And here we go, a few wins and people talk Championship, a few losses and people are freakin out. Guys, relax both ways. We aren't really a contender, but we're better then the Denver Nuggets. Might the pass us? yeah, but i still think Houston will be the 6th seed at the end of the day. If I'm wrong, people will say I have "no credibility"....but I really think this team will finish the season strong.
I agree with NYC... the Hornets game was a serious problem, and the Suns game was close till the 4th quarter, the effort was there against Golden State but they were unconcious with their shooting!! In other words, it's a tough stretch we've gone through, but if we have the same effort against the Lakers then I truly believe we'll win. We don't need 40 from T-Mac, but we do need that kind of effort. Sura is back and I see him and MJ coming around on their outside shots and doing a better job of penetrating. Unfortunately the Rox ran into a buzz-saw against G.S. The Lakers are ripe for us, with or without Kobe. Maybe we can even blow them out early and rest our stars to help them be ready for Seattle... Everybody offer a little meditation, prayer or animal sacrifice (just teasing PETA pals) to the God/Gods of your choice and ask for a little of Sura's toughness to rub off on the others!!
BTW guys, I think Minny and Denver play each other Friday night, so if we can just beat the Lakers we'll pick up a full game going into Seattle!!
With the way the Nuggets and T-wolves are playing right now, and how we're struggling, there's an outside chance we can miss the playoffs altogether. We have a VERY tough schedule in our last 7 games with Seattle twice, the Suns, Memphis and Denver. We've been struggling with our offense due to in part by T-mac, YAO, and Sura to an extent being sort of banged up. Also the fact that our bench players cannot hit the barn from the hay has definitely taken a lot out of our two main stars in the fact that they've been performing mostly up to their potential, but I think they feel that most of the burden is on them to carry the team and it causes the entire team to lose confidence & composure within themselves. This is because the bench hasn't been able to shoot worth a lick from the outside, Sura and Barry are a little banged up so we haven't gotten much out of them, and David Wesley has been shooting terrible as of the last five games. To put more gasoline on the fire, we haven't been able to get to the foul line as much as we should and I know sometimes the refs miss a call or two. Heck I've seen several instances where the player harasses YAO and they let it go while calling him for the same ticky-tack foul down the other end. The main reason though is because we're settling for jump shots and we're not taking it to the basket enough. We're still taking over 20 three-point shots a game while we're cashing in only 20 to 25 percent of them because we're used to taking them. Thus we take ourselves out of the position to draw fouls on the opponents and its the reason why that we're getting much less foul shots against the other team the past several games. The reason why some of the posters on here saying that its not the opponents defense and its us missing shots because the teams are leaving us wide open on purpose. We haven't been able to cash in on them and we're not driving to the basket to draw fouls, so we're not getting to the foul line. Its still hope and time to right the ship, but if you look at Minnesota's schedule, Denver's play as of late, and our schedule, if we don't get mentally agressive on offense out there, then its a very real chance we miss the playoffs. Denver and Memphis games will be HUGE.
The only way we can hold on to the 6th seed is by winning our remaining games, simple. To hope for other teams to lose is just plain stupidity. Hence, the rockets should just focus on winning and stop hoping for other teams below them to lose or they will lose track of their ownselves!
The Magic Number for the Rockets to clinch is 5. That's any combination of Rocket wins and Minny losses. Record-wise, we can't let Minnesota play four games or better than us the rest of the way.
with the injuries Tmac and Yao have, it does not look good at all. At the beginning of the season, how many would have thought Suns and Seattle will have such a turn-around season? In the middle of the season, how many would have thought Denver and Wolves will make a run at the end of the season? Just a week ago, how many would have thought Rockets will battle for a playoff ticket. And just a few hours ago, how many would have thought Juwan is done for this season? Well, this is the 1st season Tmac and Yao play together and with the continueing change to the line-up, I guess people shouldn't be too upset if Rockets don't go far in playoff. After all, Rockets are still in a re-building process.
It's more than that. For one, look at the Rockets remaining games, compared to Denver's. Denver has a great shot at passing us up. What does that mean? A first round matchup with the Spurs. The same Spurs team where we beat them once, beat them another time miraculously because of T-Mac, and lost to them, at home, even though they didn't have Tim Duncan. The Spurs are the LAST team ANYBODY would want to face in the first round in the playoffs, let alone, in any series. They're just THAT good. Couple that with the fact that Juwan Howard is done for the year, then things are starting to look bleak.
Bleak? Bleak? Was it over when the Rockets lost the first 2 games at home in the 1994 semifinals against Phoenix? Was it over when the Rockets were down 3-2 in the Finals that same year? Was it over when the Rockets faced a 3-1 deficit in 1995 against the Suns? Was it over when the Nuggets were down 2-0 to Seattle in 1994? When the Red Sox were down 3-0 to the Yankees in 2004? When the Buffalo Bills were down 35-3? (OOPS- sorry, shouldn't have mentioned that). Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? NO!! It's not over until WE say it's over!!! The Rockets are going to the playoffs, baby! 2 years in a row! And this time, they're going to make some noise.
As soon as I saw the "Bleak? Bleak?", I knew there had to be a Germans bombing Pearl Harbor reference. Very nicely done.
I saw the T-Wolves dismantle the Jazz last night. They and the Nuggets are hot. Fortunately they play each other on Friday but we can't take anything for granted. It doesn't matter if one of them loses and we lose. Every game is important from here on out.
Nuggets have a tough remaining schedule. Three back to backs WITH travel. Four games in five nights to close out the season. Rockets don't have any more back to backs. It would take a Rocket's collapse for them to over take us in the 6th spot. Don't worry.
I still have faith in the Rockets. It's just tough knowing that Howard is done, T-Mac, Barry, and Yao is a bit dinged up, and Wesley is in a slump. All this, at the worst possible time. Like I said, I still have faith in the Rockets, but I'm not as amped as I was two-three weeks ago.
I don't mind seeing the Spurs in the second round... but not in the first round!!!! OK, I am having nightmares at this time. Someone help us!!! OK, here is what we need to do. Yao set a hard pick (you know, the one with his legs sticking out) on Earl Boykins... It will be over!
I still think Rockets can hold on 6th seed if they don't collapse. Look at the remaining schedule for Houston and Denver. Assume Rox can take Lakers tonight and give Denver two wins against Hornets and Blazers, they will tie at 45-31. They will play Suns, Grizzlies, and Sonics and play with each other at Houston. The difference are Rockets will play clippers and sonics again who have nothing to gain. Dever will play desperate T-Wolves and up-and-coming Warriors. Let's be optimistic for now. But if Rox finally can not have a better record than denver, it would be very disappointed.
i wouldnt exactly use your terminology and say our lives are on the line, and i wouldnt exactly say we BETTER beat seattle because it is a road game (even though we have played well on the road) and we are playing a team with an excellent record.
