Which of last year's playoff teams do the Rockets jump past this season? LA, SA, and SAC are obviously at the top. Dallas should be good again, assuming that Don Nelson doesn't find a way to screw things up. After that it seems like a big crap shoot to me. The Blazers keep finding ways to lose. Utah's another year older (die already). Phoenix will be garbage. Seattle will be garbage after Payton leaves. The Clippers could shock the world. Golden State may make some noise. And the Nuggets are the nuggets. Rockets finish anywhere between 8th and 5th. Keep in mind that we just gave away the greatest team athlete that Houston has known <b>and</b> we also let Olajuwon go.
I don't think the Suns will be as good w/out Kidd and Robinson and we should be able to pass Minnesota, who only finished 2 games ahead of us.
Rocketman15: I guarantee that ppl on this board are going to raze the hell out of you if you don't find a way to shrink your font size down to normal.
I don't think it would shock the world if the Clippers made the playoffs; however, it would shock the world if the Warriors made some noise.
AMEN!! Ain't that the truth!! Might as well type in all capps if you're going to do things like that (but please don't).
Phoenix are our only hope of making the playoffs. I honestly beleive we'll improve on last year, and once again will be the best team to finish outside the playoffs. San Antonio won't fall out of the Playoffs. Neither will Dallas. Not Sacramento. Not LA. The Jazz got Amaechi, and Stevenson is a year older. Minnesota have their 5-years running playoff team, withe Joe Smith returning, and Loren Woods in the C position. Blazers are too good to miss it. Our only hope is that Penny and Marbury can't co-exist, and I'd put my money on THEY CAN'T. Also, Marion won't be as good without Kidd. Thy lost their best defensive player for Buechler and John Wallace. Tsakalidis is their C. Gugliotta will be playing heavy minutes for the first time in a year. they've got their tiny problems here and there. We have to capitalize on them. Don't count out the Sonics either. Booth is much better than what Ewing was last season. Payton and Vin aren't going anywhere. Look for renewed commitment from Baker. Desmond Mason will be past his rookie year, and his defense is an asset. Boot, Vin, Rashard, Mason, and Payton? Sounds tough. But we're just as good or better. If the Rockets commit themselves to defense on every possesion, Offense is a GIVEN.
YEAAAAAAH!!! DE-FENSE!!! DE-FENCE!!! Either way you spell it, if one of our leaders steps up, they all step up! They all step up, we make the play offs. We make the play offs, I'll go CRAZY!!...yup, short trip...I know... OH, PLEASE, let the season start already!!!
Good post Sane. Phoenix will be the key. Even though they gots lots of talent, many of their players are injury prone. Their main key will be keeping Guggs and Penny healthy. They wont make the playoffs again w/ them injured, not w/o kidd. kidd makes average players better, and can make the team better, but marbury cant do that. But if everybody stays healthy there goes a spot.........Plus they will probably will the season series vs the rockets because of Marbury
Don't discount the injury factor. Should Malone or Garnett or key role players go down for extended periods, the Rockets, if healthy, could pass a team or two in the standings.
I don't think we should assume the Twolves are going to be in. They've gotten there consistently for the last few years, but they haven't been improving much year-over-year. And this offseason isn't an exception: I think the Rockets have improved more over the summer than they have and I like our chances against them.
Have to disagree with you on this. I think that only the Fakers, Kings, Spurs, and Mavericks are locks right now to make the playoffs. The Blazers are talented but they have no chemistry whatsoever and they are just one Rasheed Wallace outburst in complete implosion. Afterall, Quitten is supposed to be their leader, does that tell you anything? Got to feel sorry for Mo Cheeks who may have the most thankless job of all-time. The Spazz are getting older and lost Manning. Unlike Olajuwon, Barkley, and Drexler, Malone & Stockton never get hurt, but if either one of them got hurt this season and played in only 55 games, then the Spazz are in some deep s***!! Phoenix's team is alot weaker this year, imo, with Kidd and Robinson gone. They were lucky to get in the playoffs last year. I think that they could miss for the first time since I don't know when. Minnesota? They got Joe Smith back!! Whoopee!! He doesn't help them to become any better than what they've been. They too like the Suns were lucky to make it last year. Rockets have a better team than both Suns and Wolves and the Blazers and Spazz could both really have problems this year. I think the Clippers could make a run for the last spot in the playoffs, but after them there is no one else other than the Rockets that did not make the playoffs last year that I think could make it for this season.
