Actually... another thing I just realised... is that even with significant cap space to sign another superstar, even if Morey does NOT sign or trade for a superstar in the next 2 years (which I think is very unlikely), he has nonetheless positioned this team as a YOUNGER version of the 2004 Detroit Pistons. I mean, look at the team. Assuming that Thomas Robinson pans out and leaves up to his draft position or Donuts meets the expectations annointed upon him by this board, this is how the starting 5 looks: PG - Jeremy Lin (our Chauncey Billups - big point guard, can put both score and create, tends to put up the occasional Big Shot) SG - James Harden (much much better than Pip Hamilton) SF - Chandler Parsons (Tayshaun-like, but with much greater versatility) PF - Thomas Robinson / Donatas Montiejunas (still some ways to catch up to Rasheed Wallace, who surprisingly, would have been a fantastic fit with this team due to his size and ability to space the floor, but both have the potential and the environment to possibly reach his level) C - Omer Asik (The Black and White Big Ben - defensive, rebounding monster, and if fed properly, could deliver a decent amount of points per game) Either one of Donuts or Robinson could be the 6th man. Assuming folks like Carlos Delfino, Patrick Beverly, James Anderson and Greg Smith / Tim Ohlbrecht are decent to solid, this would a deep bench, with someone for every position. No doubt, the team still have some ways to go before we reach the 2004 Pistons level. But... they are young, they are approaching their prime, they have a bona-fide superstar (something which the Pistons never had), and they still have that massive cap space left to make the team even better. The very bottom-line - the 2013 Rockets is the new 2004 Pistons. :grin:
Man the 2004 Pistons is a pretty damn bad comparison for this Rockets team. They're the polar opposite of us.
You care to much about the current record. Look at it this way. The team is younger than our team last year. and we have a great financial situation (we are a team fighting for the play-offs and still have cap space to ad a max payer), can you name one other team, except for the Heat and Thunder, whos future looks brighter. Our situation is much better than a year ago, and it hasn't looked this good since Yao broke down. It is amazing how good Morey made the situation.
It's true that our team this year isn't a whole lot better, record-wise, than they were last year. The difference is that there is infinitely more HOPE this year than there has been in at least three years. This team hasn't come close to maxing out its potential yet, and we've got another max-dollar free agent coming in sooner or later. Better yet, they're fun to watch!
I have to agree with OP (who cares about whether Parsons was officially around or not, it's still a brand new team which was his point). I too believed that we were stuck - like MOST of us the last few years - that we were going to be a middling team for good with not enough talent to ever really get out of there. Now we have the right pieces to grow and become a real championship contender (hopefully getting that last piece in the off-season). One thing most of us here always believed was that if Morey somehow got a star on his hands he would be able to surround that star, so I have complete confidence that Morey will be able to get what the team needs and optimize our roster.
I am not comparing them where playing style is concerned. I am comparing them where depth at every position is concerned. With the current setup, even without signing or trading for a second max player / superstar, if either T-Rob or D-Mo pans out to their ceiling, and if the starters continue to improve and gel together, then the Rockets are comparable to the 2004 Pistons in how well-balanced the team is.
Our expected w-l record on basketball reference is 35-23. I wonder why we are underperforming? just luck? or what?
no, no, no. you conveniently forget what a defensive monster the 2004 Pistons were. they had a 36 game streak where they kept their opponents under 100 points. the following year, they sent 4 guys to the All-Star team and went to the Finals again. the Rockets' front court can't even begin to compare to the Pistons'. as good of a defender/rebounder that Asik is, prime Big Ben was the freaking defensive player of the year and an even better rebounder/shot blocker/stealer who could play heavy minutes whether the team played small or large, and i can't believe you're comparing a couple rookies in aggregate to Rasheed Wallace. the backcourt of Rip and Chauncy in their prime (on both sides of the court) was still better than what Harden and Lin are right now and might ever be if Lin never develops consistency and Harden doesn't improve his defense. the Pistons had All-Star depth at 4 (arguably 5) positions in their starting lineup. the Rockets only have 1 unless Lin gets voted in as a starter or the Rockets lead the league in wins. otherwise Lin (the next closest to a star on the Rockets), Asik and Parsons probably won't play in an All-Star game. maybe if the Rockets can package Robinson, D-Mo and Asik (realistically, that's the least it would take) for Kevin Love and filler, then they'll have a team that can score 120 points a game for 36 games in a row. so they'll be the offensive version of the 2004 Pistons although still not as balanced.
This is how I feel about Morey and this year's turn in events: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL9ihXiFAko Damn it feels good.
This Rockets team is only Run n' Gun, no defense. Pistons, Lakers, Spurs, Celtics, Mavs, Heat, were all defensive teams. Defense is what wins championships, but Morey hasn't seen anyone who does that since Ron Artest, Marcus Camby.
This track should begin every Rox game... as the they run out of the tunnel to take court. The **** just fits.
For those that have been around, how does the remainder of this year's schedule compare with last year's at the same point in the season? Would you say that it has been about the same? From what I understand, the schedule pre all star game was pretty tough.
