On paper, what rank would you give this Rockets team?

Really under-performed? Really? I am sure many here were ecstatic that we made the playoffs so quickly with a completely shifted roster and Harden joining right before the season. Granted I was a little upset that we fell in the standings to 8th at the end of the year but still, I feel like we overachieved with what the expected outcome was before the season started. Now, I think rating us 3rd in he NBA is jumping the gun. Not saying we can't bring ourselves there but the team was just put together with a Big instrumental piece in Dwight. 8th or 9th in the NBA isn't a slight on the Rockets by any stretch.

 

Maybe we are talking about two different things here HoustonJS. I was ranking Houston as a team compared to other teams. It was not prediction of the regular season end situation.

The NBA uses playoffs to reach championship. I have no doubts that Houston will be a playoff team. There are always surprises in the playoffs because certain teams can't play specific teams due to their structure and style despite their overall performance.

As I said, I see Houston as one of the top NBA teams because of the talent, the youth and the balance. You may argue some spots in the team such as PF. Houston PFs are not brand names, but they can play well in the system. Chandler/Casspi/Williams are not KD/LeBron/Carmelo, but they can shoot equally well. The Rockets superhuman dunkers are Dwight and Harden, not an SF.

Lin is not CP3/Williams/Westbrook but he is a clever and willing passer. If he starts to play more Rondo-oriented game and away from that triplet, he's going to be OK.

 

But you failed to notice the LOHs who posed as LOF to make the Lin fans look bad?

Are you dumb or are you such a hypocrite that you just choose to see what you want to see?

 

Way better: Heat
Definitely better: Spurs, Thunder, Clippers
Slightly Better: Pacers
Same level: Warriors
Just below us: Nets, Bulls, Knicks, Grizzlies

 

Pacers still have the internal improvement of their young guys. defense wins championships, theirs was the best. they had the best starting unit in the league by the numbers.
in the playoffs they scrapped their long 2s and went with 3s and made them. that took them from awful offense to quite good, while still competing well on defense.

 

Blogtable: Rockets or Spurs out West?

 

No team is way better than Houston in my opinion. Thunder and Clippers I don't think is definitely better and we aren't on the same level as the warriors we are definitely better than them.

 

1) Spurs
2) Clippers
3a) Houston
3b) GSW
5) OKC
6) Memphis

I think we saw a glimpse of OKC's major flaw in the playoffs.....interior defense and interior scoring. Westbrook masks some of the interior scoring problems, but with Houston, GSW, and Clips all improving this offseason, I'm not sure if they can keep pace.

If Houston gets LMA, then we shoot to the top with the Spurs.

 

thanks, that was interesting to get their perspective on who's the better team now that we have Howard. Most still think Spurs are the current better team, but that will change in the coming years. I agree with Schuhmann's assessment that we need more consistent perimeter shooting to be competitive.

 

All I know is that I traded Howard to houston on 2k13

then ran a 1-3-1 def

SMASHED my friend that always plays with the heat and beats me with the rockets...I always have to play with the Knicks if he plays with the heat to beat him.

But I dominated him.

Howard and Harden are perfect together...if they are anything like that in real life. Heat and Rockets in the finals next year.

 

this is partly a joke btw lol

 

I agree with all of this. GSW will be a tough match up for us now with there acquisition of Igodala. He defended Harden really well last season.

 

The way Spurs lost the championship...God hated them. Spurs are DONE. no playoff for them.

Power ranking:

Houston
OKC

... do not care the rest...

 

Oh my God, the Pacers are not better than us. Get out of here with that nonsense. We'll be a top 3 team in the West, maybe top 2 (depends on how Spurs play). The only team in the east that'll be better than us FOR SURE is Miami. Chicago could possibly be better than us but I'm not really sure. If we look at the matchups, I think we would win on paper. We are much better than the Pacers on Pacers. We would just destroy them in the backcourt, and even in the front court I think we'll do A-Ok.

 

We are not at the same level of the Warriors. We were the same level last season (even though we won 3 of the 4 matchups against them, pretty convincingly too). We just added the best Center in the game, so I assume we move up.
Pacers are on the same level if anything, but they're not slightly better. They have a slight advantage in the front court but we have a massive advantage in the back court.
Clippers are not "definitely better". They added Doc Rivers which is all fine and dandy but that's not going to make significantly better than they were last year. They have CP3, who is obviously the best PG in the game, but we have Dwight who is the best Center in the game. Personally, I think having an elite Center is better than having an elite PG, especially today, where a great Center will win on almost any matchup because of the weakness of the 5. They lost Billups, Butler, and Bledsoe so I think they lost essentially like all of their depth. And Grant Hill. Sorry I think they moved back not forward.
Spurs are 50/50 because we don't know if they'll continue to have the strong success they have become known for.
Even the Thunder are 50/50. They have two superstars, we have two superstars

 

If the question is "on paper"

1) Nets (paper is just names and well they have the most all-star experiences combined by far)
2) Heat (no explanation necessary) - also best team in reality
3) OKC (on paper and in reality they are loaded) - people are ignoring the development of their bench with very talented young guys.

