We all know that James Harden was a top two.

M v P candidate was the M V P last season, not the one that just passed.

We know what he brings to the table in a relationship with him, and Chris Paul wasn't ideal at the end.

Having said all of that, James Harden reunited.

What?

Russell Westbrook makes them incredibly formidable.

He can't be got it.

He's bigger.

He's stronger and faster than Chris Paul, Not to mention a little bit younger as well.

Houston obviously, is in the mix yet again.

This is a move that had to be made.

I have no problem with Houston making it whatsoever.

I think from a talent perspective, it puts them right back, entitled Contention Picture.

My only question mark is whether or not Mike D'Antoni can coach them on that level.

We know he can win regular season games.

We know he could win a couple of playoff series, but it can.

He coached them, the man in the manner that they need to be coached to get them over the hump.

That's the lone question mark about the Houston Rockets.

After this deal, I see no other question marks that think of.

Okay, so, Stephen a things the Rockets and rightfully so I might add, or at least in contention, to win the title and in contention in the West, Who's the favorite in the West for you?

The favorite in the West for me probably is between the Clippers and the Utah Jazz.

Where do you put the Rockets?

I put them, hovered them around 45 with the Lakers and Denver dip.

Internal injuries and players continue to develop.

But one of the things that also allowed this deal to happen is the out spoken and respectfully flamboyant owner that the Houston Rockets half in a different way from the Clippers.

They get a chance to see all of these big names popping up in different places.

And they like, What about us?

I'm willing to pay the luxury tax toe.

Have James Harden and Russell Westbrook on my team, and Stephen agents alluded to something that I just acknowledged.

If we're talking about Kent, Mike D'Antoni coach, those two guys at some point, the question probably going to be asked, Couldn't Billy Donovan, Coach Paul George in Russell Westbrook.

It went as well.

So these things are going to continue to play out.

As you know, here's the deal.

I mean what we say where these guys stand, like, Here's the deal.

The other guys trying to win, also like Houston's gotten better.

But so the Lakers.

So the Clippers, Denver is not going anywhere.

Utah's backcourt.

Let me tell you something.

Connelly and Donovan Mitchell.

That might be the best backcourt in the West.

So like, Look, have they gotten better here?

Are they going to be in the conversation yet?

But like people like trashing Mike D'Antoni or even trash a Billy Donovan, here's the deal.

Those teams are good teams, but there are other teams that have good combinations and good players.

And you know what?

They didn't win either.

Because you know what?

You have Golden State Warriors, all right.

You had other teams that were better than then.

How about this?

These seven teams in the West are going to make the playoffs.

It's crazy.

Clippers, Lakers, Denver Yep, Utah, Portland.

You had a terrific backcourt in the Momma's Boys in Houston, and I didn't even mention the Spurs, who we always sleep on or the Warriors who are gonna have are the words gonna make the place.

That's the big question.

Is talking about New Orleans.

I don't see normals.

Maybe they'll make the playoffs over Sacramento, Mavs and pelicans.

Yeah, exactly 100% real quickly.

So with all of this, where do you have the Rockets?

If I've got 1/5 I've got the Clippers, Lakers, Denver Jazz and Houston.

I probably would flip the Jazz and and Endeavor, and I'm not sure, Like, I think the Lakers in the most overvalued team because, I think five years ago said yesterday they would be really good in today.

I don't see them being as Good evening, LeBron terms.

If you think the second best team in the West, you just said they weren't.

Yeah, I think they have topped 14.

I had him as the top four, but do you look?

But I don't think number two don't you so high in the Jack.

But I'm just saying, like a lot of times, betting lines and odds are based on teams popularity.

Totally.

But if you gonna find a sneaky bed on somebody, I put my money on Utah.

Okay, You talk good and a lot of money.

A lot of people would agree with you on that, too.

They've made some good moves that people don't even talk about.

Either way, At the end of the day, this is at the end of the day, a got a lot of top of my head, which I'm not smarter for, by I think not only is an ascending team, I don't think they have a player on their roster has been an All Star.

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