END OF THE LINE
Fred Faour: 5 thoughts on the Rockets' season-ending Game 7 loss to the Warriors
May 28, 2018, 10:34 pm
Steph Curry and the Warriors got off the hook. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Five quick thoughts on the Rockets' season ending 101-92 loss to the Warriors:
Die by the 3: The Rockets lost this series because they could not hit wide open 3s. It was really nothing the Warriors did defensively; the Rockets simply could not hit from beyond the arc. At one point they missed 27 straight 3s. That's almost impossible to do; a shot or two has to fall by accident. It was a key factor in the loss. They finished 7 of 44 in Game 7.
Elimination James: There is a saying in playoff hockey; your best players have to be your best players. Same goes for the NBA. James Harden might have been the Rockets best player, but he sure did not play like it. He scored 32 of the most empty points you have ever seen. He was just 12 of 29 from the field and 2 of 13 on 3s. He also had several bad turnovers that led to easy points the other way. If he plays like regular season Harden, the Rockets win this series.
Third and long: The Rockets continuously were outscored in the third quarter and it cost them the series. They took an 11-point lead into the third and were outscored 33-16 Mondy night, and that was that.
Bad time to be awful: Trevor Ariza is a solid role player, but the Rockets needed him to contribute at least some offernse. In Game 7, he scored as many points as everyone reading this combined. He was 0-for-12 from the field and 0-of-9 on 3-pointers. Harden will get the bulk of the blame, but even a below average Ariza would have given them a shot.
The positives: The Rockets did something no one else has done since Kevin Durant showed up in Golden State -- pushed the Warriors to seven games. But without Chris Paul, they simply could not get it done. They had their chances, and if just a couple players had showed up, it would have been them playing Cleveland, not the Warriors.
The bottom line: The Rockets had every chance to win the series. With a healthy Chris Paul, they probably do. But Paul is rarely healthy, and he was gone when they needed him most. In the end, it was a fun ride, but it could have been so much more.
Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.
The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.
CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.
Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.
What's working in the Texans' favor?
They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.
Bulls on Parade
We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.
And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.
X-factors
The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.
Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.
What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?
The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.
An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.
What does Vegas think?
The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.
Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!
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