Potential 4's IF HEALTHY (again on paper)-(Rockets, Bulls, Knicks, warriors)

Rockets (on paper) - if Lin, Parsons and Jones take a step up we are the legit 4 team on PAPER. If they don't we are not, but we are still no worse than #7.

Bull's (If Healthy) - Rose, Deng, Butler, Noah, Boozer, Hinrich, Dunlevy, Gibson , Hamilton .... (If healthy on Paper - thats a deadly squad) - Rose is top 5 player when(IF) healthy)

Knicks (IF healthy) - Felton, Shumpart, JR Smith, Melo, Amare, Chandler, Bergnani ... (Hey if they figure it out. They are scary ON PAPER)

Warriors (IF healthy ON PAPER) - Curry, Thompson, Iggy, Lee, Bogut, Barnes and other young talent on bench (When Healthy Bogut is a beast). So yes on Paper they are extremely talented.

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The Next Tier on Paper (Spurs, Indiana, Clippers) - These 3 are impressive but when you look at their rosters carefully ... ON PAPER they are not better than the teams listed above. Each has glaring weaknesses.

Spurs (An amazing team in reality - top 3) but on Paper, Age is a major issue for Manu and Duncan, and despite of the supporting cast playing out of their minds this past year. The names of Green, Splitter, Leanord, Neal, and the others are not impressive on PAPER.

Indiana (If Healthy) - If Granger is Healthy and back to all star form, Hibbert, Granger, George, West, Hill are pretty impressive. The problem is their bench and thats why they are not better on paper compared to the teams listed above.

Clippers (If Healthy) - Over-Rated - In reality they might be a very good team this year but on Paper they are weak at SG, SF, and C (and thats the starting lineup. If you compare on Paper - this team is the weakest of all listed above.

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Honorable Mention. (Memphis) - Great team but "On Paper" doesn't scare anyone. (The most under-rated team and players in this league)

 

We're still below the teams with actual Championship, or deep playoffs experience: Miami, San Antonio, Indiana, OKC.

 

The discussion is for (on paper) - Despite of Warriors not being that great last year. They technically added Iggy and a Healthy Bogut (ON PAPER) - So technically IT IS a toss up on who is better ... them or us. They have a stronger starting 5... and a better coach. But our Superstars are better than their Superstars. So again its a toss up.

Pacers are not better than us. They have a weakness at PG and ours is at PF. Our stars are better than their Stars. Our bench is better than their bench and well ever our coach is not worse than theirs. So I say Rockets are better Slightly.

Your right on the Clippers, they did take a step back and not forward and they are NOT better than us on PAPER.

Spurs are better in reality but not on PAPER. In reality they play amazing as a team, There OLD guys play amazing and yes POP is that much better than Mchale. But on PAPER we are BETTER.

Thunder are Better on paper and in reality. Your argument in flawed. Ibaka has to be considered a superstar, He really is a great player (wish we had him) and you cannot discount the young talent this team has. You have to look at their bench and see atleast 3 guys that have a potential to break out and become great at some point. The Rockets have Parsons, Jones and Lin that can get better, but all 3 of those guys start as of now. As far as our bench is concerned, now that robinson was traded, their are no potential starters of the future on our bench.

 

4th by ESPN; behind

1. Oklahoma City(58-24)
2. Los Angeles Clippers(57-25)
3. San Antonio(55-27)
4. Houston(53-29)

Overall, a top 8 team(according to ESPN rankings/standings)

1. Miami Heat(60-22)
2. Oklahoma City(58-24)
3. Los Angeles Clippers(57-25)
4. Chicago Bulls(55-27)
4. San Antonio(55-27)
6. Indiana Pacers(54-28)
7. Brooklyn Nets(53-29)
7. Houston(53-29)

 

Not sure the Clippers will be any better than next year also I believe the Spurs will digress some. Parker is playing all year round and will be bound for an injury or two that will keep him out for chunks of the season.

So I'd say in the West it's the Thunder, then us.

Overall, here is my guess as to where we place:

1. Miami Heat
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
3. Houston Rockets
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Indiana Pacers
6. Los Angeles Clippers
7. San Antonio Spurs
8. Brooklyn Nets