Did anyone else get the impression before the season that players' heads were getting big?

No. They got destroyed by GS. I saw the team when they got back from SF and they looked beat.

 

Nothing happned in the offseason to make them think they were favorites.

 

Must be using Dwyane Wade's nutritionist.

 

Big heads. Definitely

Spoiler

 

Yes. Maybe it was due to playing the Nuggets a team that supposedly is heading for at best a 30 wins season. But no hustle, no will to fight and win no defence just a sense of false superiority and entitlement.

Happened with both my teams during all preseason (it's just preseason don't worry, we will just flip on the switch once RS starts ) and both lost their home openers on their floors by 20+ points against teams that are supposed to be bad.

Hope it's a wake up call!!

 

They might have the same mindsets like a lot of fans here, i.e., GS got lucky and had Dmo and Bev not been injured, Rockets would be the Champs. Since Bev is back and Dmo will be back soon, plus the addition of Lawson, championship is already in the bag.

 

I love armchair psychologist threads.

 

The team last season was a lot more fired up. I remember Harden, McHale and Bickerstaff talking about focusing on defense leading up to training camp and it showed in the preseason/beginning of the season. That team also had some hungry young players (Papa, Nick Johnson, Tarik Black, Caanan) who played with a lot of energy and a chip on their shoulder to prove themselves. Harrell showed this energy last night. This team now looks too satisfied with itself. I don't like that Harden was shouting how he was the best player all summer and how he was so happy he is finally able to play off the ball and get easier shots. Show don't tell Harden.

 

There is no doubt in mind that the same optimism that fans had during the offseason was also shared by the players. This roster, 1 through 11, is very talented, likely the most talented roster in Rockets history.

Still, they played a horrible game yesterday. Guys whom we expect to do well on a nightly basis did not show up. Hopefully, this will serve as a wake up call to the players that you must put maximum effort to beat any NBA team, even those destined for the lottery.

I remained optimistic though I am starting to doubt whether this coaching staff is the best qualified to mold this team into a champion.

 

comes out after every loss

 

I agree and I had the same feeling.

Last year pre-season there was talk about DEFENSE and two practices a day. They really had a goal after the Portland humiliation.

This year its complacency. And I wrote this in the game thread.

Rockets somehow felt they could just roll into the season and take care of business. That is complacency and McHale should be held absolutely accountable for that. You can't just turn on the switch from being pathetic in pre-season to winning regular season games. Every single game matters in the tough WCF and that too at home against scrubs.

This year none of that. It's almost like the Rockets coaching staff expect us to reach the finals again just streamrolling through teams because we added Lawson.

 

I completely agree with you OP. All preseason it looked like we weren't taking anything seriously and just knew that this season would be a cakewalk. Especially defensively all preseason we were simply not giving effort and making dumb mistakes and it carried right into the first game.

I really hope that first game was a wake up call to the guys and that they now know they need to take every team seriously as well as generally get their **** together defensively. The offense will take care of itself once Ty and Harden get used to playing off each other. Defense is a much bigger concern.

Umm acquiring Ty Lawson for nothing?

 

I agree OP.

And it showed in the way they played. Before the game I just got a sense from the team that they weren't ready. Like this game was going to be a warm up to the "real" opener against GS. I shrugged it off, but apparently my spidey senses tingling had merit.

If that is the case i would actually feel better about the loss.

 

Just stop, if you mentioned this in the preseason then youd seem somewhat credible in this unfair criticism. You're one of those fraudulent fans, exit stage left.

 

I disagree, had he made this thread in the preseason everyone would have been like "it's preseason dude." The first game confirmed all of our preseason fears, we need to get it together soon.

 

This forum used to be great

 

Sure it did.

Getting Lawson for almost literally nothing. Re-signing Brewer and Bev and having another year of cohesiveness and of course hearing a lot of people talk about GS fortune with injuries and how we were on the opposite end of that spectrum. Signing Thornton. Hearing about how deep and talented this team is. Seeing Capela grow.

And players almost always believe in their team more than fans and media do.

I'm almost sure that to some degree they bought into they hype.

 

i wonder if other teams "fans" have as many meltdowns and try to dive into a teams philosophies like they know whats going on inside like this