Blast to the 'Ship - A Houston Rockets Story

[Rizzo]

In the first round of the playoffs, the Rockets will square off against the San Antonio Spurs. These two teams split their four season meetings with the Rockets taking a win on the final day of the regular season. Will that set the tone for the series?

Match-ups

Point Guard:
Mike Conley
11. Points
6.2 Assists
2.5 Rebounds
1.6 Steals
VS
Tony Parker
18.3 Points
8.6 Assists
3.6 Rebounds
0.9 Steals
Winner: Spurs

Shooting Guard:
James Harden
23.7 Points
1.8 Assists
3.6 Rebounds
1.1 Steals
VS
Danny Green
12.4 Points
1.9 Assists
4.1 Rebounds
1.3 Steals
Winner: [color="Red"]Rockets[/color]

Small Forward:
Royce White
20.3 Points
4.7 Assists
6.4 Rebounds
1.1 Steals
VS
Kawhi Leonard
15.4 Points
1.7 Assists
6.0 Rebounds
2.3 Steals
Winner: [color="Red"]Rockets[/color]

Power Forward:
Patrick Patterson
8.3 Points
1.4 Assists
5.8 Rebounds
0.7 Steals
VS
DeJuan Blair
15.9 Points
1.1 Assists
7.0 Rebounds
1.4 Steals
Winner: Spurs

Center:
Omer Asik
8.8 Points
1.0 Assists
7.0 Rebounds
2.0 Blocks
VS
Tim Duncan
12.3 Points
1.5 Assists
8.3 Rebounds
2.1 Blocks
Winner: Spurs

Bench:
J.J. Redick
Nerlens Noel
Trey Burke
Cody Zeller
Lamar Odom
VS
Tiago Splitter
Boris Diaw
Gary Neal
Kirk Hinrich
DaJuan Summers
Winner: [color="Red"]Rockets[/color]

Of the five starting positions, the Spurs hold an advantage at three of them: point guard, power forward and center. With that said, we think that the Rockets’ advantage at the shooting guard and small forward position is far superior than the Spurs’ at the other spots which could be the difference in this series. Harden and White need to play like the studs they are. Also, the bench is much more potent and deep in Houston’s favor. One thing that could hold the Rockets back is the youth as they have three rookies playing legitimate minutes off the bench.

Patrick Patterson will be in the starting lineup but will still be dealing with a bruised toe for the first two or three games of the series. Hopefully it doesn’t hinder his play too much. Ronnie Brewer is still out with his bruised calf and is questionable to play at all in this series.

For the Spurs, their 6th man, Manu Ginobili, is still on the shelf for another six months. He suffered a torn ACL in just the 7th game of the season and his scoring and playmaking off the bench has sorely been missed.

Three Keys to the Series:

1. Point Guard Play - Can Conley neutralize Parker and will Burke continue to score in bunches off the bench?
2. Rebounding - The team that controls the glass can control the series!
3. Youth vs. Experience - Can the Spurs' veteran experience trump the youth and young legs of the Rockets?

Prediction: [color="Red"]Rockets in 7[/color]

The homecourt advantage should play a huge part in the Rockets winning this series. The saying is that the stars win you playoff series, but they can't do it alone. Hopefully having potentially four games in Houston will allow players like Burke, Redick and Noel to play up to their potential this series. Will the playoff lights to be too bright for the Baby Rockets?!?

[Rizzo]

April 21, 2014

San Antonio Spurs (0) vs. Houston Rockets (0)

Spurs – 93
Kawhi Leonard – 23 PTS, 5 REB
DeJuan Blair – 17 PTS, 6 REB
Tim Duncan – 11 PTS, 10 REB

Rockets – 133
Trey Burke – 40 PTS (17-24 FG)
Royce White – 23 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST, 3 STL
James Harden – 21 PTS, 6 AST, 7 TO

A blowout in Game 1 to send a message to the Spurs: we came to play! Trey Burke exploded off the bench for 40 points. He is the perfect scorer our second unit needs. Unfortunately, we lost JJ Redick to a broken leg, spreading our depth at shooting guard a little thin. Burke will pick up the slack there along with Ronnie Brewer when he is fully healed. Get well soon, JJ!

