How long will it be before we can no longer use the excuse, "Its early in the season"? If the Rockets don't start winning soon, they are in trouble. The Rockets showed very little improvement tonight. Its time to take the ball out of Cuttino's hands. He is a backup. Nothing more. We need to get Hakeem and Steve more shots. Especially at the end of close games. ------------------ 2000-2001 Rockets Game Formulas: End of 1st quarter: "They're playing so well!" 2nd: "What a great game!" 3rd: "Theres no way they can lose now!" 4th: "What the ******* **** happened?!!" Revote! Revote! Revote!...... Rocket's Championship 2001!!
Since when are the first 8 games of the season classified as late? You do realize there are 82 games right? Realistically speaking, did you expect the Rockets to sweep a back to back against the two best teams in the NBA on the road? Let me tell you, the Rockets definitely need to stop utilizing Mobley b/c they lost to the top 2 teams in the NBA. They only erased a 16 pt deficit against the World Champs and nearly pulled it out at the end following repeated trips to the foul line by Mobley. Maybe we can trade both Mobley and Francis and get someone like Andre Miller. ------------------ Check out the Best Source for Draft Info Draftsource.net
Mobley is taking away development from Francis, and preventing Hakeem from being properly utilized. Teams that get off to a bad start usually have a bad season. Especially in the west. 8 games will quickly become 16, then 32. If the Rockets don't start getting into winning habits very soon, their playoff chances are zero. ------------------ 2000-2001 Rockets Game Formulas: End of 1st quarter: "They're playing so well!" 2nd: "What a great game!" 3rd: "Theres no way they can lose now!" 4th: "What the ******* **** happened?!!" Revote! Revote! Revote!...... Rocket's Championship 2001!!
Guess that means Seattle is heading straight for the lottery right? ------------------ Check out the Best Source for Draft Info Draftsource.net
The point is that the Rockets are not improving. They need to do that soon, or they are lottery bound. That could happen to Seattle too. I would never count that possibility out. Its not preseason anymore. The Rockets have to realize that. ------------------ 2000-2001 Rockets Game Formulas: End of 1st quarter: "They're playing so well!" 2nd: "What a great game!" 3rd: "Theres no way they can lose now!" 4th: "What the ******* **** happened?!!" Revote! Revote! Revote!...... Rocket's Championship 2001!!
In my opinion the Rockets should be 4-4 instead of 3-5. I think they should have beaten the Clippers and a 1-2 record against Portland & Lakers is about right. Last season they didn't get any consistency until the last 15 games of the year. Hopefully we will see that earlier this season. Maybe when Cato gets back and the guards get a few more games under their belt. Cuttino and Steve are playing a larger part in the team's offense this year which I believe will pay off sooner or later. It is going to take time though, especially for Steve who I remind you is a second year player and a second year point guard. BB experts said before the season started that the Rockets will show improvement but not in the W-L record because they were in the West. I think that is a little pessimistic, but not far off. ------------------
Regarding your exact thread topic: I don't think that excuse has been used. I think the excuse is youth, which is a legitimate excuse. And, the ball isn't coming out of Cuttino's hands. Better get used to it. Rudy has made it clear that the Rockets are going to win or lose based on Steve and Cuttino's abilities to create offense. The real question is - Will Cuttino be able to become what Rudy needs? ------------------
Has anyone else have it crossed their mind that maybe the Rockets should tank it for a high pick? Our chemistry is very sour right now. ------------------ Sometimes you gotta do the next best thing!
The chemistry isn't that bad. Just because we've had a few bad games doesn't mean the world is falling apart. It COULD get dangerous very soon (last season we started so slowly that the season was away from us by the time we got going) - but at this stage the team isn't looking too bad! We've got the measure of the Lakers - that's GOT to be a good thing right? Hakeem has started to get a bit of rythm back into his old joints and can play 30 minutes a night, that has to be a good thing! We have a viable backup center in Collier and Thomas is bringing some intensity with him - thoise are good things! In fact about the only thing that isn't going quite so well is Stevie - but does anybody truly believe that he's going to play like he did over the weekend for the rest of the season?? I don't, expect him to get involved and then the team will start clocking up some W's! As for Seattle, if they lose 3 or 4 of the next 5 games then I would have to say they might just be in BIG trouble! ------------------
ZRB - the answer to your question depends on what your expectation level was prior to game 1. If you expected a 4th seed or better, you were way to opimistic and thus set yourself up for disappointment. If you were expecting a 7 or 8 seed, the Rocks at 3-5 are within striking distance of the current 8th seeds - Dallas, Vancouver & Portland. They are all 4-3. We beat the Grizz, played absolutely terrible on the road vs Portland and the Mavs opened with 5 of 6 games at home (and got thrashed on the road by the Kings last night). Cato has been out, Collier has stepped up big and Dream does not appear to be bothered by the respitory condition. 4 of the 5 losses have been by a TOTAL of 22 points!! The Cavs are the #2 seed in the East. 4 of their 5 WINS have been by a TOTAL of 10 points. Trust me, it IS early. ------------------ GATER [This message has been edited by GATER (edited November 13, 2000).]
