No worries A-Train. I believe I said the same thing a few years ago, when everyone thought the Rockets were a playoff lock, and I could see that they were doomed to fail. The Rockets win three in a row against some of the worst teams in the league, and now they're playoff bound. This team doesn't have what it takes to make the playoffs. They've already blown far too many games against crappy teams to make up for the losses against good teams that are about to start mounting. We'll see it start tonight.
Well A-Train and ZRB, who is going to beat out the Rockets for a playoff spot? They're currently tied for the 6th spot in the West, so 3 teams would have to leap over them, and they're currently about 4 or 5 games ahead of the 9th team, so who will beat them out for a playoff spot? The Jazz, Blazers and Sonics, teams who suck and are equally bad against good teams and conference foes?
Since we're dealing in facts A-Train, lets see how they hold up, I'm going to compare the stats of the Rockets and their stats vs the 3 main non-playoff teams battling for a playoff berth. I'm not going to compare the Rockets with Memphis and Denver, though those teams are comparable to the Rockets records, Seattle, Portland and Utah are the only teams that can knock the Rockets out of the playoffs, Memphis and Denver passing the Rocks mean nothing right now: Rockets have a crappy conference record - FACT Rockets 11-15 Portland 12-18 Seattle 16-14 Utah 14-18 Rockets have a crappy division record - FACT Rockets 4-8 Portland 6-8 Seattle 10-7 Utah 7-9 Rockets have a beyond crappy road conference record - FACT Rockets 13-14 Portland 8-17 Seattle 10-14 Utah 6-17 26 of final 32 games are against West, 13 of those on the road - FACT You can say the same thing about the other 3 teams. Seattle is the only one with a respectable record in a few categories and they're currently fading, falling apart without an inside game. So what do you see in that category that tells you that the Rockets will fall apart and one of those 3 teams will soar ahead of them? And there's no Suns or Lakers this year to shoot past them like last year.
Try 2-11...road conference record Also, count the games. The Rockets' poor conference and division records all come in fewer games. At a glance, the Rockets look like they have the toughest remaining schedule of the four teams... Don't worry, when it's all said and done, you'll all be bowing down before my greatness...
I'm going out on a limb and say that the Rockets will make the playoffs. I'm not totally optimistic about their chances but the way that some of the guys on this board run the Rockets down doesn't add up. Even the hard-core pessimist faces facts sometimes. The fact that the Rockets are in 6th place is good enough for me now and I see no reason to think that one of the lesser teams would be able to catch up to them in the second half of the season.
A-Train maybe a little pessimistic, but he does have some fact. Between playoff teams currently in the west, the Rockets have the worse conference record by about 4 games. They're the only current playoff team with a sub-.500 conference record. They've seem to develop a pattern when they win 3 or 4 in a row against the east teams or a cellar-dweller in the west. Then when they play one of the top teams in the west (DAL, SA, SAC) or even a team in the west similar to our record, we get waxed and psychologically lowers our self-esteem and we play careless for a few games in a row against the weaker ones. I think Steve Francis going to the Super Bowl was indicative of how after the 3 game losing streak, he figured "who cares if I miss the flight, I'll get the next one." and only was focusing on the celebrities and the game. Bottom line is A-Train has a point. We have 6 of our next 8 games at home to close out February with SA, LAL, and Dallas on the road. We're only two games in back of the Lakers, we need to win this one so it gets us a step closer to the tiebreaker and puts us a game closer to them as well. We really need to beat Memphis and Denver so in case Seattle or Portland makes a charge at us, we'd already have a playoff spot locked up. We're only 1-5 against Seattle, Memphis, and Denver.
It's very easy to be able to predict disappointment. If it happens, you're right and your hopes aren't crushed. If you're wrong, you're too pleased that your team did well to care that you made a mistake. And "I told you sos" about good things are pretty hollow when the other person is as happy as you are... The Rockets have a comfortable lead on #9. There are no clearly superior teams beneath them. This year it really shouldn't be a problem.