April 22, 2014

San Antonio Spurs (0) vs. Houston Rockets (1)

Spurs – 102
DeJuan Blair – 20 PTS, 10 REB
Danny Green – 18 PTS
Tony Parker – 17 PTS, 7 AST

Rockets – 112
Royce White – 32 PTS, 10 REB, 2 STL
James Harden – 23 PTS, 4 REB
Trey Burke – 22 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST
Nerlens Noel – 13 PTS, 6 REB, 4 BLK

Much closer than Game 1, but we still win the battle of the benches and on the glass. White, Harden and Burke combined for a whopping 77 points while we got a surprise 13 points from Noel. All we’ve done is secure homecourt advantage. Now we need to take one of the next two to try to close it out in five.

April 24, 2014

Houston Rockets (2) vs. San Antonio Spurs (0)

Rockets – 143
James Harden – 41 PTS, 6 REB
Royce White – 24 PTS, 7 REB, 8 AST, 4 STL, 6 TO
Mike Conley – 18 PTS, 5 AST, 3 STL
Trey Burke – 18 PTS, 2 STL

Spurs – 132
Kawhi Leonard – 36 PTS, 6 REB, 4 STL
Danny Green – 28 PTS, 7 REB
DeJuan Blair – 21 PTS, 16 REB
Tim Duncan – 18 TPS, 10 REB, 4 BLK
Tony Parker – 6 PTS, 12 AST

A huge overtime victory in Game 3 and we are on the verge of sweeping the Spurs! One more win would give us not only the series win, but valuable time to rest our team and heal our injuries.

April 25, 2014

Houston Rockets (3) vs. San Antonio Spurs (0)

Rockets – 112
James Harden – 31 PTS (13-17 FG)
Royce White – 26 PTS, 8 REB
Patrick Patterson – 18 PTS, 6 REB, 3 BLK
Cody Zeller – 10 PTS, 3 REB
Nerlens Noel – 6 PTS, 6 REB, 4 BLK

Spurs – 95
Kawhi Leonard – 21 PTS, 5 REB, 5 STL
Gary Neal – 15 PTS
Danny Green – 13 PTS
Tony Parker – 12 PTS, 13 AST

The series is over in just four games as the Rockets rolled on the Spurs. Now Houston can sit back and watch the other teams battle it out.

[Rizzo]

First Round Results:

(1) Wizards Wizards - 4
(8) Atlanta Hawks - 1

(4) Toronto Raptors – 2
(5) Chicago Bulls – 4

(3) Cleveland Cavaliers – 4
(6) Indiana Pacers – 0

(2) Miami Heat – 4
(7) Detroit Piston – 1

(1) Denver Nuggets – 4
(8) Los Angeles Lakers - 2

[color="Red"](3) Houston Rockets – 4[/color]
(6) San Antonio Spurs – 0

(2) Oklahoma City Thunder – 4
(7) Golden State Warriors - 1

[Rizzo]

After dispersing the Spurs in the minimum four games, the Rockets will now have to take on Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder. This will be the greatest test this team has faced ever as a core.

Match-ups

Point Guard:
Mike Conley
11. Points
6.2 Assists
2.5 Rebounds
1.6 Steals
VS
Russell Westbrook
19.4 Points
9.6 Assists
5.4 Rebounds
0.9 Steals
Winner: [color="RoyalBlue"]Thunder[/color]

Shooting Guard:
James Harden
23.7 Points
1.8 Assists
3.6 Rebounds
1.1 Steals
VS
Thabo Sefolosha
5.3 Points
1.3 Assists
3.1 Rebounds
0.6 Steals
Winner: [color="Red"]Rockets[/color]

Small Forward:
Royce White
20.3 Points
4.7 Assists
6.4 Rebounds
1.1 Steals
VS
Kevin Durant
33.0 Points
1.4 Assists
7.5 Rebounds
0.9 Steals
Winner: [color="RoyalBlue"]Thunder[/color]

Power Forward:
Patrick Patterson
8.3 Points
1.4 Assists
5.8 Rebounds
0.7 Steals
VS
Serge Ibaka
12.4 Points
1.4 Assists
9.7 Rebounds
3.1 Blocks
Winner: [color="RoyalBlue"]Thunder[/color]

Center:
Omer Asik
8.8 Points
1.0 Assists
7.0 Rebounds
2.0 Blocks
VS
Andray Blatche
6.7 Points
1.2 Assists
7.2 Rebounds
0.6 Blocks
Winner: [color="Red"]Rockets[/color]

Bench:
Trey Burke
Nerlens Noel
Ronnie Brewer
Cody Zeller
Lamar Odom
VS
Kevin Martin
Perry Jones III
Marko Todorovic
Kendrick Perkins
Reggie Jackson
Winner: [color="Red"]Rockets[/color]

This series hinges on the Rockets’ ability to limit Kevin Durant offensively. Unfortunately, no team has been able to do that all season long. In 88 games this season, Durant was held under 20 points just eight times all year long. Royce White will have his hands full with Durant.

