When you are the youngest team in the league and still fighting for playoff position, with plenty of potential to improve, AND have max cap room available, you don't need a top 5 player. Still won't stop tankers from complaining, though.
I needed the clarification, I got so used to you going out on a limb that I thought you were proclaiming we had a top 5 player.
We barely won more than 40 games with a more complete squad the last few years, and won only a few more than 50 when we had Yao and McGrady. I am warming to the Harden deal, but how do we have a 45 win team on our hands? That's insane.
Odds of Harden improving to a top 5 player are approximately 100x higher than Houston tanking and drafting a top 5 player.
Even if there is only a 10% chance of Harden becoming that player, your statement is still 100% true. Approximately.
I am still shocked that Morey was able to turn Martin and some picks into Harden. I thought Martin was just gonna get hurt and be untradeable. I get happier with the deal the more I think about it. Great trade! Anyhow....you said we have 2 of the better closers in the NBA. Are you saying Jeremy Lin is a top closer? Also, we can go double up on the tip jar bet that you lost last season. I think without any other major moves it is impossible for this team to finish anywhere near .500. At best we will be 10th in West imo. I pay $100 if we are over .500. You pay $100 if we are under .500.
Sorry. New kid in town, but I'm willing to take that wager. But along Vegas lines of 33 wins. Or we'll meet in the middle at 38. What say you?
All I want is competitive wins & losses...I tell people all the time you don't know about these new look rockets so stop talkin about them being sorry and or trash tankers.......sidenote I'm super excited for all the dunks we are gonna see this yr
did homeboy just predict this team is going to flirt w 50 wins???? that's absurd. how many times did we win 50 with yao and tracy? 50 wins... ha!
Vegas has 33.5, I am saying 45-50, or 47.5. I will meet you half way at 40.5. Lin, Harden, Asik all miss less than 40% of games due to injury etc. $200. Whatever. I already have almost 2 grand at anywhere between 28.5-33.5. Risking a little pride on top of that won't hurt much.
I don't know if you can use present tense on it just yet, but the only evidence we have is from last year and last year he was indisputably a top closer[1]. #2 in 4th quarter PER behind Chris Paul. #3 in points per play in isolation. #3 in shooting percentage off the dribble. This was not just during "Linsanity". Under Woodson, in a structured offense where he didn't have as a high a usage and deferred to Melo, his production was top 5 among point guards while going 5-1 with three wins over play-off teams.
People think because we were competitive with veterans we will continue to be that way with young guys. History shows that inexperienced teams don't win in this league and we are one of the most inexperienced in the league and have zero chemistry. Anything over .500 is a pipe dream. You don't just step on the court and start winning more than you lose in this league. We will struggle greatly early on.
Notoriety / popularity is what gets you the calls from refs. Right now we have two of the most popular guys in the league.
No rookies in the starting lineup. Two rookies TOPS getting rotation minutes. We have a young team, but it is not as inexperienced as people say. This is a team capable of playing .500 ball.
This thread will definitely be revisited after the season for "I told you so's". Very gutsy, interesting prediction. I do agree though that our defence is better, not so sure about the 45-50 wins...
If people project our win/loss based on last season's stats of our starters, then 33.5 wins sounds about right. I also have to agree to CXbby that Rockets have to good chance of reaching 45+ wins. 1. Harden will not be playing under the shadow of KD and RW. 2. Lin will not be playing under the shadow of Melo and Stat. 3. Asik will not be playing under the shadow of Noah. What does it translate? Room to grow! The core above is young and they all will be given the free rein to take their game to the next level. This will never happen if they were still with their respectively teams from last year. Will they falter or will they thrive? From Asik and Lin's work ethic this offseason, barring any injuries, chances are good that they will thrive under the situation, especially with much of the media pressure off of Lin. Harden is somewhat unkown at this time. Here are some takes from Harden's and Thunder's fans: http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/showthread.php?9606-I-predict-Harden-will-struggle I have also read it somewhere before the trade that he never wanted to be the 'apha dog.' He took comfort in playing behind RW and KD. Which means Lin will have to step up his play and leadership role on the court and divert some of the pressure off of Harden when he is guarded by the best defender. If Harden plays up to his advanced stats from last season with more shots attempts, with a few percentage off his TS%, takes his game to a level above, and jells well with his teammates, Rockets can abosolutely have a 45+ season.
