The PALLILOG
Charlie Pallilo: If the Rockets beat the Raptors, how long will this streak go on?
Mar 9, 2018, 6:31 am
James Harden and the Rockets could carry this winning streak a long way. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
A serious threat to the Rockets’ 17 game winning streak looms Friday night at Toronto. The Raptors aren’t ABC, ESPN, or TNT darlings. Toronto doesn’t count in the Nielsen ratings. What the Raptors are is elite. The Rockets don’t have the best home record in the NBA. The Warriors don’t either. The Raptors do (27-5). So if the Rockets run their winning streak to 18 -- while it would be silly to wonder if the Rockets are going to lose again this season -- viewed on a game-by-game basis they shouldn’t lose again this season. Simply meaning that unless James Harden and or Chris Paul are out hurt or resting the Rockets will definitely be favored in all remaining games.
IF they beat Toronto, taking the streak to 19 is a slam dunk at Dallas Sunday. Faded San Antonio would be probable victim number 20 Monday, the Clippers number 21 on Thursday. That would give the Rockets a chance to match the 10 years old franchise-record winning streak of 22, at New Orleans. The Pelicans are the last team to beat the Rockets.
The Rockets started the season 25-4, then lost five in a row; since that losing skid they are 26-4. They are on pace to win 65 games. Yet if they were only 16-1 over their last 17 games, they would be behind Golden State in the Western Conference standings. To use a boxing analogy the Rockets and Warriors are Ali and Frazier in their primes, the rest of the West is a bunch of Butterbeans.
Tough road for Francis
A pretty compelling read from former Rocket Steve Francis this week in a piece he wrote for The Players’ Tribune website. Some harrowing details of spending part of his youth as a real-life version of one of the corner kids on the brilliant HBO series of a few years back The Wire. Chunks of Francis’s post-NBA life have been a mess: alcohol problems, arrests, and some jail time. I suppose the article should be taken with grains of salt, but Francis seems to be in a much better life place now.
Keuchel wants the ball
Quick props to Dallas Keuchel for honestly admitting he “wasn’t happy by any means” that A.J. Hinch opted for Justin Verlander as the Astros’ opening day starting pitcher. Why should he be? Keuchel has been a stud three of the last four years, and pitched the Astros to victory each of the last three openers with them twice winning by shutout. Verlander is an unassailable choice. Keuchel was respectful, humorous, and forthright in saying what we should hope to hear from any proud and accomplished competitor.
State of tournament teams in Texas
NCAA Tournament Selection Sunday is almost here. UH knows it’s in. Texas A&M is almost certainly in. Texas is iffy and frankly doesn’t look like it belongs. Baylor’s case is shaky as well. TCU is likely to be dancing for the first time in 20 years. Texas Tech is the best team in the state. All six making the field of 68 would double the Lone Star State participation level of a year ago.
Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State are in separate semifinals of the Southland Conference Tournament in Katy, and another Texas representative could emerge from the SWAC Tournament playing out at the Delmar Center Friday and Saturday nights. The second semifinal has Texas Southern vs. Prairie View A&M. Mike Davis has taken the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament three of the last four years; PV has made the Tourney only once in school history (a mere 58 point loss to Kansas in 1998). TSU has seven overall NCAA games to its name, all losses. But once Texas Southern came very close to pulling off what would have been one of the all-time stunners.
In 1995 the Tigers were assigned as 15th seeded designated lambs to be slaughtered by the defending national champion 2nd seeded Arkansas Razorbacks. The Midwest sub-regional site was Austin. Most of the first half went as expected, Nolan Richardson’s Hogs blew out to a 17 point lead. Then TSU clawed back within 11 at the half, before slapping a 17-2 run on the Hogs to start the second half and taking a 52-48 lead. For all but the Pig Sooie shouters it was a blast to watch. Unless specifically rooting for the favorite it’s natural to pull for a huge underdog, plus fans of the other schools in the building were all charged up by the possibility of having the Hogs taken out.
