They were among the underdogs, it was even a big odds for some, but the adventure in the bubble is already over for the Rockets. Too small, too clumsy, even misguided, we will keep a bitter taste of the “pocket ball” episode at the end of the season. What to bring about change in Texas? Nothing is less sure.
They were advancing masked, in the shadow of the two ogres of LA, but there was a real hype surrounding the Houston Rockets as they arrived in the Orlando bubble. An experiment of the small ball which gave some glimmers of hope, a duo of MVP perfectly adapted to this new system set up and all around, of the shooter and the defender of quality. Why not dream of going to beat the odds and make a comeback in the final? The first since 1995? Anyway… that’s all well and good, but we still have to run on the ground. This is all the more true as Houston has never given the impression of having entered its competition. The end of the regular season? A fair balance sheet (4-4) with good belay on one side (Lakers and Bucks tapped) and good meat on the other (-18 against Spurs, -38 against the Sixers). Not content with not reassuring us in the game, Houston even lost Russell Westbrook to injury, absent for the start of the postseason. A sawtooth start to the journey, but luck of fate or not, Mike D’Antoni’s men could at least get their hands on the small thumb of the Playoffs competition, the Thunder. Neither one nor two, everyone then imagined that the Rockets would not make a quarter against Chris Paul and his flock: too much talent, too much gap between the two teams. But that child… It’s OKC who made us so happy on this series and we even went a long way to see Ramesse and company hitchhiking for Texas. The industrial accident narrowly avoided, it was quickly necessary to put your head back to the place to face the King and his Brow, opponents of a whole new level. Game 1 gave us hope for a hooked and intense series but Frank Vogel will not have taken long to adapt and it is indeed a gentleman sweep who will dress Daryl Morey at the end of summer. What to imagine a very different suite? It is not said. The GM has embarked on a crusade to extend his coach this summer and we could therefore have a season 2 of the Choke Brothers. Well, we shouldn’t keep all the bad things from this Orlando bubble either. The Rockets have, at least, been able to validate the quality of their roster with role players at the level and particularly useful (House, Green and Covington in particular). And when Eric Gordon’s cousin has been kind enough to release said player, we may be able to see quality basketball in Texas.
- Rockets – Mavericks : 153-149
- Rockets – Bucks : 120-116
- Rockets – Blazers : 102-110
- Rockets – Lakers : 113-97
- Rockets – Kings : 129-112
- Rockets – Spurs : 105-123
- Rockets – Pacers : 104-108
- Rockets – Sixers : 96-134
Playoffs :
- Rockets – Thunder : 123-108
- Rockets – Thunder : 111-98
- Rockets – Thunder : 107-119
- Rockets – Thunder : 114-117
- Rockets – Thunder : 114-80
- Rockets – Thunder : 100-104
- Rockets – Thunder : 104-102
- Rockets – Lakers : 112-97
- Rockets – Lakers : 109-117
- Rockets – Lakers : 102-112
- Rockets – Lakers : 100-110
- Rockets – Lakers : 96-119
They dreamed of pocket ball but Team Rocket is already going to other skies. What about the next evolution? Rather Death Charizard that kills or poor Charmander with two bullets who shrivels up when it gets too hot? We can only advise Harden and Co too much to invest in the belay team for next season, otherwise it could smell like a burn for a lot of people.
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