NBA Western Conference Round-Up
The Warriors look on pace to make it to the Western Conference Finals with a 106-94 victory over the Utah Jazz. But is that really the case? The final score is what matters ultimately however there were chinks in the Warriors' armor that could cause problems in this series. Jazz star forward Gordon Hayward did only have 12 points but it didn't come by the Warriors' defense. Hayward missed several open shots, specifically threes, that if a few were made it could have changed the complex of the game. Also the Warriors depend heavily on their perimeter play. The Jazz had opportunities to slow down the game and get their big men involved but that was not the case. Rudy Gobert did play 30+ minutes however it seems as if his main focus is to be a rim protector on defense. Gobert only attempted 7 shots and Derrick Favors only played for 12 minutes and attempted 5 shots. If the Warriors have any weakness, you could argue that it is their interior defense. Draymond Green is a great player but he is still an undersized center when playing that position. Zaza Pachulia is a decent center but the athleticism of Gobert and Favors could be used to their favor to have an advantage. We will see how Coach Synder adjust on Thursday night.
The only excitement that came out of Game 1 between the Rockets and Spurs was when Nene' grabbed the throat of Dewayne Dedmon's throat and was ejected. Granted, there is no condoning violence on the basketball court, the end of the third quarter had a soap opera feel to it and you wanted to see if anything occurred due to this. Nothing else happened, the Rockets coasted to a 126-99 victory over the Spurts. This series (to me) will be won based on who controls the tempo of the game. The Rockets played their style of basketball and rode the fast paced, shooting threes, making layups and free throws' style all the way home in Game 1. The Spurs have to slow down the game and LaMarcus Aldridge CANNOT have only 4 points. The Spurs were expecting a Tim Duncan type performer when they signed Aldridge to a 4 year 84 million dollar contract. The Spurs are not known for making free agency splashes so for Aldridge, the pressure is on. Kahwi Leonard did what he could as he poured in 21 but the shooting of the Rockets was the story as they were up as many as 39 points. Clint Capella also had a great game 20 points and 13 rebounds. If anyone were to tell you that Capella would outplay Aldridge in Game 1, you would think it would be a joke. Nothing against Capella, but Aldridge is a former All-Star who is still in his prime. This is the playoffs and this is where legacies are made a broken. If the Spurs can't slow down the Rockets, literally, they may be "Gon' Fishin" a lot earlier than they expected.
