Rockets rampage against Cavaliers

First of all, Oscar De La Hoya missed his FT. He also showed us how time passes for us all. The Golden Boy is, of course, a very successful businessman and a legend of the fight game, but perhaps not the Casanova he once was.

First Quarter

The contest started in somewhat desultory fashion, with the Rockets attempting to clear a bit of breathing room, and Cleveland making some fairly unlikely shots, and James Harden doing the same.

One note, James Harden is currently missing shots at the rim that once seemed automatic, shots that you’d be shocked if he missed. Hopefully Harden will return to his usual very high level of finishing efficiency.

The Rockets closed the quarter playing good defense and making three point shots.

The quarter finished up with the Rockets on a roll, up 20, 42-22.

Second Quarter

The second quarter brought the Rockets bench to the contest. We saw Brandon Knight, Nene Hilario, Gary Clark, with putative starters Austin Rivers and Danuel House also getting time. This seemed a fairly even contest. These Rocket missed perhaps seven threes in a row but it didn’t seem to matter all that much. The quarter did see the return of Gary Clark as an effective player from his D’Antonian Exile.

James Harden (sometimes a J is just a J, or sometimes it is another kind of J) returned and the lead quickly ballooned. Harden finished the half, seventeen minutes with 24pts, 9ast, 8rbs, 2stl, 2blk. I’ll say it again, best player in the NBA.

The half ended with the Rockets scoring a fairly shocking 77 points to Cleveland’s 49.

Half Time

The game paused. The players rested. There were many advertisements shown. Perhaps you decided to buy a new Toyota?

Third Quarter

It seemed like the game we saw in the first half continued on into the second. The Rockets pushed the lead out as far as 33, and more or less seemed to drift through the quarter. Cedi Osman seems like he might be a player.

James Harden logged a triple double, but not sadly a 5x5. 43pts on 24 shots in 30 minutes will just have to satisfy us.

The quarter ended 113 to 81.

Fourth Quarter

Hey, its our old friend Extended Garbage Time!

James Harden took a seat. The Rockets bench held serve, and we saw all of the invisible Rockets, Marquese Chriss got minutes, and looked...good?

No injuries, easy win, somehow without Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute. James Harden continues to be otherworldly.

The Rockets managed to lose this quarter on a late flurry of Cleveland whistles. It’s all ruined now.

Final Thoughts

The final score was a lopsided 141 to 113, and it wasn’t that close.

I’d forgotten a previous engagement so you get a sort of perfunctory recap here. I feel a bit bad for Cleveland, despite the earlier defeat. James Harden is the best player in the NBA right now. That is all.