We're still in that 4-6 range. We needed to get a legit third option and have not as of yet. That's not to say we won't, but I can't see us getting into the top half and past the 1st round if we don't.
I think all the playoff teams from last year should still be strong, except maybe Denver. I'd put the Blazers ahead of them.
This coming season is going be the a tight race again for sure... I want to see the Rockets get the home court advantage again...
if we want to guarantee a first round advancement, we MUST get a top 2 seed. facing either denver or portland or mavs will give us a great chance of advancing. a 3/4/5 seed will make us either face the spurs/jazz/lakers/suns/hornets and that's not a guarantee.
I think a lot of people here are selling the team short. We were fourth the last two years if I'm not mistaken and that is with major injuries. Lakers will be tough as will the Spurs. I think the Hornets will be near the top, but I don't know if they'll do as well as last year. As for the jazz. I don't think people realize the impact Rafer has, especially last season. When he was in we had them. Look at the series again. I said during then that he was key and sure enough he went out in the last game we ended up losing. Like it or not, we would have beaten utah with Rafer all series. Injuries are the only thing holding this team back. I'm all for some moves to get a big third scorer, even Artest if he were on his best. I just want to see what a healthy team does.
Barring injuries this team has the second best chance behind the Lakers to win the most games. Take that statement for what you will; it doesn't mean we will get the second seed nor does it mean that we should. But a lot of great teams are older than us and SHOULD be more injury-prone as well. And take into account that Adelman is a fantastic regular season coach. All of it should bode well for us next year.
this team has never been healthy outside of the first yr of the tmac-yao era. we have to accept tmac will miss 10-15 games every year but he will play in the playoffs. yao looks like foot injuries will happen again (3 years in a row now), just hope reduced playing time can at least make it not season-ending. this team will NEVER be fully healthy. it's a prayer to see what a healthy team does. even when the playoffs rolls around, none of our main guys will be at 100%.
if we are healthy, i feel we are a top 3 team in the west, but that still doesn't give us a good chance at the title IMO. the west is filled with very good teams, but no GREAT teams, at least thats how it was last year. but now i feel the lakers move from very good to great with bynum coming back. we need another all-star or this team isn't going to do anything special. i hope i'm wrong but i just don't see it.
I agree we need a 3rd scorer, he does not have to be an allstar, he just needs to give us consistent scoring.
We need to be fully healthy (will never happen) a third scorer (all star) to be considered serious contenders. Keyword: serious.
Assuming no major changes, Lakers, Hornets, Spurs, Rox, Jazz, Blazers, Mavs and Clips. Suns, GS, Nuggest and Kings miss it by less then 4 games.
This is probably a bad way of looking at it, but let's look at this season. We start off terribly, going 15-17. TMac is even out for a while. Our lineup is not set, we don't have a rotation, etc. We're not even playing Landry yet, Rafer is not good, and simply nobody is playing that well except for the big guy. And Scola isn't starting yet, let alone scoring much. We finally get things down in January, and then in late February... We have Yao hurt for 30 games. Why? What held our team together despite the injuries and bad start? Defense. We'll still be that good at defense, so we'll win games and have a huge advantage there, even if Yao goes down for a while, or Tracy goes down for a while. We still managed 54 wins, and landed 4th in the West. We can add 6 to 8 wins to that total, if things go better. But that's just saying "last season without any stupid hitches". Well, with our defense, we could also add Western Conference Champions to that wishlist, so again, this is all dreamy thinking. Here's how we stack up at this very moment, which really means nothing (but it kills time at work)... (Ignore division rules, this is record-wise) 1. Spurs 2. Rockets 3. Lakers 4. Hornets 5. Jazz 6. Suns 7. Blazers 8. Mavs
Wow pass the pipe because some of you guys are just Biased lol... Seriously be realistic at least. 1st have we passed the first round? 2nd how many times does the jazz have to beat us in order for you guys to realize they are a better team than us? ( And I hate the F@$#%@ Jazz ) 3. Are we getting younger or older? 4. Where is our 3rd scoring/penetrating guy? Assuming if every single team is health: 1. Lakers 2. Spurs 3. New Orleans 4. Suns 5. Jazz 6/7. Houston/Dallas ( We will split the season with them ) 8. Denver I have not ranked Portland because we haven't seen what Oden can do but if he is half way decent Portland can go 6-8. They just need experience.
Hmmm let's see I will take #4 with fried rice and won-ton soup. Also throw in a extra egg roll please..
The Clippers will not be very good even with a healthy Brand and Baron Davis. The Warriors are out of the playoff picture as well and I wouldn't put my money on Phoenix being more than a first rounder goner. I also believe Portland is still another year or two away from making real noise in the playoffs (gotta get there first). The Lakers will be stronger as will the Spurs. Utah and New Orleans are also a real threat to get out of the West. Those are the only 4 teams that should scare the Rockets.
Rockets' ranking totally depends on how many games T-mac and Yao will play together. >75 -> 1st <40 -> lottery
I agree if Yao and TMac are on the floor for 75 games together, its not out of the question to win 60 games. Keyword if. I can't wait for the season. Only 4 more months to wait
wow, so we got a 24 year old guy with bad knees wearing down at the end of the season after only playing half a season !?!?! no wonder he only got a one year deal... NEXT i did, that's why i posted... 24 years old, wearing down, surgeries, half a season, GM wants more surgeries...the facts are there, you fail to put them all together...
i would seriously rather run Alston out on the court again before starting Landry...he WAS explosive, he WAS energetic, but then his knee got sore after about 15 games...are we willing to pay this guy alot of jack to do nothing !??!? bring a championship with players that can play 90% of their games...it doesn't take a genius to figure out that injured players ruin the chemistry of a team, even if they have returned less than capable...
