Best record is extremely unlikely. OKC is 10-deep. Only chance is SGA being out for an extended period of time. They will eventually separate from the Rockets and Nuggets.
Yeah, that's my thought too. I don't think we can top OKC's record anyway barring major injury problems for them, and if we get too caught up in trying we may end up with injury problems of our own.
Players get hurt. I think OKC is by far the favorite for the No. 1 seed, but weird stuff happens more often than most people accept. I don't consider 10% extreme unlikely. I'm not sure the West doesn't have two 65+ win teams such that a few bad games could cost OKC the No. 1 seed.
Or else have stars with very little left for the playoffs... Although I guess that's almost the same thing. I hope we learned this lesson after the Harden era. Granted at that time the west was so deep, and our teams were so shallow that we had no choice but to burn out our stars... I think that, especially the depth problem, is less of an issue today.
Spurs for sure. Unfortunately I think OKC could weather losing Chet completely and still be contenders, albeit at least more vulnerable.
I'm not saying the Rockets shouldn't try to win every game. But when you consider J-Dub (a top 10-15 guy) hasn't played at all, they've had multiple games where multiple key players were missing and they are still 14-1 (9 of those on the road), you have to be realistic. I've said since the summer that 2025 is OKC's peak year. They will win as many games as they want to. The playoffs are their greatest vulnerability. I also don't believe either the Rockets or Nuggets will win 65 games. Still probably wouldn't be enough for the #1 seed if SGA plays 70+ times.
I think OKC has more than just Chet. I just think there is a decent chance one of Denver or Houston is better than expected such that OKC won't run away with it.
I consider realism to be the unexpected happens more than an extremely unlikely (<1%) amount of the time. I mean, you've mentioned SGA twice now. He's played more than 70 games only 3 of his 6 non-Covid seasons. I'm not saying there is a good chance the Rockets win the No. 1 seed. I just think that there is a lot more variability in sports than most are willing to accept. I do not believe the Rockets odds at the Number 1 seed are less than 1 percent (typically what I would consider extremely unlikely). I have no problem hoping on a 5 % outcome to happen.
SGA missed about 20% of games in his 7-year career. Can't say he's injury prone. But he usually missed some part of the season. Jokic is relatively durable. He played in roughly 90% of games in his 10-year career. But of course, OKC is deeper than the Nuggets. And Denver's second best player Murray is injury prone. I'd say Denver is more vulnerable to being ruined by injuries.
Not wishing any ill-will towards any opposing player, but if this trend holds true then hopefully the part that he misses this year is is ALL in the playoffs! ....... ....... .......
The chances are SGA will play more games than KD plus the fact OKC has an almost perfect roster for the long regular season are enough for me. Then you add in the Nuggets. If Luka has the career-best MVP-level season I've predicted, even the Lakers could become a factor. Everything would have to go right for the Rockets to just have a legit chance to finish #1 and then they still might not. We'll know more after about 30 games. I suspect by then finishing top 3 with healthy and rested players will be the main goal.
Sure. I never said we have a chance at the top seed, I would bet against it. The point was, in the West, seeding can make a big difference.
