The next 10 games will tell us who we really are as a team

I'd be ecstatic with a 7-3 record. It's doable. If they win all their home games and lose at say the Clippers, Thunder, and Heat. The good news is they only have 2 back-to-backs in this stretch and one of those is at the Magic.

 

The Rockets have just hit a soft part of their schedule and happened to pull out the close games they played.

I don't feel like they are clicking on all cylinders.

 

Morey said that... also Sampson said something to that effect as well... part of why Morey said in passing it is possible to see a 2-3 win increase NEXT year normalizing all other factors (injuries) with this same team on the court.

 

That's what you call building winning experience. A lot of playoffs games will be close, so getting battle tested is very good/important for this young team.

Go Rockets

 

The Rockets are winning more of the "soft games" than they were and they are also closing out games far better.... however I agree with you that the team can play better.

For example they have blown some big leads in recent weeks that are not acceptable.

 

I'd like us to beat atleast 2 of the top teams. I wouldn't be suprised if we beat Miami out of all the top teams we face during this stretch

 

I think the biggest difference is that Dwight Howard has been hitting his free throws.

That is crucial in close games.

Dwight misses free throws = tough to win close games.

Dwight makes his free throws = good chance to win close games.

 

I predict 7-3 during this tough stretch.

 

praying for 7-3, optimistically expecting 6-4

 

if only lebrons nose stayed broken..........

i'll be back guys im going to miami for a couple hours

 

No way do the Rockets win games like the one against the Wizards and Suns earlier in the season. And regarding those blown leads, at least now they're surviving. They lost at Dallas earlier in the year when the blew a big double-digit 4th quarter lead. This last time there, they won(and without Harden on the 2nd night of a B2B I might add).

 

Find it funny that we haven't played Miami yet.

 

I'd say Rockets this season is good enough to wins game over the Heat at home and at least one game against the Clippers on the road.

7-3.

 

If we put away those 3 "easy" ones and split the rest we are good for 6-4 or even 7-3. You will never know, it's such a tough schedule we might lose an "easy" one and get hammered by the rest for 2-8?

 

I agree with you on both points.

Blowing leads and coming back to win close games is a sign of progress.

The next step is to put those teams away. You can look at the Pacers last year as team that made that jump this season. It just takes time.

 

looking at that schedule i'd be pleasantly surprised with just a split. despite our recent success, this team is by no means polished. beating the top teams requires imposing your will on the other team and forcing them to play at your pace and against your best options in their best spaces on the floor. i don't think we're at that level yet.

 

I say 7 wins, but 6 would be okay too. Any less than that would be a disappointment.

If we can split the Miami series I say 7.

 

If we win more than 4 it will be because:

1. We make a significant shift towards small ball with Bev and Lin in the backcourt and Parsons/Harden at the forward spots.

or

2. We make a significant shift towards getting Asik over 20 minutes a game even if it means playing a few more minutes alongside Dwight.

 

That Clippers game is going to be tough. Why do we keep getting all the tough teams on the second night of back to backs?

 

Damn, this is really where we find out what the Rockets are made of. I'm ready to cheer my ass off.