach ‘making a move for the hell of it’ but the team might just have to do that to assuage the public.
Did you know Dwyane Wade is 30? I didn’t. I knew he was at least 28, but 30? Why are people saying the Heat have a huge window? They have like, 2 years left, max. I guess there’s something to playing with your friends, but if Lebron had chosen the Bulls, they might have won 7 straight titles.
I cleared out my 7-9 tonight in anticipation of watching Clippers-Knicks. I didn’t know Chris Paul wouldn’t be playing. As I just tweeted, this is like watching Julia Roberts when you thought you were getting Salma Hayek.
I don’t have time these days to watch every playoff game as I did in the past. So I have to ration accordingly. But I intend to watch every game of Clippers-Grizzlies, a matchup that will put in my opinion the best player in the NBA in Chris Paul against maybe the most well balanced team with the most feared defender geared up to hound the former. Apart from that, I’m not sure I even plan to watch much of any of the other series’ unless its right in front of me. I’m just hoping Chicago faces Miami at some point as well as LA against LA.
