So this team is getting all sorts of attention for this 20-game win streak. It's been awesome, but I feel that we're going to be held to an unfair standard. The only teams that have won even 19-games in a row were amongst the greatest to ever be assembled. This is not one of those teams. What seems to be lost in the coverage of this streak is that this team has really only won 8 in a row. The first 12 wins came with Yao. If Yao was still on the team and we had continued to win all these games, then I'd feel much more confident heading into the playoffs. But this current team has really just gone a relatively more modest streak against a winnable schedule. The timing of it happening just after we reeled off 12 in a row with Yao is remarkable. But I think the best way to assess this team's capabilities as it heads into the playoffs is to not see us as a team that has won 20 games in a row but rather a team that pulled together in the face of adversity and won 8 games (and counting) in a row. It knocks a bit of luster off this run, but it rings a little more true to me.
No individual players has won 12 or 8 in a row. The TEAM as a whole has won 20 in a row. It takes 5 not 1.
Man.. are we bored waiting for the game tonight or what? LOL I don't care who was on the court when it happens. This TEAM has won all but 4 games in 2008. Please get here fast game time.. before one of us says something we will regret
I don't think that's accurate. We're not the same team that won 12 games in a row with Yao. Yao isn't just another role player. He played a huge part in our success. We some how were able to recover from that loss, but this is a very different team right now.
Wonderful, someone else belittling another fan for bringing up a point that's not all happy happy joy joy. Why can't you be a fan and let other fans voice their non-offensive opinions?
I'm not trying to belittle the streak. I think, all things considered, it's remarkable. But, realistically, if we want to thump our chests and act like the current team we are putting on the floor is a team capable of winning 20 straight, that's a bit delusional. And we'd be setting ourselves up a for a huge let down when the bubble eventually bursts. I think the way we've been able to rally after Yao went down is a great, inspirational story. But people around the country who are looking at the length of this streak should not hold us up to an unfair standard.
if you want to be technical, the first win came without tmac. then mac came back. then yao went out. then landry went out. so there have been 4 different "teams" in this streak: no tmac, no mutumbo: 1 game streak no mutumbo: 11 game streak no yao: 5 game streak no landry, no yao: 3 game streak so "this team" heading into the bobcats game has really only won 3 games in a row.
To be more accurate, the team facing the Bobcats have a modest 3 game winning streak (no Yao, no Landry).
Not the same. We're going to be without Yao for the rest of the season. For all intents and purposes, the team that won 12 games in a row through February is no more. If we lose Landry for the rest of the year ... I do think that should temper our expectations even more. I think, psychologically, people around the country are going to think "Rockets ... 20 game win streak ... they should dominate in the postseason or else that win streak was a joke." I think that's unfair, because this team has not won 20 games in a row. I just feel we shouldn't make a big deal out of this 20+ wins number, because without Yao the rest of the way it's not a real indication of this particular team's capabilities. It's a great accomplishment for the franchise, but as an indicator of future success this year it is very misleading.
totally agree. we ain't gonna win it all like other 20-0 teams in the history, without yao. and worse, if we lose in the first round, we'll be the laughing stock around the league for being the first 20-0 team to fail get out of the first round. and i bet some of you would wish we didn't win 20 straight then.
Well said. The offense ran through Yao 70% of the time when he was playing. This is not the same team. Yao gave us a dimension that we just can't replace. The game against Atlanta is a perfect example. Rafer is a bring-the-ball-up-the-court point guard, he doesn't have the skill to create open shots for others. This puts tremendous stress on Tmac to score and create for others. I believe this team has been running on fumes a bit. Our defense will keep us in a lot of games, but we are not going to be able to score the ball efficiently enough against the good defensive teams. We don't have one guy who can dribble efficiently from the 3 point line to the hoop, so if you close out on our shooters, you really disrupt our offense. We are going to have to utilize Landry and Scola in pick and rolls to be able to probe the paint. We need to face a team that Tmac can dominatge against, so he can fulfill his palymaking roles too. If Tmac doesn't go off, we have no chance. He has to get in a rhythm to dominate and I feel he can do that against New Orleans and Phoenix and perhaps Dallas. Any other team will beat us easily I believe. PS. Landry can be the key because he's the only great finisher we have.
Right. Several weeks ago you probably didn't think we could be #2 in the wild West. Several weeks ago we hope we had a chance to even enter playoffs. So just enjoy it, 20 in a row is sweet. Of course I'm not sayin' po will be easy for us cause they won't be easy at all but everything can happen, we still have time to go.