Arkansas led 79-76 in the last 10 seconds when their consensus All-America Corliss Williamson foolishly fouled TSU guard Randy Bolden on a three point attempt. Bolden hit the first two free throws but missed the third leaving it 79-78 Arkansas. Razorback guard Corey Beck then gagged two free throws with three seconds left, but TSU was unable to get a shot up before the buzzer.
Buzzer beaters
1. I’d sign up in a sec for year-round Daylight Saving Time. 2. New Texans’ GM Brian Gaine better come out swinging when free agency starts Wednesday. 3. Best things with peanut butter on a sandwich: Bronze-jelly Silver-marshmallow Gold-banana.
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With the Astros now officially ten games under .500 for the season, manager Joe Espada is taking a lot of heat from the fanbase for the team's struggles.
While we don't agree with the sentiment, we even hear fans clamoring for the return of Dusty Baker and Martin Maldonado, thinking the Astros wouldn't be in this mess if they were still here.
Which is ridiculous. First of all, Maldonado has been awful for the White Sox, hitting .048 (even worse than Jose Abreu's .065). And for those of you that think his work with the pitching staff justifies his pathetic offense. Let me say this: Where was Maldy's game calling genius for Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, and Framber Valdez last year? All of them regressed significantly.
And as far as Baker is concerned, we have no idea how much a difference he would make, we can only speculate. Baker would also be dealing with a pitching staff ravaged with injuries. And let's not forget, Baker was the guy that refused to move Jose Abreu down in the batting order, even though he would finish the regular season with the ninth-worst OPS in baseball.
The reality of the situation is managers can only do so much in baseball. Which leads us to something else that needs to be considered. Is Espada being handcuffed by the front office? Espada and GM Dana Brown both said recently that Jon Singleton was going to get more at-bats while they give Abreu time off to try to figure things out. Yet, there Abreu was in the lineup again in the opening game of the Cubs series.
It makes us wonder how much power does Espada truly have? The Astros have some other options at first base. Yainer Diaz may only have eight games played at the position, but how much worse could he be than Abreu defensively? Abreu already has four errors, and Diaz is obviously a way better hitter. Victor Caratini isn't considered a plus offensive player, but his .276 batting average makes him look like Babe Ruth compared to Abreu. Let him catch more often and play Diaz at first. Starting Diaz at first more often could also lengthen his career long-term.
Maybe that's too wild of a move. Okay, fine. How about playing Mauricio Dubon at first base? I understand he doesn't have much experience at that position, but what's the downside of trying him there? If he can play shortstop, he can play first base. He's driving in runs at a higher rate (11 RBIs) than everyone on the team outside of Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez. And he's producing like that as part-time player right now.
The other criticism we see of Espada is his use of Jon Singleton to pinch hit late in games. Let's be real, though, who else does Espada have on the roster to go to? Batting Abreu late in games in which you're trailing should be considered malpractice. Espada can only use who he has to work with. This all really stems from the Astros poor farm system.
They don't have anyone else to turn to. The draft picks the club lost from the sign-stealing scandal are really hurting them right now. First and second rounders from 2020 and 2021 should be helping you in 2024 at the big league level.
Maybe they go to Astros prospect Joey Loperfido soon, but after a hot start he has only two hits in his last six games.
Finally, we have to talk about what seems like a committee making baseball decisions. Lost in a committee is accountability. Who gets the blame for making poor decisions?
As time continues to pass it looks like moving on from former GM James Click was a massive mistake. He's the guy that didn't sign Abreu, but did trade Myles Straw (recently DFA'd) for Yainer Diaz and Phil Maton. He also built an elite bullpen without breaking the bank, and helped the club win a World Series in 2022.
The reality of the situation is Dusty Baker and James Click are not walking back through that door. And all good runs come to an end at some point. Is this what we're witnessing?
Don't miss the video above as we hit on all the points discussed and much more!
Catch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan. We drop two episodes every week on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel. You can also listen on Apple Podcast, Spotifyor wherever you get your podcasts.