Tag: Trevor Ariza

The Warriors Vs. The LeBrons: Part IV

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

It was ALWAYS going to be this way.

For those who jumped on the Celtics/Rockets’ bandwagon (you know who you are)….please hang your heads in shame NOW. Both “favorites” stared down a 3-2 series lead, giving themselves two chances to win one game. But neither, had a chance.

LeBron

lebron-james-terry-rozier-block

Call it scrappy. Call it ugly. Call it whatever you want, LeBron James willed his scrap heap of teammates to another NBA Finals. His 9th to be exact (8th in a row). Game 7 resembled a different time in the NBA. A time when there was no shot clock. Because nothing screams awesome like an 8-6 victory.

The Cleveland LeBrons beat the Boston Celtics 87-79 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

LeBron did what LeBron does: 35 points, 15 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 blocks 

One of those blocks (as pictured above) was ridiculous!! While Terry Rozier has serious hops for a little guy, he should have thought twice before trying to throw the hammer down on LeBron. When a picture doesn’t do it justice, we go to the video tape:

If we’re being honest, and we always are, that was a foul. The refs clearly didn’t have the balls to blow their whistle there. Either way, all I can picture is Terry Rozier in a dark video room ALL SUMMER. There may be crying. And there may be a half empty bottle of scotch….

While the Celtics will be watching the NBA Finals from home, they’ll be back. Their core is too young, and too talented, to be kept down for too long. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s primes are going to coincide with the (eventual) decline of LeBron James. That bodes well for Celtics’ faithful.

The Warriors’ Dynasty

steph curry 2

Again, those who thought the Golden State Warriors were going to be denied their 4th consecutive trip to the NBA Finals, are silly.

I don’t want to hear about Chris Paul’s injury. That’s NOT why the Warriors are representing the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. The Warriors are representing the Western Conference in the NBA Finals because the Rockets shot 7-for-44 from three-point range in Game 7.

7-FOR-44!!!!

That’s impressively bad.

Trevor Ariza won’t soon forget his Game 7. Ariza went 0-for-9 from three (0-for-12 overall). Eric Gordon’s 3-for-12, and James Harden’s 3-for-13 didn’t help either.

harden sucks

The Warriors’ core-four did what they do, combining for 90 points, in a 101-92 victory.

And now, they’ll take on the one-man band people call the Cleveland Cavaliers. This series is not going to be entertaining, or close. Each Warriors’ victory will be by an average of 20 points. LeBron automatically buys his team one victory. If he goes INSANE, he’ll grab a second win on his way out the door. But the LeBrons LITERALLY have NO CHANCE here.

 

Does LeBron stand a chance?? How many games will he win?? Post your crazy predictions in the comment section below.

You can find me on the Radio as well. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’m on live, every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. Each show is also broadcast on Facebook Live via: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports.

Since you LOVE my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! NOW GO TELL ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!

Who Knew Tuesday Could Be So Exciting?!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 3 Comments

Who said the only thing to talk about is the Super Bowl??

As players, coaches, and fans arrive in Minneapolis for Super Bowl LII, teams around the NFL are making their own Super Bowl push….

Dominoes Are Fun

Once the first piece goes, the rest fall into place. Tuesday night, Alex Smith was traded to the Washington Redskins. Instantly, Kirk Cousins’ muddled future in Washington D.C. became a lot clearer.

Redskins Get: QB Alex Smith

Chiefs Get: CB Kendall Fuller and a 3rd round pick

This trade can’t become official until March 14th (start of the NFL year). This secures Patrick Mahomes’ future as the starting quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, and assures that Kirk Cousins will don a different jersey next season. The question is: Which one??

Reportedly, Alex Smith (33 years old) will sign a 4-year extension worth $94 million, including $71 million guaranteed. The $94 million part is believable. The $71 million part can’t possibly be accurate. The Redskins would be really, REALLY DUMB to give a 33-year old quarterback that much guaranteed money….

