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Red Nation has been crazy with anticipation with the Game 7 matchup between the Clippers and Rockets.

Special Edition Houston Rockets Nike

(www.PlaytimeCares.com) - The Houston Rockets are the best team in the hardest conference and division in professional basketball.

How can I make such a claim?  EVERY team in their division made the playoffs this year.  Every team...not a few...EVERY!!!  Every team has over a .500 winning percentage for the season as well. 

To add to their great play this year, they also have the player that should be the NBA's League MVP for the 2014 - 2015 basketball season.   That player is James Harden.  If you have been keeping up with my previous post about the league MVP, you will get the entire rundown of my logic of why Harden is the logical choice. 





You should know that the City of Houston, and the Metropolitan community, are in full force supporting the Rockets domination of the Dallas Mavericks.  It should be noted, that Houston and Dallas love a friendly competition in all sports, and all levels of playing of those sports!  If you do not believe me, just Google "Texas football" and comment back what  you research unfolds.

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I decided to take my sports and foodie reporting self to the local Academy Sports and Outdoors
to see how strong the Rockets buzz was via merchandise in the store.  Not surprisingly, not too much Rocket merchandise left, and with every win, they say more merchandise is flying off the shelves.  When asked if they have any Mavericks or Spurs gear, an emphatic "NO" was given!  Texas has state love, but right now, we are only cheering on the Rockets! They actually only have 1 more pair of special edition Rockets Nike in a size 8, but I am sure by the time you read this, that pair was already purchased!

IF, like myself, situations do not afford you the opportunity to see game 5 live in the Toyota Center, as they wrap up the instate rivalry and series, then you have options all throughout Houston to catch the game in fabulous fan fare!  I know that Hooters on Katy Freeway, in Katy, TX is a great stopping point.  You know that you can rely on them to give you great service and their famous wings, but they will have the game on full blast.  They will have 16+ TVs playing the game at the same time inside, with 3 TVs outside playing the game, and they will also give MILITARY PERSONNEL a 20% discount on their meal.

Where will you watch the Rockets wrap up this series?

(www.playtimecares.com) - The 2015 NBA Playoffs are among us, and the Western Conference is stacked with monster teams!  The Eastern Conference top 3 squads are legitimate contenders, but overall, they lack the depth and overall talent that their Western Conference counterparts brings to the table.

I feel as though the only way that the Eastern Conference can will the NBA Championship this year is if the injury bug decimates all the teams of the Western Conference in their road to the Championship.

With that said, here are my picks for ONLY THE 1ST ROUND of the NBA Playoffs.  As you may or may not have seen from my NCAA Tournament pikcs, my long standing picks aren't always up to par!

Western Conference:

• #1 Golden State Warriors VS #8 New Orleans Pelicans

1. Warriors leads the regular season match up 3 - 1
2. Warriors are too healthy of a squad for a 1st round upset
3. Warriors win in 6 games

• #2 Houston Rockets VS # 7 Dallas Mavericks

1. Rockets leads the regular season match up 3 - 1
2. Mavericks are fighting against age
3. Rockets win in 6 games

• #3 Los Angeles Clippers VS #6 San Antonio Spurs

1. Regular Season series tied 2 - 2
2. Youth and health of Clippers is the undoing of the Spurs
3. Clippers win in 7 games

• #4 Memphis Grizzlies VS # 5 Trail Blazers

1. Grizzlies leads the regular season match up 4 - 0
2. Grizzlies just has a style of play that wears down it opponents.
3. Grizzlies win in 6 games

  Eastern Conference:

• #1 Atlanta Hawks VS #8 Brooklyn Nets

1. Hawks leads the regular season match up 4 - 0
2. Hawks are just a better team
3. Hard to beat a team 8 times in a row during the same season
4. Hawks win in 5 games

• #2 Cleveland Cavaliers VS # 7 Boston Celtics

1. Regular Season series tied 2 - 2 
2. Too much talent on the Cavaliers court at any given time
3. Cavs win in 6 games

• #3 Chicago Bulls VS #6 Milwaukee Bucks

1. Bulls leads the regular season match up 3 - 1
2. Bulls has been winning without their most skilled player on the court most of the season
3. Bulls win in 5 games

• #4 Toronto Raptors VS # 5 Washington Wizards

1. Raptors leads the regular season match up 3 - 0
2. The Wizards are the best of the worst of the NBA this year
3. Raptors win in 4 games