Yup. Was disappointed that wasn't on, especially since the Rockets are essentially China's team.
I don't know what's up here, but the last few weeks most of the televised games are mediocre to poor teams. And the marquee matchups generally aren't on. They also have a bad habit this season of showing game replays during one of the usual/former live game slot. Sometimes the replays are a week or two old. Sometimes I've even seen the replay before.
All I can guess is that the NBA has started charging China a lot more than before when they were building the brand and giving the games away for little. And China's response has been to pick up less pricey fare and to replay games more, including in place of live games.
Just speculation, but all I can come up with.
So I've been routinely missing big games.
I wanted to see how the Bucks irritated Harden. Bledsoe's play. And how the role players are stepping up for the Bucks amidst a rash of injuries. Seems I was right that Frazier is just insurance and barely plays. He's feisty, but overdoes it and becomes foul prone.
Edit: to bolster my theory, after every single game replay (every evening at 10:PM), as soon as the game finishes they switch tot he same 2+ year old NBA filler material. It used to be every basket Kobe scored getting when he got 62 v. Dallas (outscoring the Mavs through 3Q's by 1). For the past 3 months, they've switched it to Jason White Chocolate highlights, for some reason. After that they go to a David Lee feature where he talks about how great his new team, the Celtics, are. And there Mr. Lee is hanging with Jared Sullinger and Greg Monroe and Evan Turner and whoever else is long gone from the Celts. Scurry talks about what a great teammate David Lee was in GS and how they're glad they got him a championship. And we see Bogut spraying champagne on DLee during the celebrations.
There's some other NBA material from 2 years ago as well. One is about Melo discussing his Summer workouts and rehabbing his knee and getting ready to come back for a big season with NY.
My impression is they just use and re-use this old crap because they've already bought the rights to it.
CHina TV used to get new NBA filler material regularly.
But this season, it's ridiculous how they repeat endlessly old material.
It's like they just don't care or even pretend to make an effort.