Ok................everyone has been posting there predictions this year and I have to say that some are rediculus while others have made some strong points. I really have no idea how this season is going to turn out, but every year there is a team or 2 that comes out of no where and makes a run for it all. Everyone in this post forum knows that we have the talent and the coaching to beat anybody, but we are also really young and raw. But I want to play the what if game, to open up every ones thoughts. what if Steve Francis stays healthy for the whole year and again starts for the all star team and he has career highs in points, steals, and assist. what if Mobley wakes up this morning and realizes that he is not the go to man, and he steps back like Stackhouse did for the pistons last year, and makes the team better by passing and playing harder defence. what if Mobley wakes up this morning and feels as if he is one of the best 2 gaurs in the league and he starts to pour about 25 points a night. What this be good? What if Cato realizes that he has been a waste of talent, and that he gets motivated to be our starting center, and he starts to average close to a double double and he is in the top 5 in blocks. What this be a good thing? What if Rice really is healthy and comes back this year with a vengence averaging around 15 points a game and leads are team in three points percentage and freethrows. What if Nachbar really is as good as he is being hyped? Could he be this year Paul Gasol (as in being really affective as a rookie) What if Griffin starst to turn into the all star this year. He has the whole package . He just need to put it together, but what if he does it this year. What if Ming really is the next comming to Shaq? (in a different way) what if he dominates as a rookie and becomes one of our go to guys? What if Rudy really knows how to put this team together. Do the have a shot at being a top seed in the west? These are so many what ifs but some will come true this year. This team has so much talent at almost every possition that I sit back and smile when I look at our team, but this is the year that they come back to show the NBA what Houston Basketball is about. I am predicting that: Houston is atleast the 4th seed in the west. Ming and Nachbar both make thew rookie team Griffin starst to show hiw true form Francis has a carreer year Mobley steps back for the team, and does a little more dirty work Rice shows some flashes of his old self Rockets win atleast 54 games!
If all your "what if's" were to come true, then we'd truly be one of the top two teams in the West. I think we'd even give the Lakers a run for their money. Even if everything didn't materialize as you had hoped for, I would think that the fourth seed could be possible. Let's just hope the injury bug doesn't wipe away our aspirations!
Sounds like a season where everything goes just as planned. Very rare in the NBA. The Rockets and all NBA teams will have some injury of adversity to deal with just like in seasons past. However, if a good number of those things happen, well still be in good shape and might be able to make the playoffs. In order for us to do so, well have to be better than one of the following teams. LA Sacramento Dallas S.A. Minnesota Portland Seattle Utah Clippers Phoenix I think we can be better than Phoenix, Clippers, Utah and Seattle. Overcoming the rest might be tough. So at best, maybe 7th seed in the playoffs at Sacramento? That will be tough!
I think we can be better than Phoenix, Clippers, Utah, Seattle, and Minnesota. But I teams that I think we can give them all they can handle, would be Portland, and Dallas, and we might do ok, against SA.
Offensively, I think we have the weapons to go head to head with anyone in the league. We have the best front court tandem in the league with a 7'6" center that can actually shoot from outside the paint, and pass. Plus we have a terrific variety of forwards that can slash, shoot, post up, pass, etc. That's dangerous! Defensively, now we'll be able to run our own "twin tower" setup with Ming and Griffin (ala Olajuwon and Sampson). With those two clogging up the middle, it'll help our guards out tremendously. We should see more rebounding, more blocked shots and hopefully more outlet passes to Boki, Mobley or Francise for the easy jam! I predict we are 2nd in the West behind the Lakers, providing the following doesn't happen: Yao Ming doesn't hit the wall early from lack of summer off. We don't go back to the one-on-one, dribble-dribble-dribble ball that we've grown accustomed to watching. The injury bug returns.
To be the 2nd seed behind the Lake Show, well have to win at least 55 games. I dont see a 27 game improvement in one year. 45 to 50 wins is more realistic. I dont see us being better than Sacramento and Dallas.
