Clippers-Rockets Game 7

My prediction was Clippers in 7.  Here we are.  Didn't think the series would look like it has so far but they're each 3-3 after 6 games and that's not a shock.  The Rockets have the 2-game winning streak going, embarrassing the Clippers badly in game 6 and they're undoubtedly going to be the punters' fave pick this afternoon.  But I'll stick with the Clippers (-2.5).

I think of it this way: the Clippers basically no-showed in games 2 and 5 and the 4th quarter of game 6.  The rest of the time they were the superior team, with or without Chris Paul.  When the Clippers show up and do their thing, I think they're the better team and squandering game 6 should be the wakeup call they need.  (As for game 6: hey, man, they've prepared everything for stopping James Harden and when Harden never got up off the bench during the rally, the Clippers blinked and forgot there were other guys on the team.  Classic frog-in-boiling water effect: they never developed the urgency because a Harden-less Rockets team seems like nothing to fear)  Today, I expect Paul to handle his business down the stretch, Deandre to go toe to toe with Dwight and Griffin to be the monster he's grown into.  I also expect Harden to do too much.

The Clippers have let the Rockets get further than they should have, wouldn't be a shock at all if the Rockets finished off the rally.  But I believe (for whatever reason) that the Clippers ain't gonna clip today.  Man, I'm looking forward to it.