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Both play off the ball and with the ball well. Both are hyper-efficient scorers that drive defenses nuts. Obviously, Booker is younger and developing where 2018’s Harden was the league MVP. In Phoenix, this guard’s name is Devin Booker. He can score from any spot on the floor, does a great job of finishing through contact, and is impossible to guard one-on-one in space. Tucker and Gordon’s strength helped them where their height did not, Ariza and Mbah a Moute’s length made them a nightmare for opposing offenses.Īt shooting guard, the Suns use a young All-Star caliber guard in a multitude of roles. The 2018 Houston Rockets? They used PJ Tucker, Eric Gordon, Trevor Ariza, and Luc Mbah a Moute in a similar fashion. As a unit, they all bring the ability to shoot and distribute the ball from outside the three-point line while defending players much bigger than them on the other end. Guys like Jae Crowder and Torrey Craig bring toughness while Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges bring length and athleticism. They are explosive enough to recover from the opposite short corner to the front of the rim to contest while also being long enough to close out on most shooters standing along the perimeter.Īt the forwards spots, the Phoenix suns use a handful of mix-and-match “three-and-D” wings. Both Capela and Ayton also are good rim defenders on the opposite end. Much like Rockets Alum Clint Capela, DeAndre Ayton operates well on the deep roll to the rim and on the short roll as a passer to the opposite wing. The same 2018 Rockets that made it to the Western Conference Finals.Īt Center, the Suns have a rim running big that operates best as a roll man on the screen. Though their pieces are (predominately) younger players, they operate in a similar fashion to the 2018 Rockets. The Phoenix Suns and head coach Monty Williams run an organization that looks familiar to Rockets fans. But in the current situation, Rockets’ fans have to ask themselves: who should we root for? Houston Rockets’ fans surely wish they were in the Finals and both wearing red and black. Paul even has joked about how the two almost played in college together once they were on the same Houston Rockets roster.įrom childhood friends to playing each other in the NBA Finals ? (via /kEo3BkHeSi- Overtime July 4, 2021 Basketball,” Tucker was named North Carolina’s Player of the Year. Paul stayed home and spent two seasons at Wake Forest Tucker headed west to spend three seasons at the University of Texas. Paul and Tucker went to high school roughly 100 miles away from one another and both graduated in 2003. Their friendship dates back much earlier to their time growing up in North Carolina. PJ Tucker also arrived in Houston in the summer of 2017 and was traded this year at the trade deadline. As great as Milwaukee has been under Coach Budenholzer, the “lead by example” swagger of PJ Tucker is visible.Ĭhris Paul spent the 2017-19 seasons in Houston. He proudly claims the toughest defensive assignments, only shoots when he is open, and will dive across the floor and over the front row for each and every loose ball. When he arrived, PJ Tucker brought a competitive edge and toughness. They had a two-time MVP, they had size, and they had shooting. In Milwaukee, the Bucks needed an edge after two disappointingly short Playoff runs. Paul brought leadership and grit to a blossoming roster at just the right time. Phoenix went undefeated in the NBA’s Bubble Restart last August and Devin Booker had several “coming of age” moments.
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In Phoenix, the team’s development was inevitable. Chris Paul and PJ Tucker brought their respective swag, toughness, and style of play to help put Phoenix and Milwaukee over the top. When in Houston, they were both “fan favorites.” Now they’re in one another’s way. Two former Rockets are facing off for the Larry O’Brien Trophy. However, the NBA Finals have made that very difficult. Several fans just chose to root for their former ‘ket instead of a whole team. But the Houston Rockets have had several “alumni” sprinkled across the NBA Playoffs.
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While it was exciting to see the growth of Kevin Porter Jr, Jae’Sean Tate, and Christian Wood, the long-losing streaks wore down a fanbase in a short whirlwind of a season. Young stars like Giannis Antentokounmpo and Devin Booker have a chance to get the first championship of their bright careers. The NBA Finals features the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns, two small-market teams who haven’t had this much success in 47 and 28 years respectively. The Houston Rockets suffered through an abysmal year that ended much earlier, and now the entire league is wrapping up. Yes, the NBA has reached the end of the season.