I think that if the first of those assumptions, coupled with any ONE of the last few assumptions, will make us the 4th seed. There is so much talent on this team. Our backup C can start on 10 teams, our backup PF's can start on 10-15 other teams, our backup SF can start on 8 other teams, and our backup PG can start on 8 other teams too. Think like this: If you remove our starting line-up, we're still better than last year by MILES AND MILES. Without our starting FIVE PLAYERS, we're still not the worst team in the league. Cato Griffin KT or Rice, depending on who you think is the starter Torres Mooch If Francis produces last year's numbers plus one assist, minus one turnover and if Cato OR Ming plays good, then we're #5. Like that, the only teams better would be LA, SA, SAC, and DAL.
I know that I'm being highly optimistic, but this is the first time I've fealt this good about a Rockets team since we had Olajuwon, Drexler and Barkley. A 27-game improvement is quite a stretch under normal circumstances, but remember that last year's team was basically assembled with bandages. This year we've got all of our players back (keep those fingers crossed fellas!) with the addition of players that will add another dimension to both our offense and defense. Also remember that year before last, we almost made it to the playoffs and if it hadn't been for the dreaded injury bug, we might have been there last year.
I am a huge Rocket fan but a realist. We are bringing in two players that have never played in the NBA, we dont know how long it will take them to adjust (it took Nowitzki, Stojakovic, etc. a year or so), plus Ming hasnt had a break in a year or so. Cato hasnt proven anything, Rice's knee is still not 100%, Taylor cant even practice. The only givens, realistically, are Thomas, Griffin, Francis and Mobley. Alot of IFs. I have no doubt well be improved. I think Rudy would be happy if you told him his team will definately win 44-48 games. Remember also, I think the record for improvement from one season to the next is something like 25 games. And I believe that was either David Robinson's first year or Tim Duncan's first year with the Spurs. Yao Ming is alot of things, but I think wed be placing alot of pressure on him to think hell produce the same numbers that Tim Duncan or David Robinson did in their rookie years.
I don't know about our record but we will make some noise in the playoffs. We will be the team nobody will want to play in the first round.
what kind of crack are you smoking? i love the rockets and i am excited as hell over the team but lets come back to reality...our 3 guys with the most NBA experience are Rice (13), Cato (5), and Moochie (5). Outside of that our core for the future Francis, Mobley, Griffin, Ming, Nachbar and Taylor have a whopping 12 years of NBA experience combined. The west is too deep with veteran teams for us to do anything better than 6th. Talent and potential are wonderful, but there is still something to be said for chemistry and experience.
I never said that I thought Yao Ming would post up Duncan or Robinson like rookie numbers. That would be expecting too much, though it could happen. What I'm hoping for is that with Yao Ming's outside shooting touch and his passing abilities, when he does move out 20 or more feet, the defense must move out on the floor with him. He will create space for our athletic gaurds and forwards to slash towards the basket and get easy shots, something we've been lacking for the last couple of years.
If experience is what get's you to the championships, then why wasn't Portland there, and how in the world did New Jersey make it to the dance?
portland had no will to win or chemistry...and i said the west is too deep. the rockets don't play in the east. if they did then i would agree with you that they had a chance to get the #2 seed. the west is so far ahead of the east...it is sick
what is the record for the largest turnaround by one franchise after drafting a player? I know it's San Antonio after drafting Duncan, does anyone think we can match/beat the record? I think if Ming is going to be all that, it would be great if we could break the record and start his career off like Duncan did his. Lots of press would come to the Rox too.
If all the things you said come true we would be an a 55+ win team. No joke! Last year wasn't a true measurement of our teams talent. The 45 win season before that was more accurate. Thus, if the things you said happen, then 10 more wins is NOT out of the question.
I won't water down another's enthusiasm....'t'would make me a semi-hayta....but I would think a more realistic goal would be to reach the playoffs, at about the #7 seed. #6 would be about as high as we could hope for this year. Probably. I'll take #7. A healthy Rox team might be able to take the Spurs (probable #2 seed) in the playoffs. Now, that's me offering an overly-optimistic assessment. David Robinson will break down; we're better at the other spots (1, 2, maybe the 3, and depth at 5). It all might depend on how well Rudy rests Yao through the year.
