Gamethread: The other playoffs

Spurs-Rockets tie breaker headlines our Friday night lineup

Happy Friday everyone!

I’ve stepped away from my spreadsheets and am looking forward to a nice relaxing night of basketball tonight.

Just two games on tap - both airing on ESPN:

4pm PST: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Toronto Raptors

(Cavs lead series 2-0)

6:30 pm PST: San Antonio Spurs @ Houston Floppers Rockets

(Series tied 1-1)

The Cavs game should be another snoozer as Lebron and company continue to just steamroll one of the top teams in the East (yet again). Also “yet again” Lebron has activated “Leswitch” and has been playing some of the best basketball of his career. This guy just won’t go away. Like the San Antonio Spurs and Tim Duncan, I keep hoping this will be the year they finally fall off.

...Nope

What a jerk. A relentlessly talented jerk.

Looking out West, the Spurs and Rockets game should hold a bit more drama. After getting buried in the first game, the Spurs responded with a 25-point drubbing of the Rockets in game 2. It was a costly victory though, as it was Tony Parker’s last game of the playoffs after he suffered a torn quadriceps tendon in the second half.

I don’t speak for all Warriors fans, but I’m pretty darn sure most of us want the Spurs to win this in seven. In order to do so, Kawhi Leonard is going to have to continue to shut down James Harden like he did in game two. The Bearded Flopper shot 3 for 17 on his way to 13 measly points.

It will be interesting to see how the Spurs do in a full game without Tony Parker in this critical road game.