Preseason seeding: 1. Lakers 2. Sacramento 3. Dallas 4. San Antonio 5. Portland 6. Rockets (w/ Rice, Moochie and decent backup 5) 7. Minnesota/Clippers/Utah 8. Minnesota/Clippers/Utah 9. Minnesota/Clippers/Utah
I think the Rockets, if the Rice deal goes through, will be a better team then Minnesota, Phoenix and Utah. Minnesota, other then adding Woods who is a question mark, have not improved at all. Phoenix has gotten worse, trading away proven players for the talented, but questionable Marbury. Can he carry a team? We'll find out. Where will their outside shooting come from, and they lack size. Chemistry is also an issue, this is a COMPLETELY different Suns team. The Jazz also lost Polynice, Vaughn, Manning, and probably Starks, so who is going to be their 2-guard? Quincy Lewis? We'll see. Stevenson? We'll see what he can do. If they re-sign Stockton who is their backup PG? Who is their other big man outside of Ostertag? Where is their bench? They will be thin off the bench, with no backup PG, and very little versatility, meaning their older players will have to carry more of the load. I see the Jazz breaking down around midseason.
The T-wolves didnt lose anybody while getting Joe Smith and Loren Woods. The Rockets lost Dream and SA, while getting Rice and EG. Its hard to say the Rockets have improved more than them at this point until we see Rice's production and also how we address our center needs. I think Terell Brandons health is one of the main things that could keep the T-Wolves out of the playoffs. Otherwise they will get themselves a spot. They dont have loads of talent like other Western conference teams, but they have good chemistry. Another thing is that while everyone dogs Joe Smith, he might be a guy that maybe fits their system, kinda like Mo fits ours. He doesnt have great stats but maybe he fits thier chemistry well, and gets along well w/ teammates. Think about it, anyone who doesnt watch Rocket games and sees us giving Mo 48 mil would think we are nuts!! But we as Rocket fans know how MO, even though he only got 13 and 5.5 last year, deserves every penny for the chemistry he provides. I still think phoenix's spot will be up for grabs ........
I agree with Sane in that it could really be up to Phoenix whether the Rockets make the playoffs. I'm trying to figure out why people are saying Utah is suddenly going to go from a #4 seed, leading the Midwest for a good part of the year, to suddenly dropping out of the playoff hunt. Huh? The Rockets are not going to duplicate their record vs. the East last year--it just won't happen. And I wouldn't knock Joe Smith, he would be our starting center if he played for us. Hakeem put the Rockets in the playoff hunt last year, and he's gone. Shandon started every game for the past 2 years. You don't just lose guys like that and not miss a beat.
Actually Minnesota has lost a guy that was a key part of their team last year and whom KG was extremely high on, Laphonso Ellis. He averaged about 10 ppg and 6 boards, not great numbers, but only 2 points and 1 rebound short of Joe Smith's. Ellis also shot 46% from the field, compared to Smith's 40%. So really Minnesota has only added Woods, so I expect us to overtake them as well as Phoenix, and maybe even Portland.
Joe Smith wasn't added to the Wolves, he is replacing LaPhonso Ellis. That's why I don't consider that an improvement. The Rockets will add fire power and more versatility. The reason I think the Jazz will drop from the #4 seed is because they lost their back-up PG, and haven't replaced him. They haven't been in a hurry to re-sign Stockton, and even if they do Stockton may play a ton of minutes. They lost a ton of versatility in Danny Manning, a stabile veteran off the bench who could play all 3 front court positions, and their starting 2-guard in Starks, and replace him with young players who haven't played a ton of minutes in Lewis and Stevenson. They also have lost Polynice, and haven't replaced any of these guys. Where is Utah's bench? They are thin up front AND in the backcourt, and they have gotten older and more injury prone. Injuries slowed down Karl Malone last year. He didn't play at the level he usually plays at, and you're asking him to play MORE minutes next season?
