More Bleacher Babble

For the first time in over 90 games this season, the Houston Rockets lost three games in a row, a game in which they desperately needed to win.

The above stat may be the first time the Rockets lost three in a row at home in the Toyota Center, but I'm too lazy to research the real facts on that one. Regardless, tonight the Golden State Warriors for the first time this series did not give anything to Houston and shellacked them by 35 points on their home court to take a commanding 3-0 best of seven series lead.

The first two games where close between these teams largely in part of Warrior turn-overs, but even in their 67(best in the league) games won in the regular season this year, they were not too good at protecting the ball. As a team the Warriors averaged 14.1 turnovers per game, and are at 15.1 in their 11-2 post season run thus far. (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/gs/seasontype/2/golden-state-warriors)

The Warriors only had one turn-over in the first half of tonight's game as opposed to nine in game two. Stephen Curry was again brilliant, amassing 40 points, and he only had three points at the end of the first quarter. Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green both had double doubles. The Warriors had 15 assists as a team and had a devastating 62-37 half time lead. Going into tonight's game, the Rockets were the leading scores in the playoffs this year, averaging more then a 100 points.

Since losing two games in a row to the Memphis Grizzlies in their last play-off series, the Warriors have now won six in row, largely in part to a 'play-off' defense as their head coach, Steve Kerr would say.

I hope my prediction is wrong now, in my last article I said each team would have blow-out wins and the series would go six games, now I just want the Warriors to win game four on Monday night to get to the finals. Being wrong can be a very  good thing.

Bleacher Babble

Twenty-six out of the 30 NBA teams are no longer vying for this years championship, and the odds point toward a championship series between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Tonight's game three match-up between the Warriors and the Houston Rockets is sure to be a basketball barrage of brilliant entertainment. The Warriors won the first two games of this series by a total of five points. The next two games between these teams shifts to the Toyota Center, the home of the Rockets.  

Both the Rockets and the Warriors are capable of huge scoring runs. During Wednesday nights game, the Warriors were up 49-32 in the second quarter, then the Rockets went on a 23-6 run to close out the second quarter for a 55-55 half time score. The Warriors had nine turn-overs in the half and the Rockets made them pay for it. 

Both math-ups between the Rockets and Warriors have seen both of their star players do their jobs. The Warriors Stephen Curry has had 30 plus points in both games, and The Rockets James Harden was one assist away in both games from having a triple double. In Wednesdays bout, Harden was the games leading scorer with 38 points. (10 boards, 9 assists) Curry was the games leading scorer in game one, and had 33 points in Wednesday nights game. 

The Warriors need to cut out the large number of turn-overs and need more production from Klay Thompson, and Harrison Barns to really put the Rockets away. The Rockets need more consistency from Trevor Ariza, Jason Terry, and if Dwight Howard's knees mend tougher, the Warriors could be home for the NBA finals. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers look poised to sweep the Atlanta Hawks. The Cavaliers have the number one defense in this years play-offs and they have been nailing their 3-point shots. To be honest, the series between the Hawks and Cavaliers is hard to watch. Thus far, I've only watched the second half of last nights game two between these teams. 

The king, LeBron James has taken a team that at best would have been a first round play-off losing team into one that is poised to win it all. If the Cleveland Cavaliers play the Warriors in the finals, the stage is set for a six or seven game series sure to entice its viewers. 

Currently the Cavaliers are 10-2 in the post season, as are the Warriors. The Hawks have too many banged up players and are simply over matched by Cleveland. Cleveland has won both games by a total of 20 points, and just watching the second half of last nights game, there was never a moment when you thought the Hawks might actually win. 

Go ahead and skip watching the Eastern Conference finals remaining games because there is no doubt which team is going to win the series. If you crave new entertainment, watch the remaining games with the Rockets and Warriors, because I predict one blow-out win for each team, and the rest down to the wire round ball games with the Warriors prevailing in six games.