Houston Rockets Daily Social Buzz: Durant uncertainty and is it NBA or King law?

Jun 10, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) exchanges word during the fourth quarter in game four of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 10, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) exchanges word during the fourth quarter in game four of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Rockets Daily social media buzz from June 11th offered less activity than the day prior given no game and not much off court activity. Most action was centered on Olympic withdrawals and news from Game 4 as the Warriors prep to repeat as Champions on Monday while dealing with LeBron James attempt to oust Green from Game 5 eligibility.

Rockets Players

Lots of tweets today regarding the news Durant would not include the Rockets in the mix and Red Ninety Four offered some awesome tweets regarding other free agents and how D’Antoni would utilize existing roster pieces:

I was dead wrong on Klay for Love. I was dead wrong on Wiggins for Love. Yet for some reason, I still think we should try to trade for Love.

— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) June 11, 2016

I really hope the Rockets don’t miss out on the Class B free agents by again putting all their eggs towards the big fish.

— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) June 11, 2016

PS: The Rockets, I'm told, remain hopeful they get a July face-to-face with Kevin Durant despite knowing they're not presently in contention

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 11, 2016

On Durant: I find it hard to believe any sources would know his intentions when he himself probably doesn’t yet know what he’ll do.

— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) June 11, 2016

No. I think 99% chance he goes back to OKC. I just don’t think anyone can claim to know right now that they know. https://t.co/dBXtXtJO2n

— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) June 11, 2016

Lin/Harden/Crabbe/Horford/Capela is a 50+ win team. But I don’t see much reason for Horford to want to come, without Durant.

— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) June 11, 2016

D-Mo could blossom as well under D’Antoni.

— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) June 11, 2016

It’s actually amazing to think that aside from Dwight’s first year, we haven’t had an actual star next to Harden.

— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) June 11, 2016

Rockets Related

Clutch the Bear tweeted a cute photo:

Even my dog is reppin the gear

Rockets site tweeted out a picture of the many lined up to audition for the Rockets Power Dance Team:

Check out our Snapchat story featuring @OfficialRPD's first audition prep class!

Olympic News:

ICYMI: Russell Westbrook: https://t.co/5lALVk1qHk and James Harden: https://t.co/letuqx3jJb both withdraw from Rio. pic.twitter.com/fneDLt6mr2

— USA TODAY Sports NBA (@usatodaynba) June 11, 2016

NBA Finals

The big news is obviously focusing on the scuffle between LeBron James and Draymond Green. Can I just say I tweeted out PRIOR to the game that if the Cavaliers were trailing they would try to goad Draymond Green into taking a technical or flagrant foul so this all seems quite obviously planned at least to me.

Cavs get a win, now watch as they go OUT OF THEIR WAY to try to get Draymond #Green issued a flagrant in G4! (BOOK IT) #NBAFinals

— Tamberlyn's Tip-Off (@TTOTambz) June 9, 2016

This is just about the time Cavs will try to draw Draymond into a tech or flagrant #NBAFinals

— Tamberlyn's Tip-Off (@TTOTambz) June 11, 2016

Perhaps I’m at a bit of an advantage having seen LeBron James get annoyed with Patrick Patterson and Bismack Biyombo’s combined strong physical defense of him in the Eastern Conference Finals. In that case, James and Dahntay Jones were sent in at game end and both players delivered shots to the respective players. Though the Dahntay Jones was more widely covered it was James Jones who hit Patterson in the face (of note he’s had two broken noses courtesy of Blake Griffin elbows). The fact LeBron said he’d pay Dahntay’s fine reeks of him being behind the directive for the punch that was thrown to Bismack’s nether regions.

During a flop/fall somehow LeBron James was able to elbow Bismack in the face hard enough to push his head backward all while he was “apparently shoved to the floor”. Now I challenge anyone to raise their elbow up high enough to push someone’s head back as they are supposedly being thrown to the ground. This incident resulted in a flagrant call to Biyombo. Of note earlier in the game DeRozan had tried to foul James and he powered through him to score and get the and one. Immediately after James flexed his biceps to show off his muscles. So when Biyombo was fouling James it was to make sure he didn’t also get the score. Biyomob then picked up another for turning into Kevin Love in Game 6 which again was assessed a flagrant which would have meant he couldn’t play in Game 7 should the Raptors have won Game 6.

Are you seeing a pattern here? (you should be).  The players who were assigned to guard LeBron James and had success have been targeted by James to get suspended or hurt. Why isn’t the league looking at that fact instead?

Then factor in stepping over a player the way LeBron did to Draymond, it’s tantamount to spitting in someone’s face. It’s punking at it’s highest level in the NBA – – AND it was all orchestrated with the intention of getting the flagrant assessed.

All I want to know is with LeBron James being able to dictate these kinds of actions all while getting his coach to complain about his lack of foul calls (and for the record go back to James first foray in Cleveland and in Miami where after losses both Coach Brown and Spoelstra delivered the exact same speeches regarding him not getting calls) shouldn’t the league also be doling out flopping charges to the self appointed king?

If in fact Green gets the flagrant and is suspended, I doubt LeBron James will be gaining many new fans because he’s showing how desperate he is to win. It’s no secret he wants to win now so he can deliver on his promise and once again leave Cleveland. Suffice to say, I’m not a big fan of LeBron as a person and his actions during these playoffs have mad him even less desirable.

