Hey guys, new to Clutchfans but long time Rockets fan. My question is, I've been rooting for the Rockets to make the 8th seed in the West since we've been on a roll after All-Star Weekend but the more I thought about it, the more it made no sense. What's the point of the Rockets making the playoffs, playing the the Spurs or the Lakers in the first round, and most likely be eliminated? Before you say I don't have faith in the Rockets, I wanna say I do. I loved how we beat the Blazers and took the Lakers to 7 games despite losing Yao half way through. But, looking at the roster right now, I don't think we are as good defensively especially after trading Battier. I thought the whole point of the Brooks and Battier trade was to rebuild the Rockets anyways so shouldn't we try to get a good lottery pick? Thanks guys for any input. P.S. Kyle Lowry is a boss.
No I have and I'm very impressed. I just don't think is good enough to beat the Lakers or the Spurs in a best of 7.
This draft is crap, and we're talking about the difference of what, two spots (unless we get incredibly lucky in the lottery)? Play to win. Especially since there probably won't be a season next year.
Reasons TO MAKE the playoffs: 1. The players obtain playoff experience. If they taste it, they will even play harder the following year in order to obtain a higher seed. 2. You increase the value of your players. If you are one of those that likes to think of the Rockets players as assets then the playoffs showcasing is highly desirable. 3. The players get paid more as there are playoff bonuses. Happy players are more likely to stay. 4. It will show what this core can do without a supreme player. Therefore, free agents might want to join us. 5. In general, the majority of the teams that do not make the playoffs are considered losers. That perception is transferred onto the players and the franchise itself. 6. The only probability that Rick Adelman, or any coach in general, keeps his job is if he makes the playoffs (or have post-season success). I could keep going... but I think that I have made my point!
Technically if New Orleans goes .500 (highly possible they do even worse) and we win all of our games (highly possible given how well we've been playing), then we will be tied. Do we own the tie breaker?
Typically the momentum of young teams making a strong push for the playoffs, or making the last seed in the playoffs pays off dividends the next season for their overall growth and momentum. Just look at Oklahoma City last season. That playoff run and 1st round series vs. the Lakers put Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant on the map officially and gave them great momentum this year. Ask the Spurs, or Lakers fans who they would rather face in the 1st round and the Rockets would surely be the team they would hate to face. The reason being... the Rockets, although they would be overmatched with talent and out-sized, they would fight extrememly hard and give everything they had to win that series. Even though the Spurs or Lakers would most likely win, it would be a hard fought 6 or 7 game series.
I believe this was Morey's plan all along (well since the All-Star break). Not just to fill the cliche of trying to win no matter what, but if we make the playoffs, it will showcase us as a Pistons-like team with no superstar..I'm sure we would steal several games and honestly take a series to 6 or 7 games..this could be a recruiting method to other stars that think they could put us over the top if they played in Houston. Either way, there is no looking back now, we have won to many games to purposely whimp out at trying to sneak into the playoffs. If we were gonna tank, it was have happened several weeks ago, or right after the ASB. We might as well try to sneak in, and whats winning a few games more and not making the playoffs? Thats only like 2 or 3 positions in a week draft, there can always be moves to move us up , let the GM/organization worry about that..to the PLAYOFFS!!!
What is this thread for? Do you think Rockets still have a choice? The playoff hope is practically gone after the loss in Philly.
This whole notion of no superstar on the Rockets and comparing them to the 2004 Pistons is getting ridiculous. The Rockets have no superstar yet because the likes of Martin, Lowry, Scola, have never seen time in a deep playoff run, and dont get the endorsement deals like Blake Griffin, Lebron, and John Wall because of the HYPE. You become a star one of two ways... you are either hyped coming into the NBA with endorsements, and media coverage because of... well just hype and highlights of your athletic ability, or you become a Star player by dominating and winning in the postseason. The Current Rockets team has neither yet but they could have the latter in due time IF they start making noise IN THE PLAYOFFS. If the Rockets win 50 games next season, make it to the Western conference finals, Lowry and Martin go off like they have been this year, and Scola works his magic... well they just might get a star out of that mix of players and make everyone on this board happy.
Honestly they are at the point where they have to try and make the playoffs. As of right now, we would have the 14th pick. If we lost all of our games, the ONLY way we can move up to 13th would be to see Phoenix win all of their games (which realistically speaking, probably is not going to happen). So tanking is not only pointless, but just flat out r****ded (basically, you have to be braindead to support it right now). It should be about going 5-0 and hoping for the best because there isn't anything to lose (even if it is a long shot). Playoff experience for a young team can be a good thing (can't possibly be a bad thing, a losing culture can be potentially much worse)
Actually no, because of our division record...we could end up with a 7-9 division record if we win out, NOLA already has an 8-5 division record, and if they lose their last 3 division games (vsHou, @Mem, @Dal), then they'll be 8-8, but if we end up in a tie with them, the head to head record would be tied at 2-2....so it'll go to the division record, so they'll get in because of that.... Sucks I know....so we'll have to have an overall better record than NOLA, but we can be tied with MEM and go to the playoffs....we own that tiebreaker 3-1...
I get what you are saying but disagree about Martin, Scola, and Lowry. Martin, not neccesarily a star player, is pretty close due to his above average scoring (23.4 PPG). Scola is obviously known for his international play even before coming to the Rockets, being one of the best players in Europe. Lowry is an up and coming star due to his play as of late, and he is also getting love by ESPN and other articles that have been posted here on CF. I am not saying that any of these players are will attract a superstar but if I was a betting man, I would think a star would be interested in the above 3 being possible teammates..and not to mention the young talent/bench that we have and managment by Morey. Otherwise I fully agree with the rest of your theory
At this point, I don't see much upside to tanking, and I say this as someone who was all for sitting the vets and playing the young guys once Yao went down. There's no realistic way we pick better than 14, even if we lose out. There aren't enough games left for our young guys to do any real developing. It might have been a good strategy 40 games ago, but that ship has sailed. At this point, we get more value by showcasing our talent in the playoffs, appearing marginally more attractive as a free-agent destination, and earning Les some more money to be spent on picks and trades. Besides, we are playing some damn good basketball. I doubt we beat the Spurs or Lakers, but we'll give 'em one hell of a scare
