Dwight Howard Going to Houston

Looks like Texas just got a little bigger.

As first reported by USA Today, Dwight Howard has chosen to join the Houston Rockets. Howard had met with the Rockets earlier this week and also several other teams vying for the affection of Dwight. Howard now joins James Harden and Jeremy Lin in hopes of bringing a championship back to Houston.

This might not be the only star player the Rockets get. Houston and Atlanta might make a sign-and-trade deal involving sending Josh Smith to the Rockets in exchange for Omer Asik who doesn't want to play with Dwight Howard.

A huge day for the Rockets as their bar has been raised to championship highs and instantly with this news. It's probably fair to expect a championship now that Howard is on the team but unless they can get Josh Smith as well, I'm not sure whether they are the best team in the West. OKC is still strong with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, San Antonio has proven to never count them out, and even Golden State can surprise you.

As for the Lakers, they are apparently still in denial. It's a first that an all time great player has walked away from the Lakers. Though to be fair, the Lakers sort of drove Howard away. While Dwight and Kobe might've never gotten along anyway, the Lakers hurt their chances of keeping Howard long term when they hired Mike D'Antoni as head coach. Combine that with how everything else went in LA during Howard's one year there and how do you expect him stay?

The Rockets now look like title contenders while the Lakers just look like another borderline playoff team at best. Oh what a difference a year makes.

Russell Westbrook to Have Knee Surgery

The Oklahoma City Thunder's chances of getting an NBA title this year were already slim considering that they had traded James Harden away shortly before the season began. Now their chances have basically been reduced to none.

Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook will have surgery on his right knee to repair cartilage. Westbrook will be out indefinitely as a result of the injury. He had injured his knee in game 2 of the Thunder's series against the Rockets.

A huge blow to the Thunder's chances as their star point guard is likely out for the remainder of the postseason though his teammates hope he can return. This clearly shifts power in the western conference, likely in the favor of the San Antonio Spurs. Though perhaps to a lesser affect, it also affects the NBA Finals and makes it easier for the Miami Heat to repeat as champions knowing that one of their potential Finals opponents has been weakened so much that they might not even get there.

Unless there is another team in the west that can challenge the Spurs, the Finals picture seems to coming in San Antonio vs. Miami.

P.S. Now my little interest in the NBA postseason is gone till the Finals.

NOW the Lakers are the Favorite in the West

As the meaningless NBA season starts sometime in the next few days (does it even matter?), a major trade has been executed among two western conference teams.

The Oklahoma City Thunder send James Harden to the Houston Rockets as part of a multi-player trade. The Thunder get Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb along with 2 first round draft picks and a 2nd round draft pick. The Rockets get James Harden along with center Cole Aldrich and forwards Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward. Harden and OKC had been negotiating a new long term deal to keep Harden but couldn't come to terms as Harden wanted a max contract. Harden will seemingly get that with the Rockets.

No more room in OKC long term meant that the team had to trade away a key component to their offense. Sure Harden wasn't the biggest star on the team but he sure seemed to be a difference maker with team averaging +9.1 with him on the court as opposed to +1.7 with him off of it. I'm sure the Sixth Man of the Year will do fine in Houston playing with Jeremy Lin but we will have to wait and see how this move will affect the Thunder going forward.

P.S. Someone wake me when the Conference Finals are here.... or when Hockey returns, whichever comes first.

P.P.S. Might go back to sleep if the NBA Conference Finals come first.... just saying.