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Poll: Rockets Or Cavaliers In Better Position?

May 17th, 2018 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers are coming off one of their most disappointing games of the season, as they surrendered a halftime lead on Tuesday night and dropped a second consecutive game in Boston, with the Celtics taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

The Rockets, on the other hand, looked like a legit title contender on Wednesday night in Houston, jumping on the Warriors early and outscoring them in every quarter en route to a 127-105 win to even up that series at 1-1.

Despite each team’s most recent game though, the Cavaliers are still viewed as a stronger bet to make the NBA Finals than the Rockets, as the odds at Bovada.lv show. A $100 wager on the Cavs to win their series would net $175 in winnings, while the same bet on the Rockets would earn you $250.

A strong respect for LeBron James – and for the Warriors – is reflected in those lines, but LeBron’s excellence isn’t the only reason why oddsmakers still view the Cavs as a stronger bet than the Rockets. The Eastern Conference Finals are headed back to Cleveland, where the Cavaliers have a 5-1 record so far in the postseason. The Celtics, meanwhile, are 1-4 on the road in playoff games this spring. If the Cavs can take care of business at home, the series would return to Boston for Game 5 tied at 2-2.

Home-court advantage is also a major factor in the Western Conference Finals. Having stolen Game 1 in Houston, the Warriors don’t need to win another road game to win the series. In fact, the Rockets will be under pressure to win one of the next two games in Oakland to avoid heading back home down 3-1.

Outside of the home-court factor, oddsmakers also figure to be heavily weighing recent history in their lines. The Warriors were one win away from taking home the last three NBA titles, and have looked virtually unstoppable in the postseason since Kevin Durant joined the roster in 2016. James, meanwhile, has been in the last seven NBA Finals, and it wasn’t long ago that he and the Cavs steamrolled the East’s top seed in a four-game sweep.

What do you think? Are the Rockets, with one win in hand, in a better position to advance than the Cavs, or are oddsmakers right to give the Cavs a stronger chance to make the Finals?

Vote in our poll, then jump into the comment section below to make your case.

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2018 NBA Draft Picks By Team

May 17th, 2018 at 10:49am CST by Luke Adams

While the Sixers were knocked out of the 2018 playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the underdog Celtics, few teams are better positioned in this year’s draft than Philadelphia. The 76ers own six of the 60 picks in the 2018 NBA draft, including a pair of first-rounders.

As our full 2018 draft order shows, the Sixers are one of seven NBA teams that holds more than two selections in this year’s draft. On the other end of the spectrum, eight teams have just one pick in 2018, while two teams – the Heat and Raptors – don’t have any selections.

To present a clearer picture of which teams are most – and least – stocked with picks for the 2018 NBA draft, we’ve rounded up all 60 picks by team in the space below. Let’s dive in…

Teams with more than two picks:

Philadelphia 76ers (5): 10, 26, 38, 56, 60
Phoenix Suns (4): 1, 16, 31, 59
Atlanta Hawks (4): 3, 19, 30, 34
Dallas Mavericks (3): 5, 33, 54
Orlando Magic (3): 6, 35, 41
Charlotte Hornets (3): 11, 45, 55
Denver Nuggets (3): 14, 43, 58
Los Angeles Lakers (3): 25, 39, 47

Teams with two picks:

Sacramento Kings: 2, 37
Memphis Grizzlies: 4, 32
Chicago Bulls: 7, 22
New York Knicks: 9, 36
Los Angeles Clippers: 12, 13
Washington Wizards: 15, 44
San Antonio Spurs: 18, 49
Minnesota Timberwolves: 20, 48
Utah Jazz: 21, 52
Indiana Pacers: 23, 50
Brooklyn Nets : 29, 40
Oklahoma City Thunder: 53, 57

Teams with fewer than two picks:

Cleveland Cavaliers (1): 8
Milwaukee Bucks (1): 17
Portland Trail Blazers (1): 24
Boston Celtics (1): 27
Golden State Warriors (1): 28
Detroit Pistons (1): 42
Houston Rockets (1): 46
New Orleans Pelicans (1): 51
Miami Heat (0)
Toronto Raptors (0)

Morey Appreciative Of Harden's Recruiting Skills

May 17th, 2018 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

While Rockets general manager Daryl Morey has deservedly received much of the praise for shaping Houston’s roster into a title contender, Morey credit his star guard James Harden for his ability as a recruiter and a pitchman, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com.

