Looking at how loaded we are at every position, I can't remember a better and deeper roster with possible players to get minutes ever on paper. I've gone back to the 80-81 team and these are 5 I think could compete with 15-16 opening roster: *85-86 (opening) Lucas / Leavell Lloyd / Wiggins McCray / Reid Sampson / Petersen Olajuwon * 93-94 (play-offs) Kenny / Sam / Brooks Maxwell / Elie Horry / Jent Thorpe / Herrera / Bullard Olajuwon / Cureton * 96-97 (play-offs) Maloney / Livingston Drexler / Threatt Elie / Eddie Johnson Barkley / Willis / Othella Olajuwon *08-09 (opening) Rafer / AB / Head T-Mac / Wafer / Barry Artest / Battier Scola / Landry / Hayes Yao / Mutombo *08-09 (play-offs) AB / Lowry Artest / Barry / Wafer Battier Scola / Landry / Hayes Yao / Mutombo *15-16 (opening) Beverley / Lawson / Terry Harden / Thorton / McDaniels Ariza / Brewer TJ / D-Mo / Hayes Howard / Capela Of course, it still depends on how A) Lawson is going to be B) Thorton and or McDaniels will handle their minutes C) how healthy D-Mo is and D) how Capela progresses, but damn on paper, we're deep! How do you think we stack up against these and maybe other Rockets teams and could this be the deepest Rockets team ever?
I meant better as in potential because we have so many guys who could get minutes, just to clarify Obviously talent wise you cannot do much better than 85-86, 93-94 and 08-09. 85-86 was not that deep but I think I got confused myself what I was arguing. Just couldn't leave them out, because there was no denying that talent and outside of C position, you could switch the 4 positions and have a starting team in 85-86 so guess they do make sense.
I disagree completely. I much prefer to have solid role players that you can build a system around than washed up starters on their last contract.
I was totally loving that 2009 roster, especially when we got Lowry, Wafer looked like a good back up shooting guard and there was still a hope that TMac was coming back. That team was the deepest roster I have ever seen. When we got Artest that offseason, I knew we where building a team to match up with the champion Celtics. Just totally love that roster. This year's roster has the chance to surpass the 2009 roster. On paper, I would say the new team has more talent and depth but we will see if they have the same fundentals or team first attitude that the 2009 team was loved for.
I still don't get why everyone overhypes the 08 roster, I was there..... A much younger version of me but I was there.... I never felt like it was a championship team, Kobe was better than T-Mac and there were great teams in that time... Sacramento, Lakers, Dallas, Phoenix, Spurs..... All those teams were crazy talented. I just don't remember feeling as confident with that 08 squad as I feel with Harden and Howard. Oh yeah and this team made the semi finals.... There really is no discussion, the current Rockets team is the absolute best team after the championship years...
Everything hinges on Capela. If he can prove himself to be a very good defensive player (at the very least Larry Sanders-lite, which is a very realistic target for him), then I don't see this team being any worse than the starting line ups of Sixers, Celtics, Nuggets or Lakers. The lineup would struggle scoring a lot, but defensively it's pretty solid.
We pushed Lakers to seven games with a limping Yao and a Artest who shoot too many shots while only hitting a few of them. The refs were on Lakers' side as always. That team was truly special and full of hearts. Remember that AB's incredible performance and buzzer-beater at the end of third quarter at our home court while blowing the Lakers out? Remember Yao insisted to come back from injury and hit a shot after? Remember Battier with full of bloods on his face while yelling "it's alright"? Remember Scola schooled entire Lakers front court in Game 6? Did I mention Landry's dunk on Odom? I will forever remember that series and and that team, and will always wonder what could have been if... Don't even mention T-Mac though, he was a non-factor and distraction that year.
Sorry... But I am not yet convinced with our PF situation... Just not feeling comfortable with the personnel we have. T_Man
But could very well be starters, nonetheless. Nobody ever said they'd wreck shop lol If you replace Bev with Ty (Using Ty as a 6th man), they definitely wouldn't be the worst.
I don't like to evaluate depth so much vs your top 8 players Probably only Harden starts on both the '86 and '94 team.
