Van Gundy says Rockets losing Yao kills title hope

And the Lakers are coached by Phil Jackson, who enough rings from all the finals he has won, he could open his own pawn shop.

I hate to say it, but as good as Adelman has done with the Rockets this season, he doesn't stack up to Phil Jackson.

 

generally, Van Gundy is right.

if we can beat Ulta/LA/Spars, that will say something, about title!

 

My brains tells me that JVG was right, but my heart says otherwise.

 

There goes JVG throwing Scola and Landy's name around again like its the only reason we are so much better this season.

It's not like JVG would have played them any way..

 

Why?

I am loving Adelman right now, but the statement that JVG would never play Scola and Landry much is just baseless, and thrown around here a lot.

 

We'll there is no way he would be playing them as much as Adelman thats for sure.

 

For sure?
Based on his track record of using rookies? Landry maybe, but he would definitely play Scola a lot from get go, especially if your starting PF is Chuck Hayes.

 

I trust JVG, he will do no less than AD did to rockets, both of them are great coach. And...I know JVG speak the truth, he love rockets. I wish this team can pass 1st round this year, and win the champ next year.

 

Remember that Adelman only played Landry (and Brooks) because of a combination of injuries and our slow start. Same with JVG and Luther Head during Head's rookie season.

 

He's right. If we pull off a title without Yao, it'll be the great championship run since......well, 1995.

 

It's so funny that people say "JVG would never play Scola Landry, he hates rookies, he would have played chuck hayes only! - who JVG began playing as a rookie UFA just two years ago.

 

Adelman's Kings could have beaten Jackson's Lakers if not for a Horry miracle shot AND the refs handing the Lakers a crucial game. He did that WITHOUT a dominant low post threat.

 

Why are you so convinced of that? Because V-Span and Novak got splinters in their buts from rifing the pine?

 

I agreed with JVG, just like last season, if fat bonzi was playing against the Jazz series. we could of won that playoff.

Same can be said about this season. evernthough we are winning big time now, playoffs is another story. we will have matchup problems with jazz, spurs, and lakers.

This is one of those rare opportunity that NO is playing fresh with no playoffs experience so knocking them out could be easy.

Dallas and Suns both gave up huge asset to get something over the hill and next season they could regroup and come back strong.

Nuggs are done for and so are warriors.

This is an opportunity which perhap we will missed without Yao.

The highest we can get is the 3rd seed.

That will put us with the lakers in second round, which is very very scary.
if we have Yao, we can matchup gasol with Yao, scola or landry on byrum.
Tmac will be with odom. battier on kobe. alston, bobby and brooks on fisher.
This is winnable for us as far as matchup goes.

without Yao. gasol will destroy us.

I think the commissioner david stern should look into the trade on the mavs, specially the lakers. it is a loophole.

so if deke don't sign with us next year and that he doesn't annouce his retirement and one day we can use him as trade just like these other teams.

bottomline, NBA wants to see kobe in LA, which he will help and generate the most money for the fanchise and NBA.

 

Yeah, The defense of the Lakers will be kinda sad. Against teams with a 7 foot front line it's gonna be Deke/Landry/Scola/Hayes trying to hold them in check. Utah's front line is big, San Antonio's is big, LA's is big, Celtics is big, Cleveland got big Z, Detroit has McDyess. I think we are in trouble with the first 4 teams. We can handle Cleveland and Detroit if we get that far.

 

I'll have to agree with VanGrumpy.. I think are goals this year should be to get the 2nd best straight wins and get past the 1st round..

I don't see how we match up with seasonal elite teams in the playoffs..

 

Time will tell everything, Rockets are red hot right now, there's nobody we CAN'T beat.

Since Adelman is proven good playoff coach I think our playoff chances this year are even better than last year, look at the plenty of reasons:

- Better all around team - Scola, Landry, Jackson, Novak

- Better chemistry

-High motion offense, Houston plays better offense and almost the same good defense

-Very good and improved Rafer Alston


What lacks is surely Yao but if we play vs. teams like Jazz, Nuggets, Hornets, Mavs who don't have dominant big man we can win.

Don't forget the finger wag

 

This is what I don't get from everyone who talks about the Lakers being the great team that will come out of the west. Odom/Gason/Bynum/Turiaf these guys have not proven anything and Odom and Gasol disappear in big games. Everyone will see in the playoffs what I am talking about. As it stands the Rockets will shock the world.