“James was everything,” Morey said in discussing the Rockets’ roster building and the addition of Chris Paul. “Not only is he a great player on the floor, but he’s someone who’s just focused on winning and is willing to do anything to make it happen, whether it be meet with people, call them, text them, whatever is required. He makes my job easy.”

As MacMahon details, Harden and Paul were both instrumental in convincing P.J. Tucker to sign with the Rockets last summer. The veteran forward turned down a larger offer from the Raptors in order to join Harden and Paul in Houston, and he showed on Wednesday night how valuable he can be for the Rockets. Tucker, who scored 20 points in his first game with the team last October, hadn’t reached that mark again until he poured in 22 against Golden State in Game 2.

Latest On Pistons’ GM/Front Office Search

May 16th, 2018 at 3:33pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons continue to conduct separate searches for a new head coach and a new head of basketball operations, and while it’s possible they’ll hire a coach sooner rather than later, they prefer to address their front office opening first. That would allow the new head of basketball operations to have a say in the head coaching hire.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski provides an update on Detroit’s front office search today, reporting (via Twitter) that NBA executive VP of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe, Grizzlies executive VP of player personnel Ed Stefanski, Rockets executive VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, and Nets assistant GM Trajan Langdon are among the candidates the Pistons are eyeing to run their basketball operations department. Current GM Jeff Bower also remains a candidate to be promoted, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter).

Most of those executives have received consideration for top front office jobs in the recent past. Rosas, for instance, was cited as a contender for the Hornets’ GM opening this spring. Stefanski was said to be in the mix for the Bucks’ GM vacancy last summer, while Langdon received consideration for the Hawks job around the same time.

In addition to considering those aforementioned candidates for their top basketball operations job, the Pistons are also targeting TNT analyst Brent Barry and Heat director of basketball development and analytics Shane Battier for front office roles, according to Wojnarowski.

Although Bower is currently running the Pistons’ basketball operations department, his contract is set to expire on June 30, so Detroit could end up making several new hires this spring. Should Bower depart, the Pistons may hire a new president of basketball operations, a new GM, and a new head coach.

Gerald Green Considered Retirement In 2017

May 16th, 2018 at 10:47am CST by Luke Adams

After being waived by the Bucks before the 2017/18 regular season got underway, Gerald Green contemplated the possibility of retirement, as Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press writes. According to Green, he contacted his agent to set up an informal deadline to find another NBA job.

“I was like, ‘Look man, when January 1, 2018, hits, if I’m unsigned, I’m putting out a big statement on my Instagram letting everybody know, thank you for the awesome career over all these years but I’m done,'” Green said. “‘I ain’t going to play no more.'”

Green’s self-imposed deadline was just days away when the Rockets offered him a spot on their roster — he signed with the team on December 28, then had his salary guaranteed for the season a couple weeks later.

Now, Green admits that the call from the Rockets took him by surprise. As Rieken details, the veteran swingman had been “mentally checked out” from the NBA, and was spending his time working in real estate and helping victims of Hurricane Harvey.

“Basketball was the last thing on my mind until I got that call,” Green said. “Then it’s kind of like … ‘Are you serious?'”

In 41 regular season games for the Rockets, Green looked revitalized, averaging 12.1 PPG and 3.2 RPG for his hometown team. Those were his best marks since the 2013/14 campaign. While Green’s role hasn’t been as significant in the playoffs, he appears likely to head into the 2018 offseason with a better chance of finding a guaranteed contract than he had a year ago. As such, retirement probably won’t be a strong possibility for the 32-year-old this summer.

