with preseason only a month away it's time to look at our team and what we can expect from them. Barring any major injuries we should contend for a playoff spot. With one of the best backcourts in the leauge, coupled with young athletic all around forwards and the center combo of Ming and Cato, we have all the pieces to contend for a playoff spot. If our young guys (Griffin, Nachbar, Ming) develop quickly and contribute greatly we could even push for a seed in the playoffs that would ensure home court in round one. If role players like (Norris, Thomas, Rice, Taylor) remain reliable throughout the season and into the postseason, then I find no reason why with proven stars, great young players, and loads of quality depth that we cannot make a trip to the 2003 NBA Finals
d-rocafella, This year, I think we contend for a playoff appearance, while I am optimistic for our chance for having a homecourt advantage in the first round... only if we are in the east conference. Can we get pass the following this year: LA Sac Spur Dallas I wish we can..... KH
Don't get ahead of yourself bud. We still aren't ahead of the Lakers, Kings or Mavs yet, so we may have to hold off on the Finals prediction. I think this team makes it to the second round and then gets eliminated. But I think there is no doubt that if we keep the team intact, then there will be a lot of Finals appearances in the coming years.
I feel like we would make the playoffs and if we really play we just might get to the second. Think about this if we have the 5th, 6th, 7th or 8th place in the west we r looking at potentially nba champions. So I think that the furthest we will is the second round no doubt
Factors to be considered include the amount of close games we lost last year and the new, returning and developing players. Collectively, they all put us in the class of the Spurs and the Mavs. We have more offensive fire power than Spurs and as much as the Mavs, at least. Defensively we have more fire powere than both. The games with those two teams have been competitive so it is not a stretch for us to consider ourselves in their class. By the end of the season, the Kings mastery over the Rockets will come to an end.
I'll be disappointed if the Rockets only get the eighth playoff seed. I think they're capable of getting the fifth.
I would expect the rocks to make a little higher than that ,maybe like 4-7, but wouldn't really care what rank they are just as long as they make the playoffs.
I think the frontcourt defense will be so good that we will really be suprised. Eddie and Ming together might block 4 shots a game and alter many more. On nights when Ming plays like a rookie hopefully Steve and Cuttino pick up the slack. If Boki comes in and gives us anything this team will be very good. <br><br> I think drafting Ming put us ahead of the Jazz, Suns, Sonics and Blazers. I Don't think we'll be able to crack that top four until Shaq gets older and Duncan's surrounding cast deteriorates a little more. The Mavericks will be good for a long time but until they get a legitimate center and learn how to play D they will never win anything. The Kings have some older players too like Christie and Divac <br><br> My prediction is 6th in the west behind the big four and Minnesota.
here is how i see it working outas far as playoff seeding: 1.sac 8.min 4.sa 5.lac 3.lal 6.por 2.dal 7.hou
We all love our Rockets, but don't forget we were the 5th worst team in the NBA last year (perfect to get Yao). Anyway, it will take a little while for all pieces to come together (Yao, Boki, Rice, MoT), so we might get off to a sluggish start. Hopefully, we'll develop some chemistry and get rolling in time for the playoffs. Injuries are also key. So, I'm hoping for a 6 seed and expecting a 7 or 8. That would still be a huge improvement and definitely a steppingstone even if we lose in the 1st round of the playoffs.
Put Boki at 2 guard and Mooch at PG and that's pretty damn good lineup by itself! Cat, Steve, Cato, KT, Eddie isn't bad either. And, that still leaves Oscar, and possibly Tierre and Collier. We have a great training camp lineup. Of course I don't project those combos as starters, I think the addition of those four and Tito is a big leap from where we were last year. We lost almost every game without Francis. If they have solved his headaches, then we will be vastly improved. Taylor and Rice are veterans, they know what to do. The additions take a ton of pressure off Cat and Steve. This is now a team down to the 12th man.
