http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2013/08/07/biggest-threats-to-the-heats-three-peat/?ls=iref:nbahpt3a Houston Rockets I know … you thought this final spot would be reserved for the Spurs. Wrong Texas power. Dwight Howard and James Harden as a 1-2 punch should worry the entire league, not just the Heat. Sure, it’s strictly based on the theory of how these two will play together. And yes, the Los Angeles Lakers tried a similar experiment with Howard and Kobe Bryant last season, only to see it go up in smoke before anyone got the fire going, but this is a new completely new season and scenario. The recent track record for Super Teams is pretty good. For every misfire like the Lakers there are examples (the Celtics and of course the Heat) of these sorts of risky, high-dollar gambles paying off in a major way. The Rockets have such a strong supporting cast and a quality head coach in Kevin McHale that will propel this team up the charts in the Western Conference playoff chase. That said, the onus for the Rockets’ season and whatever title hopes they harbor in their initial season together rest on the shoulders of Howard and Harden. They’re not only going to have to lead this crew on the floor, they have to set the right leadership tone off the floor, particularly in the locker room, and make sure it’s on a championship course. If they get it all together by April 2014, the rest of the league better beware.
It's a shame how many good teams in the West have to climb over each other to get a shot at the Heat. The NBA got it right when they said the Heat have a yellow-brick road to the finals. They deserve to be known as a dynasty here pretty soon, but dang the East sucks.
Well to be fair, the East has Pacers, Nets, Bulls, and a darkhorse Hawks. So that's also quite a climb considering.
Pacers gave them major trouble. Any team with a dominant center will have a chance to beat the Heat. I'd actually look out of the Cleveland Cavaliers soon as well. Irving and Bynum isn't a cakewalk.
I think so. In 2011 LeBron didn't nut up until the pressure of the Finals hit (or arguably until he was wore out by that point). He was dominant throughout the Eastern round and I think he did more to stop himself in the Finals than Dallas did. They beat the best the West had to offer the last 2 years and it's not like OKC or SA struggled to get out of the conference.
Lets see how they play on the court together first and then will talk ...aight Legacy of the Bigs time !
Clev and the Pistons as well Jennings,Knight,Smooth,Monroe and Drummond isn't bad but the East has been much weaker than the West previous years.
I stop reading after I get to "quality head coach Kevin McHale". Yes, he is a hall of framer, but as a headcoach, I give him a D.
Though by no means do I think coach McHale is a great coach, I don't think he's been as bad as some people on here make him out to be. It's hard for me to bash him for last season since the Rockets made the playoffs, even with all the roster changes and that stretch of the season where coach had to go through the passing of his daughter. I reserve my final judgement on McHale until I see how the Rockets play this year.
I would say that he can't make Howard completely unstoppable, but if that doesn't happen I don't think it his fault. You can beat a mule all you want but if if doesn't wanna go in the barn it's not going
