On Monday Night, were were treated to seeing the two best teams in the west duke it out for the first game in the Western Conference Finals. Though Golden State walked away having drawn first blood– 106-110– the real gem to watch is Houston. And of course, Curry, but that’s a different story for a different time.
See, at the start of the season, did anyone think the Houston Rockets would have made it this far? For some time, and especially since the arrival of James Harden, they have been perennial playoff contenders, though consistent first and second round exits. And for a while, it seemed like they were going down that path again. After going down 3-1 to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Rockets battled back and swept the last three games. In doing so, they became the ninth– ninth– team to pull that off in the history of the NBA. Sure, we can talk about how L.A. broke down, and how all they had to do was win one game. But the tenancity of the Rockets is something to be respected. Don’t ignore it. They may be down 1-0, but they aren’t going down without a fight. That’s for sure.