I looked up the schedule from last year, and one year ago after 22 games, we were also exactly 13-9 riding a short losing streak. So far Yao has taking baby steps forward, but Steve has taken a step back. The defense has definitely taken a step forward, but the offense has taken a step back. I was convinced that we had improved and that this wave of pessimism on the board was unjustified. However, if you look at the only numbers that matter the W's and the L's, there's not that big a change. However, I do believe that defense takes over down the stretch and we will still make the playoffs. There's been roster changes: Kenny, TMo, Eddie, and Rice are gone, and been replaced by JJ, Pike, and Padgett. But I mean our roster is not significantly better. I think that ultimately this is a player's league and while I expect JVG to take us to the playoffs, I don't expect any miracles Rudy couldn't perform. I mean every chef is limited by their ingredients right? You can't make filet mignon out of hamburger meat...
You're right. You can't make a cake if you don't have flour. A passing point guard that can players involved in the offense like the Jazz is the flour that gives the cake its fullness.
It's a good thing Eddie showed his true colors now. Having CD reward his inconsistent play with a big contract aka Maurice Taylor would have been worst. At least the Rockets aren't committed to a long-term deal. Yao is making around $4 million. He's got 2 more years to prove he can be worthy of a max contract. Steve got his max contract and then proceeded to go into the tank. This is the NBA with a salary cap. Guys who make max money but can't deliver at least a playoff berth are almost worthless. Look at Eddie Jones. Warriors dumped Jamison before he could become a Brian Grant. Warriors wised up. They had that stiff for 5 years, and he couldn't cut it. He was making max money. They dealt him as fast as they could for anything.
Guess where they were three years ago. 13-9. Take out the 28-54 injury-plagued season, and the Rockets have been the same team since 2000. This team is hopeless.
Have a look at our player efficiency: Where we are now: PLAYER Total Yao Ming 0,58 Alton Ford 0,46 Kelvin Cato 0,42 Scott Padgett 0,42 Steve Francis 0,41 Cuttino Mobley 0,40 Maurice Taylor 0,39 Torraye Braggs 0,37 Mike Wilks 0,31 Jim Jackson 0,29 Bostjan Nachbar 0,28 Eric Piatkowski 0,24 Moochie Norris 0,24 Grand Total 0,39
That's bad! As the eternal optimist I've been convincing myself that as long as we're winning everything is going ok - but you've just shattered that!! I think the next couple of game are really big now - if we win our away back to back against Minesota and Cleveland things look a LOT better - two losses there is 13-11 and trouble! The good news is that if we replicate last year except for the end period where 'Mr Mean' took over for Rudy then we should still make the playoffs!
posted too early: Numbers are for EFF per min (PTS+BLK+STL+AST+TOT)-((FTA-'FTM-A')+(FGA-FGM)+TO))/min Where we were last year: PLAYER Total Yao Ming 0,61 Kelvin Cato 0,53 Steve Francis 0,52 Jason Collier 0,46 Eddie Griffin 0,45 James Posey 0,41 Terence Morris 0,37 Cuttino Mobley 0,37 Tito Maddox 0,34 Maurice Taylor 0,34 Moochie Norris 0,33 Glen Rice 0,30 Juaquin Hawkins 0,24 Bostjan Nachbar 0,21 Grand Total 0,43 and just for the blues, where we were in 1995 (incredible Olajuwon and team!): PLAYER Total Hakeem Olajuwon 0,80 Clyde Drexler 0,65 Sam Cassell 0,51 Otis Thorpe 0,50 Scott Brooks 0,50 Kenny Smith 0,47 Chuckie Brown 0,46 Zan Tabak 0,45 Robert Horry 0,44 Mario Elie 0,42 Pete Chilcutt 0,41 Carl Herrera 0,41 Vernon Maxwell 0,36 Tracy Murray 0,29 Tim Breaux 0,24 Adrian Caldwell 0,22 Charles Jones 0,22 Grand Total 0,50 But here is the catch, here is where our opponents are now and were last year (EFF/G): 2002-2003 2003-2004 101,80 88,43 That is where the big JVG improvements is, and it actually outweights the francis slump and overall team decline
I don't know about that. The west is a whole lot tougher this season. It's going to take more than last seasons record to get in.
i never realized we were at the same record as last year... ...but we do also have a new coach and system, and i still believe a lot of the teams in the West will fall and show their true colors (Utah, Denver, Portland)...I believe we will be better than them, and that we're one good trade away from contending for home-court playoff advantage....
You also have to remember Steve was going off for 30 a game at this point last year. The rockets would of been better off last year letting him do that the whole season instead of passing more.
All in all I feel we are bit ahead compared to last year. New Coach New system ( offensively and defensively) multiple roster changes Same record at this point last Still winning without Steve having to score 30 per game Granted, I expect better things from the Rockets but they are doing well all thing considered. They should get better on offense and defense. They should start developing better chemistry as they together more I have not had my socks knocked off but I can see light at the end of the tunnel. Although , if some of the players don't come around by midseason, there may very well be a trade.
I don't see the Rockets doing anything with the current roster. It doesn't look good for the future, either. If the Rockets trade Steve and/or Cat in the offseason, there's no guarantee that Yao can carry the team, which might cause even more losses, causing Yao to sign with a contender, which means we might be in the lottery for five or six more seasons. We could be the Clippers of the 21st century.
Oh my god dude... cheer up. You see how the New England Patriots have won 10 games in a row with not that much talent? It's chemistry. What if some randomly develops? Plus if we ever trade steve or cat, we'd get something back right? What if those peices carry us to a dynasty? Could happen. Don't give up just yet.
They should end up better because they don't have to worry about integrating Ming into the offense. That was a problem as the year went on last year - determining what he could and could not do, how much to use him, etc. Also they probably won't lose their coach again this year going down the stretch, or have to worry about Ming falling apart again.
Now that JVG has done the only two things he is capable of: 1) teach them and convince them to play defense, and 2) totally destroy any west offense in favor of boring east style ball (see #1) Let's go back to the future and hire a real coach...