There is growing concern in GS camp that Draymond could be suspended for Game 5 after incident with LeBron, source. Interviews taken place.

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) June 12, 2016

Another thing I’ll note regarding the “LeBron treatment” was comments made during the Game 4 broadcast. Jeff Van Gundy specifically said Stephen Curry has to know that during the playoffs he won’t get the same foul calls. What’s interesting about this statement is during the Eastern Conference Finals when LeBron was getting foul calls for flops and phantom fouls Van Gundy said Toronto has to know that during the playoffs LeBron is going to get any call even if it’s close. So, Van Gundy should just be saying of note to any player and team just know LeBron is going to get what he wants!

Basically what this implies is even the MVP and better team will lose out to the desires of LeBron James. I know I may be in the minority, but seriously if this is the case then why doesn’t Adam Silver just hand him a whistle prior to games or flat out tell viewers “look he’s the highest paid athlete in our sport and the sponsors want to see him win or go deep in the playoffs, so we’ll do whatever he wants to make that a reality.

Sorry if people disagree, but trust me I’ve seen him travel and push off players all playoffs seldom receiving penalty for it and target players who give him a hard time on defense for ejection, so I’m at my limit of LeBron favoritism.

By the time LeBron took to the podium post Game 4 to complain about Draymond having words with him citing the reason as he is a father of 3 and a husband I was gagging at his audacity for trying to paint the picture he wanted. Seriously LeBron? You mean you are a pillar off the court who never makes questionable decisions or does things others could easily point to in terms of your lack of sainthood?

Maybe he’s just been given what he wants for so long  and protected by “his entourage”, his team and the NBA he actually believes we are buying this fabricated image he is ramming down our throats. The bottom line is LeBron dangled being a husband (and a father) as a reason for taking umbrage with being called a b–ch to paint Draymond as having crossed the line. I hope he recognizes he’s opened the door for anyone to question his off court actions since he implied he is a man of fidelity as his reason for disparaging Green.

Funny, it was fine for him to give Steph Curry extra mustard pushing him around late in the game and that was fine BECAUSE IT WAS HIM DOING IT!

No, this screams of a man desperate to win at all costs and one who recognizes his inability to capture copious titles regardless of his numerous opportunities is going to hurt his legacy.

As much as he may be the greatest passing big ever and an absolutely physical specimen he still folds under pressure. Game 4 he had 16 points at the one minute mark of the fourth quarter. He scored another 7 points in the last :45 of the game in garbage time. His tally during the pivotal 1 minute to 11 minute mark of the fourth quarter? TWO POINTS!

To wit, it’s high time people reassessed the value of Dwyane Wade? Certainly he’s shown himself to be a player who does deliver, makes those around him better and is the very definition of a leader given how he got the head case Hassan Whiteside to be a team player and also got Tyler Johnson, Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson to raise their games in critical playoff competition. LeBron can’t even get Kyrie Irving to stop trying to go one on four.  Dwyane Wade was the real leader on that Big 3, two titled team and was often the player that allowed James the freedom to be great because he did what was required to win while taking a back seat to James.

Further, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook could have taken major umbrage with the Green kick to Adams kiwis, which was an unsolicited kick and a more egregious penalty, but they took the high road. In hindsight it was said by most that winning with the best players on the court made the series better. Apparently LeBron James isn’t made of the same ilk or desires!

If Draymond Green is suspended and it results in extending the series or heaven forbid the Cavaliers winning, all so LeBron can take his talents where he wants this summer all it will serve to do is taint this championship and the game I love. I know there are those who believe in the “win at all cost” camps, but personally I hope the NBA are equally fed up with living in LeBron’s world.

Draymond on LeBron: 'I don't care who you are, I'm not gonna back down from you." https://t.co/5XhsgHaV6I pic.twitter.com/YCo7qBsiIf

— USA TODAY Sports NBA (@usatodaynba) June 11, 2016

USA Today ran the poll beneath asking who would win the MVP at this stage. I’m sure much to LeBron’s consternation at this point (with 9 hours of voting still remaining) Draymond Green is the overwhelming favorite with 44% of the vote. Iguodala and the Splash Brothers each have 21% and Barnes has 14%

As of right now, who is your #NBAFinals MVP?

— USA TODAY Sports NBA (@usatodaynba) June 11, 2016

The Game 4 win added yet another record to the Warriors season:

Yet another record for the Golden State @warriors. pic.twitter.com/1E1GD6cpiK

— USA TODAY Sports NBA (@usatodaynba) June 12, 2016

In closing, I know I went on a bit of a rant re: the self imposed “King” of the NBA, but the fact he could be responsible for 2 different players who have been his main stoppers being suspended speaks to something being afoot.

In my ideal world the NBA doesn’t cope to LeBron’s orchestrated demands. If they do, the next best situation would be the Warriors destroy the Cavaliers anyway.

And in my dream world scenario LeBron James ends up falling on the floor and Draymond Green stomps over the King en route to winning the title and then picks up the MVP just to rub some salt in that 2 of 7 wound!

Make sure you check out the current Space City Scoop series including the rest of our year end player analysis, draft prospects worthy of Rockets picking or trading for, our best of reader/fan posts  and our end of season Rockets Round Table:

Next: Complete list of 2016 -2017 Free Agents

Next: Rockets Fans Speak - the Series

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