How would you call 09/10 season a success? Here are my criteria. I will call 09/10 season a success if Rox meets ANY of the following criteria: 1. Any one on the squad makes the All-Star (AB, Scola, Landry, or even C-Bud). 2. Any of the rookies averaged 15/8 (C-Bud, Taylor, or Anderson) 3. Rox makes the Playoff 4. Rox makes the top three of the lottery and gets John Wall. Thoughts?
It would be a success if any of our Rookies make the All rookie team. We are in the playoff race. and losing a ton and I mean a TON of games to land a rookie is not success, it's EPIC FAILURE.
I don't want the Rockets to tank games in order to get a high lottery pick. But, frankly, the ideal scenario outside a totally improbable championship run would be getting the 1st pick in the draft.
In my opinion there are four directions this team can go. 1a. Make the playoffs, TMac/Yao situation isn't resolved, we continue to only tread water. 1b. Make the playoffs, TMac/Yao situation is resolved in a way beneficial to the team, and we are poised to make even more noise next season. 2a. Miss the playoffs, TMac/Yao situation isn't resolved, there is absolutely nothing good to glean from this season other than improved role players. 2b. Miss the playoffs, TMac/Yao situation is resolved, and we are grateful to have had an evaluation year and ready for a rejuvinated Rockets team to compete in 2010-11. I think 1b and 2b are successes.. of course I want the guys to make the playoffs, but the Rockets are in such a 'treading-water' mode with TMac AND Yao as their stars that I'd like to see something significant happen.
I could add that TMac and Yao coming back from successful surgeries could be labeled as "resolving the TMac/Yao situation". A lottery pick is a bonus, or a secondary objective to me.
It's a success if this team plays hard every night and if each of the young kiddos progresses significantly from now until May. This season is all about development, starting with the new foundation and scheme and all the way up to the players and their abilities.
Win the championship. Unless they have a different goal???? If they go to the finals that would satisfy me. Give us all a great ride and sure fire hope for next season. Tracy would have to come back better than when he first arrived for that to happen
To win the championship is a tall order. Considering that 2/3 of the team's salary has gone to Yao/Tmac, you won't call the season a success unless the Rockets win a championship?
make the playoffs. i still feel like we're a good team based on how we played without Yao against the Lakers.
Playoffs or just missing out. I want to see this team keep its defensive intensity and the tight team chemistry that has allowed them to play greater than the sum of their individual parts. I want to see Brooks and Lowry develop a more mature game and rise above young player status. I want to see Landry become more consistent, and I want to see Scola dominate more nights than not. I want to see this team implement some of Rick's offensive wizardry and run some motion offense. If the Rockets can do the above, I'll be happy. A healthy return of TMac would be awesome, and I would also welcome a solid trade if Morey can get it done. I want this team to be ready to roll when Yao returns in 2010, and for that season, nothing less than a Championship would be considered a success. I do expect the Rockets to make the Playoffs this year, and depending on the matchup, even advancing a round or two. I think we can beat the Blazers, Nuggets, and Suns. The Spurs, Lakers, Mavs, and Jazz would almost certainly beat us in a 7 game series. The Hornets are a bit of a mystery until I see how this team fares with Okafur and their health. I could see New Orleans having a serious dropoff or challenging for home court in the first round.
That is actually the answer every season. You either want the championship or you want the top pick in the draft so that you can get a franchise player to win you a championship. If Morey gets one franchise player he could put a team around that guy that would have a great shot at the title every year.
Wish list... No major injuries. Continued improvement by key players. At least one surprise from someone not currently considered key. Acquire or set up acquisition of major talent through trade or draft. Anything beyond that is, in my view, gravy.
I a word, "playoffs". But more realistically I would be OK if we suck so bad that we get a shot at John Wall, plus parlay McGrady's contract (and possibly filler) into a player or player(s) that will improve our chances significantly in '10-'11.
Make the playoffs See Andersen and Dorsey develop into rotation guys so we are not up **** creek without a paddle when Yao goes down in 2010-2011 See if Brooks/Lowry are enough at the point Find out if C-Bud and Taylor are legit rotation players/scorers Finally a positive resolution to the T-Mac situation ie. We fleece someone for the expiring or he plays it out and we use the money to resign Scola/Sign an impact free agent
Sorry, but Budinger and Landry are not going to make the all-star team. I think a successful season would be the Rockets making the playoffs with a 7th seed or higher.