Both Patrick Patterson and Ronnie Brewer are back to fully healthy for the Rockets. Patterson played through his injury against the Spurs while Brewer wasn’t able to go. Let’s hope he shakes the rust off immediately. Due to his broken leg in Game 1 of the first round, JJ Redick is still expected to miss about a month of games. Unless the Rockets make a series run to the championship series, Redick’s season is over.

There are no injuries to report for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Three Keys to the Series:

1. Corral the Durantula - Houston must keep Kevin Durant from scoring at will
2. Score Efficiently - Thunder are 2nd in the league in opponent points allowed and opponent FG%
3. Ball Control - Thunder struggle to force turnovers while the Rockets are one of the better teams at it.

Prediction: [color="RoyalBlue"]Thunder in 6[/color]

Superstars win series and the Thunder have the premiere player in all the league. The Rockets will have to find a way to slow Kevin Durant down enough while also scoring with some efficiency. That's a lot to ask of a young team like Houston.

[Rizzo]

May 3, 2014

Houston Rockets (0) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (0)

Rockets – 121
Trey Burke – 23 PTS, 3 REB, 9 AST
James Harden – 22 PTS
Royce White – 17 PTS
Omer Asik – 12 PTS, 15 REB, 2 BLK
Mike Conley – 13 PTS, 5 AST, 5 STL, 23 MIN, Fouled Out

Thunder – 117
Kevin Durant – 44 PTS, 10 REB, 3 BLK
Russell Westbrook – 21 PTS, 8 AST
Kevin Martin – 19 PTS, 2 STL
Serge Ibaka – 17 PTS, 14 REB, 3 BLK, 7 TO

To steal the first game of the series on the road in OKC is something Kris Eisley never expected, but that’s exactly what the Rockets did! Trey Burke was terrific off the bench after Russell Westbrook fouled Mike Conley out of the game. Kevin Durant is going to get his own, but if we can limit production of the rest of the team, he’s going to need to go for 40+ every game to beat us.

(5) Chicago Bulls – 72
(1) Washington Wizards – 114

(3) Cleveland Cavaliers – 111
(2) Miami Heat – 104

(5) Minnesota Timberwolves – 91
(1) Denver Nuggets – 110

May 4, 2014

Houston Rockets (1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (0)

Rockets – 97
Trey Burke – 34 PTS (16-22 FG)
James Harden – 23 PTS
Mike Conley – 10 PTS, 5 AST, 4 STL
Royce White – 9 PTS, 2 REB, 22 MIN, Fouled Out

Thunder – 112
Kevin Durant – 43 PTS, 9 REB, 2 BLK
Kevin Martin – 24 PTS
Russell Westbrook – 16 PTS, 11 AST, 7 TO
Serge Ibaka – 12 PTS, 15 REB, 5 BLK

Kevin Durant goes off again, but we also allow too many other members of the Thunder to play well. Also, one of our biggest fears reared its ugly head today: Royce White getting into foul trouble. He’s not a good defender by any stretch of the imagination, but having to deal with Kevin Durant doesn’t make things any easier.

(5) Chicago Bulls – 120
(1) Washington Wizards – 129

(3) Cleveland Cavaliers – 92
(2) Miami Heat – 107

(5) Minnesota Timberwolves – 100
(1) Denver Nuggets – 105

The top seed in the East, the Washington Wizards, take a 2-0 lead over the Bulls. The Nuggets do the same in the West against the Timberwolves while Miami and Cleveland split the first two games in Miami.

May 6, 2014

Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. Houston Rockets (1)

Thunder – 124
Kevin Durant – 46 PTS, 7 REB
Kevin Martin – 25 PTS
Russell Westbrook – 17 PTS, 16 AST

Rockets – 113
Trey Burke – 26 PTS, 4 AST, 2 STL
James Harden – 22 PTS, 5 AST
Mike Conley – 15 PTS, 5 REB
Omer Asik – 12 PTS, 8 REB, 2 BLK

Again, we couldn’t slow down Kevin Durant. We tried to get Mickael Pietrus some more minutes and hope that would help, but it clearly did not. We are at a crossroads now and need to figure out something to keep him from going for 40 points every single game.

