I think it's okay to be optimistic, but dont get down if the Rockets suck. And remember: none of this matters. have fun.
In that first preseason game, the Rockets looked so good against the Spurs that I too started getting overly optimistic. But then again, that was against the Spurs, possibly the worst team in the league. We'll have to see how the young Rockets do against better competition and (no offense SA) actual teams. By comparison, below is the preseason game between two playoff-caliber teams, the Bulls and the Pelicans. Still preseason, but a better reminder of what the speed and intensity of a real NBA game feels like.
I don't think we are gonna make playin but for sure we aren't gonna be dead last for the third year. Team is loaded with talent.
Tune in to the next game vs the Raptors.....they ain't the Spurs. Spurs are worse than we are. *side note: the future looks bright though. Silas talked post game where we haven't even practiced 1-in-4-out before the Spurs game yet. And how we only ran about 4 offensive sets.
This year it’s all about enjoying our young baby players develop. We don’t have to worry about anything. Next season we will have a more experienced team. We will have money to sign quality free agents. And we will have more draft picks coming in. I think next season things should start to get more serious. For now just enjoy the process.
Because the team is still too young and soft, and won't build winning habits under another soft head coach like Silas.
Watching the SL and the first preseason game should offer optimism. Positive moments shouldnt be riddled with qualifiers. This young team will have a fair amount of positive moments that should be celebrated this year. Im expecting a much better season than last in terms of quality basketball and team chemistry which I feel is the most important element on championship teams and dynasties. With all that said we'll lose more than we win THIS season because young players need to learn how to win. They need positive reinforcement when they lose. Understanding where along the way they came up short and HOW to be better prepared for the next time that moment presents itself and practice becomes experience. I see something special brewing here and I'd say within 1-2 more seasons this team will announce itself as the next big thing in the NBA.
That’s a lengthy and specific list of grievances you’re bringing to a light thread. None of which this poster has ever done, btw. Easy, I’m your friend out here, all right?
Due to the reasons Nook said (except coaching as tough to judge a coach with an inexperienced team*), the Rockets will likely be a pretty bad team. I will say, the Rockets are a good candidate for a huge rise at some point in the near future (though probably not early enough for it to matter this season if it happens this season except regarding lottery odds). * I think inexperienced teams need simple, and things should get more complicated as the players develop.
The team has talent although lacks experience. Given how young the core is, I expect extreme inconsistency. We'll look great one night and awful the next. With that said, I expect a significant step forward and we have a nucleus that can be very good in a couple of years. When our window opens, I'd like to see us trade for a veteran PG, similar to what the Bucks did with Jrue Holliday a couple of years ago.
Playing the Raptors in the preseason may offer a more sober picture of the team. When we played them early last season, we turned the ball over against their D and couldn’t create any open looks. That was painful to watch.
And Memphis/Atlanta before that. The Rockets are literally following the blueprint to relevancy that Mem/Atl/Wolves/Cleveland have used. Get young scoring guard, he goes supernova at the end of his rookie year, leads you to play in....profit. I dont see this as a play-in team...but I don't see less than 30 wins either.
The stockpiling of young lotto talent is by far the biggest reason for optimism. Just look at the odds. We at LEAST have one future all-star on this team right now. That’s something we couldn’t say during our post Yao “rebuild”. we have exciting young players who’s ceilings are super high. I don’t care about wins or loses this season. I’m here to watch and see which players are going to become the next franchise all-star.
Enjoy watching the young guys and hope that an inexperienced core who has never played together finds some chemistry. Who do you think the wins are going to come against in the west? Warriors: defending champs, returning everyone Mavericks: Luka Phoenix: experienced and talented Memphis: a team that can run us off of the floor New Orleans: Zion returns to a strong team that overachieved last year Denver: 2x MVP with a retooled roster and Jamal Murrray Minnesota: better than us Lakers: playoff expectations Clippers: Kawhi returns Kings: should finally sniff the playoffs after 20 years Portland: bad, but still has Dame We're a bottom-three team in the west with every incentive lose. We might only beat San Antonio and Utah consistently. Beyond what everyone else has said, we have every incentive to tank this season for Wembanyama because OKC owns our pick swap next season. This is our last best chance to get one more top pick during the rebuild. I really like the talent we're gathering, but hoping that we win more games this year is the same short-sighted thinking that fans who wanted us to win down the stretch last season had; If we'd won any more games last year in the name of "building a winning culture" we wouldn't have Jabari! Stone has done a great job of digging us out of the self-inflicted Paul-for-Westbrook-and-our-draft-future hole that Harden and Tillman put us in. That trade is the original sin of our rebuild and we have one more season where we need to be bad before the real risk of getting nothing out of the draft comes to fruition.
I respect the skepticism and realism, but the signs are not there that this is a normal young team. The signs are there that this is an outlier young team. I don't know if they will make the playoffs, but regardless they will smash average NBA fan/analyst expectations: According to GM's, the best young teams are: 1) Cavs 2) Grizz 3) Pistons 4) Pelicans, Thunder, Magic I would not trade our roster for any of those teams at this particular point in time. I don't think anyone on that list has a better/similar prospect to Jalen Green, except a healthy Zion. I'm a 100% believer that Jalen Green is essentially a Kobe Bryant clone, he will defensively lock down guards in important games while putting up his easy 25+ ppg. He has the clutch gene too. Jabari Smith is the rarest protoype in NBA history and a true unicorn, there are almost no DPOY-level players who are great shooters much less elite 3pt shooters. The 3 best DPOY who could shoot are: Kawhi Leonard, Ron Artest and Sidney Moncrief - I doubt any of those 3's best shooting season will be as good as Jabari's first season. People are going to say "Wow, who saw that coming with a guy that can't create"? Just wait for my "I told you so." The projected net impact of such a player is absurd, so it's logical to assume their rookie season will be highly unusual if he is a consistently hard worker and coachable. Everyone else will have a regular "young team" progression. KPJ is a firecracker, he could end up as good as our best or nowhere at all, and that's a great prospect to have on the roster. Sengun will qualify as an elite efficient scorer and passer the moment he can hit 34-35% on wide open 3’s. Tari and Christopher are ready to be great bench players. I have never ever heard a coach say about a team THIS young: they never stop working off the court. They love working together. They are always early. When has John Lucas ever said that about a team? Lol If Gordon starts all season, we won’t be able to avoid winning 30. Stone has put in all his chips for tanking this season - we barely have vets and the coaches are taking their sweet ass time installing the offense and defense. There’s no more ways to tank, this is the maximum other than benching Gordon. This team is not like other teams this age. I know it feels safe to say it will go as it has gone for other teams this age but I believe you’re jumping to an assumption and missing clear hints as a result. Something special is brewing here.
