By: Rahat Huq
We have to get to the second seed now because the Spurs have climbed to sixth. Last week, when the officials handed the Memphis Grizzlies a win by blowing a call the league later admitted should have been made, I said it hurt because the second seed was so very much within reach. Many of you responded that seeding did not matter, something I had been saying all year, and I agreed. But with San Antonio having won five straight now, and the Mavs slumping, seeding very much does matter. Out of the field, the Spurs and Mavs are the two best matchups for Houston. But I think San Antonio is decidedly more frightening. It's true that Houston's advantage athletically would be overwhelming. But in the playoffs, the Spurs are a different beast. You'd just think that they'd find some way, some combination, to overcome Houston.
An interesting conversation emerged Wednesday night on the Twitterverse after another Russell Westbrook explosion. Most agreed that if the Thunder point guard continued at his current pace, and if the Thunder claimed the 8th seed, he deserved the MVP. I concur with that sentiment. And its unfortunate for James Harden, a player who has sustained greatness throughout the course of the season, because he holds claim to neither exteme in team success and individual statistics, unlike Westbrook and Steph Curry. This year's race almost feels presidential, with a new frontrunner emerging weekly, with the fear being of peaking too soon. Westbrook, Curry, and of course Harden, would all be worthy candidates, but may I opine for a moment about Lebron James? He's been godly, as usual, and undoubtedly is the difference between a bonafide Finals contender and a trip to the lottery. But how can a voter in good conscience vote for someone who, in essence, took a two week vacation, when other candidates have carried their teams for the entire 82 game stretch?
Here's a Rockets fan problem: if Westbrook, like, averages a triple double the rest of the way, and the Thunder get in, he's the MVP. So then do you need to hope for the Pelicans making the 8th seed? While that might get Harden the MVP, it also lowers the value of the Pelicans pick which Houston owns. But on the flip side, Houston's best chance at the Finals is with someone else taking Golden State out along the way - the Pelicans wouldn't have a prayer, unlike a healthy Thunder team.
One final note on the Hawks: it's funny looking back to the early days of the season when Paul Millsap was one of our favorite topics of discussion. For one, we don't need a power forward anymore. But what's more, is how we were all wrong. In those days, the Hawks were still good and near the top of the standings, but hadn't yet taken flight. I used to say that I didn't think Millsap would be on the market because the team was doing well. Many of you responded that it didn't matter if they were just "doing well"...they were on the mediocrity treadmill. I agreed that they were on the mediocrity treadmill but said they were content with it. Not so much on the mediocrity treadmill now, are they? What does that tell us? I've said before, I think this year moreso than any in recent history, underscores the importance of coaching in the NBA. We saw it before on the defensive side, with teams like the Bulls overachieving on the strength of solid defenses. But now, we're seeing two teams in Golden State and Atlanta, blowing away the rest of the league, after bringing back the exact same rosters they had from the previous season. Where do the Rockets fit into all of this? For as much as Morey shares about his philosophy regarding player personnel, he's a pretty closed book when it comes to his views on coaching. The one quote I do recall is one where he said something like, "a coach isn't worth more than 5 wins" or something like that. I wonder if that thinking has changed.