(5) Chicago Bulls – 117
(1) Washington Wizards – 109

(3) Cleveland Cavaliers – 112
(2) Miami Heat – 101

(5) Minnesota Timberwolves – 113
(1) Denver Nuggets – 100

The Bulls and the Timberwolves show that they still have a pulse by winning their first home game while the Cavaliers grab a 2nd win. With their next game at home, they have a great chance at knocking off the Heat.

May 7, 2014

Oklahoma City (2) vs. Houston Rockets (1)

Thunder – 108
Kevin Durant – 32 PTS (10-25 FG)
Kevin Martin – 28 PTS
Serge Ibaka – 8 PTS, 12 REB
Russell Westbrook – 9 PTS, 7 AST, 4 TO

Rockets – 129
James Harden – 43 PTS (17-28 FG), 7 AST, 4 STL
Trey Burke – 27 PTS, 5 REB, 2 BLK
Royce White – 15 PTS, 5 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL
Omer Asik – 12 PTS, 7 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK
Nerlens Noel – 6 PTS, 8 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK

A huge win for the Rockets to knot the series up at two games a piece! James Harden does his best Kevin Durant impression as he explodes for 43 points, but what Coach McHale is more impressed with were his seven assists. Props to Coach McHale for making a huge lineup change, moving Mickael Pietrus into the starting lineup to check Kevin Durant, sliding Royce White to the power forward position. Now that we have made an adjustment, expect Scotty Brooks and the Thunder to make their adjustment for Game 5.

On the injury front, Russell Westbrook left the game late with a sprained ankle. The game was out of hand at that point so many speculated it was for precautionary reasons, but when he was seen leaving the arena on crutches, rumors started that he may miss Game 5. We will keep an eye on that situation. Kevin Durant is also injured with a sore wrist, but it is not expected to hinder his game whatsoever.

(5) Chicago Bulls – 105
(1) Washington Wizards – 97

(3) Cleveland Cavaliers – 109
(2) Miami Heat – 114

(5) Minnesota Timberwolves – 119
(1) Denver Nuggets – 111

All four series are tied up, turning them all into a best-of-three series across the board. The NBA must be in heaven!

May 9, 2014

Houston Rockets (2) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2)

Rockets – 112
Royce White – 21 PTS, 11 REB, 4 AST
James Harden – 23 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST
Trey Burke – 18 PTS, 4 AST
Patrick Patterson – 13 PTS, 9 REB, 1 BLK
Mike Conley – 11 PTS, 8 REB, 7 AST
Omer Asik – 4 PTS, 12 REB, 3 BLK

Thunder – 104
Kevin Durant – 23 PTS (8-18), 8 REB, 5 TO
Kevin Martin – 24 PTS (8-22)
Serge Ibaka – 13 PTS, 14 REB, 4 BLK
Russell Westbrook – 13 PTS, 7 AST, 2 STL

A huge road win for the Rockets and they are one win away from advancing to the Western Conference Finals! Durant was held to 23 points while the entire Thunder squad shot just 38% from the floor. We won the rebounding battle for the first time as well and the morale of the team is flying high! With Game 6 being played in Houston, this is a golden opportunity for us to close this series out.

(5) Chicago Bulls – 100
(1) Washington Wizards – 92

(3) Cleveland Cavaliers – 95
(2) Miami Heat – 113

(5) Minnesota Timberwolves – 120
(1) Denver Nuggets – 132

The Wizards, the Cavs and the Timberwolves are all on the brink of elimination. Unfortunately for Washington, they are on the road for their Game 6 and need a win to come back home for a chance to win their series.

May 11, 2014

Oklahoma City Thunder (2) vs. Houston Rockets (3)

Thunder – 108
Kevin Durant – 49 PTS (18-31 FG), 12 REB, 6 TO
Kevin Martin – 21 PTS
Sergie Ibaka – 13 PTS, 6 REB, 3 BLK
Russell Westbrook – 9 PTS, 9 AST

Rockets – 123
Trey Burke – 30 PTS, 3 AST
James Harden – 27 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 7 TO
Royce White – 23 PTS, 9 REB, 6 AST
Mike Conley – 22 PTS, 4 AST

The Rockets have defeated the Thunder in six games to move on to the Western Conference Finals!!! Four players score 20+ points, led by Trey Burke’s 30 off the bench, to knock off the Thunder. We attacked Westbrook on defense with his gimpy ankle and it worked with our three guards scoring 79 combined points. Huge series win for this franchise!

