Look at the standing right now and the rockets are still 10th in the west but a are a game behind Utah and Portland who are both tied for 8th right now and 1.5 games behind golden state. The rockets at this point can be part of the playoff race if they can win the next two games against Utah and GSW both tough games but at least both are at home. I was looking at the schedules for the 4 teams fighting for the last 2 spots in the west. GSW is home vs NYK, @hou,@NO(b2b) and home vs Charlotte---They should win the two home games the two road games will be tough but so far this season and since Nellie got there the Warriors have had the rockets number. I think they end the week 3-1 losing to NO Portland is home against the hawks, cavs and the knicks. I say they'll go 3-0 even though the cavs are playing well right now Portland doesnt have an amazing home record for no reason. Utah is @hou,vs Spurs (b2b), vs knicks (seriously its seems like the knicks are just here to give Ws to all our opponents right now), @wash, @mem(b2b) I think the jazz will go 3-2 (most likely losing the against the two texas teams) Hou- Jazz, GSW, @ind, @mil (b2b) --i think we can beat the jazz GSW is a different story..ind and mil (with all of china watching) should be Ws. Looks like we can go 3-1 for the week. that would make (based on my "expert" predictions) GSW 29-19 portland 28-18 utah 28-20 hou 27-20 that would put the rockets 1.5 games still out of a playoff spot...a lot really hinges on that GS game if we can somehow win that we can be in great shape heading into the soft/home heavy schedule in feb. of course most of my "predictions" for the other teams are based on games that you think they could lose, no real upsets (like NYK winning any of the games against them) of course they could be an unexpected loss here and there for any of the teams. thoughts?
the way I see it, I look it at just making goals one step at a time, first it was reaching .500, check, second is reaching 5 games over .500, check, next goal is 10 games over .500, we just have to WIN and let the rest of the teams do their thing, which is hopefully lose...
er...maybe you are right.I am cognizant of that's too difficult for us to get in the playoffs pic before Feb.but if we get 3-1 as your prediction,there is no doubt we'll eventually be in the spot of playoffs,time is the only problem. BTW,I have a strong foreboding that we can beat Warriors,it's time!
On Hollinger's Playoff Odds page, we're projected to be the 7 seed, Portland the 8, Golden State and Denver out. Our record is projected to be 48-34, and that's without any of this "second half surge" posturing. That means given how we've played for the first 45 games, 48-34 is what Hollinger predicts for us. That doesn't account for any expectation of improvement, just continuation of what we've done earlier. That means 50+ wins is an EXTREMELY realistic scenario, since our schedule from here out is easier than what it was before.
We are already a 46 game winner and we ARE going to play much better than a 50% team the rest of the way. Baring injuries we could even make 50 wins. We would have to play 26 and 13 to do so. Now that we are finding ourselves we can do it! Have the faith baby- things are looking up!
I said it in a recent "No way we're making the playoffs" thread and I'll say it again here: 50-52 wins, and we'll battle the Jazz for the 5th spot. After the Portland win, we've got 22 home games and only 17 road games. If we continue to play well, that's a HUGE advantage over some of the current #5-#8 teams. Denver, for example, is a poor road team and they have 5 more road games than home games from here on out. The Lakers will continue to drop -- they're without two key players and have made drastic lineup changes to compensate: Kwame at center and Fisher and Farmer at PG and SG (which is which?). Call me crazy, but I say only the Hornets, Suns, Mavs and Spurs will finish above us.
The schedule to end the year is ridiculously tough. 10 road games out of the last 15 overall. Quite a few against potential playoff teams. It won't be easy.
We've gone 9-2 in the last 11 games. Even if we should lose one of the next two, take a look at the schedule for February. It's a cream puff buffet all month with only two tough games against PDX and NO.
