We have 12 games left with no realistic chance of moving up in the standings from #4. Even if we went 6-6 the rest of the way, I think the only way Portland can catch us is if they go 9-1. Harden and Parsons have been playing excessive minutes IMO this season because of our piss poor perimeter options off the bench. I'm not suggesting to not play them at all, but maybe cut their minutes down to 25-30 a game for the remainder of the season?
Not sure if i would say resting, but more of controlling their minutes n try to keep it under around 30 min a game. Keep in mind these guys are young we have an overall young team. These last games still matter, and you wanna be coming in hot into the playoffs.
Yeah, it doesn't matter too much if we lose like 2-3 games more for resting them. Rockets have a 4 game lead on Portland for the 4th seed. The 3rd seed would be very bad for the team in the playoffs also.
We should already have been resting our starters since 3/11, the day all the head-to-head tiebreakers against the other top nine playoff contending teams in the WC were determined. We don't have any control of our destiny to advance to the third seed or higher anyways even if we run our starters to death. The magic number for the Spurs, Thunder and Rockets to cling to their current seeds is 7, and that for the Clippers is 5. I don't see any signs that any of these four teams would fail to achieve those numbers. The Spurs and Rox, currently at 85% and 98% odds respectively, will soon be locked at #1 and #4. Any changes in seeding will most likely happen at the bottom four seeds. So with the prerequisite that we continue to win every winnable game, I would like to see McHale rest our core players in a much bigger way. Blowing up big leads by the second unit should be accepted as necessary evil by our nitpicking fans as playing them much more minutes is the only way for us to rest our starters, and for the bench to gel by playing together. Hope all x-haters would take it easy with that understanding when our second unit make mistakes, as long as our coaches make sure they learn from the experience after the game.
Let em rest and prepare mentally for Portland or Golden State. Afraid of neither. GState cannot win 4 games with their style of play. Exciting, yet fruitless in playoff
No realistic chance of moving up from #4? We are currently tied with the Clippers in the loss column and we play them on Saturday. If we win that game then we are in the driver's seat for the #3 seed.
Harden is playing great and shows no signs of wear and tear. Parsons does, though. On moving up in Standings, Clips have 6 tough games left with 5 off them on the Road. Rockets have 3 left...all at home. Saturday is huge.
Thank you. I was about to reply the same thing. No realistic chance? We have a much easier schedule than the Clippers also.
Yes to Harden No to Parsons. He's in a slump. He need to play against scrub teams to gain confidence back.
Except the Sixers along with the Thunder and Clippers are one of the teams the Rockets have yet to beat this season whom they've already played. Cant take them lightly.
ah yes you are correct. I am thinking about seeding under the old format where the best we could have done was a #4
No for Harden. Yes for Parsons. At least against weak opponents. But don't get carried away with it. This team still has a few things to play for. Home court in Round 1 for starters. Yes, it's highly likely they'll clinch it within the next couple weeks, but let's not assume anything is a done deal(just ask the playoff-bound 2012 Rockets about that). Secondly, I still think the Rockets should aim for the 3rd seed. The higher they're seeded, the higher the probability they'll have home court in later rounds which is never a bad thing.
Not only are we going to pass the Clippers, I believe we will also pass the Thunder and take the #2 spot. Just take a look at the schedules, that's all I'm saying about that. But to your question: Rest Parsons, at least based how it looks like he has been playing. It looks like he has dead legs, and some rest for him right before the playoffs will probably do him a world of good. Harden, the guy never looks like he is really exerting himself very much, his game is very relaxed physically, he plays 'old man's game' ball. He doesn't need to do a THING which would disrupt this incredible rhythm he is in. So yes to Parsons on reducing his minutes, as for James, let him rest in the 4th when the team is up by 20+.
Which would be terrible. Do not want 3rd seed. 4th seed vs. POR or GSW (5th) to playoff against SAS in the second round. 3rd seed would give us the same match up in the first round but OKC in the second... I would much rather have OKC play LAC in the second round, tire themselves out thanks.
I think some reduction in minutes is a good idea (and has been a good idea all season long), but I still want the 3rd seed.
I want to face Portland, and there's a big chance they drop to 6th seed the way they're playing, in that case I would want to go for 3rd seed. Best case scenario, Portland wins which allows us to rest harden and parsons a bit down the stretch.
