Will the Rockets be the NBA's #1 defensive team by the end of this season?

It's really hard to say because we're so inconsistent with who's playing, who's not, etc.

I'm going to guess no, but if we get everyone back healthy by the 2nd half of the season and get our game together, we could make a run at it.

 

The Celtics are leading the league with a 97.9 Def Eff, and I see no reason to expect that to change very much. They proved last year how good they are defensively. The Rockets Def Eff is currently 5th, at 102.4. If they are to catch up with the Celtics, they'd have to play defense at an unprecedented level. That's not happening with his group.

 

The celtics have been the best in D since last year.

I don't see them giving up the throne so easily.

 

I hope our offense picks up the pace and we can't keep our scores down as a result. Not quite to GSW levels, but you know what I mean.

 

I think that Cavs wont keep it up.. Celts will

 

Probably.........

but artest needs to come off the bench with yao and mcgrady out. Thats were we win with him and landry scoring off the bench.

 

I don't see any realistic chance of the Rockets catching up to the Celtics either.

That said, I do expect the Rockets to finish in the top 3. But that's to be expected...what's more important in my opinion is for the offense to improve significantly and become a top 10 offense at least by February. Obviously you need some continuity personnel-wise to make that happen.

 

If healthy and if they can aquire another shotblocker I could easily see them in the top two.

 

There need to be more answers to the equations first.

 

Number 1, not sure, top 3 likely, top 5 yes. We have great defenders, but as a team we have to work on our D.

It's kinda hard to judge our team aganst teams in the East, since the East is a little easier.

 

At the end of the year it is either Houston, Boston or San Antonio.

 

we could be the top in the league at #1 if we get deke back and get team chemistry going and some better team defense instead of just playing defense for a few minutes and then letting up we need to do it all 4 quarters... and consistently... I think we are just inconsistent with the defense as of late... since GSW scores over 100 each time we face them...

 

Our defense is good, but even last year we had been slipping from the level we had under JVG. Artest will stem that tide a bit, but not completely. I expect a top-4 finish in defensive efficiency, but nothing more.

If we really want to get in the championship picture though, it will have to be by improving our offensive efficiency. Right now we are 18th by Hollinger's standards, whereas we are currently 6th in defense. Boston last year was #1 on defense and around #10 on offense. We were around #2 and #16 respectively.

 

Top 3 or Top 5 will be a easier goal.