One thing the Rockets do not have a lot of is consistency. The last two seasons have been big long roller-coaster ride, with streaks that make the Rockets look like 5th seeds or a dead lottery bound team. The last two weeks is almost exactly how the last 2 seasons have gone. First, we started off going downhill. A heartbreaking loss to Pheonix, and soon after the announcement that Hakeem Olajuwon's season is over with a blood clot in his leg. Everyone is thinking our season is doomed, and we climb back up. In a 3OT game against Indiana, Moochie Norris delivers an awe-inspiring performance to lift the Rockets to a huge win and gets their confidence soaring. This got everyone back on the playoff track. Next we get a game vs the Nets that everyone expects us to win. Although NJ made it tough on them, a fortunate missed lay-up late by Marbury allows the Rockets to take the win, and they go on to play a huge game against the Spurs in town. The Spurs game took a lot of heart, and after this for the first time the Rockets were right there with Minnasota and Pheonix. A superb shooting game from Matt Bullard is what really allows the Rockets to get back in the game in the 2nd half and they go on to win it with everything going great. Cato is actually playing defense, and everyone is playing up to their role. Next, on to Sac-town looking to prove that the Spurs win was not a fluke. However, the Rockets are robbed during the middle of a comeback run when Steve Francis is tossed for basically nothing after a dunk. The Rockets never recovered. Although the loss hurt, it was excusable because of the ejection. The next loss, however, was not. The Rockets lost the season series to the Clips 3-1 with a very poor effort. They made a nice run late, but could not come through with a win. Afterwards questions of heart came up, whether or not the Rockets really wanted it. Finally, the latest letdown in Seattle. A game many thought they could not lose after undergoing two bitter losses before. But, once again, they could not come through. The Rockets were in it, but when it was time to take the win a layup is missed by Francis, and Ruben Patterson gets a point blank layin that all but seals it. Francis gets off a jumper to try and tie it, but (although he may have been fouled) it falls short. Hopefully, for the next 12 games the Rockets will go up, instead of down. They have let the playoffs slip out of their hands a bit, but it is not all gone yet. Every game from now on is pretty much must-win. This is the time when true playoff teams show up, so we will see if the Rockets deserve it in the next 3 weeks. ------------------ [This message has been edited by DieHard Rocket (edited March 25, 2001).]
