Axeman, Are you sure the Rockets and CB4 beat the Lakers? They had Portland on the ropes, in Portland, but couldn't finish the deal. If they were just completely overmatched physically, I wouldn't mind. It is the numerous mental lapses that are aggravating. After seeing the Knicks get on a roll in the 1999 playoffs, there had always been a faint glimmer of hope that the Rockets could have a similar situation develop for them in the 2000 playoffs. Mango
Charles was a circus? It would have been fitting to have played that elephant-walk circus tune at the end of the Spurs game. I like our team and its okay for them to play young (as long as they're learning and improving), but we certainly miss Charles and these games would be much more fun down the stretch with him in there.
I understand Charles was a little trying at times, but the Rockets without him look exactly like the 1996 Denver Nuggets right now. Hey, the Nuggets were athletic, and man, they had some wide open basketball...did you ever get through a Nuggets game in 1996? 97? 98????? I'll take the Charles Barkley show, if there is such a thing.
And I hate watching a 6"4.5' guy dominate the glass and make the most athletic, cut, and sculpted behemoths in the world look so clueless against him. And I hate to see this same short guy who has the gall to slam the defensive glass and throw the best outlet passes for the Rockets since OT. And I hate to see a PF with the floor sense of a fine point guard, in fact possibly the best floor sense of anyone in the history of his position. All these things are just unnatural, I don't care if he is on my team or not. Further, I certainly don’t miss one of probably one of the 5 best PF and 30 best players to ever lace them up go out and battle for the Rockets and show a love for the fans. Instead, give me less talented, less effective, and less outgoing players who accept Rockets losses a whole lot better. I am not one to use sarcasm frequently, but the lengths people go to have their judgements of guys personalities cloud their perceptions on the court is just too much.
Mango, I hear you. It's always good to see a team get on a roll and beat all the odds like the Knicks did last year. Hell, I even rooted for 'em (of course they were playing the SPURS, which made that an easy choice). But, the Knicks had bonafide NBA veterans up and down that roster: Larry Johnson Sprewell Allan Houston Chris Childs Charlie Ward Chris Dudley Then you had Marcus Camby playing like an animal. But he was really the only "young gun" that saw any significant minutes during that series. I think the Rockets chances of pulling something like that off were pretty slim with their current roster. Barkley, Hakeem and Bullard are the only veterans. Their tendency to choke the close games was just as bad with all three of them healthy. I just don't think that was going to happen this year. The lapses are just a natural part of the growing process for a team this young. Don't expect them to subside any time in the near future. Look at the T-Wolves. Talent like crazy up and down that young roster. But, can't get it done in the playoffs yet. But, they're ahead of us in that they're already getting into the playoffs (although looks like this year they may not). [This message has been edited by Axeman (edited December 17, 1999).]
although i think that axeman's complaints are misguided (see will's post (#3)), i agree that this team is much more fun to watch than last year's. in fact, i just got nba 2k for the dreamcast, and i'm trying to strip the team, so they'll actually run (unfortunately sega didn't see the fact that chucky could actually run and lead when they wrote the game: it's very hard to win w/ the rocks )
Anyone who likes the NBA better now that Barkley is gone isn't a fan of basketball. The Chuckwagon is truly one of the greatest men to play the game, and to say we are more fun without him is...absurd. ------------------ Sir Charles is DA MAN.
Axeman, I see you have refocused your debate to be about that you like watching the current Rockets and didn't try to defend some of you other assertions, that is fine. I certainly have no problem with you saying you like the current team better than before (your are entiled to this opinion), just continue to keep the baseless cheap shots about previous players out of it.
Axeman, Trash talk Barkley and cheer and give credit to the cheap shot flagrant fouling Knicks, I just dont understand it. The Knicks play dirty doesent that bother you more than trash talking and t's.
