By Bob Bonett
Every sports columnist has some type of reputation. Some are known for their controversial statements, others are known for their sarcastic style and some are infamous for their inability to predict anything correctly. I clearly fall into the latter category. Thus, to bolster my notoriety, I am going to make another prediction; better yet, a guarantee.The Houston Rockets are going to win the NBA Championship.
Yes, the five-seed in the Western Conference, a team that hasn’t been able to get out of the first round since the days of Hakeem Olajuwon, overshadowed by powerhouses such as the Mavericks, Spurs and Suns, are going to win the NBA Championship.
Here are the four reasons that will convince you, too, to jump on the Jeff Van Gundy and company bandwagon:
Yao and T-Mac
I’m sure everybody remembers that the Miami Heat won the NBA Championship last year. Their formula consisted of a big man, Shaq, and an electrifying guard, Dwayne Wade.
This year’s No. 5 team in the Western Conference seems to fit that exact mold. Except better.
Yao is the best center in the playoffs. He towers over the opposition at 7’6, can score, can rebound, and does not miss free throws. The big man is averaging 25 points and 12 rebounds during the playoffs, and is shooting an absurd 48 for 53 from the free throw line. On top of that, he is playing like the MVP of the league right now. McGrady struggled horribly in the first four games of the series, and Yao still managed to keep the series even with Utah.
In terms of McGrady, quite frankly, if he gets hot, nobody will stop him. He showed flashes of his abilities when his mind is in the game going for 26 points and 12 assists in the Game 5 win over the Jazz. Moreover, McGrady is playing more selflessly than ever, dishing the ball like a point guard at times, averaging 25 points and a career high 6.5 assists per game during the season.
If that doesn’t convince you, take a look at these stats. The Rockets were 3-10 on the season when McGrady didn’t play, 20-12 when Yao sat the game out, and 0-1 when neither player played.
In other words, when the Rockets’ two superstars played, the team was a ridiculous 29-8, which extrapolates to 64-18, three games worse than the Mavericks. When McGrady and Yao are both healthy, the opposition is in trouble.
Supporting Cast
Alright, in the Game 3 debacle, only four players scored for the Rockets. This, though, was just a hiccup in the job that the Rockets’ ability to perform as a team this year. Beyond T-Mac and Yao, the team has a great group of players rounding out the roster. Dikembe Mutombo was one of the greatest backup centers in the NBA this season playing defense better than anyone. If the game is close late, and Van Gundy brings Deke in to play at the five, the paint will be shut down for the opposition.
Chuck Hayes, one half of the team’s platoon at power forward, averages about 15 rebounds per 48 minutes. A talented man down low like Hayes can greatly reduce the ability of guys like Amare Stoudemire and Tim Duncan to pull down boards.
The other half of the one-two punch at power forward, Juwan Howard, has the experience and big-play ability to make a big impact in the playoffs. He’s been in the postseason before with the Mavericks, and is a former NBA All-Star.
Shane Battier, the man that was acquired for Rudy Gay in the preseason, has proved that he was worth losing one of the best players taken in the NBA Draft. Battier’s performance from beyond the arc in the postseason, where he is shooting 14-31, will be key late in the game for Houston.
Finally, the forgotten man, Rafer Alston, is a terrific role player for the Rockets. He ran the 29-8 McGrady and Yao Rockets very well, able to balance the two superstars into an effective attack.
A struggling Western Conference
Has anybody been watching the Dallas versus Golden State series? The Western Conference’s top team has looked extremely sloppy against a team that barely squeaked into the postseason.
This trend is common throughout the West, as the Eastern Conference might even be the stronger conference at this point in time.
In addition to Avery Johnson’s crew, the Spurs might be in some trouble. Manu Ginobili, the key to Spurs success in the regular season, has looked very average in the playoffs. Meanwhile, even though the Suns have looked strong, they have one Achilles Heel: if Marion falters, they will lose. Marion’s horrible performance in Game 3 meant that the Kobes, I mean Lakers, were able to beat the Suns.
JVG
That’s right, Jeff Van Gundy has a positive effect on the Rockets, not a negative. Everybody’s favorite moment includes JVG, when the shrimp of a coach broke up the Knicks and Heat brawl by clutching on to Alonzo Mourning’s leg. What people forget is that was part of the Knicks defeating the No. 2 Heat as a seven-seed, one year prior to a run culminating in an NBA Finals appearance. Van Gundy’s got the postseason experience, and it will result in playoff wins for the Rockets.
There you have it, another guarantee in the books. Now, I’ll get ready for the Jazz to trounce my NBA Champions tomorrow night in the decisive sixth game of the series.(As a note, this column was written Wednesday night, prior to Thursday’s Game 6)
