Same feeling here. I hate to accept but it's the fact that we didn't achieve "substantial progress" as we supposed. If you review our record:here W L PCT GB HM RD CONF DIV PF PA ATRK L10 41 30 .577 11.5 26-11 15-19 18-24 7-12 89.0 86.7 Lost 1 6-4 Yeah. That's probably to be a bumpy road, I anticipate.
The Rockets are yet to "whole-heartedly" capture the hearts of thier fans. Fewof us are "really" convinced that this team can ever really make waves in the league, like Memphis. It is hard not to look beyond the season, because most of us are not convinced that the current group is going very far. I really really want to think otherwise, but the team's inconsistency is troubling. Many of us are longing to recapture that "Clutch City" feeling, that deep abiding thrilling identification with a scrappy, tough, smart, and talented team that will fight to the bitter end of every game and on any give night, can beat anybody. But, as I a long-suffering fan of the current group, I will take the playoffs. It has been a long time.
1) JVG has made huge changes in our team, but it would be pretty unreasonable to actually expect him to take us to the championship in his 1st season as our coach. 2) JVG had a huge loss in Eddie Griffin (a starter who was key to our core) and didn't get to start the year with Mo Taylor. Those are really big setbacks, and I think JVG has done VERY well in overcoming that adversity. Imagine how we'd be playing if Eddie had not been a bust? And Mo only started playing well midway through the season. It woulda helped JVG out a lot if he'd have started the season that way. 3) Almost none of our players have ever been in the playoffs. As a result, I think they lack a certain hunger. Once the playoffs start, they'll catch 'playoff fever'. Next year, they will probably play their games with a LOT more hunger and confidence (especially early in the season). 4) JVG will probably make the most progress of all over this summer (after this season). He will be able to spend lots of time analyzing the players' abilities to work in his system and also building solutions for the problems he's faced with this team. I honestly would prefer to keep our core team together after this season to see how they do next year. I don't buy into the "trade this guy" mindset at this point. If we don't have dramatic improvements next season, though, I will probably change my tune. -- droxford
