Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster and aliens (not including Sam Cassell), just a few examples of life's great mysteries. To that distinguished list you can add the now completed 22-game winning streak by your Houston Rockets.
The thing is while the first three parts of that list are hard to prove to anyone except rubes, hippies and shit for brains scientists, somehow the Rockets really did win all those games.
I guess I'm missing something because after watching the Celtics (on the second night of a back-to-back) dominate the host Rockets, 94-74, I'm wondering if Houston (46-21) will even make the playoffs.
Before you start suspecting that I'm smoking crack, check out the Western Conference standings. Houston is the top seed but they're only 4.5 games in front of No. 8 Golden State. And how could a team that just had the second longest win-streak in NBA history fall apart? Well, after last night's whipping, they go to New Orleans tonight, then Golden State and Phoenix. Sure, Yao Ming went out during game 13 of the streak but there is no way this team makes any noise for the rest of the season. Let's not forget what fraud is leading them-Tracy McGrady (8 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds)-who has won as many NBA playoff series' as me (none).
Oh yeah, the game. It was pretty entertaining from start to finish as Rafer Alston (12 points, 2 steals, 1 assist, 4 turnovers) had a cat fight with Rajon Rondo (8 points, 2 assists) before the game had even started. Uh OK. I guess Skip thought he was back on the And-1 tour or something. Charles Barkley not surprisingly had a great line about it after the game. "Two guys fighting that don't know how to fight."
It was clear from that auspicious start that the Rockets came out tight, most likely since they knew Boston (54-13) was a far superior team and therefore their win-streak was cooked.
The two halves were completely different. And from the way the Celts have come out after halftime the last two nights, Doc Rivers must be giving some real inspiring speeches.
The C's doubled up the Rockets, 32-16 in the third before taking the fourth, 22-18. Ray Allen missed his third straight game with the ankle injury and his namesake Tony Allen (6 points, 3 rebounds) didn't fare much better as he left in the third after being suplexed by Luis Scola (15 points, 8 rebounds) onto his back.
Kevin Garnett (22 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks) didn't have his shooting touch (9 of 21) but he was still the best player on the court. The surprise of the game was how much Leon Powe (21 points, 4 rebounds) dominated on the inside. Without Yao, Houston starts Mutombo (2 points, 6 rebounds), who was around when the pyramids were built.
Paul Pierce (20 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals) had another nice game while James Posey was scoreless but grabbed 10 rebounds.
The Rockets rely way too much on 3-pointers but in the first half they made a few so they were right in it. Houston was up 22-21 after one and it was tied at 40 at the half.
Some guy named Mike Harris that I'd never heard of had 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks while Aaron Brooks had 10 points in garbage time. Smoke and mirrors people, this team is a complete joke, particularly in the West.
The Celts get tonight off before going into Dallas tomorrow night for another TNT primetime game. The Mavs are 0-6 against teams that are above .500 since they traded for Jason Kidd. If Boston can defeat the Mavs, they'd be the first team since the Kings in 2001 to win all three games in the Texas Triangle.
Furthermore, in these two games (and hopefully the next two), Boston has proven without a doubt that they're the best team in the league. The Lakers were right there but Pau Gasol just got hurt and Andrew Bynum isn't coming back until the playoffs. The Spurs look old and not deep, the Suns still can't play defense, the Hornets have no experience and the Mavs choke in the fourth quarter of close games.
Everything can change in the blink of Big Baby's eye but if all goes well, the Celtics should be in the NBA Finals come June.
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