While true that it wasn't his fault completely, I'd argue that a better coach might have squeezed 4 or 5 extra wins out of even that bunch every year. Then instead of a roster that includes: Sengun Green Jabari Tari Amen Sheppard Whitmore ...we might have one more like this: Davion Mitchell Jalen Johnson Dyson Daniels David Roddy Taylor Hendricks Olivier-Maxence Prosper Matas Buzelis
Realistically, you have an entire conference that's playing less-than-mediocre, and another conference that's been playing mediocre while several teams also have injuries. I'll wait until at least mid-season to see how this all shakes out, and hopefully by then some of this stabilizes. Until then, it's going to be like the various "franchise" threads with a bunch of "I told you so's" every other game and "He still sucks!" the rest of the games. Let's see what team shows up against the Warriors and maybe against OKC (without Chet, but they're still good). The Twolves game will be interesting, but they don't seem to be the same team just yet and are still working through that trade trying to make people fit. But that could be another game to focus on. Portland snuck on them and beat them twice, so let's see how we do against Portland, though they've also got injuries.
I'm just as excited about the Rockets future than the Texans. Maybe more so the Rockets because of the QBs in the AFC.
Don't want to be a killjoy, but I think it's still early days and I really want to see where we're at in another month or two before I start celebrating our vastly-improved status. We're playing great, and I love it, but we're still one bad losing streak from being right around .500 like last season's team. Hopefully nobody in the organization is resting on their laurels and everybody is busting ass to maintain and improve on this early success.
We are better because we have Amen and Tari from the get go. We will get even better when those two are playing 32-35 mins consistently. We will be even better when we sign a SG that can actually shoot.
I said at the beginning of the season that I wouldn't look at our record, only our shooting. I'm enjoying winning and bullying people into submission on the glass, but our ceiling goes where our perimeter shooting goes. I think the winning is sustainable because it's not like we're shooting even decently right now, but when it comes to the biggest games, I hope our guys can light it up. Crazy to think how young this team is and what they could be if we keep them together somehow.
Texans are title contenders and set up to be so for the next decade while the Rockets are learning how to win. We'll see how the Rockets perform vs the best in the NBA as the season unfolds - the first crack at a contender resulted in OKC pushing our sht inwards. Is Stone going to keep this core together? Still alot of flux around the Rockets. Texans feel closer and better put together at positions of importance.
Texans are contenders this season in spite of mostly injury induced hiccups. Rockets are progressing nicely and if they don’t panic into a stupid trade will be contenders starting as early as next year. Astros are still contenders as well just need a little tweeking. Good time to be a hustonfan
Games were played prior to this season. The Rockets were good with Tari healthy last season. The Rockets were good last season once Amen learned how to cut, grab offensive boards, defend (i.e., not just get steals), and block shots. Sure, the Rockets were bad the two months between Tari getting hurt and Amen rising to be a Terror Twin. I just don't put much weight on those two months as Jeff Green, Tate, Holiday, and Bullock were the guys off the bench with Amen playing backup PG poorly. I was worried with fit as wing-Amen, Tari, and Sengun didn't play much together last season. I'm not sure the Rockets continue looking as good as they are, but I think they are a playoff team and maybe even a really good one.
Texans are in a great place. Still to play their best ball and in control of their division. They have demonstrated they belong on the field with anyone and if they can get some momentum going before the bye they should be able to put teams on notice after the KC/BAL games. Rockets are in the drivers seat too. They are positioned as probably the best young team in the NBA. They can do a myriad of different things and look to be stocked for a title run within the next few seasons. Not much of a baseball guy, but it seems like the Astros are on the wrong side of the apex. Reading they may lose Bregman? No money for starting pitching? Im not sold on their manager either compared to the coaches of the two other franchises in town. Best part of the year for me -- basketball and football going at the same time!
The Texans realistically aren’t winning this year, and once they have to pay CJ $60M+, it becomes a lot harder to win. Teams that had Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes have won the 7 out of the last 10 SB. Both played on contracts that highly benefited their teams compared to other QBs around the league. I’d actually take the Rockets chances at winning one before the Texans. Edit: Regarding your last post, FWIW I’d probably still take the Astros chances over either team.
The Texans may not win this year, but they are definitely contenders. There is nobody in the AFC that is wowing. KC’s record is smoke and mirrors. Our defense is absolutely elite and when you have an elite defense in the NFL you have a chance.
To each his own. I've watched the Texans duke it out with the best this year. They've won a few and lost a few. Thats while battling a dysfunctional OL and injuries to key personnel. I've only seen them one time look like they were pretenders and that was week 3 ever since then they have been solid and still havent peaked. CJ isnt due an extension until 2027 so seems like a weird jab to take. Rockets are barely starting to learn how to win. Let me see them win a playoff series first before I go crowning them anything. Astros have the pedigree and could conceivably win one before either team if the owner wanted to pay the premium in order to do so. That sport will forever be held in a headlock by the "big market teams" due to the ability to buy championships.
Lmao that's what everyone was saying about KC last year and look what happened. KC has a better defense than the Texans. You really think the Texans are going into Arrowhead and beating them in January? If the Texans had homefield, I'd agree with you.
There is more parity in the MLB than the NBA or NFL. There hasn't been a team to go back to back since 2000. The Yankees haven't won a championship since 2009. Also, the Astros are consistently a top 5 payroll so that doesn't even really matter in their case. They actually had a higher payroll (for luxury tax considerations) than the Dodgers did last year. And yes, I know he isn't due an extension until 2027...my point is if it doesn't happen next year or the year after, it becomes infinitely harder.
