The Rockets are currently sitting at 12-24. They have 46 games remaining on the season. With Steve Francis in the lineup, the Rockets are 11-7 for a winning percentage of 0.611. We will assume that the #8 seed will finish with a 41-41 record this season. To finish at 41-41, the Rockets need to go 29-17 through their remaining 46 games. Our .611 winning perentage with Francis in the lineup is nearly equivalent to the .630 percentage we would be playing if we went 29-17. Which makes me believe. With the emergence of Eddie Griffin as the defensive threat Hakeem Olajuwon provided late last season, and the emergence of Steve Francis as a true superstar, can we realistically still have hope for this year?
The truth. YES we do. But they have to start the run now, they cant put losing streaks together. They cant also flip flop the wins and losses. Its really possible, with the way Eddie is playing, this team can make the playoffs. ITS STARTS NOW.. CLUTCHCITY HAS TO RISE.
Realistically........NO These are my prediction for the rest of the season. I think we're gonna go 23-23 January @Philadelphia-W @Toronto-L @Boston-W @New Jersey-L @Atlanta-W Dallas-L New Jersey-W @Charlotte-L Golden State-W @Dallas-L Record:- 5-5 FEBRUARY Charlotte-W Utah-W @ Cleveland-W Memphis-W Orlando-L @ Washington-L @ Milwaukee-L Minnesota-L Boston-W LA Clippers-W Record:- 6-4 MARCH @ Phoenix-L @ LA Lakers-L Toronto-W.......Hakeem in town!!! @ San Antonio-L Golden State-W Utah-W Seattle-W @ Minnesota-L Chicago-W @ LA Clippers-L @ Sacramento-L @ Seattle-L @ Golden State-W @ Utah-L Sacramento-L Phoenix-W Record:- 7-9 APRIL Seattle-W San Antonio-L Memphis-W @ Orlando-L @ Miami-W @ Dallas-L Portland-W Memphis-W @Denver-L @Portland-L Record:- 5-5 Final record 35-47 Lotto bound
Okay, people need to stop predicting losses at Seattle! THE ROCKETS ARE WINNING THAT ONE BECAUSE I WILL FIND A WAY TO GET COURTSIDE SEATS EVEN IF IT INVOLVES CRIME! Seriously though, the playoffs are still a possibility. All the Rockets need to do is bring their top effort to every game. And, they need to do well against the east again. I have a feeling that the injury problems are over. This is just a matter of the Rockets sorting out their on-court problems. Finishing this mont 7-3 is a real possibility. That would make the record going into February 19-27. That's already just single digits under .500. This is what the Rockets should strive for: January @Philadelphia-W @Toronto-W @Boston-W @New Jersey-L @Atlanta-W Dallas-L New Jersey-W @Charlotte-W Golden State-W @Dallas-L Record: 7-3 Overall: 19-27 FEBRUARY Charlotte-W Utah-W @ Cleveland-W Memphis-W Orlando-W @ Washington-W @ Milwaukee-L Minnesota-L Boston-W LA Clippers-W Record: 8-2 Overall: 27-29 From there, it's between Houston, Seattle, Utah, Phoenix, and the Clippers for the final two spots, assuming that all those teams stay around .500. The Rockets need to take care of the east, and their home games. Even if their record is 25-31 after 56, they still will be within striking distance. It all starts with the final ten games of this month. Especially next week, when they play four games in five nights. If they can win three of those four, then I think the Rockets will be fine.
Looking at everyone's predictions, I have to say the Rockets will beat the Mavericks. Dallas won't win 3 out of 3 in Jan/Feb, that's for damn sure. Here is the game I think will be fun to watch, and possibly the most important game for EG: Houston vs. Memphis: Steve Francis vs Jason Williams and Eddie Griffin vs Pau Gasol. EG should start....make this a game for rookie of the year. If EG can dominate, this would cast serious doubt on Gasol, the leading ROY candidate.
Anything is possible. There have been a number of things that have happened this year that I didn't think, realistically would happen, but they did anyway. It is way too early to count the Rockets out just yet - we've all seen how quickly a team can go from contender for playoff spot, to ****-heap, back to contender again. I say it is entirely possible.
What's with all the lack of faith against the Mavs? Those particular predictions just happened to stand out to me, as the Rockets have owned Dallas for quite a while now.
I know this isn't popular, but Mobley is the key. We know what we're getting from Francis and Griffin, but Mobley has to return to his old form of being a big time scorer. If Mobley can emerge as our 3rd offensive option then we're in fat city. It's going to take more then 2 guys to get us out of this hole let alone make a playoff run and win a championship in the future.
I think people are taking Eddie too much for granted. He's had a few nice games. But hell, so did Shandon Anderson and Bryce Drew. If he can average 16/7/3 for the rest of the year and Francis stays healthy... sure the Rockets can make the playoffs. But I don't know that he can yet.
Can the Rockets finish at .500? I think so. Will .500 be good enough to get in the playoffs? I don't really think so. But anything is possible. Regardless, time is getting short, so these next few games against the East will be an important barometer. They have 13 games left till the all-star break. Of those, only 4 are the type where you would say going in the Rockets should definitely win this game. However, if they can go 9-4 in those games, to have a 21-28 record at the all-star break, then I'll say its possible. Otherwise, I'll just be going to the games to see them slowly improve and EG continue to develope.
JayZ, i like that 21-28 at all star break. The only problem is, other than Phoe and La, the other teams thats ahead of us are playing some pretty good ball now. Anything is possible, but I don't think its really possible. I think it would take a season ending injury to Phoe,Seattle,Utah, or Port stars ,Marbury,Payton,Malone,or Rasheed for us to make a run. Even games in the preseason that looked like locks are going to be tough like the Grizzlies.
I agree, but I cant realistically hope for any better than 9-4 over the next 13 and if they do that I have to be optimistic. My most optimistic hope is for them to finish the season at 44-38 (going 32-14 the rest of the way). I think this is way too high, but given that theyve been in essentially every single game at the end since Griffin's breakout vs. the Lakers, it's possible if they can just put a few more things together. My most pessimistic outlook is to play out the rest of the games at .500 and finish 12 games under at 35-47. If they split my expectations they'll be near a 41-41 mark, but I don't think this gets it done personally. We'll see in the upcoming weeks.
I think I smell Amare cooked in Yao Ming sauce... <B>Top Ten Ways to Improve our 2002 Lottery Chances</B> 10. Tierre, Tierre, Tierre! 9. Insist only Joey Crawford, Bill Kennedy and Steve Javie work Rocket games. 8. Sign Mario Elie 7. Any player who isn't old enough to drink yet stays on bench 6. Fire Rudy. Hire Les. 5. Forget the injuries, start Rice and Taylor immediately 4. Rudy to Cuttino: "It's up to you to win it now" 3. Implement Project "Cato Runs Point" 2. Bring back Hakeem Olajuwon 1. Steve Francis goes on Injured List with "5-month migraine"
Foxsports gave us a good write up, and they said we awere a dangerous team with the Franchise back and that we could be dangerous and playoff bound... He also said it was a crock that EG is not in the Rookie challenge. Check it out, I felt like a proud father after reading it.....
See the thread titled "Even in struggles young Rockets show hope" The article is printed there. http://bbs.clutchcity.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27442
