Man this thread got me experiencing all the feelings. That 2009 team really had special potential if they just stayed healthy. It's unfortunate because that will always be their legacy. I have no doubt in my mind they could have won the title that year. Imagine if Yao never broke down and was able to usher the James Harden era to Houston in his twilight NBA seasons. How enigmatic would THAT be? The 7 and a half foot giant and the bearded wonder. Though, who's to say Harden would be a Rocket if Yao never broke down. That said, I'm taking the 2009 squad in a healthy 7 gamer. This years team already has a better legacy though. The NBA is a funny thing.
If getting injured is quitting, the NBA has a lot of quitters. Dude laid it all on the line the year before to carry a Yao less team to a 22 game win streak playing on one leg when he probably should have sat out and rested, so yall wouldbt have said he quit. It was such a serious injury that he never recovered from it.
A healthy Tmac and healthy Yao? This really is a fantasy match up. I'd have to say Tmac and Yao. Harden would have his hands full going against Battier, Artest, and then Yao clogging things up down low. Dwight always struggled against Yao and I would expect Yao wins this match up. Then you have the bonus of healthy (do we get to have motivated team player Tmac also? Or is that too much fantasy?) Tmac who could actually play good defense when motivated. I just think it's a really bad match up for Harden and Dwight and that's why I think this year's version of the Rockets loses.
That 2009 team was definitely our year. We were built to win a championship that year. It had an amazing collection of great veterans with young talent. Depth on that team was amazing, which was how we weathered those injuries till the biggest ones (Deke then Yao). Replace Rafer with Brooks, who was a rising star by the playoffs and I have to go with the 2009 squad. - Both Battier and Artest on the same team. They forced LeBron to go a whole game without an assist, which was never done before. Ying and Yang of defense, those two. - Brooks and Lowry at point guard is a billion times better than what we have at point guard even with Bev healthy. - While Deke was old, he was a proven back up. Capela can be great but not yet proven. - Prime Yao and Prime Dwight would make things interesting. Prime Dwight would stop anything except Yao post ups. Yao just had too much skill not to pick him. - I will finally give in and say Harden has surpassed McGrady in Rocket-greatness. But I think a healthy McGrady puts the 2009 squad over the hills. 2015 Rockets need great Harden performances to climb hills.
And you forgot that year: Kobe and Gasol and possibly a young Bynum are greater than the Splash bros, Bogut, Green, Livingston and whoever
Yao/Tmac/Artest team It had Scolandry, Battier, Brooks? I'm not saying its a landslide or anything, but usually Yao dominated Howard, and Tmac was still a touch better than Harden I think. If not, its so close that it'd be the next ppl to step up while they cancelled one another out.
