Warszawski: Non-physical Rockets made to order for surging Warriors

Enter the Warzone, new look same schnook.

▪ The Warriors couldn’t have scripted a better opponent in the Western Conference finals. The Rockets don’t play a physical style and will try to match Golden State 3-pointer for 3-pointer.

Good luck with that.

▪ Without defensive stalwart Patrick Beverly to hound Stephen Curry, hard to see the Rockets winning more than a game or two in this series.

Four? Forgetaboutit.

▪ Anyone who wants to know what influences really make up Warriors coach Steve Kerr — start with his family background — should read this piece by the Bay Area News Group’s Jon Wilner.

▪ In the Eastern Conference look for the Cavs to oust the Hawks in a six- or seven-game series.

Clearing the way for LeBron James to lose in the NBA finals for a fourth time.

▪ How long till we see cars with Warriors flags cruising down Herndon Avenue? Guessing by mid-June.

▪ Not sure what’s worse, Clippers fans. Being perennial losers, or gagging on a 3-1 series lead in the conference semis.

▪ Because Roger Goodell so bungled the Ray Rice affair, Tom Brady draws a four-game suspension and the Patriots lose two draft picks and get fined $1 million.

Makes perfect (non)sense.

▪ Brady ranks alongside Britney Spears, 50 Cent and Rex Ryan among the least popular celebrities in America, according to Celebrity DBI.

Rex Ryan? All he ever deflated was himself.

▪ Never play poker with Justin Smith. Happy trails, Cowboy.

▪ The 49ers must find a way to replace six defensive standouts: Smith, Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, each of whom retired; plus Ray McDonald, Perrish Cox and Chris Culliver, who left as free agents.

Good thing Jim Tomsula is such a proven head coach.

(Oh, wait.)

▪ Odell Beckham Jr. says NFL players deserve to be paid more.

Don’t we all?

▪ No sooner does Hunter Pence return to the lineup than the Giants suddenly remember how to hit.

Either that or the series was played in Cincinnati, at the Great American Ballpark for Hitting Home Runs.

▪ If Dan Jennings’ own mother thinks he’s crazy for accepting the Marlins’ managerial job, who are we to argue?

▪ Grizzlies first baseman Jon Singleton became the first player in Pacific Coast League history to drive in 20 runs in one week.

The PCL has only been around since 1903.

▪ Singleton’s weekly totals included 23 RBIs and five home runs, three of them grand slams.

There’s hot, and there’s molten lava.

▪ Over their past five games, Astros shortstops are batting .353 with five RBIs.

Why should anyone in the 559 area code care? Because this means Carlos Correa should still be a Triple-A ballplayer Thursday night when the Grizzlies return from their current road trip.

▪ Didn’t know “Downtown” Ollie Brown came up with the Giants, and certainly not that he acquired that nickname in Fresno.

Interesting stuff you learn in the newspaper.

▪ Fresno State left-hander Anthony Arias saved his best start of the season (career-high eight strikeouts over a career-long six innings) for when it mattered most.

Heady stuff for a freshman.

▪ Hard to envision the Bulldogs doing much at the Mountain West Tournament. But, hey, at least they’ll finish above .500.

▪ Rock climber Chris McNamara says he can’t think of a sport “even remotely as dangerous.”

Not climbing; wingsuit flying.

▪ For no particular reason: Tree Rollins

▪ Forget late-night television. Comedy will never be the same without David Letterman. No one has ever done shrug-and-grin or irony like him.

▪ On his new personal Twitter account, President Obama followed every major-league Chicago sports team — except the Cubs.

The Audacity of Nope.

This story was originally published May 18, 2015 at 5:58 PM with the headline "Warszawski: Non-physical Rockets made to order for surging Warriors."