After watched Griz and Denver played several times against the big boys, I was really impressed with them. Griz is clearly a better team than us. They might have a long shot at the conference final. Denver is no worse than us either. Melo delivers more big shots than our guys.
Balanced out by the fact that they've played 3-4 more road games than any of the 9-11 teams. All your bull about the Rockets weak schedule is worthless. Even if we extrapolated their performance out based on conference records (regardless of home and away), the Rockets would finish about 21-9 vs. the East, 22-30 vs. the West. 43-39 A pathetic finish we can all agree. But if we took your formula and applied it to Utah and Seattle, here's how they end up: Utah ends up 23-29 vs. the West, 17-13 vs. East. 40-42 Portland ends up 20-32 vs. the West, and 18-12 vs. East 38-44 Seattle ends up 27-25 vs. the West and 12-18 vs. East 39-43 It gets even more pronounced if you do it by home and road records: Rox home: 29-12 road 20-21 49-33 Jazz home 28-13 road 11-30 39-43 Portland home 27-14 road 13-28 40-42 Seattle home 22-19 road 17-24 39-43 Most likely the truth will be in between and the Rox will win between 43 and 49 games. And the competiion will not. These teams are under .500 and are struggling for survival. The Rockets are 8 games above 500. 4 and a half games is a not insignificant difference, especially when you are dealing with lousy teams. Even if the Rockets have a disappointing season from here on out, those other teams are going to have to start kicking ass and taking names in order to overtake them. To get to even 45 wins, Utah will have to drastically right the ship and go about 20-10 the rest of the way. Considering that they seem to have strung together a couple of losing months in a row and have lost Harpring for the season, and spend 18 games on the road out of the remaining 31, where they are abysmal, there is no indication that that will happen...at all. Does it suck to have to root against the Rockets?
Great - I just finished doing the same calculations and it turns out someone has already done them Using Train's own logic there isn't anyone who will catch the Rockets... the 'best of the rest' will make it to 40 wins. I understand pessimism means that you won't get let down Train, but don't worry, when it's all said and done, you'll be bowing before the greatness of returning to the post season!
Come on, man...that's unfair... The positive of being proclaimed the Supreme BBS Master of the galaxy far outweighs the negative of not being able to post here...
You guys are looking at those stats with your head when you should be believing in the rockets with your heart i believe that they will beat those teams that you guys dont expect they will everybody should be a true fan i dont care if they lose this is our team... has anybody watched the mighty ducks and how their fans showed spirit? let us all bring our hearts and wish the rockets our love and respect if you ever have a child and he says he saw a ghost but you didnt believe him but it turns out youre living in a haunted house and the ghost is out to kill you.... well thatll suck......... now let me sing a song... i believe the rockets can fly i believe the rockets can touch the sky i think about it every night and day theyll make the playoffs and fly away
Read Sam Fisher's latest post - looking at the stats 'with your head' still has the Rockets in the playofs Believing with your heart is where we start moving up the playoff seedings...
We'll be revisiting this topic in a couple of months but I would like nothing more then, than to tell A-Train: I TOLD YOU SO!
why are y'all even arguing with A-Train? starting sometime last season, A has been over the top negative just for fun most of the time (kinda like ZRB but w/o the history). the fact he defends francis (and even the rockets) every once in a while tells you it's an act. i kinda like reading ZRB's and A-Train's insane pessimism just to see if they can top themselves, but at least with A-Train it's an act. you're not gonna stop posting, and actually you better not stop posting b/c we need the jokes, if the Rockets make it. if A-Train is actually this pessimistic about the rockets, i won't post here anymore, but i know that's not happening.
The Rockets are definitely going to make the playoffs. I have a feeling they may just go all the way this year. I'm serious. This team will be a much better playoff team. The knicks were a much better playoff team than regular season team and I think these Rockets under JVG will be the same way. This team will make it pass the first round this year, no doubt about it. Its been, what, five years since we tasted the playoffs around here, man I can't wait , its going to be fun around here come april and may.
