OKC vs Houston

I think the reason people hate hardens game (besides it just being ugly and boring to watch, and all the whistles he gets) is he gets calls no one else gets. How is he the only one in the league who figured out how to get fouled while shooting a jumpshot. I have never seen so many whistles on 1 person who is just SHOOTING THE BALL. That makes no fuckin sense to me. its like 2 game. and hes the only one in the league who gets that call regularly. Hes also allowed to do whatever he wants and rarely gets called for fouls. Also capella irritates the hell out of me. dude jumps on everyones back for rebounds and no one says shit. you know why houston is a good rebounding team, because they do illegal shit all game and the refs wont call all of them. Usually call none of them. he was basically teabagging green in the playoffs last year, with green easily establishing position for the ball and capella would push off greens shoulders to jumps and reach over his back to tip the ball away. then all their "others" crash the glass to get the tips. Itll be interesting to see how boogies attitude goes in that series if it happens. Im hoping itll light a fire under durant and greens ass to be more physical and not just take it. I fucking hate houston, and I used to love d'antonio's system with the suns. He basically perverted it and dumbed it down to absolutely nothing when he got to houston. PHX had so much more motion and passing to their offense. I think harden is overrated as an NBA player. Hes just a stat machine. I used to do the same thing when playing 2K with my own dude. Hes a better westbrook is all he is. and I hate westbrooks game, but his willingness to trust his teammates more this year has at least given me more respect for him.

I think either Toronto or the Bucks would be the most entertaining basketball

Athletic Alchemy

I second everything this man has said.

Cyrus Muduroglu

As I've said before, I'm pumped to see you do more non-Warriors content. Not because I don't love the Dubs. I do. I have for 32 years. But I also want to see Alch take this channel and blow up ESPN and FOX1 because I think they're crap. They teach me nothing; I don't laugh. Alch does both. So keep this stuff coming. Do more. Do key non-Dubs games during the playoffs. Do the occasional highlight on a player who is doing amazingly well in the post. Anything like that, and I'll be a happy man...because as it is, I can barely watch 2/3 of the Dubs games. The only reason I get any others is because my good friend out here in Vietnam is a Blazers fan. #ImCountingOnYouAlch

Owen Salisbury

Hey Alc, there are a lot of good teems this post season, but from a perspective of just enjoying the game, what do you think will be the most fun match up to watch? Because I don't want to see another series with the Rockets drawing cheap fouls, and travelling, sixers seem to have an extremely basic offence, OKC are just going to have Russ chucking up shots, and etc. Would it be Boston hopefully coming together under Brad Stevens, intense defensive games with Pacers, match up strategies with Bucks and Nuggets, and so on?

Nikolai Kochukov

Denver is going to get the Blazers/Raptor treatment if that happens. It's too bad we don't have home court against a potential Bucks/ Raptors final.

Paradox

Lot a funny Business... I bet The basketball gods smack Denver with a 1rd L

Athletic Alchemy

Wth man I practically bet my money on OKC facing the Rockets. If it weren't for Blazers somehow winning by 5 points due to a 37 point performance from a 2 ppg scorer, OKC vs Rockets would have been a thing.

Paradox

That same tenacity that you mentioned for OKC is why I wanted them to win this game. That tenacity is not a factor that has metrics, but it'd be silly to say that it doesn't play a part. If Warriors face them right off, I'm pretty sure they will win, but the amount of energy that I think they will need to spend is more than I'd care for in a round 1 :) Also, the refs are indeed something. That trip on Paul George that was a no-call late in the game almost cost them the whole game. It already killed their momentum that they had. I'm glad they won that one despite those calls. And yeah, I was watching a close up of harden holding onto schroder... yeah.... I mean seriously.. we all get docked or penalized or fired for messing up bad on the job.. shouldn't these guys get fired or something for making x number of poor calls or something?

Tony H

Easily one of your best breakdowns. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this one. An amazing game and a game that could determine seeding. What a night in the nba. Speaking of nights in the nba, looking forward to Last Night in the NBA pod.

Great Take, Alc. An awesome finish to your choice. Gag. You perfectly captured the 'dilemma' surrounding HOU vs. OKC. Impossible to do anything but marvel at PG13. Equally impossible to do anything but loath HOU.

