Forget our playoff chances -- no real fan should ever root for their team to tank

There is nothing wrong with you feeling this way at all OP. But am I not a real fan because I think a certain course of actions will get our team a championship the fastest? Wether or not you agree with me is one thing, that's fine. But I think we can all agree we are Rockets fans here, no? We just disagree about the direction of the team.

 

Morey didn’t tank because ownership didn’t allow it, not because he thought not tanking was good for the franchise.

 

Nice post. This team plays with heart and tries their very best. I have really enjoyed watching them play; win or lose. The difference is we are now developing young talent. This is something we have not done for sooo many years. I love it. Salud.

 

Sorry to tell you bro, Morey wanted to tank, that's why ALL his proteges do it. He just wasn't allowed to because he was employed by 2 owners that neither wanted to spend money on getting over the hump (CONFERENCE FINALS), nor lose playoff revenue in a pretty big market by missing the playoffs. The Rockets are very profitable even as an 8th seed, but that money never comes back to say “hey use me for luxury tax”.

There's something irrational you want and believe in and that's cool, but that's not how an organization committed to winning is run. No one cares how anyone won. Superteam, tanking, shortened season, whatever. Just get the f'ing ring, it's been 20+ f'ing years you should be furious.

I'm sick of "almost there just need luck". F*ck THAT. Tilman is never going to pay what it takes and he will always says he would "if only bla bla bla". Picks is the cheapest way, and it's the most successful way.

Also, if you're really a fan, you'll cheer and enjoy the young team that will try to win under a great coach. Who the hell can't cheer for a top college prospect?

 

I dont buy tanking as a legit strategy... look at all the busts every year... throw away a whole year and end up with a Thabeet or similar... look at all the lottery busts that DM traded for on the cheap - and they still didnt work out... lol
naw... tanking can ruin a teams culture (which we are currently trying to rebuild) and hurt your fan base - for a crap shoot shot at an unproven lottery pick... and Kawhi was still available at #15 ("treadmill of mediocrity" pick) - so there's that - lol!

now if it gets down to the last few games, you're already eliminated from the playoffs, its been a dismal injury riddled season - and yer jockeying for the bottom positions... maybe you 'rest' a few guys or shut em down for the season as a 'precautionary measure'...

 

How did you feel when the Astros won the series? Well, that’s due to sucking butt-hole for a few years. Well, here we are. We have done mediocrity for 8+ years... no ring! So you wanna keep doing what we have always done? And expect a different result!? We have a new team new culture and new flexibility. We stay the course and flip these badly injured players for better ones. You ain’t getting past Lebron now. We’ll be ready when he retires. Plus, we gotta let Tillman make some money so he can get us some nice shiny players. It takes a true fan to go through a rebuild... a bandwagon fan wants instant gratification. P.S. there is tanking and there is strategy.

 

I’m with you OP! A winner isn’t built by losing! Culture of winning matters! That’s what Houston is about: winning

 

Morey was about to tank by trading Lowry for picks, letting Goran walk and signing Lin. Then James Harden trade happened.

But I agree with you though, I don’t want tanking as well.

 

"I know that sounds crazy, but if you’re an NBA general manager like me, the last place you want to be is in the middle. There are only two outcomes there: Either make the playoffs and be first-round fodder for one of the premier teams or miss the playoffs and pick somewhere around 11th to 14th in the draft. Either way, the odds are that you stay in that middle range. It’s a recipe for disaster."

Sam H.

 

did someone call in the tank squad?

 

I think you're posting on the wrong Rockets fansite.

"To close the 2001-2002 season, the Rockets lost 15 of their final 18 games, setting themselves up to get Yao. Be honest -- you probably didn't remember it was that bad. All that you really remember is that we got Yao. You don't remember the games, what lessons were learned, what "winning culture" was implemented, what Rocket players or coaches are still left on the team.

Just Yao." -Clutch

 

I am sure Bradley Beal does not want to tank either.

 

Rockets fans (me included) are spoiled honestly

Not with championships but with elite talent throughout the years

Media attention, premiere rivalries, national games, etc

I was with tanking at first but it's something about rooting for an underdog that feels special

You create culture by scrapping wins & proving people wrong

Though Miami hasn't won since Lebron, they are the perfect example of this

Even Toronto pulled through 1 season. SA plays hard every game.

Culture must be established with or without championships. Otherwise your franchise is a bottom feeder for decades.

 

Yaoza man we actually lucked out to even get the first overall pick, we leapfrogged quite a few teams with a worse record. Franchise helped us got him.

 

Might have to disagree here, we sure ain't spoiled with our own drafted players.

Portions, Capela were nice players though.

Haven't had a really high lottery player since Yao and Rudy Gay (for Battier) that we drafted ourselves.

 

Yep, loser mentality. They can put a spin on it however they like, but I'll never agree nor be one that wants to lose. Losing doesn't guarantee anything. How many busts have there been in all sports, especially basketball? You can hit on mid to late round picks, and miss on top picks. I want to always win even if the probability isn't that great.

 

Rockets tanked to get Ralph Sampson and Hakeem as well.

Got rid of Moses Malone, former MVP at the ripe old age of 26 for Caldwell Jones and a first rounder, setting up a 14 win season to get Sampson

The next year they were better due to Sampson but managed to lose 8 of the last 9 - magically - and tie for the worst record, the last few games were great, in order to salute 38 year old Elvin Hayes final season, where he was playing 12 mpg, he played...53 minutes (all 4 periods plus OT) in his last home game v San Antonio (fortunately managed to lose by 1) and then flew to Kansas City and put in 35 on the second night of a back to back.

Winning culture was rebuilt the next year.

 

NBA Teams are learning this year, that they dont have to officially tank ... they only need to trade for Westbrook

... and tell him to "do your thing!"

 

Players don’t tank(unless they are trying to force a trade). Players and coaches usually want to win and play to win. Tanking is done by the GM. The GM can trade talent for picks, or he can suggest to the coach to let the young guys play.

So, you can have tanking and good effort by the players at the same time. You can root for the the players even while tanking is taking place. If Tucker and Oladipo are traded for picks, and the Rockets are very cautious about playing Wall and Gordon too many minutes, I guess you could say the tank is on. But, you can still root for the young guys to have a good game. In other words, let the GM worry about tanking. Just enjoy watching the young guys grow as players, and don’t worry about wins and losses.