 

This has been said many times over; actually, Luther was in the rotation before the injuries.

The young guys had their opportunities last season to get themselves into the rotation when we were hit with injuries. They didn't perform nearly as well as Scola and Landry have this year. Now ... I do think Adelman is more patient with young players and a little more tolerant of their mistakes. I appreciate that. But people really overblow JVG's reluctance to play young players. He would have loved to have a Scola or Landry on the team a year ago.

 

Definitely the odds are against us but...................I feel the only teams that can possibly beat us in a 7 game series, even without Yao, are SA, LA, Utah, Detroit, and Boston.

1. We just got done blowing out a Dallas team and basically kept them down by 20 once we got there in the 2nd half until we called off the dogs in the last 5 minutes. Does Dirk really make them 20 points better??? I doubt it. And I thought we played a very mediocre game last night. We got nothing from Luther Head and I did not see the offensive movement like in previous games. We scored 113 points because McGrady and Rafer are playing off the charts. So, all in all, I feel we are better than Dallas.

2. New Orleans is green. I'm convinced we will knock them out in a 7 game series.

3. Denver - we're better.

4. Phoenix - they haven't shown me anything to make me think that they could beat us in 7.


As for SA, LA, and Utah.

1. SA - The team I fear the most. I still think with my head they are going to win the West. Didn't look like it early on, but if they are healthy, they've got a great combination.

2. LA - If Bynum does not make it back, I am so-so on them. I think we COULD POSSIBLY beat them if everything fell right. Shane and TMac offset Kobe and Lamar in my opinion. Then you've got Gasol. We've got Scola. I think that's even. Sorry. Gasol can't defend Scola either. Then you've got Fisher. If Rafer plays like he has the last month, then we're even there. If he reverts back to history, Lakers have an edge. Lakers have basically Luke, Farmar, Sasha, and Vlade off the bench. We've got BJax, Head, Hayes, and Landry. I think that's even. Without Yao, I think we match up okay with the Lakers without Bynum and Ariza. (I don't think Bynum is going to make it back in time to contribute this year.)

3. UTAH - I want to see how we look against Utah without Yao and them playing Korver. I was not intimidated with them this year with Yao. And I haven't seen them playing really great basketball. Frankly, we always had matchup problems with them with Yao on Boozer. Now, with Yao out, and Hayes getting the opportunity to defend Boozer, I think Utah has big problems against us. You take Boozer and Hayes out and insert Landry against whoever and I think our bench brigade runs them into the sand dunes. I want to see how we look against them, but right now, I'm leaning towards favoring us against Utah.


I really am convinced we are going to get out of the first round and I am convinced we will give whoever is left a dogfight to get to the WC Finals. If we get to the WC Finals against anybody but SA, I am convinced we've got a puncher's chance. I think we lose to San Antonio though, at this point, if we have to play them. And if Bynum actually makes it back, then I would feel like we are the definitive underdog against the Lakers.

IN MY OPINION:

For us to get to second round:
1. Rafer has to continue playing the way he is now.
2. No more injuries.

For us to be WC champions and make the Finals:
1. Rafer has to continue playing over his head.
2. No more injuries.
3. Bynum's injury prevents him from really coming back.
4. Somebody knocks off SA so we don't have to face them.
5. No other teams get super hot the last 8 games of the season like the Rockets have been with this streak. (In other words, Dallas and PHX still struggle with their chemistry.)

For us to be NBA champions:
1. Rafer has to continue playing over his head.
2. No more injuries.
3. Bynum's injury prevents him from really coming back.
4. Somebody knocks off SA so we don't have to face them.
5. No other teams get super hot the last 8 games of the season like the Rockets have been with this streak. (In other words, Dallas and PHX still struggle with their chemistry.)
6. Detroit or Boston has to play below their capabilities. (UNREALISTIC.)



I'll be ecstatic if we win the NBA championship.
I will be giddy about the future if we make it to the Finals and lose.
I'll be happy and expectant of next year if we make the WC Finals and lose.
I'll be satisified if we make it to the second round and lose a tough 7 game series.
I'll be disappointed if we lose in the first round, even without Yao, or if we get blowed out in the second round.