(5) Chicago Bulls – 113
(1) Washington Wizards – 101

(3) Cleveland Cavaliers – 110
(2) Miami Heat – 97

(5) Minnesota Timberwolves – 124
(1) Denver Nuggets – 113

The Chicago Bulls have knocked off the top-seeded Washington Wizards in six games. They now await the winner of Game 7 in Miami between the Heat and the Cavaliers. In the other series in the West, the Timberwolves have forced a Game 7 of their own and head to Denver to take on the top-seeded Nuggets.

May 13, 2014

(3) Cleveland Cavaliers – 106
(2) Miami Heat – 97

(5) Minnesota Timberwolves – 96
(1) Denver Nuggets – 120

The Cavaliers upset the mighty Heat, ruining their chance at a three-peat. In the West, the Nuggets showed that they are still in the hunt to win the West and an NBA championship.

[Rizzo]

First the Spurs in four games…then the Thunder in six games…the Rockets now take on the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals! This will be no easy task as the Denver Nuggets had the best record in the league with 66 wins. But, those wins mean nothing and Houston just needs to win four of the next seven games to make it to the NBA Finals!

Match-ups

The stats listed below are now for playoff stats only. The first two rounds represented regular season statistics.

Point Guard:
Mike Conley
12.4 Points
5.3 Assists
3.5 Rebounds
2.3 Steals
VS
Ty Lawson
16.5 Points
8.3 Assists
5.7 Rebounds
2.2 Steals
Winner: [color="RoyalBlue"]Nuggets[/color]

Shooting Guard:
James Harden
27.6 Points
3.1 Assists
3.6 Rebounds
1.2 Steals
VS
Andre Iguodala
15.6 Points
5.3 Assists
4.8 Rebounds
1.4 Steals
Winner: [color="Red"]Rockets[/color]

Small Forward:
Royce White
19.6 Points
3.9 Assists
6.9 Rebounds
1.7 Steals
VS
Danilo Gallinari
15.9 Points
1.7 Assists
6.6 Rebounds
1.5 Steals
Winner: [color="Red"]Rockets[/color]

Power Forward:
Patrick Patterson
7.0 Points
1.3 Assists
6.8 Rebounds
1.2 Blocks
VS
Kenneth Faried
21.5 Points
1.5 Assists
9.7 Rebounds
2.4 Steals
2.2 Blocks
Winner: [color="RoyalBlue"]Nuggets[/color]

Center:
Omer Asik
8.2 Points
0.8 Assists
7.5 Rebounds
2.2 Blocks
VS
JaVale McGee
18.5 Points
1.6 Assists
12.0 Rebounds
4.7 Blocks
Winner: [color="RoyalBlue"]Nuggets[/color]

Bench:
Trey Burke
Nerlens Noel
Ronnie Brewer
Cody Zeller
Lamar Odom
VS
Timofey Mozgov
Dion Waiters
Arnett Moultrie
Moe Harkless
Kosta Koufos
Winner: [color="Red"]Rockets[/color]

The Nuggets have a dominant front court with Kenneth Faried and JaVale McGee to go with a budding star point guard in Ty Lawson. Andre Iguodala and Danilo Gallinari round out the starting five and are very good players in their own rights. Where last series was a testament to shut down the best scorer in the game, the Rockets need to keep an entire team from scoring. This could be very difficult for a young Houston squad.

JJ Redick is the lone Rocket with an injury as he still is suffering from his broken leg he suffered in the first game of the postseason. He is progressing pretty well, but like we said before: unless the Rockets make it to the NBA Finals, his season is most likely over.

There are no injuries to report for the Denver Nuggets.

Three Keys to the Series:

1. DEFENSE! - Who can get more defensive stops? Denver led the league in points per game and FG% while the Rockets were 2nd and 3rd in those categories, respectively.
2. Foul Trouble - Denver needs to stay out of foul trouble or else their bench could cost them this series.
3. SWAT Team - Denver leads the league in blocks by a large margin. When they block a shot, especially at home, their energy level reaches another level. The Rockets need to prevent those emotional highs for the Nuggets.