UGH. Come on, at least contribute something of worth instead of ranting about tanking. Anyway, back to topic. I strongly disagree that Mobley is hindering Francis' development as a PG. Can you think of some reasons on how this is occuring? If anything, Mobley gives Francis a possible higher assist average with his true scorers mentality. Like Doc Robert said, the ball isn't going to stop going to Cuttino....so relax, get used to it, and watch him get better. He has some learning and maturing to do....but he has definitely overshot my expectations as a second round draft pick. ------------------ There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
I never said the Rockets would be a top 4 seed. All I want is some improvement from last year. Mobley seems to think he is the greatest player ever, instead of a good sixth man. Our starters should play in the fourth and take the last second shots. There is something wrong with your team if a reserve leads it in scoring. Less Mobley, more Steve and Hakeem. It seems like Mobley loses the ball far more than Francis. I like Cuttino, but he needs to stop thinking he is the team's best player. Right now, that title belongs to Hakeem. He may not be averaging 20-10, but when he plays, he plays well. I realize the Rockets may be ahead of schedule when it comes to rebuilding, but that does not excuse the poor level of play, and intensity. ------------------ 2000-2001 Rockets Game Formulas: End of 1st quarter: "They're playing so well!" 2nd: "What a great game!" 3rd: "Theres no way they can lose now!" 4th: "What the ******* **** happened?!!" Revote! Revote! Revote!...... Rocket's Championship 2001!!
I do think that they arent playin as good as last year (last year they seemed to incorporate more players into the mix and not just milk the clock all the time) In fact, i believe they ran an uptempo offense, which doesnt seem to be the case this year when they get a shot off w/ under 5sec on the shot clock. However, even though they are only 3-5 right now, one thing is for sure, its a big improvement over 0-12 last year!. We are in definite strikin distance and if we stay at .500 for most of the season, it will most likely come down to the wire w/ Dallas and perhaps Seattle and Vancouver. Hence, it too early to tell and will prob be that way for most of the season unless the rockets tank (which i hope not) or they explode. ------------------
we can no longer go 82-0, 81-1, 80-2, 79-3, 78-5, but hey we can still go 77-5. Obviously the season wil not be young forever, but for now it is.
Thank you Gater, I am glad atleast someone has some patience and understanding of the situation. What do people like ZRB expect, a top 4 seed? Anyone who thinks that needs to be realistic. The Rockets are still a young and improving ballclub, if they make the playoffs this early in their development that is a HUGE achievement considering how loaded the West is. Sometimes I get the feeling that fans like ZRB dont realize how good we have it as Rockets fans and how quickly our re-building effort is taking shape. Imagine being a fan of a team like the Warriors. They go out and get Fortson and bring back Hughes, Jamison and Dampier and their fans have high hopes. Guess what? They're still horrible. I caught some of their game on League Pass last night, their team is still a joke. On one sequence, they had Antawn Jamison alone by himself trying to break the Magic on three straight occassions. Guess what happened? Three straight turnovers. You wont see repeated bonehead mistakes by a Rockets team like that; instead you see a mistake, then watch it get ironed out over time. We as Rockets fans are very very blessed to have a coach like Rudy T and young players that are learning VERY quickly relative to other re-building situations. We are on the fast track to contention; just please sit back and appreciate it instead of complaining that we didnt win two straight games on the road against the two best teams in the NBA. ------------------ Check out the Best Source for Draft Info Draftsource.net
After 8 games, 6 were against playoff teams from last year, yet we still have a 3-5 record. Don't worry about the numbers right now because we had a very difficult schedule to open the season. The teams stats can only improve in time as they play more games against the Nuggets, Warriors, Bulls, etc. and less against the Lakers, Blazers, and T-wolves(a team that seems to have the Rox number right now.) Don't be surprised if you see an 8-5 record pretty soon. ------------------ Don't come in Bullard's house! [This message has been edited by Hydra (edited November 14, 2000).]
I cant believe u would want to get rid of mobley ZRB. francis doesnt have the right to jack up 35 shots a game. mobley and francis thrive off each other's energy and play. they are best friends and itd be awfully silly to trade them. say btw since its early and the season and the lakers are what 4-3? does that mean they r going to be the 8th seed in the west? does this mean shaq is going to be benched for 2 bad gameS? 9 games into the season is EARLY. im sorry which poster here said we should start tanking? for one the rockets dont tank. second we have the talent to challenge for a playoff spot. wakeup. ------------------ --TEX
I don't wan't to get rid of Mobley, I just want his playing time and touches limited. ------------------ 2000-2001 Rockets Game Formulas: End of 1st quarter: "They're playing so well!" 2nd: "What a great game!" 3rd: "Theres no way they can lose now!" 4th: "What the ******* **** happened?!!" Revote! Revote! Revote!...... Rocket's Championship 2001!!
