If you consider the rockets last year to this year, as well as the other western conference playoff contenders, then there is no need to worry. For now. We added Barry, Artest and Wafer to our team. And now we essentially lost T-Mac. that's fine. if you've watched the games w/o him, the ball movement, player movement, hustle and effort has been notably better in those games. We are at our best when we dump the ball into Yao and the rest of the guys are cutting, ducking, diving around him. If you surround Yao with slashers and shooters like the Magic do with Howard, you win games. When we do that, we win. Artest - Tmac = + Essentially, Ron add mores to the team than Tmac. So although T-mac is done, we are still ahead in terms of last year's team. Couple that with the addition of Wafer and Barry and we still have a better team than last year! Especially if you look at how well those 3 shoot the 3. If you compare in this fashion to other Western Conference contenders, you will see we are still up there. (Assume players improved and regressed on each team at the same rate: Example, Ariza and Farmar improved just as much as Brooks and Landry, etc.) So the Spurs, added Mason and Hill and lost Barry. They've improved a little bit. The Nuggets lost Iverson and Camby but added Billups. They've also improved a little bit. The Lakers stayed the same. (Bynum-less in for the start of both playoffs) The Suns added Richardson lost Diaw and Bell and changed coaching style. They've treaded water. The Jazz haven't added anyone and have been beaten up by the injury bug. So they might be worse. The Hornets added Daniels, Posey, Joe Smith and Wilcox and lost Chandlier, Pargo, James. They've also treaded water. The Mavs added Carroll and Hollins and lost Diop. They've also treaded water. The Blazers added Oden and Fernandez. They have improved. So, you have the Spurs/Nuggets/Blazers as the only other teams besides us that "have improved". So what do we need? We still need to trade. But only guys like Head, Hayes and Dorsey. We need a good defensive combo guard like Jarrett Jack or Royal Ivey, if they can shoot the 3 thats a plus (even DJ would be an underrated addition). And then we need a long, athletic and active 4/5. Insert whomever u think fits that description. Those are just minor and doable things. There is no need to panic. Let's just hope Morey can address these things.
McGrady last season was a hell of a lot better than Ron Artest is currently. I don't see how you can even dispute this.
And Battier was 2nd team all defense. Those teams don't mean anything and are often based more on reputation than actual play.
Yeah exactly what I was going to say. I watched enough of Artest to say he was a beast. When Artest was healthy, he was one of the scariest guys to play against. I think we all saw that in the game Novak hit the Game winner. T-Mac did well but not like Artest.
and we are barely above a .500 team in the games he plays in now........good luck. This isn't 04/05 guy. Newsflash...Juwan Howard doesn't play here, Chuck Hayes isn't a starter, and Luther Head isn't our 6th man. This team is better WITHOUT Tracy McGrady.
I am going to make a bold statement now and that is if McGrady is indeed out for the season, we won't make the playoffs.
Artest was better last season, that point isn't even arguable.....Tmac was pretty inefficient last season shooting wise and has been even worse this season.
If Tmac played this season we wouldn't make the playoffs.... .500 teams don't make the playoffs in the west and with Tmac, that's what we are. 18-15 with Tmac Here's a bold statement......Tmac shutting it down for the season has saved our chances to make the playoffs.
This team is much better THIS SEASON without T Mac. This seasons T Mac, had a torn up knee and was a hindrance to this team, thanks for your effort T Mac, but rehab, get better, and we'll see you next season. This team is not done, because plug in Artest (better defense, not as much offense) for McGrady last year and add this: an improved scola a much improved Brooks Barry Von Wafer and Yao Ming We have a better chance this season then last, but its going to be an uphill climb. If we have success, perhaps we can resign artest and try this thing again next year.
I have never been more confident in this team's ability to win in the playoffs. It's a perfect storm. First there's the absurd amount of bad karma that will undoubtedly come back to bite T-Mac in the ass. Second, combine that with the X's and O's-based Ewing Theory, and we can't help but be a better team without him. Third, you look at the weakness of every team in the West, including LA right now, and it's prime hunting season for a hungry and pissed off team as we are wont to be. Fourth, now there is no question, as if there was before: this is Yao's team. He may not have the great track record in the Clutch, but no one EVER EVER will question Yao's work ethic. A team led by Yao and Battier will keep a guy like Artest in line and serve as an example for the rest of the team to follow. The Rockets have returned to their reputation as a hustle machine.
We are 13-6 without Mcgrady this year and 9-7 last year. Your stats are misleading because a few seasons ago everyone was injured including Yao for almost the whole year. Of course the Rockets would have a bad record that year and since Mcgrady missed pretty much the whole season the record would look like we need him.
Come on man that's what everyone said when Yao got hurt last season. We have plenty of talent without him to at least get there. We're starting to get better defensively, and we're deep and versatile. We WILL get there... just probably not very far.