Prediction: [color="RoyalBlue"]Nuggets in 7[/color]

The Rockets have played their hearts out and even slain the beast known as the Durantula, but the Nuggets are a whole other animal that this young team may not be ready for just yet. But, that doesn't mean we don't give them a fighting chance in this one. Trey Burke has been on fire off the bench, scoring 24.3 points per game in just 26 minutes of action! If he, James Harden and Royce White can score while the rest of team does all the dirty work, they should at least put a good scare into Denver if not steal the series.

[Rizzo]

May 15, 2014

Houston Rockets (0) vs. Denver Nuggets (0)

Rockets – 98
James Harden – 21 PTS (9-26 FG)
Royce White – 14 PTS, 6 REB, 7 AST
Mike Conley – 10 PTS, 4 AST, 2 STL

Nuggets – 125
Kenneth Faried – 34 PTS, 23 REB, 4 BLK
Danilo Gallinari – 24 PTS
Ty Lawson – 22 PTS, 5 REB, 7 AST, 2 STL
JaVale McGee – 11 PTS, 14 REB, 5 BLK

We get dominated in the first game, especially in the paint. Denver scored 74 of their 125 points in the painted area. We need to make it more difficult for them to score or else we are not going to have a chance in this series.

Chicago Bulls (0) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (0)

Bulls – 106
Derrick Rose – 28 PTS, 6 AST
Carlos Boozer – 18 PTS, 17 REB
Luol Deng – 18 PTS

Cavaliers – 128
Kyrie Irving – 36 PTS, 6 REB, 10 AST
Andrew Bynum – 34 PTS, 13 REB, 4 BLK
Terrence Williams – 19 PTS, 5 REB, 12 AST

May 16, 2014

Houston Rockets (0) vs. Denver Nuggets (1)

Rockets – 112
Royce White – 26 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL
James Harden – 22 PTS
Trey Burke – 16 PTS, 6 AST, 8 TO
Mike Conley – 11 PTS, 4 AST, 6 TO

Nuggets – 140
Kenneth Faried – 41 PTS, 19 REB, 4 BLK
Danilo Gallinari – 33 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL
Ty Lawson – 19 PTS, 10 AST, 3 STL
Andre Iguodala – 16 PTS, 5 STL
JaVale McGee – 15 PTS, 16 REB, 3 BLK

Remember when we gave up 74 points in the paint last game? Well the Nuggets bettered that by 18 to score a whopping 92 points near the basket! That is embarrassing! I guess the strategy to go to a heavy zone didn’t work out well at all. If we can’t find a way to slow down Kenneth Faried and the rest of the Nuggets, this series will be over in two more games.

Chicago Bulls (0) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (1)

Bulls – 104
Joakim Noah – 30 PTS, 10 REB, 5 BLK
Derrick Rose – 28 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST

Cavaliers – 121
Kyrie Irving – 45 PTS, 10 AST, 5 STL
Andrew Bynum – 20 PTS, 3 REB
Tyler Zeller – 14 PTS, 9 REB

May 18, 2014

Denver Nuggets (2) vs. Houston Rockets (0)

Nuggets – 137
Andre Iguodala – 27 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST, 5 STL
Daniolo Gallinari – 28 PTS, 8 REB
JaVale McGee – 21 PTS, 11 REB, 5 BLK
Kenneth Faried – 20 PTS, 12 REB

Rockets – 108
James Harden – 26 PTS, 4 REB
Royce White – 22 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST
Ronnie Brewer – 14 PTS
Nerlens Noel – 10 PTS, 11 REB, 4 BLK

When you turn the ball over 22 times, you’re not giving yourself much of a chance to win. But, that is the risk you take when you decide to play at a fast pace like we chose to do this game. We decided against playing zone this game and we still gave up 94 points in the paint. This series, unfortunately, is as good as over…

Cleveland Cavaliers (2) vs. Chicago Bulls (0)

Cavaliers – 108
Andrew Bynum – 43 PTS, 10 REB
Kyrie Irving – 20 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST, 22 MIN, Fouled Out

Bulls – 115
Derrick Rose – 37 PTS, 7 REB, 10 AST, 2 BLK
Luol Deng – 20 PTS, 5 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL
Carlos Boozer – 19 PTS, 6 REB

May 19, 2014

Denver Nuggets (3) vs. Houston Rockets (0)

Nuggets – 108
Kenneth Faried – 24 PTS, 11 REB, 8 BLK
Andre Iguodala – 25 PTS, 5 AST, 3 STL

