A LOOK AHEAD
John Granato: Things that will happen at some point in the Rockets-Warriors series
May 10, 2018, 7:09 am
James Harden's Rockets and the Warriors will make you think about several things this series. Rockets.com
At some point in this series…
You will marvel at how pretty Steph Curry’s jumper is.
The refs will have to decide on a flagrant one or two on Draymond Green.
You will hate Kevin Durant’s mouthpiece.
You will see a picture of Clint Capela next to this quote: “We are better than them.”
You will wonder why Draymond Green thought those clothes all went together.
At some point in this series…
Charles Barkley will say the Rockets just aren’t good enough.
You will laugh when James Harden and Draymond Green flop simultaneously.
You will wonder why Steph Curry took that crazy shot but then it goes in and you just shake your head.
You will be jealous of how pretty Oracle Arena looks just before tipoff.
At some point in this series…
You will jump out of your seat and yell at Draymond Green even though he can’t hear you because you’re in your house.
You will wonder why Gerald Green took that crazy shot but then it goes in and you just shake your head.
You will think that Klay Thompson is not really all that good at basketball.
You will think that Klay Thompson is unstoppable.
Draymond Green and P.J. Tucker will get tangled up and tempers will flare.
At some point in this series...
James Harden will make one of the prettiest passes you’ve ever seen.
The refs will have to look at another Draymond Green foul to see if it was a flagrant one or two.
The announcer will mention that this is Chris Paul’s first trip to the Conference Finals.
James Harden will walk around with his hands out in disbelief at a call.
Chris Paul and Kevin Durant will trade big mid-range jumpers.
At some point in this series...
Trevor Ariza will hit a huge 3 that will bring the crowd to its feet.
You will think the Warriors uniforms are cool.
You will throw something at your TV because of Draymond Green.
Charles Barkley will admit that he was wrong and the Rockets are better than he thought.
You will think that these Warriors might be the best basketball team you’ve ever seen.
At some point in this series…
Draymond Green’s leg will have a spastic attack and he’ll kick someone in a bad place.
James Harden will make one of the ugliest passes you’ve ever seen.
Steve Kerr will have a hair out of place.
Warriors fans will scream that James Harden just walked.
You will wonder why Chris Paul thought those clothes all went together.
At some point in this series…
P.J. Tucker will hit a huge 3 that will bring the crowd to its feet.
The refs will have to decide if another Draymond Green foul was a flagrant one or two.
You will hate Steph Curry’s mouthpiece
Draymond Green will skip down the court nodding and smiling and taunting the Toyota Center crowd.
At some point in this series…
You will worry that Clint Capela will get a max offer from another team this offseason
You will hate that there are so many days off between games.
You will hate Draymond Green.
James Harden will have a shot that will decide his big game legacy.
You will be proud of your Rockets.
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Let’s be clear: the Astros didn’t lose their series to the Mariners just because the bullpen melted down late. They lost because the offense put them in that vulnerable position to begin with — and the decisions from the dugout didn’t help.
Houston’s bats were a no-show in Game 2 despite the win in extra innings, and it was a massive reason why their bullpen was stretched thin in the series finale. Game 3 starter, Luis F. Castillo, had more control issues than command, and handed out five walks. That should’ve been the Astros’ ticket to a win. Instead? Missed opportunities, weak contact, and a bullpen meltdown caused Houston to drop another series.
The middle of the lineup is a problem
Christian Walker has turned into a black hole in the cleanup spot. His .229 slugging percentage and .196 OBP are not typos — they’re proof that opposing pitchers can pitch around Yordan Alvarez with no fear. Walker ranks 12th-worst in baseball in OPS, and his lone RBI as a cleanup hitter is borderline unbelievable.
Isaac Paredes isn’t exactly lighting it up, either, slugging .255. If Walker wasn’t such a disaster, Paredes would likely be catching more heat. And then there’s Yainer Diaz, who’s been completely lost at the plate. The offensive struggles are deeper than one guy — they’re systemic.
The Astros currently rank dead last in MLB in slugging and doubles, plus they are second to last in OPS. Only two teams have hit fewer homers. That’s not a slump. That’s an identity crisis.
Espada’s decisions worsened the situation
Manager Joe Espada deserves his share of the blame for how the final game unfolded. With a bullpen already running on fumes, Espada pulled his best bats for defense, then rolled out minor-league caliber arms to protect a lead. If he had his full bullpen, fine. But he didn’t — and he knew it. He got greedy.
Instead of turning to Steven Okert to start the eighth after Luis Contreras survived the seventh, Espada went back to the well. That decision backfired, as it often does when a struggling pitcher has already done more than expected. Even more puzzling was the choice to use Contreras at all when Logan VanWey had just been called up. Why call him up if you’re not going to use him?
And why was Bennett Sousa in that game?
Abreu's pitch selection was asking for trouble
Bryan Abreu had multiple 0-2 counts. Inexplicably, he grooved high fastballs over the heart of the plate. Major league hitters don’t miss those very often.
Pitching strategy
Astros pitchers are consistently working deep into counts. They’re far too comfortable taking at-bats to 3-2, especially with runners on. That kind of approach balloons pitch counts, tires starters, and taxes relievers — all things this team can’t afford right now. And don't get us started on how many stolen bases they're allowing.
A Silver lining? Maybe one
Spencer Arrighetti’s fluke broken thumb is obviously unfortunate. But if you’re desperate for a silver lining, this could help limit his innings across the season and keep him fresher for the stretch run — assuming he returns to form quickly.
Bottom line
Yes, the bullpen blew it. But the offense put them in that position, and the coaching staff didn’t pull the right levers. The Astros are 5-7, but with the way they’ve played, it almost feels like they should be thankful it’s not worse. There’s time to turn it around — but it starts with accountability, and the bats doing their part.
We have so much more to cover. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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