Correct

If LeBron wins the title this year he'll definitely enter the GOAT conversation.

strangely, lebrons title equity for this year is now at its highest point. cp3 is donezo but with 2 shots at a win the rockets have a decent shot to go to the finals. cavs vs cp3 less rockets are proly around 40%. basically, cavs went from 0% to around 5%.

Houston won by 32 in Cleveland and 4 at home albeit one was in the first 10 games of the season and the other game was in the middle of the season so it's been a while. Last season the teams split. Cp3's health is huge to what happens this year in the playoffs.

I mean, cavs obv arent winning if cp3 is healthy. but hes obv done. its quite a parlay but with 2 games to run godmode from 3 the rockets have about a 35% chance at winning the current series. cavs are proly around 20% in this series and 40% vs rockets. I think thats around 5 but Im too lazy to think anymore and I do know its infinitely more than the 0 from a week ago.

ok its 2.8. close enough.

It's crazy but every team left has major injury issues.

Boston--Heyward/Kyrie; Theis is also out
Cleveland--Love is playing hurt and has missed games, Hill has had injuries on and off
Houston-Cp3 could be out, I know LMB has also been hurt and have had to deal with Cp3 injuries the entire year
GSW-Iggy hurt/out, Thompson not 100%, Curry hurt and not 100%, McCaw out

Survival of the fittest. I know last year we had an injury to Kawhi which could have shifted the results of the finals but that's about it. Boston despite their serious injuries haven't had to deal with anything new for the most part which could be a big plus for them while the other teams adjust to injured players or playing without them.

Cleveland probably least affected.

the bigger issue for cleveland is a ton of their rotation sucks ass especially in this years playoffs.

Cavs can beat the Rockets, imo. The Rockets are made to beat the Warriors, but I'm not sure they match up as great against LeBron.

Who are the Rockets going to guard LeBron with? CP3, Harden, Tucker, Gordon?

they've found ways to slow down durant and curry for most of the series--i think they can find a way to slow down Lebron especially with Love, Hill, Smith, Clarkson and Hood struggling. Korver won't matchup well either. I agree they can beat Houston more than they can beat a healthy Warriors but it's still an uphill climb.

Houston are a lot better than Cavs.

It's just whether the spotlight gets to them.

Cp3's injury or health can swing the series. Defensively Houston is obviously very good and they've done enough offensively against an elite defensive team. Cavs are way too lax on D and way too streaky on O. So it'll definitely be an uphill climb. With a 100% Curry/Thompson and Iggy, I still think GSW would crush Houston but that clearly isn't the case right now.

I go the cavs at about 40% to beat the cp3 less rockets. thats higher than I got them vs the celts.

honestly I think he celts are proly decent faves vs the rockets. they match up beautifully.

lol Celtics being favorite against Houston (even without CP3).

hey I will bet. I thought celts should be favored vs cavs and that has proven correct. I also made heaps in 2010 cavs celts series. and I made heaps on pisonts aquisition of allen iverson that year.

so I am pretty much expert nba bettor and you should listen to me.

they definitely won't be betting favorites--they've been decent to large underdogs for their last 2 series despite new information but it wouldn't shocked for me to see them win at this point with GSW/Houston's injuries. GSW was -850 vs the Celtics in the finals after game 3 of the WCF. not sure what Houston was but I would assume it's still pretty large.

LeBron is better than Durant & waaaay better than Curry. Dellavedova was able to slow down Curry.

And the Rockets are slowing them down by getting physical with them. LOL @ 6 foot CP3 getting physical with LeBron.

If CP3 misses 2-3 games against the Cavs ... the Cavs are 50/50 to win, I think. I don't trust Harden, in the least, to get the job done by himself.

Well even if they do not slow Lebron down, unless Love, Korver, TT, Hill, Smith and possibly Nance show up every game or at least 5 or 6 of the games, it's going to be an uphill climb. Of those rotational players only Korver has played above his normal self and TT has been good for the most part but his minutes have been limited by Lue.

Love has been off--not sure if he'll come back to normal against an elite team like Houston since I think his issues are injury related.

Hill/Smith--they've been better at home. Can they wake up on the road: Again it's highly doubtful but that's what it would take.

Nance--I'd like to see more minutes from him but he is limited. With that being said, Clarkson and Hood have been much worse and can't be counted on.

It would take all these guys playing at least as well as they normally do plus being focused on D to beat Houston in 7 IMO and would take even more to beat GSW in 7. It would take Kevin playing normally and someone else stepping up.

capone, my man. thats my point. they wont be favorites. but they should be. just as they should have been vs the cavs.

You guys do realize that Houston are a good team right. They are beating the Warriors despite the way Harden is playing.

Yes we do but a few things.

1) Iggy is out. This hurts a ton right now in their rotation. Not sure if he'll be 100% anytime soon but it means they'll play less of Nick Young.

2) Thompson isn't 100% too; neither is Curry. Doubt this will change if they get to the finals. But it definitely helps Houston in this series.

3) Now Cp3 is hurt which changes the equation a ton. Harden can't possibly afford to struggle against GSW potentially the last 2 games and against the Cavs/Celtics for them to win.

I totally agree Houston is a really good team with great D and some great individual players/role players. If not for Lebron, I'd definitely be rooting for the Rockets even more than I have. I've definitely been rooting for them each game against GSW but that's a given. Of the 4 teams left, I think I'd least want the Celtics to win just because my best friend is a Celtics fan and I'd never hear the end of it. I respect Houston/GSW as being great teams. I know the Celtics are better than I expected, truly much better. But I want them to win another time.

GSW doesn't seem to be running their normal sets or systems especially the ones I've witnessed last year. Not sure why, GSW fans/WC fans probably know more. I'm betting it has something to do with Iggy and Houston's D but I'm not sure.

The thing that worries me is Harden has looked like a fraud at times. Maybe it won't happen against the Celtics but their D is elite too. If Cp3 is out, the Celtics/Houston series if it happens will be much more difficult if Cp3 is not near 100% playing or not playing at all.

the curry isn't 100% narrative gets really old stop with that nonsense

Montreal is the worst poster I've ever seen

I recognize Al Horford.