Rockets – 130
Royce White – 41 PTS, 6 REB, 1 STL
James Harden – 35 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST
Trey Burke – 14 PTS, 6 TO
Omer Asik – 10 PTS, 6 REB
Cody Zeller – 10 PTS, 5 REB, 3 STL
Nerlens Noel – 8 PTS, 8 REB, 5 BLK

Everything came together for us this game and we pulled out a win to avoid the series sweep. If it’s going to take Royce White and James Harden going for 70+ every game for us to win, this series should be over in five or six games…

Cleveland Cavaliers (2) vs. Chicago Bulls (1)

Cavaliers – 101
Andrew Bynum – 21 PTS, 13 REB, 1 BLK
Anderson Varejao – 20 PTS, 8 REB, 5 STL
Kyrie Irving – 19 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST, 2 BLK

Bulls – 84
Luol Deng – 20 PTS
Joakim Noah – 18 PTS, 3 REB
Derrick Rose – 10 PTS, 6 REB, 12 AST

May 21, 2014

Houston Rockets (1) vs. Denver Nuggets (3)

Rockets – 95
Royce White – 26 PTS, 7 REB
James Harden – 14 PTS (5-19 FG)
Omer Asik – 10 PTS, 13 REB, 3 BLK
Trey Burke – 10 PTS, 7 AST, 6 TO
Mike Conley – 9 PTS, 5 AST

Nuggets – 122
Kenneth Faried – 27 PTS, 12 REB
JaVale McGee – 23 PTS, 8 REB
Andre Iguodala – 16 PTS, 6 AST, 6 STL, 2 BLK

The Nuggets closed it out at home in five games to advance to the NBA Finals. The best team in the league all season long proved it to Houston and decisively. They will be a tough out for whoever makes it out of the East. As for the Rockets, it was a great season compared to their expectations coming into the year. They are young and growing and have some cap room to play with as well as three first round picks in an absolutely stacked draft class. The future is bright for these Rockets!

Chicago Bulls (1) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (3)

Bulls – 112
Derrick Rose – 32 PTS, 12 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK
Carlos Boozer – 17 PTS, 5 REB
Joakim Noah – 16 PTS, 9 REB

Cavaliers – 105
Andrew Bynum – 27 PTS, 4 REB
Kyrie Irving – 23 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 3 BLK
Terrence Williams – 19 PTS, 8 REB, 7 AST, 3 STL

May 23, 2014

Cleveland Cavaliers (3) vs. Chicago Bulls (2)

Cavaliers – 105
Kyrie Irving – 27 PTS, 4 REB, 9 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK
Anderson Varejao – 16 PTS, 8 REB, 3 STL
Terrence Williams – 16 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST

Bulls – 100
Joakim Noah – 20 PTS, 12 REB, 5 BLK
Derrick Rose – 16 PTS, 7 AST
Carlos Boozer – 13 PTS, 11 REB

The Cleveland Cavaliers have knocked off the Chicago Bulls to advance to the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets!

[Rizzo]

2014 NBA Finals

May 27, 2014

Cleveland Cavaliers (0) vs. Denver Nuggets (0)

Cavaliers – 99
Andrew Bynum – 37 PTS, 10 REB, 7 TO
Kyrie Irving – 26 PTS, 5 AST, 7 TO

Nuggets – 137
Kenneth Faried – 27 PTS, 14 REB, 2 STL, 3 BLK
Andre Iguodala – 29 PTS, 6 TO
JaVale McGee – 18 PTS, 9 REB, 5 STL, 6 BLK
Ty Lawson – 15 PTS, 12 AST

May 28, 2014

Cleveland Cavaliers (0) vs. Denver Nuggets (1)

Cavaliers – 103
Kyrie Irving – 20 PTS, 6 REB, 6 AST, 2 STL
Andrew Bynum – 20 PTS, 4 REB
Anthony Randolph – 16 PTS, 4 BLK

Nuggets – 114
Andre Iguodala – 17 PTS, 5 REB, 8 AST, 1 BLK
Danilo Gallinari – 20 PTS
Kenneth Faried – 17 PTS, 11 REB, 1 BLK
Ty Lawson – 13 PTS, 13 AST
JaVale McGee – 13 PTS, 9 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK

May 30, 2014

Denver Nuggets (2) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (0)

Nuggets – 98
Kenneth Faried – 18 PTS, 10 REB, 2 BLK, 6 TO
Danilo Gallinari – 17 PTS
Ty Lawson – 16 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST
JaVale McGee – 10 PTS, 10 REB, 5 BLK

