Chris Paul has a long history of playoff heartbreak.
So does James Harden.
And Mike D’Antoni has more than either of them combined.
Separately
Marcus Davenport Color Rush Jersey , they’ve never gotten it done at playoff time. Together, their fortunes might change. They’ve led the Houston Rockets to the NBA’s best record going into these playoffs, and in a league that Golden State and Cleveland have dominated in recent years, it may not be overly surprising to see the Paul-Harden-D’Antoni triumvirate win it all this spring.
With two regular-season games left, the Rockets have already piled up a franchise-record 64 wins to secure the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. But this group – perhaps fueled by past playoff shortcomings – knows it has much more work to do.
”The ultimate goal is holding that trophy up,” Harden said. ”So until we do that there’s no celebrations … we haven’t done anything yet.”
D’Antoni, who’ll turn 67 next month and would be the oldest coach to win an NBA title if Houston gets it done, has revived his career in Houston. He got the Rockets to the West semifinals in his first year with them last season. And on the eve of these playoffs, D’Antoni insists he won’t spend a second thinking about all the times things went wrong in his previous postseason trips.
”Zero,” he said when asked how much he thinks about his playoff failures. ”Twenty-nine teams look back every year. It’s hard to win.”
D’Antoni might know that better than most.
In 2004-05
Cheap Sam Darnold Jersey , his Phoenix Suns won 62 games in the regular season and reached the conference finals before losing to eventual champion San Antonio in five games. The Suns advanced to the conference finals again the following year, but were eliminated by Dallas in six games. They lost in the second round in 2007, the first round in 2008.
More failures followed in his stints with New York and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Knicks were swept by Boston in 2011, the Lakers swept by the Spurs in 2013, both of those coming in the first round. Before last season, D’Antoni hadn’t won a playoff game in nine years.
”We’ve had a great regular season, but it doesn’t matter,” he said. ”But what it does mean is that we’re pretty good and if we make big shots and do what we’re supposed to do … then we’ll see if we can do it.”
Paul’s failures in the postseason may be even more scrutinized. The nine-time All-Star, who came to Houston in an offseason trade, has made nine playoff trips without advancing past the second round. The worst of those flops came in 2015
http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cordy-glenn-jersey , ironically against Houston, when Paul and the Clippers had a 3-1 lead in the conference semifinals. They got blown out in Game 5, wasted a 19-point second-half lead in Los Angeles in Game 6, then fell in Game 7 at Houston.
That was then, Paul said.
”It is cool when you stop and think about it,” Paul said. ”But for us right now we’re trying to enjoy the moment. Trying to enjoy the process and not worry about all that stuff. Maybe after it’s all said and done you can reflect on it.”
Harden knows playoff pain as well. His splendid 2016-17 season was so promising, especially after Houston routed San Antonio, on the road, in Game 1 of the West semifinals. The Spurs won four of the next five, including a 114-75 embarrassing series-clincher in Houston where Harden was held to 10 points.
”These last few years I’ve learned that obviously you can’t do it by yourself
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Paul might be the topper Harden needed.
From the moment Paul arrived in Houston, Harden raved about what he would bring to the team. After playing with him for a season, the normally reserved Harden was even more effusive in his praise of the fellow guard.
”I don’t mean to sound too mushy or what-not but it was like love at first sight,” Harden said. ”It was just meant to be.”
This will be Harden’s ninth playoff appearance after three trips with the Thunder and five in Houston. He’s led the Rockets to the postseason in each of his seasons in Houston, but his failure to shine in big games has dogged him for years.
Bringing a title to Houston, which hasn’t seen the Rockets hoisting a Larry O’Brien Trophy since the back-to-back crowns in 1994 and 1995, will render all those criticisms moot.
”We’re all in this together,” Harden said. ”That’s what it’s all about. We talk about it every single day. We’re in this together and if one fails we all fail. So we’re going to ride this thing out together.”
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The Chicago Cubs will have to get by without closer Brandon Morrow for a little while.
The Cubs placed the right-hander on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday because of lower back tightness
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While Morrow went on the DL, Yu Darvish threw a simulated game. Manager Joe Maddon said he looked ”outstanding,” and the Cubs will see how he feels Thursday before announcing the next step as he works his way back from tendinitis in his right triceps.
Morrow – signed by Chicago to a $21 million, two-year contract in December after helping the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Cubs in the NLCS – has 16 saves in 17 chances.
He hurt his back taking his pants off at home early Monday morning, after the team returned from St. Louis. The Cubs put him on the DL before their game against the Dodgers and announced right-hander Justin Hancock will remain with the club after being called up from Triple-A Iowa as the 26th man for Tuesday’s day-night doubleheader.
”Anybody who’s had a back spasm knows you can pretty much get it doing anything – brushing your teeth, sneezing, picking up a kid,” Morrow said. ”I think almost everybody has a story about doing so I just said how I did it.”
Morrow said he’s ”pretty comfortable” walking, but feels it when he sits. He said he would have needed a few more days to be ready to pitch. But the Cubs opted not to hold his spot on the active roster.
”We thought it would be wise to give him a couple of days,” Maddon said. ”We just can’t go with one less pitcher right now. We just cannot.”
The Cubs are also missing relievers Carl Edwards Jr. (right shoulder inflammation) and Brian Duensing
http://www.packersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-j_mon-moore-jersey , who is on the bereavement list after his grandfather died Saturday.
Maddon said the matchups will dictate who closes with Morrow sidelined. He also said the Cubs are ”very close” to mapping out a plan for the return of Edwards, who has been throwing. He said the Cubs hope to get Duensing back by Friday.
Darvish, meanwhile, said through an interpreter that the simulated game went better than expected. He felt some anxiety before the outing but felt comfortable on the mound and had good command of his fastball and slider, though he needs to work on his curve and splitter.
Darvish also said he thinks he will need only one rehab start before rejoining the rotation. Once he is ready, the Cubs will have some decisions to make.
Mike Montgomery has a 1.21 ERA in five starts since he was inserted into the rotation in Darvish’s absence. And Tyler Chatwood leads the majors with 63 walks.
Darvish is 1-3 with a 4.95 ERA in eight starts, not what the Cubs envisioned when they signed the prized right-hander to a $126 million, six-year contract in February.
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