The Pallilog
Rockets find themselves in a familiar position. Will the result be different this time?
May 10, 2019, 6:25 am
Two years ago Saturday the Rockets suffered the most pathetic loss in franchise history. Down three games to two in the Western Conference semifinals, the Rockets had a home game to win and force a decisive seventh game. They were playing a San Antonio Spurs team without its best player (an injured Kawhi Leonard). The Spurs humiliated the Rockets 114-75. James Harden made two field goals the whole game (two for eleven from the field).
That was then this is now. The Rockets trail three games to two in the Western Conference semifinals, with a home game to win and force a decisive seventh game. The two-time defending NBA Champion Golden State Warriors are without their best player (an injured Kevin Durant). So now what?
Obviously the Warriors can win at Toyota Center. Friday night's game either extends or ends the Warriors' amazing NBA record streak of 20 consecutive playoff series in which they have won at least one road game. With Durant sidelined by his strained right calf, the Rockets are a bigger favorite in game six than either team was in the first five games. Add it all up, and if the Rockets don't force game seven it will be widely viewed as a colossal choke job.
That is too simplistic. Could they choke by, say, missing 27 consecutive three point shots? I guess. Just remember that before they had KD the Warriors won a title then added a 73-9 season and another Finals appearance. If Stephen Curry came out of his poor play rut in the fourth quarter of game five, he, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green can lead the way to victory though this squad is not as great as those teams of three and four years ago.
James Harden has an unfortunate track record of clunker games in closeout losses. As great as he's been for years, this Harden is a clearly better player. He needs to come through. No way in a competitive critical game should Harden go more than eight minutes of the fourth quarter without taking a shot as he did in game five. For an offensive machine who shoots step back threes by the truckload and can get to the paint for floaters and layups like few others, "making the right plays" does not entail going almost all of crunch time not taking a shot unless being double teamed upon every touch, which was not the case Wednesday.
Chris Paul's decline has been on display in this series. Can he summon up one big performance over the next two games? Sure would help the Rockets' chances. If he cannot and the Rockets get taken out, the three years 124 million left on Paul's contract is going to look flat out depressing.
My guess is the Rockets win game six handily, Warriors' coach Steve Kerr concedes earlier than he ordinarily would and saves what the champs have left for the winner takes all game seven at Oracle Arena Sunday. As for Game Seven, I have no good idea.
In the end you will or you won't, you do or you don't.
Astros are doing just fine
The Astros mash away, as they begin to pull away in the American League West. No division leader in Major League Baseball tops the Astros four-game cushion. They have hit 66 home runs in their first 38 games, a season pace toward a whopping 281. The Astros set the franchise record for homers in the first season of Enron Field in the peak of the steroid era. They hit 249 that year. Last season the Yankees set the MLB record with 267 homers. They did so with only Giancarlo Stanton hitting 30 or more (38). 12 Yankees hit at least 10. As the Astros cross the one quarter mark of the regular season this weekend they have five guys on pace to hit 35+: George Springer, Alex Bregman, Michael Brantley, Carlos Correa, and Jose Altuve.
This while Altuve endures the lengthiest slump of his career. Over his last 18 starts Altuve is just 10 for 67, bad for a .149 batting average and a .523 OPS. Reference point: in his 10 seasons with the Astros the offensively anemic Brad Ausmus never finished with an OPS below .593.
Springer last season endured a nightmarish stretch in which he went eight for 87. Bregman began his big league career one for 32. It's no hyperbole saying hitting a baseball is the hardest fundamental skill required in a major sport.
Buzzer Beaters
1. Albert Pujols is pretty much a washed up player. But one of the three greatest first basemen of all-time getting his 2000th RBI Thursday is still quite an achievement. 2. The NHL seventh games this week were beyond fantastic. If the Stanley Cup Final goes seven, pledge to watch! 3. Greatest 1Bs of all-time: Bronze-Pujols Silver-Jimmie Foxx (though Pujols over Foxx is fine) Gold-Lou Gehrig
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The Houston Astros are looking to stop the bleeding.
After dropping their fifth straight game Monday night, and their 10th in the past 11 at Daikin Park, the American League West leaders turn to right-hander Jason Alexander on Tuesday night to face the Washington Nationals in the second game of the series.
Houston still sits atop the division at 60-47, but the recent slide has begun to test the edges of their depth and momentum. They’ll try to steady things against a Nationals team that’s playing better than its record suggests. Washington has won six of its last 10, including Monday’s 2-1 series-opening victory, and arrives with a bit of confidence behind starter Mike Soroka.
Alexander (1-1, 8.14 ERA) will make his third start of the season for Houston and is still looking for consistency after a bumpy start to his campaign. The Nationals counter with Soroka (3-8, 4.85 ERA), who has quietly put together a string of solid outings while showing improved command. Soroka has struck out 83 and posted a 1.13 WHIP over 78 innings.
Offensively, both teams have had their share of struggles of late. The Astros have hit just .241 over their past 10 games and have been outscored by 13 runs during that stretch. On Monday, they managed just one run for the third straight contest, wasting a 12-strikeout night from Framber Valdez.
Veteran second baseman Jose Altuve remains a key contributor with 17 doubles and 17 home runs, while Christian Walker has been one of Houston’s more reliable bats lately, going 12-for-37 over the past 10 games.
For Washington, Luis Garcia has tallied 22 doubles and 45 RBIs on the year, and Josh Bell has chipped in with two homers in his last 10 outings.
The Astros are still favored to bounce back — listed as -142 favorites by BetMGM — but with the recent home woes and a struggling rotation, nothing seems guaranteed right now in Houston. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.
Lineup takeaways
What is Joe Espada doing to try to snap the losing streak? He'll start with Taylor Trammell leading off and playing left field, which has Jose Altuve as the DH and hitting second. Christian Walker will once again hit third, with Cam Smith (RF) back in the cleanup spot after a day off.
Jacob Melton is returns to center field and will hit fifth, followed by catcher Yainer Diaz and Mauricio Dubon (3B).
Espada, looking to shake things up and provide the offense with a spark, goes with Shay Whitcomb over Brice Matthews at second base, and Zack Short (SS) will hit ninth.
Expecto Patronum ✨Lineup✨
⚾️: 7:10pm
🏟️: Closed
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— Houston Astros (@astros) July 29, 2025
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