04/05 Rockets had finally gained an elite player in Tracy Mcgrady and expectations for the season were really high. But those expectations were not reached for the beginning of the season, the team was floundering at a record of 6-11 having lost 5 straight. This board was going in to one of its classic meltdowns, with all the same melt down responses happening eg fire this person fire that person, trade this person trade that person etc etc. The team though started to gel and find its groove, it wasn't until December 31st that the team climbed back to the .500 mark, and it wasn't until January 12th that the team would stay above the .500 mark for the rest of the reason reaching a final record of 51-31 Current Rockets season is 10 games old with a record of 4-6, not quite as bad as the 04/05 season yet. Season is very young and much can be fixed before things turn in to a real desperate situation. What I am seeing of this Rockets season is there is no desperation or will to win so far. I can see Ty Lawson is completely lost out there with out the ball in his hands as he is not able to create and has been relegated as a spot up shooter (anyone remember Jeremy Lins time when he was here). I can see a coach who has absolutely no ability to draw up plays or schemes that suit his players strengths. Player talent can only get you so far. I can see a star player in Harden wasting possession after possession with iso plays and unwillingness to move off the ball. I can see our guards stopping absolutely nobody when it comes to defense putting pressure on our big guys and getting them in foul trouble, and that goes for Beverly as well, he has regressed to a degree of being useless. I can see our SF's in Ariza and Brewer gambling on defense even more than last season leading to easy buckets. For some reason though I can see through all of these negatives and do expect us to reach the playoffs this year. Because this season is really young and things can be corrected if this team is willing to have the right attitude and mind set towards what is needed to win. Which I believe they can. note* just because I believe they can doesn't mean they will
You do know it was due to the trades for David Wesley & Jon Barry that turned the season around for the Rockets, right? Wesley stopped the dribble penetration that was killing Yao and Barry was hitting everything like Shawn Kemp off the court.
The comparison to what the GARM is doing right now is different, imso, because of season's like that. From experience we know the window is closing on us, just like it did on that season -- to barely make the playoffs and get knocked off the first roiund. Who knows, maybe we can make some key trades like that season. But this team is in disarray like I've never seen *any* Rockets team. Complete chaos. The Coach has lost the team.
I don't really recall how they lost during the early part of that season. But I don't remember ever thinking the team was just not competing or was overly unprepared. Also, you had a complete different team to start that season with the trade of Francis, Mobley and Cato for McGrady, so some growing pain was expected. That team also did not go anywhere the previous year in the playoff so, although expectation was high with the addition of McGrady, it's not anywhere near the expectation of this team. I don't think it's similar at all, other than the talent level is there with this team as it was with the 04/05 team.
Yes this is a spot on comparison. I didn't even realize that that team went 6-11. Thanks for the reassurance
I think you heard the star and coach take a greater level of ownership for the team's early struggles, though: (http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=241130010)
that team's supporting cast was TERRIBLE! TERR-I-BLE!!! its a miracle tmac and yao got them to the 5th seed. testament to how elite they were.
Good post. That's saying the right things. Haven't heard anything from the current bunch that suggests that: A. Coach has a clue on what needs to be fixed B. Players have any remorse for playing with no pride
I think there might be some truth to this. The thing is that the media, especially ESPN, would be stirring crap up about the Rockets tuning McHale out if there were any gossip to report. A more obvious diagnosis is that the Rockets depend on Harden even more than we thought possible and that his crappy play and demeanor is rubbing off on teammates.
Probably the same fans who want to hire Van Gundy now. :grin: Things you won't hear from Kevin McHale for $1000 Alex.
I made this same comparison on Twitter. It's spot on. The start to that year was AWFUL. T-Mac sucked, Yao was always in foul trouble, and our defense was terrible. Then, 13 in 35 happened. Also, Jimmy Jackson and Ty Lue got traded in the same week. By the time we got to the All-Star break, they were running off Ws left and right. I remember the game that was the official sign of the turnaround: http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200501120DAL.html When Juwan Howard went off on Dallas.
The way Lawson is playing he'd be in JVG's doghouse and JVG would force Morey to sign Andre Barrett to be the Rockets starting PG.
Maybe, but a record of 51-31 just isn't good enough. That'd make us like the 5th or 6th seed at best. Likely a first round loss.
No defense Thornton doesn't fix the D. Thornton's fool's gold. Play him in crunch time only if want to watch your team lose.
