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Best team in the West?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by tmacfor35, Nov 28, 2013.

  1. tmacfor35

    tmacfor35 Contributing Member

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    People do realize that without two desperation heaves from Steve Blake and James Anderson, as well as a cringe worthy meltdown against the Mavs, the Rockets would be 14-2.

    This team is representing the West this year. When your third string point guard can put up 20 points per game in fill in duty, you have a squad. The niners can attest to this, as they witnessed game after game in the clutch-city era that night after night excluding Dream, it was someone else. Enjoy the season.

    Happy thanksgiving.
     
  2. Salvy

    Salvy Member

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    First! Happy Thanksgiving
     
  3. Patterned919

    Patterned919 Member

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    Blazers will fall out of the top seedings. They had a pretty joke of a schedule so far and December looks pretty tough for them.

    Spurs still look like the best team out of the best.

    The 2nd spot I think is up for grabs between us, OKC, and the Clippers.
     
  4. slickricky

    slickricky Contributing Member

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    I always think about what our record should be... But until our defense improves that's what it will be. I think the season ends with is having the 4 seed

    OKC
    Spurs
    Clips
    Rockets
    Blazers
    Warriors
    Mavs
    Grizzlies

    That should be a very interesting playoffs and what I think is the best case scenario for us... The teams we should want to avoid till the end are the Clippers and Spurs. I think we matchup good with Portland and OKC

    We also have to see how the trade deadline turns out

    Sometimes I feel as though we should keep Asik. What makes him a supreme defender is that he isn't a shot blocker and he stays grounded. Having him and Dwight is almost priceless. I say the only way you move Asik is if you could package him and jones for a guy like Kevin Love that's all.
     
  5. count_dough-ku

    count_dough-ku Contributing Member

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    And if my aunt had a....you know the rest. There's no doubt the Rockets blew the Lakers and Sixers games. The Mavs loss was inexcusable, but in a long season for every one of those nights, you'll have the opposite like the Grizzlies game where they came back and won. So I'll call that a wash. Still, we're looking at a team that should be 13-3 right now which would put them behind only the Spurs.

    I think it's premature to rank them above the Spurs or Thunder though. The first true test for this team is this Saturday in San Antonio(on a back-to-back no less). Win that game and then we can talk Western Conference championship.
     
  6. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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    The best we can do is the 4th seed because we probably won't win our division with the Spurs playing the way they are. We should have home court advantage though.
     
  7. tmac2k8

    tmac2k8 Member

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    our schedule hasn't been weak but we haven't played many of the top teams either except for Clippers. I would put us 3rd behind Spurs and Thunder. I think we are on paper a better team than the clippers but still feel like they would beat us in a 7 game series.
     
  8. count_dough-ku

    count_dough-ku Contributing Member

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    Tell me again how that works. Do the division winners automatically get seeded 1-3 regardless of record or could the Rockets finish higher than the 4th seed if they wind up with fewer wins than the Spurs?
     
  9. tmacfor35

    tmacfor35 Contributing Member

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    This team is still adjusting, and with the emergence of Terrence Jones, they will only get better.

    Yes, you can play what if all you want, but this squad is only going to get better as the year goes. They are not a finished product.
     
  10. tmacfor35

    tmacfor35 Contributing Member

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    Asik starting hurt our team in both games.
     
  11. Patterned919

    Patterned919 Member

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    I forgot all about that.

    That means we would probably end up playing the Spurs in the 2nd round, right?

    Then Thunder or Clippers in the finals.
     
  12. count_dough-ku

    count_dough-ku Contributing Member

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    The quality of opponents has been average. Where the Rockets' early schedule has been tough is in the quantity of games. They've already played 16. Whereas the Thunder for example have only played 13. I don't think it's a coincidence that aside from Harden, the team is starting to overcome their early season injuries now that they don't have to play so many back-to-backs.
     
  13. across110thstreet

    across110thstreet Contributing Member

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    The Rockets can most definitely finish behind the Spurs and still get the 3rd seed.

    If they finish better than a division leading Clippers they would be the 3rd seed and Clippers would be 4th seed, like Denver last year.


    it's the top 4 seeds that are up for grabs. the 3 division leaders and the next best record after that.

    those 4 are then seeded by record.
     
  14. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Contributing Member
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    You have to respect the Blazers - they are a team similar to us and have no real weaknesses. Wesley Matthews has vastly improved and is a big reason for their success this year.

    I would rank San Antonio, OKC, and the Clippers as ahead of us. Our loses to the Clippers shows how weak our team defense is and the loses to Dallas and L.A. show that pressure really still can rattle our guys.

    I think Portland is a bit more experienced but has similar issues. So we will end up likely being the 4th or 5th seed.
     
  15. count_dough-ku

    count_dough-ku Contributing Member

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    Good. Then there's less pressure to win the division just to avoid a specific team in the playoffs. BTW, let's not all assume the Spurs will be the 1st seed and the Rockets the 4th. The Thunder could easily finish ahead of San Antonio by season's end. They did it last year.
     
  16. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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    Actually I was wrong about that. From wikipedia.

    So we could have the second seed if the Spurs win our division. Sorry for the confusion.
     
  17. across110thstreet

    across110thstreet Contributing Member

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    yes, if the Rockets end up with the 2nd best record, behind the Spurs but in front of two other division leaders (OKC/POR or GSW/LAC) it would give them the 2nd seed in the playoffs.
     
  18. Patterned919

    Patterned919 Member

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    It was changed a couple years ago apparently.
     
  19. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Contributing Member
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    Yes it was done to prevent the two best teams meeting in the conference semi-finals instead of finals - because that is what happened when Dallas played SA in the 2006 semi-finals.
     
  20. AXG

    AXG Member

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    I still think it's San Antonio's to lose. They are the best all-around team in the West.
     

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