Paul Made The Right Choice

May 14th, 2018 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Chris Paul knew what he was doing when he orchestrated a trade from the Clippers to the Rockets, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times writes. Pairing up with James Harden gave the perennial All-Star point guard his best chance to win an NBA championship, Woike continues. He has quieted the doubters by getting to the Western Conference Finals, Woike adds. “All the people who talk about it don’t know this game better than I do,” Paul said.

Gentile To Play In Summer League With Rockets

May 13th, 2018 at 2:07pm CST by marksuleymanov

Alessandro Gentile, a 2014 draft pick whose rights belong to the Rockets, will be at the NBA Summer League with Houston, per La Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Sportando). Gentile suited up for the Italian club Virtus Bologna this season, averaging 16.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 3.4 APG in 24 games.

Ex-Teammates Meet For Western Conference Title

May 13th, 2018 at 9:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Bell’s ankles are fully healed, but he hasn’t regained the role he had before the injuries. He sat out three of Golden State’s playoff games and averaged just 4.9 minutes a night in the postseason. He may be used more frequently in the conference finals as the Warriors try to match up with the Rockets’ smaller, quicker front line.

Suns Planning Offer For Clint Capela

May 10th, 2018 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns are planning a max or near-max offer for Rockets center Clint Capela this summer, according to Kelly Iko of Rockets Wire.

Phoenix is reportedly “enamored” with the fourth-year big man, who is in the midst of his best NBA season. He averaged 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game during the regular season and has raised those numbers to 14.4/12.2/2.8 in the playoffs.

The 23-year-old will be a restricted free agent, so the Rockets can match any offer he receives. Capela made a little more than $2.3MM this season in the final year of his rookie contract. Owner Tilman Fertita has indicated that he is willing to pay the luxury tax to keep his team together, which will undoubtedly come into play with Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza, Luc Mbah a Moute and Gerald Green also becoming free agents.

The Suns project to have more than $30MM in cap room and need help at center, with only 35-year-old Tyson Chandler signed for next season. Alex Len will be a free agent, and Alan Williams has a $5.52MM non-guaranteed deal.

However, the Suns have other needs and their plans could change depending on the results of next week’s lottery. Phoenix owns the league’s worst record and has a 25% chance to get the top pick in the draft, which could be Arizona center DeAndre Ayton. If that happens, the organization may target another position with its free agent money.

Poll: Houston Rockets Vs. Golden State Warriors

May 9th, 2018 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

While the Western Conference playoffs generated some drama in the first couple rounds, the Conference Finals matchup is the one we’ve all anticipated for months. After the Rockets eliminated the Jazz on Tuesday night, and the Warriors followed suit by dispatching the Pelicans, Houston and Golden State are set to meet in the WCF, with the series tipping off on Monday.

The Warriors, who were a single victory away from having won the last three NBA championships, have to be considered the favorites to keep winning titles until someone stops them. However, many fans and league observers believe Houston can be that team.

The Rockets claimed the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference this season, finishing seven games ahead of the No. 2 Warriors with a 65-17 record. Houston was virtually unstoppable when James Harden, Chris Paul, and Clint Capela suited up together — the Rockets only lost three regular-season contests when the trio played, so the Warriors will have to top that number in a seven-game series in order to eliminate the West’s top seed.

Despite the Rockets’ incredible regular season run and their home court advantage though, Las Vegas oddsmakers still favor the defending champions. As David Purdum of ESPN details, the Westgate SuperBook in Vegas has made the Warriors the initial favorites, and early bets have leaned in Golden State’s direction. With Stephen Curry now back in the lineup, joining Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, that’s not entirely surprising.

This will be a fascinating series, one that could end up being more compelling than the actual NBA Finals. The Rockets have built their roster in recent years with an eye toward knocking off the Warriors, and they’ll have their best chance yet in this series. Still, Mike D’Antoni, Harden, and Paul have fallen short in the postseason in the past, and to reach the Finals this year, they’ll have to defeat a potential dynasty.

What do you think? Which team do you expect to represent the West in the NBA Finals this spring? Place your vote, then jump into the comment section below to discuss the series.

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.