I Want To Be Part Of History

harden-james

We’re all part of history, just not equally. James Harden’s role in history is slightly different than ours. Harden, without the services of Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza, and Eric Gordon (for nearly 3 quarters), literally put the rest of his team on his back. Okay, not literally, but he scored more than half of his teams points en route to a 114-107 victory over the Orlando Magic. And broke 2 records along the way.

Harden’s 60 points broke the Houston Rockets’ record for most points in a single-game (Calvin Murphy, 57 points). That record stood for 40 years. Harden also became the 1st player in NBA history to record a triple-double with 60 points:

60 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, 4 steals, and 1 block

Ummmm, holy crap!

The Injury Bug Is Real

kevin love

Injuries are contagious. In the past week, not 1, not 2, but 3 All-Stars have gone down with significant injuries. First, DeMarcus Cousins’ season ended with a ruptured Achilles. Then, John Wall needed a knee scope, putting him on the shelf for 6-8 weeks. And now, Kevin Love will also miss 6-8 weeks with a fractured left hand.

Today, I plead with the players of the NBA. Be extra careful when you cross the street. Don’t run down the stairs in socks. And don’t go skydiving. For you never know when the injury bug is coming for you.

The Knicks Actually Won A Game?!

It’s hard to believe, but yes, the New York Knicks won a basketball game last night. It’s a lot easier when you’re at home, against the Brooklyn Nets, but as they say, a win is a win.

I attended this game and had a great time!!

If you haven’t been to Madison Square Garden since Patrick Ewing played for the Knicks, make an effort to go. The renovations have improved the fan experience, and concession lines have greatly improved. As for television sets lining each section’s front row, I’ll never understand that. Why would you pay for tickets and then watch the game on TV from your seat?!?!

As for the game, Kristaps Porzingis was on, dropping 28 points while shooting 6 for 8 from 3-point range. Enes Kanter had the quietest 20 point/20 rebound game you’ll ever see. And the Knicks took down the Nets 111-95.

The Knicks have now won 2 games in a row.

“If they win tonight, that’s called a winning streak. It has happened before.”

 

Were you surprised the Redskins traded for Alex Smith?? Where do you think Kirk Cousins will play next season?? Tell me in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports .

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

Rockets Lay Texas-Size Beat Down On Spurs

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

harden-leonard

There’s domination….and then there’s whatever the Houston Rockets did to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals saw the Houston Rockets travel 197 miles across Texas to San Antonio to take on the Spurs. And apparently the Spurs weren’t listening when Rudy’s coach was talking. Not only did the Rockets push the Spurs around, they stole the Spurs’ lunch money and then made them apologize.

The Spurs set a handful of team records Monday night, just not the kind you’d want to attach your name. The Rockets carried a 30-point lead into halftime (69-39), marking the largest halftime deficit in Spurs postseason history. This was also the largest halftime deficit in any game under coach Gregg Popovich. The largest lead of the game ballooned to 39 points with 6:18 left in the 4th quarter (Final Score: 126-99). The Spurs also allowed the most 3-point attempts and makes in their storied postseason history. The Rockets made 22 of their 50 3-point attempts.

Side Note: That is ridiculous!! Who attempts 50 3’s in 1 game?! Especially against the defensive minded Spurs. Apparently Beard and Co. do.

Launching 3-pointers is actually nothing new for the Rockets, as they attempted 3,306 of them during the regular season. That’s just over 40 3-point attempts per game!! While James Harden hit 3 of them, he played the role of facilitator on Monday night, dropping 14 assists. Trevor Ariza, yes of all people Trevor Ariza, had a game-high 23 points, making 5 3-pointers.

And after an unforeseen whoopin’ like Game 1, not even the prognosticator of prognosticators could possibly predict the outcome of Game 2. I’ll give it a shot though. The Spurs bounce back in a big way, winning 110-99. Please don’t put your money where my mouth is though. Thank you. And if you caught that Groundhog Day reference, bravo!

Tune into TNT on Wednesday night @ 9:30 p.m. EST to see what happens. What do you think will happen? Will the Spurs bounce back in Game 2 or will they continue to fear the beard? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!