A Season to Remember

Double-posting this so it doesn't get buried on Page 9 of my Magic Number thread. I probably should have started a new thread in first place...

With the Rocket’s victory over the Clippers tonight, they have officially clinched the #8 Seed. Clutch Fans, we are going to the playoffs.

In a season that started with huge expectations, a new coach, a maligned group of rookies, concerns about point guard and power forward, and a young GM with a weird mathematical approach to team-building, we have certainly gone through our ups and downs.

Rafer was Public Enemy #1 and a prejudged felon only to steady his game, clear his name, solidify his position as starter, and play the best ball of his career. Stevie Franchise came back, and Stevie Franchise morphed into broken-down Steve Francis. Fans still lamented the Rudy Gay trade while Shane quietly busted his ass on defense, and now Shane is a strong contender for Defensive Player of the Year. Mike James was viewed by some as a savior\sparkplug who never should have been traded, Mike James came back to Houston for Juwan, and then a washed-up Mike James got himself shipped to New Orleans with Bonzi. By the way, Bonzi says the beignets are fantabulous in the Big Easy.

Steve Novak couldn’t play defense, Steve Novak still can’t play defense, but Steve Novak finally hit the game-winning three for which Clutch Fans have been waiting. TMac struggled to adjust to Rick’s new system, TMac was hurt and the Rockets were better off without him, and TMac came back and the Rockets were unstoppable. Deke should have retired, and we now know that Deke has squirreled away a bottle from the Fountain of Youth. Scola was an international player who struggled to adjust to the NBA, and then Scola became a savvy rookie who had veteran experience, international championship pedigree, and fabulous hair. Three words: Carl Freaking Landry!

The Rockets looked terrible learning Rick’s system, the Rockets would have been better if Van Gundy stayed, then the Rockets morphed into a team that (at times) cut, picked, rolled, and thrived in Rick’s offense while maintaining the tough defense set under Jeff. Yao looked good, Yao looked great, Yao became the unquestioned centerpiece of the team, then Yao went down with a morale-crushing injury. We shot out of the gate on fire, we came crashing to the ground, we looked mediocre for more than half a season, we won 12 in a row, we were buried for dead, we pushed our magical winning streak to 22 in a row and united Clutch Fans, young and old, fair-weathered and hardcore, recent and old school, local and global, on one enormous bandwagon.

And now we’re in the playoffs. In the deepest, most competitive Western Conference ever, the Rockets have punched themselves a well-deserved ticket to the dance. Rockets, thank you! You have made the 2007-2008 season one that I will remember. So many seasons come and go without much distinction, but 20 years from now, I will look back fondly on the run that our team has put together and the players that made it happen.

I don’t know what seed they’ll wind up or how far they’ll go. Maybe they’ll have a charmed run in the Playoffs like some former Rocket squads that stunned everybody by catching fire at the exact right moment. However, those are thoughts for tomorrow or next week. I’m definitely savoring this one tonight. How sweet it is!

 

It was a bit tongue in cheek. My wife and I always joke about those long-haired Argentinians, flopping around and waving their hair. We're convinced Stern negotiated something with FIBA so there can only be one fabulous-haired Argentinian per team. It's why Manu cut his hair when Oberto joined the Spurs, and when Oberto wouldn't cut the locks, the Spurs had to trade Scola.

 

I figured as much.

Just thought I'd share my one long-haired Argentinian per team theory.