Cavaliers – 107
Anderson Varejao – 22 PTS, 10 REB, 2 STL
Andrew Bynum – 16 PTS, 8 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK
Kyrie Irving – 13 PTS, 5 AST

May 31, 2014

Denver Nuggets (2) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (1)

Nuggets – 111
Kenneth Faried – 22 PTS, 5 STL
Andre Iguodala – 21 PTS, 8 AST
Ty Lawson – 14 PTS, 8 AST

Cavaliers – 122
Anderson Varejao – 24 PTS, 10 REB, 9 STL
Kyrie Irving – 26 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL
Andrew Bynum – 19 PTS, 7 REB, 2 BLK
Tyler Zeller – 18 PTS, 4 REB, 2 STL

June 2, 2014

Denver Nuggets (2) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (2)

Nuggets – 113
Kenneth Faried – 29 PTS, 13 REB, 4 BLK, 1 STL
JaVale McGee – 23 PTS, 15 REB, 7 BLK
Ty Lawson – 21 PTS, 5 AST, 4 STL

Cavaliers – 86
Anthony Randolph – 19 PTS, 7 REB
Anderson Varejao – 12 PTS, 8 REB
Terrence Williams – 12 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL
Andrew Bynum – 10 PTS, 2 REB, 1 BLK

June 4, 2014

Cleveland Cavaliers (2) vs. Denver Nuggets (3)

Cavaliers – 107
Anderson Varejao – 21 PTS, 19 REB, 6 STL, 2 BLK
Andrew Bynum – 24 PTS, 9 REB, 1 BLK
Kyrie Irving – 21 PTS, 6 REB, 10 AST
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – 11 PTS, 2 AST

Nuggets – 93
Kenneth Faried – 26 PTS, 11 REB, 2 STL, 4 BLK
JaVale McGee – 16 PTS, 10 REB, 4 BLK
Danilo Gallinari – 13 PTS, 6 REB
Ty Lawson – 11 PTS, 5 REB, 8 AST

June 6, 2014

Cleveland Cavaliers (3) vs. Denver Nuggets (3)

Cavaliers – 99
Andrew Bynum – 31 PTS, 8 REB, 7 TO
Kyrie Irving – 15 PTS, 7 AST, 2 BLK, 10 TO
Anderson Varejao – 15 PTS, 5 REB, 2 STL

Nuggets – 118
Ty Lawson – 26 PTS, 4 REB, 8 AST, 5 STL
Kenneth Faried – 24 PTS, 16 REB, 3 BLK
Danilo Gallinari – 15 PTS, 6 REB

[color="RoyalBlue"][SIZE="4"]

The Denver Nuggets win the 2013-2014 NBA Championship in a thrilling seven game series over the Cleveland Cavaliers!

[/SIZE][/color]

[Rizzo]

[color="DarkOrchid"][SIZE="3"]2014 NBA Draft Lottery[/SIZE][/color]

Draft Odds:

1. Orlando - 23.3%
2. Boston - 18.6%
   [color="Red"]
3. Houston (from Phoenix) - 14.6%[/color]
4. Charlotte - 9.8%
5. Philadelphia - 9.7%
6. New Orleans - 6.5%
   [color="Red"]
7. Houston (from Dallas) - 6.0%[/color]
8. Memphis - 3.5%
9. Sacramento - 3.4%
10. Portland - 1.7%
11. Utah - 0.9%
12. Milwaukee - 0.9%
13. Brooklyn - 0.6%
14. New York - 0.5%

Lottery Results:

1. Orlando Magic
   [color="Red"]
2. Houston Rockets[/color]
3. Boston Celtics
4. Charlotte Hornets
5. Philadelphia 76ers
6. New Orleans Pelicans
   [color="Red"]
7. Houston Rockets[/color]
8. Memphis Grizzlies
9. Sacramento Kings
10. Portland Trailblazers
11. Utah Jazz
12. Milwaukee Bucks
13. Brooklyn Nets
14. New York Knicks

The only difference in the draft odds and the actual lottery results were that the Phoenix Suns' pick, which is held by the Houston Rockets, leaped to the #2 spot, pushing the Boston Celtics down to pick #3. This now gives the Houston Rockets picks #2, #7 and #24 in this year's draft. Kris Eisley has some ammo to make some moves!

[zike_42]

Congrats on making it to the WCF dude! Huge achievement for a team so young. Having the #2 and #7 pick will get you over the top hopefully.