[CHRON Richard Justice] Rockets' goal for this season should be staying relevant

Justice has a point. The Rockets haven't won a playoff series in 10 years. They've been a lottery team 5 out of the last 7 seasons. That's a pathetic stretch for an organization who was once the most popular in town back in the mid-90's(granted, 2 consecutive titles coupled with the lack of professional football had something to do with this).

It hasn't helped matters that since those 1997 playoff victories over the T'Wolves and Sonics, the Spurs have gone on to win 2 1/2 titles and been to at least the 2nd round in every season but one(and that was in 2000 when Tim Duncan was out with an injury). Also the Mavs, once the laughing stock of the NBA, have become both respectable and a perennial title contender. Had it not been for an complete meltdown with 5 minutes left in Game 3, they'd be going into this season the defending champs.

The absolute minimum goal for the 2006-07 season has to be reaching the 2nd round. If the players stay healthy, most analysts peg the Rockets as the 4th best team in the West behind the Mavs, Spurs, and Suns. That means they should at least be the favorites to win their first round series.

If they really want to matter to this city again, no less than a trip to the Conference Finals would be required. Making the Final Four in the NBA would give the fans hope heading into next season. A 2nd round knockout would be a level of success not seen in a long time, but it wouldn't exactly do much to boost ticket sales and enthusiasm in the team.

If they can't even make the 2nd round should they remain healthy with the level of talent they've got this year, I shudder to think what will happen with the organization. CD has already announced he's leaving. Van Gundy would likely be following, either through resignation or firing. And all of the players not named Yao would likely be sent packing.

 

Sorry but I don't agree with you on the NFL and especially MLB (Major, Lame and Boring) relegating NBA into NHL status....thats crap.

 

Rockets111- Not saying that the statement lacks some sort of validity. It is true that the Rockets are the third wheel in this town and the TC is sometimes empty.

My point is , I find his coverage of the Rockets to be poor and hypocritical. I want my sports writers to have a passion for their teams. Yes, we have a lot of Bandwagon fans here in Houston. Look how they jump off, then onto, then under the respective wagons of the Texans and Astros.

This website, this fan base, two Iconic players. Makes them a relevant team. He is just lamenting his own laziness as well.

 

Oilers left for Tennessee in 1997(12-22-96 was their last game). So when the Rockets won their championships there WAS Pro football in town.

Spurs won THREE championships

Mavs are still the laughing stock of the NBA especially in TX as they are the only Championless NBA team in Texas. They let Nash go and have an idiot owner and are title pretenders...It will remain so until they win a championship. Thank you Miami Heat!

They must get into the playoffs and past the first round. However, by some chance that they don't......You can't conclude that YAO is the only protected player...that is crap.......they have to hold on to Juwan Howard

 

The Mavs are not the laughingstock of the NBA. Anyone who thinks so should have their head checked. They were once but now with their streak of competitiveness they have definitely shed the label.

 

Yeah, I was at the Open Practice also. We definitely got some strange looks because we were so loud. Same thing at the preseason game against the Bucks. I know it was just a preseason game, but the arena was eerily quiet. You definitely stand out when you make noise. And the home opener against the Mavs isn't even sold out yet...

 

They are for me......until they win a title.....So I guess I should have said they are still the laughingstock of the NBA for me.

 

The Dodgers have drawn over 3 million fans every year since 1996.

The Giants continued to draw 3 million fans last year (and have done so since 2000) despite "not winning".

Granted, the Rockies, Indians, and Orioles started drawing less once the losing started... but they all supported their teams like no other (and far better than those cities have supported the Nuggets, Cavs, and Wizards/Bullets) when things were going good.

There are also just far more "good baseball cities" or "good football cities" than there are just simply "good basketball cities." Right now, out of cities that have more than one major sport, that list is limited to Indianapolis.

 

i gotta agree with Justice.(I actually like his articles) I live in La and people here Love the lakers. not so in houston with the rox amongst family members, friends...
Really the rockets just haven't won. astros have won recently so they are popular in houston right now. Justice is guilty of practically ignoring the rockets. Hopefully he's getting over his astros hangover. As many of us are. He needs to write those hoorah/critical articles for the rox. It'll help. I agree with Yetti, we should have high expectations. Raise the standards.
-lurker

 

It's amazing. The Justice that covers the Rockets is a whole different writer than the writer that covers the Astros.

 

I used to live in Dallas and currently in Minneapolis. I think they both show half of the games on FSN and the other half on a free channel.

 

Unfortunately, being the 4th best team in the West behind the Mavs, Spurs & Suns; means that the Rox will open the playoffs on the road against either the Mavs or Spurs. The 3 division winners get the top 3 seeds. That will be the Mavs/Spurs, Suns & whichever Northwest Division team wins 30 games(probably the T-Wolves). The 4th seed & last 1st round home team will be the Spurs/Mavs. The best the Rox can do is the 5th seed unless they beat out one or both of the other Texas teams.

Don't you just love the 2 division conference set up!!!

 

Agree with him for the most part. But I don't think Lucas a quality backup just yet. As for Head, he might be one this season if he continues to mature and improve. IMHO, if Snyder starts, Wells, Howard, Novak, and hopefully Head will provide quality minutes.

 

Ha, there was a discussion on the playoff seeding/matchup just yesterday: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?p=2552676#post2552676

If we finish the regular season 4th overall conference-wise -- behind Mavs, Spurs, and Suns (in no particular order), we will be seeded 5th in the playoffs, but will open the 1st round game at home against the hapless Northwest Division leader.

New rule, baby.

 

i think he is referring to the atmosphere at tc. its too formal. when i go to games i cheer but hardly feel comfortable doing. i have more fun cheering at home by myself.

 

Actually, home court has ALWAYS been determined by record, not seed (see Rockets vs. Seattle in 1993).

The new rule was that a top 3 record team is now allowed to have a top 3 seed regardless of division champ status (to avoid the problem that happened with the Mavs-Spurs last year, when Dallas could only be a 4 seed and had to play San Antonio in the second round).

 

LA has no NFL plus both of their teams spend money and compete. As far as those other cities listed San Fran allready has had drop off and will be right with those other cities when a guy named Barry Bonds retires.

The NFL is king period. The NBA and MLB are both secondary and take turns being number two to the NFL. In the 80s the NBA grew by leaps and bounds and in the 90s was bigger than MLB. I think then the NBA had some issues and baseball "came back" a little and was more popular but now it is swinging back to basketball look at the tv ratings, the nba has been coming back strong while baseball has been getting all time lows.

The Rockets were selling out every game and then you had Clyde retire, Pippen come and go then Barkley and Dream. When rebuilding started some of the "casual" or "bandwagon" fans stoped showing up and local tv ratings droped.

 

Yup we would have been up against Sonics instead of Mavs. There would still be no home court advantage though since Seattle had one more regular season win than us. But then again, home court advantage means **** to the Rockets, as Houston is no sweet home.