In February, ESPN.com’s Kevin Pelton went through a detailed statistical analysis of the Rockets, attempting to determine whether they’d become the biggest threat to the Warriors’ longstanding dominance. Here’s the key takeaway:authentic nfl jerseys cheap

“While the Warriors should probably still be favored in a playoff matchup because of their potential to tighten up their rotation and play harder when necessary, the gap between them and the Rockets no longer looks nearly as large as we expected before the season.nfl jerseys for cheap  By virtue of their success at full strength, the Rockets have played their way into serious championship contention.”

The gap has closed since Pelton posted that article Feb. 27. While the Warriors have suffered numerous key injuries and continued to hemorrhage points on the defensive end, the Rockets have kept rolling toward the NBA’s best record. Since Feb. 28, Houston’s 9.6 net rating literally triples Golden State’s 3.2.

Could that change when the Dubs are once again at full strength? Sure. Will it matter that they can “tighten up their rotation and play harder” cheap nfl jerseys during the Western Conference Finals? Of course.

But the Rockets can rely on their starters for more production, too. They’ll also have the luxury of continuity while Golden State attempts to rejigger the offense upon Stephen Curry’s return to the lineup. Perhaps most importantly, they’ll get to play the decisive Game 7 in front of their hometown cheap nfl authentic jerseys faithful at the Toyota Center, where they’re 30-6 with a 9.0 net rating.

This is Houston’s season. The 2017-18 campaign presents a chance for James Harden to shatter the narrative that his performances decline in the postseason, and he’s never before played better basketball. Chris Paul finally gets to go both to and beyond the Western Conference Finals.nfl jersey cheap

Though it’s worth noting you can easily pull a surplus of statistics that support either of these squads, a feeling can sometimes supersede everything else. And this year, Houston has inspired a lot of positive feelings.