What was your honest thoughts on how this season would play out.

at first i thought maybe 2nd round. the way the season played out, i thought we had a legit chance at WCF considering we could have avoided OKC and LAC until that point if we got there.

 

I was thinking WCF before they got derailed at the end with the Beverley and howard injuries to wind down the season. That definitely messed up their momentum and chemistry. I was thinking wed challenge for 3rd seed not limp into HCA.

 

At the beginning of this year, I honestly told myself to be patient the entire year. Despite what people want to think, chemistry takes a while to develop with a star-studded team, if it ends up developing at all (see 2012 Lakers, Knicks, etc.). You can't just build a video game team and expect immediate video game results. That's just not how it works.

However, towards the end of the season when I saw our true potential, I raised my expectations. Thus, I have no choice but to label this season a complete failure CONSIDERING how we showed what we could do, but faded away.

 

Genuinely thought we'd put up a good fight in the 2nd round. Never expected to lay an egg the way we did the first round.

 

WCF at best. 2nd Rounders at worst. Proven wrong by inadequate coach.

 

I expected at least second round, and considered anything less a major disappointment.

Getting to WCF would have been a really good accomplishment for this team.

 

My preseason guess was 56 wins and a 2nd round exit. So didn't quite hit my expectations.

Disappointing showing sure, but it's hard for me to classify that series as laying an egg.

Hell we out scored our opponent, 3 games went to OT and I believe we had a double digit lead in all 6. All that with LMA and Lillard playing out of their minds and Harden leaving his efficient play in the regular season.

Deflating and disappointing, but I think a necessary learning experience.

 

I didn't think we were going to beat Portland, after we stumbled down the stretch. I didn't think Harden would be able to regain his shooting touch either, but I was hoping we would fight back with TT from the start against LMA.
The 51 point Corey Brewer game, was a harbinger for an early exit.
McHale never held the players accountable, when Dwight and Bev were injured.

That was the most surprising thing out of all our problems.

 

I would have been satisfied with a first round series win.

I am so sick of first round exits. What is it with this franchise and the first round. It's like the Rockets are allergic to the second round and above. I mean think about it, in the last 17 years NO franchise has won fewer series than the Rockets. That's just pathetic for a franchise that has a pretty rich history.

 

Just on talent alone, a tough 2nd round with a chance to go to WCF.

 

I thought we would of destroyed both the Blazers and the Spurs and advance to the WCF.

 

I personally thought it would be another first round ouster.... I thought we'd be about a 6th or 7th seed, because....

I was wrong regarding Dwight Howard.... I thought he'd become a major problem with the team, just like with past clubs..... Howard was maybe the biggest positive all season.

I thought we'd go down again in the first round because of McHale's substandard half-court offense and "Moreyball".... I don't know about McHale, but I think "Moreyball" is a recipe for perpetual first round exits.

 

I thought about 55 wins and a 2nd round exit.

When the Rockets got matched up with the Blazers, I thought it would be a very close 7 game series with the Rockets winning 4-3.

I thought they would lose in the next round.

 

Statistically, Rockets were a pretender from December. Mediocre defense and gimmick offense. No expectation, no disappointment.

 

I agree. I don't know why. I guess Houston is a cursed city. Even we had T-mac and Yao, we still had first round exit. How the hell Mavs and Jazz advanced when we had T-mac and Yao? Maybe God hate us.

 

Championship...always Championship.

 

I thought we were gonna pass Portland for sure.

 

At the time Howard signed with the Rockets, I too thought he would be a problem child and mess up our team chemistry. I was wrong there.

Early I expected this team to take a year to jell, and wasn't expecting to get past the first round. Through the season we had so MANY lineup changes due to performance, injuries and illness. I feel McHale did about as good as I expected with the constantly changing lineups.

Toward the end of the season, we began to slip and I worried we would drop down to 6 seed. Harden's ankle wasn't healed, Pat Bev had a bum knee that seemed like it needed surgery.

So headed into playoffs against Portland, I was hopeful we would take the series. Then losing first 2 games at home, I figured we were toast. Then Bev got the flu. Good to see the team come back and fight.

Each game could have changed with 1 or 2 points. Now this isn't popular, but I have to say to NBA "I do NOT accept your apologies for the missed calls".

I expect improvement next year.

 

honest thoughts? 57 wins, second round. maybe third. i knew we wouldn't be better than the spurs or thunder, but the clippers surprised me... and apparently so did the blazers.