Dan Doerge

Stoked to be so wrong about PG13 from my predictions early in the season, he's proven without a doubt to a top tier player and a number one option on a contender. As a selfish fan of the game, I went in wanting the Rockets to win to give the opportunity for the warriors to face OKC in the first round as I am not looking forward to watch either the Spurs or Clippers, but as you said, immediately I found myself rooting for the Harden 3's to brick, and and the kick outs of Westbrook to drop. I really love Westbrook and his intensity even in midst of the stat hunting, but man those 3's early the game are just hard to watch. It's hard I think for him to figure out his approach since his free throw shooting has become so atrocious at time it seem he's hesitant to drive to the rim unless he knows he'll actually finish.

Stevie Ray

Flew in to Memphis from Sweden yesterday and was able to catch my first Warriors game tonight. I'm excited man! I hope they don't sit out any stars tonight and keep accelerating into the playoffs!

Blazers resting their backcourt! Its got to be terrifying to be a Thunder fan late in games.

Athletic Alchemy

Thanks man! Glad I can lighten things up for you at times.

Athletic Alchemy

I watched this 4th quarter live. Insane game, I screamed when PG made that clutch 3. Westbrook is always a mixed bag, either wastes a possession or make a clutch shot. Hopefully OKC and Rockets duke it out in the first round, which can haopen if the Blazers lose tonight's game and Denver wins.

Paradox

the consensus is we want them on the other side of the bracket.

Athletic Alchemy

I think im have too!

Athletic Alchemy

Just started here at the end of the season with these meaningless games. I think I'm going to create a new tier and offer it through out the playoffs.

Athletic Alchemy

Adams is going to need to turn it up a notch. If Clint out plays him that's gonna be tough.

Athletic Alchemy

lol

Athletic Alchemy

It felt weird! But as I watched the game I realized it just came naturally to me. I didn't do it continuously.

Athletic Alchemy

Those are make or break calls man! I have a feeling we are going to have a lot of controversy this year.

Athletic Alchemy

You view CP as super cool!? I have all the respect in the world for his game and how long he has held it together at that size. But "super cool" doesn't come to mind when I think of him....IDK its very subjective

Athletic Alchemy

The Rockets are chokers until they prove otherwise

sure! Me too! Season has dragged a bit here the last month.

Athletic Alchemy

love it when Harden chokes.

Ivan (Vanya) Kashperuk

ANOTHER POD WITH THE HOMIE JAMES

Good video Alc. Just wanted to say thanks. Been watching your videos for years and your wit and insight are always wonderful. You cheer me up in some tough times.

Can’t watch this yet but I’m curious what seed we want Houston at?

Spence

Would love another Patreon tier with breakdowns of this quality for other playoff series!

Oh! It’s cool you started covering non-warriors games. Do you only do that when the warriors are playing shitty teams or on other nights as well?

I'm calling it: OKC beats HOU in the first round in 6! Oh, the joy I would get watching that LOL

peep pg wave off tucker in the 1st qt lmaoo

Tony Stark

agreed was half hoping alc would break the gsw game down for a better insight to our bench

Mayansh Upadhyaya

Man seeing you root for the Thunder was pretty fucking surreal lol. Felt like this was one of your better breakdowns, good work Alch.

Ezra Abbey

i was so happy to see harden miss that WIDE OPEN shot after giving a huge shove off PG. i doubt PG would have complained had that 3 gone in, either.

Chris Williams

I admire Russ for his principles. Unfortunately, they'll never get him an NBA Championship ring. And, PG is smooth just like you said. Harden, on the other hand? He's like a thorn under the skin that you can't get completely out. CP3 is super cool, but I'm feeling like his time has come and gone.

Strong Foru

Thanks for covering this game and excited for your first round breakdown!

Corbin Santos

Speaking of Undisputed what about Max Kellerman, I’m about sick and tired of hearing him give the Rockets an excuse from last years WCF game. He’s been riding Harden and the Rockets dicks all year with that same bull shit excuse about CP3

Kahlil Baker

ALCHEMY Coming through!! They didnt mention this game once on undisputed today. Maybe they're not trying to sway people away from James now that they think he will lose mvp?

Zachary Jordan Gunter

Jacob Evans looked really solid yesterday in the game, just needs to work on his 3 point shot but he has definitely improved over this last year in the g league

Edward Zeng

James "Pooboy" Harden....FUCK CP3

Tre