Although I wasn't expecting a home loss to the Sixers, I knew there would be yet another adjustment period after T-Mac and Artest re-joined the lineup. That sort of thing doesn't just fall into place automatically, especially since the "big 3" have played less than half a dozen games together. The problem this year is that because of the injuries and/or T-Funk, the lineups have shifted nearly every game and there's absolutely no consistency. With this stretch of home games ahead of us, Adelman will be able to get a few practices in and hopefully get these guys working as a team. The way I see it, he's got until mid-February to pull it off, because if he doesn't, Morey's likely to deal Artest since he can walk away at the end of the season and we'd get nothing in return at that point.
My prediction is that the Rockets will look better as they get more games played together but they'll fold like a house of cards in the playoffs. If you can't execute in the last five minutes of a regular season home game against Philadelphia you're a choker. In the pressure cooker that's the last five minutes of a playoff game the Rockets are bound to crack.
that could be the case but i think if the team can stay healthy the rest of the year then it will give the team time to get cohesive and set roles better and then they wouldnt be in a dog fight with a team like philly till the end. this team can execute and play well they have everyone healthy now lets see what they can do. they have until the all-star break to show us something...if no progress is made at that point you have to start considering trading artest and or other pieces while there is still time to salvage this season
Go read the interview with Yao. He is not a happy camper and this team is looking more and more broken. Success in the regular season is just going to be a band aid but the underlying core issues are still going to be lurking around. And winning in the playoffs is going to be impossible with those core issues.
Winning games against the upcomming crappy schedule will build a false sense of security, and make the team think it is better than it really is, this team needs different pieces. DD
This team had it together last year. Had Yao not gone down I am sure this team would have gone to at least the 2nd round. Heck we might have made it there if Rafer had not gone down. So it's inexplicable regarding our play when you have last year's team plus Artest and Von Wafer, and an improved brooks. I am going to give this time...because I think a lot of the issues might simply be confidence.
My prediction is we will not win a championship this year or next. Heck might not even get past the 1st round AGAIN. We should give Tracy 30+ touches a game and trade him in the off-season to show other folks that Tracy is back and get something really valuable in return. Basically play our Big 3 like show case pieces..
maybe the op is right, it's not the time to panic yet. but i am afraid that when it is time, it will be eventually too late.
totally agree in one way. its not time to panic. theres never a good time for panic. panic leads to stupid decisions, made out of emotion and fear. however, it is past time to blow this team up. calmly, rationally, to get what you can for the broken parts and start building something that actually WORKS. enough with the potential talk. enough with the if healthy talk. enough with the if things break right talk. how about we make our own luck for once? i sometimes look back at the championship years. i look at what those teams accomplished DESPITE bad luck, despite bad breaks, despite long odds . . . there is no way this team could do that. this team makes excuses for failure. they always know exactly why they cant/didnt/shouldnt win. they always have the stats ready to explain that they did their part and the other team was better/lucky/made tough shots. its a complete defeatist mentality. enough. fix it already.
Or Winning games against crappy team will give Rockets the confidence and help build chemistry. Which is what this team is missing.
Got to beat good and bad teams.... Really this team lacks an identity, the reason they won without Ron and Tracy is everyone knew their roles. I blame Rick Adelman for not properly defining the roles and making it YAO'S team. DD
When Tracy and Ron were out, the team played through Yao most of the time. That was their identity. Now that Tracy and Ron are back, finding the balance will take some time. I am not ready to blame RA yet. How many games has RA coached where all three were present?
23 games the big three have been together..... 3 of them the entire team...including Battier - all losses. DD
