Checking highlights on the 2009 team. I was wondering if our current crew could beat our 2009 team. Our 2009 teams was way way more tougher with the likes of Carl Landry and Ron Artest. http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2009.html vs http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2014.html
head to head comparison 08 vs 13 C: Yao, Mutombo vs Howard, Asik PF: Scola, Landry, Hayes vs Jones, Montiejunas SF: Battier, Artest vs Parsons, Garcia, Casspi SG: McGrady, Von Wafer, Barry vs Harden, Daniels PG: Beverly, Lin vs Alston/Lowry, Brooks 13-15th: Cook, Hayes vs Canaan, Covington coaching : Adelman vs McHale (NB dodnt realizr that TMac played only 35 games that season)
Our coach would get vastly outcoached, our superstars would get vastly outplayed. Give me the 09 squad 7 days a week.
It wouldn't even be a fair fight. Yao dominated Dwight every time they matched up. Scola even now torched Jones. Parsons would get negated by Battier. T-Mac is way better then Harden.
I had this discussion on here after we lost...its not even close. AB was putting up Lillard's numbers against the blazers and Yao was unstoppable. Couple that with the two best perimeter defenders in the league in Battier/Artest and a prolific bench in Landry/Lowry/Hayes/Mutumbo/Wafer...that team was built REALLY well. 2nd best team in the NBA IMO. Also, the played a beautiful style on offense (when Yao wasn't fronted). The top teams in the NBA that season were : Lakers Rockets Nuggets Orlando Cavs.
At the time of 2009, I'll say Yao > Dwight Scola > Jones Battier and Artest would lock down Parsons. Harden > Tmac (As of 2009, but give me ORL Tmac.. Now we talking another story) Lowry > Beverly > AB > Lin.
Even if the rockets didn't have Yao, they would have still beaten this current team. Vintage AB: <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/b6VN3mrlam0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/IEpJFpp6eKc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Fixed ....that team was stacked (08-09), too bad injuries got us, we were a game away from the conference finals
Why is ORL TMAC an option...who cares? Also, AB was the best PG by a mile in 09'. Lowry overtook him later when he got that 3pt shot down. Without AB, the rockets wouldn't have been putting those beatdowns on the Lakers (while missing Yao) or beaten the Blazers. AB made Blake look like a fool in the 1st round and was toying with Fisher in the 2nd round. As of 09: AB>>>Lowry>>>>>>>Beverly>>Lin
While playing one of the most stacked teams post Shaq's lakers... with AB and Scola as our best players. Yea thats about the pinnacle of overachievement...something Adelman was always great at.
Also a head to head position comparison is pretty useless when you have a REAL team like the 09 rockets. When guys play like a team just like they did...the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts.
That team had core that was together for over 4 years. This team just built a core this season. They have veterans up and down the roster. But let's continue ****ing on this team for old time sake.
LOL .... McGrady couldn't even stay on the court that year, that was the same year he got the micro-fracture surgery. Harden would more likely match up with 08-09 Ron Artest. ........ Anywho, you have to go with the 08-09 team, their bench was far, far superior to the bench we currently have. Lowry and Landry alone would kill our current bench, not to mention we also had Dekembe to come in and protect the rim.
Reminisce about the old days! <iframe width="853" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/B7_bSJ5mfv0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="853" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/aZtxQkay0ac" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="853" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6jRXhj1PpFU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
That team (healthy) was a legit championship contender. The finished product. Funny how that team never got as much hate as this team. The 09 team was the ultimate disappointing story since it officially ended an era.
Brooks was in his 2nd season. Scola was in his 2nd season Artest was playing his 1st season with the rockets Landry was in his 2nd season. Lowry had only played half a season with the rockets uptil that point Wafer had played less than a full season too. Apart from Battier/Yao, the team hadn't played together that long. They were just defensively disciplined and didn't play a gimmick style on the offensive end. I'm not crapping on our team, I'm just acknowledging the truth, which should be clear as day now. You can continue to live in denial if you want.
Rockets were the only team to take the champion Lakers to 7 games, and that was without Yao, Mutumbo, and T-Mac.
Does anyone remember this.... <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/9_PoLB8_cWw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> That 08-09 team had a crazy amount of heart, took the eventual champs to 7 games.
Actually I was incorrect about Brooks. He had only actually played for 1 full season and only started for half of it by the time the playoffs rolled around.
