2015 Playoffs: (2) Houston vs. (3) LA Clippers

[Lamrock]

After playing each other seemingly every other Sunday during the regular season, the clippers and rox finally meet. With Chris Paul banged up and the Rockets down a couple rotation players, this should be close. This is a better clippers team than in years past though, so I've got them in 6.

[Mandich]

Everything depends on Paul and his health. I still beleive the Clippers are the superior team and that they'll take the series.

[NovU]

Voting is fun, ROcKetS in 7.

Remember I said Rockets are a real deal this year? I still think so. But I will be rooting for the Clippers because I like them little more. I thinks this is a 7 game series once again. Letz guh.

[Alpha_]

Clippers in 7.

[Andrew]

CP3 is out for Game 1, and the Clippers' chances rely heavily on his health. Rockets in six is my "official" pick, owing to Paul's injury and forthcoming Game 1 absence, but if the Clippers do advance - and it's not unthinkable that they do, don't get me wrong - I say they'll do it in another seven game series.

[NovU]

It's likely he won't be 100% at any point in this series. Too bad, he lasted all 82 games this year but now this.

[NovU]

Wow. That was unexpected. The Clippers can now safely rest CP3 one more game and still has the homecourt advantage.

[Andrew]

Regretting my pick already.

Another big triple double from Griffin, and a big win without CP3. Hopefully he's back soon and can be productive the rest of the way, as I wouldn't mind a Warriors/Clippers WCF.

[[Q]]

Wow, even as a clippers fan and a cp3 fan, I gave them no chance to win but felt that if it was close they would have a shot to steal one

They should sit cp after getting a free one. If they win game 2, sit him until game 5

[Kevin]

Clippers in 6. Warriors and Clippers in WCF is gonna be fun

[Andrew]

I don't know about Game 5, but if he's still iffy come Game 2, I agree they can take their chances and have him sit again.

[mp3]

I vote for Clippers in 6 after watching last night's game one victory.

I must admit I have never being a huge fan of Blake Griffin before thinking he was pretty much a one trick pony and a flop artist but the guy is legit and they did all that damage without Chris Paul too.

[Mandich]

9 turnovers. A pretty bad game by Harden.

Sitting Paul down is stupid. If he can play and feels like he can he needs to. And he will. I doubt the Clippers can advance with him sitting out.

Meanwhile, Deandre Jordan, the best center in the league during the regular season(Better than Gasol and Cousins but will end up in the All-NBA 3rd team if the stupid voters don't give that up to Drummond) had a good game, yet it was questionably overshadowed by a worse Howard game in the media.

Griffin becoming the player everyone predicted him to be. I wonder how he would've handled Randolph/Gasol this year if they met up. There is a chance the Grizzlies advance, but the entire GSW roster would need to be injured for them to do so.

[[Q]]

Sitting Paul down is stupid.

Until he comes back too early, injures his hamstring again and is out for the rest of the playoffs

[mp3]

Agreed, the Clippers played a tough 7 games vs the Spurs.

They took a gamble to rest Paul and it paid off well, if they could get away with resting him another game they will but I think he will play in game 2 no matter what.

[NovU]

Don't players usually sit out at least for a couple weeks for hamstring issues? For CP3, issue is more delicate kinda like Wade because it's a lingering one.



Yeah, Menopauss. Andre was a junk compared to DeAndre (I am risking getting booed by huge Andre's fanbase in our forum). DeAndre's been pretty good this year and that game against Dwight was just nice.

And that Harden looked bad. More than that, their defense completely fell apart in 4th during crucial stretch where the Clippers made a huge run. 3 pointers were just left alone time after time and those second chances totally killed any comeback attempt. Last 3 minutes of the game were un-watchable with foul epidemic though.

[Mandich]

Isn't the whole point of the Playoffs that players on contending teams play through injuries when needed?

EDIT: Injuries that can be played through.

Well we all love Drummond so I doubt anyone will get offended, but no center can compare to Jordans regular season.

Is it just me or when Harden doesn't play up to his standards on offense he becomes even worse on defense? If you suck one way work the other ffs.

[[Q]]

Isn't the whole point of the playoffs is to win games and win the championship? Can't win if your best player hurts himself again and misses more time

[Mandich]

I see you skipped the part where I said when NEEDED.

You always miss half of my points, slow down when reading.

[NovU]

I think he would have if he could. But it was just way too risky to play him right after that game 7 where he looked significantly hurt/bothered. He only had 1 day to rest and probably wasn't in any shape to practice and play full 48 minutes considering nature of hamstring injury. Wade tried playing through it but it only worsened his condition and had to sit out more than 2 weeks which ultimately cost the Heat playoffs berth.

[Mandich]

I agree he shouldn't have played Game 1. Game 2 is iffy since they have the lead but when Harden gets going they'll need all the weapons they have.

[JaoSming]

I had Clips in 6..... yeah

[[Q]]

I see you skipped the part where I said when NEEDED.

You always miss half of my points, slow down when reading.

and you're always too busy trying to defend yourself instead of trying to figure out what people are saying.

Sure, if you suck, you aren't needed. Guys like Chris Paul and Mike Conley are obviously needed even though they're injured. But there's a fine line between asking a player to play at 50% health at the risk of making the injury worse.

In game 1, clippers proved they don't need Paul to win a game, which by your logic means he doesn't need to play hurt.

[Andrew]

To put it another way, the Clippers' performance in Game 1 demonstrated that there's no good reason for Paul to consider taking an unnecessary risk.

[Kevin]

Well they need Paul now.

Houston's got the lead in the fourth!