Before the season I said I wanted the Rockets to make the playoffs...anything more than getting past the first round would have been gravy as far as I'm concerned. This was BEFORE I had seen Yao play, good or bad. Now, halfway through the season I still feel that way. If the Rockets make it to the first round I will be happy. While I'd like to see them advance I promised myself I wouldn't be pissed. I still think they are on track to make the playoffs. I just want Francis and Yao to get that first taste of what the playoffs are like. I really think that will be something they won't forget and will build on. Just give me the playoffs.
I honestly didn't know what to expect at the start of season cause there were so many variables. There are still many variables. I will be pleased if the Rox make the playoffs. The Mavs are the potential first round opponents for the Rox. Are the Mavs good enough to play well in the playoffs? If the Rox draw the Mavs in the first round, then I think that the Rox could upset them. It's a long shot.
The Rockets WILL make the playoffs. They don't need homecourt in the 1st round if they are playing: Utah Jazz TWolves Suns Blazers They need homecourt in the 1st round if they are playing: Lakers Kings Mavericks Spurs -------------- They'll get knocked out in the 2nd round. Stevie doesn't have ANY playoff experience. But he has been in alot of playoff-like atmosphere games. He knows all he needs to know. My predictions for next year. WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS or NBA FINALS. GO ROCKETS!!!
As optomistic as I usually am about this team- I really don't see us upsetting the Mavs. Not as poorly as we've played against them 3 times now.
Yeah, when he talks like that, it's the inner Die-Hard-Rockets-Fan spirit inside of him talking, not his brain.
I still think they will make the playoffs, but I don't think home court advantage will matter. They are not going to win a playoff series against anybody IMHO. Not enough experience.
I hope our young players continue to develop and the team continue to make and show improvement, maturity and chemisty wise. Then, just making the playoffs would be good enough for me. I don't even mind being the #8 seed. Anything else is a bonus.
[ They'll get knocked out in the 2nd round. Stevie doesn't have ANY playoff experience. But he has been in alot of playoff-like atmosphere games. He knows all he needs to know. My predictions for next year. WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS or NBA FINALS. GO ROCKETS!!! [/B][/QUOTE] I must have missed the playoff like games that stevie has been in. Hell I don't think he's played in a game after about game 20 of the season that meant that much. Well I take that back.. we were kind of in the race a 2 years ago. Anyways, I would be very dissapointed if we missed the playoffs... but very very surprised if we won more than a game in the first round. This is a young team and unless we start playing more "playoff basketball" we are in trouble. Yao has shown he has the talent to score, can you imagine what happens if we run the offense through him? Hmm.. the houston kings? I mean the only center who is a better pure passer than Yao is probably Vlade.. and I'm not sure we have seen enough of Yao to make that determination. Imagine all of the open shots and lanes there will be for the rest of the team when Yao learns where Stevie, Cat and Griffin will be when the double team comes. Hell he's so big he takes up two zones anyways lol.
Before the season I was hoping for about 50 wins and the 7th or 8th seed. I thought we were as talented as everyone but LA, Sacramento, and Dallas. I figured SA would finish above us, because they're more experienced and have Tim "I'm God" Duncan. I know that would lead them 5th, but I didn't think they'd end up that high, either. Nobody else is better, but with Yao being a rookie, I expected some blips. Yao's a lot better than I thought. The #'s are almost right what I anticipated (except for the blocks), but his passing is really amazing and the way he dominates the other team's inside game is fantastic. On his day, he's the best player on the Rockets. Once I saw that, my expectations rose. Now, it seems that talent isn't the problem... it's a sometimes stagnant offense that doesn't effectively utilize what's there.
RocketMike, what was the Lakers game just 2 weeks ago? Was that not playoff-like? Stevie showed he is clutch and is a true leader that night. And Wink has shown through this season that he can be as good of a Clutch player as anyone in the league right now.
Only 1 game so Steve's as clutch as anyone in the league? I am not saying he isn't but he and the rest of his teammates are way too untested in the playoffs. Experience counts in the playoffs. Please don't hold a protest if we fail to make the 2nd round this season and make the conference finals next season as you predicted.
The Rockets NEED the play-offs so they can find out what if FEELS like (teeth kicked in). This will mature this team more than the regular season could ever provide. I don't care if they make the 8th seed, and win zero games. They need the "experience."
My expectations were a playoff appearance I think that is very likely unless stevie goes down. After watching a few games this year I think they should still make the playoffs but develop their offense. Get the inside out game going ball movement etc. get the chemistry going. I think they can make some noise in the playoffs maybe not win but scare a team to death unless they end up against dallas.
LOL! I agree, I think it would be a rude awakening, but a necessary experience they could learn from.
The season will be a utter failure in my opinion if we dont make the playoffs. On paper, we can compete with almost anyone based on pure talent alone. But execution and basketball smarts is another story. When we make the playoffs, I expect a well fought battle. I dont mind losing but I hope to see the effort there and hope we are playing some sense of TEAM basketball. Yao better be getting touches too because it will be COMPLETELY INEXCUSABLE in my book if we still focus our half court set around isolations and long jumpers. We will have had 1 full season to play with Yao and if our guards still do not know what an inside out offense means, they need to be shipped out! Go ROX! I really believe we can get passed the first round if we get the 6th seed. WIth the 6th seed, chances are we wont play Dallas (1), Sac (2) or the Lakers (not sure where they will rank but definitely not #3).
