Come on guys....... It is very simple. Every year there is a team that goes past expectations and takes the NBA by storm. I do not think we are a sleeper because we were good last year, we just never had anybody together long enough to show the world. We have tons of talent, and we have great coaching, all we need now is time and chemistry, and this team will make a run that most are not ready for. Do remember about 5 years ago when David Robinson got injured and the Spurs won 21 games, and then they struck gold when the got the 1st pick in the draft and landed the last great big man in Tim Duncan. The next year they took the league by storm, the had the new age "twin towers" and the year after that they won the NBA title. Wake up everyone....That is us this year.... We were injured last year, we won 28 games, and then we struck gold and landed the best center in a draft in the last 10 years. Everyone is healthy, we are deep and talented at every posistion. The addition to Ming, puts us in the class of the tops in the NBA. Francis/ Mobley make up the strongest back court in the NBA. Norris is a capable backup at both gaurd positions, but behind him is nobody. Morris might be this years most improved player. If he keeps up his consistancy he can end up being a really special player this year. Rics says he is healthy and he shoots the lights out, and he brings veteran leadership to a team that is young and raw. Boki is a project in the making/ He has the ability to be an allstar at the 3 in the future Thomas is an overachiver but he brings intensity to our ball club, and he rebounds and plays strong D. He has gotten much quicker, and now he might even be able to hang with the 3. Griffin is turning into a monster on the defensive side of the ball. He is still raw on the offensive end but this year he will be a presence down low. Taylor is deadly from about 16 feet. He looks as if he is back in shape, but he needs to be ready to share minutes with Thomas and Griffith. Cato looks imporved, and he will be one of the better backup centers in the league. Ming, will take a few games to adjust, but less then 10 games into the season he will show the league that he belongs with the best. He will be a monster on the boards, and he will get his share of points, and he will deffinitly be a presence on defense. We are deep and talented everywhere. Last year we had no bench, and this year we have a top 5 bench in the NBA easily. This years new addidtions of a healthy Taylor, and Rice, and rookies Yao Ming, and Boki really deepen this team. Griffin and Morris will both emerge as very solid players this year, and Francis will show the world that he is the best point gaurd in the land. Mobley will get his first allstar trip, and the Rockets will enter the playoffs with the 4th seed. They will be behind Kings, Lakers, and Mavs, but they will squeeze past the Spurs for home court advantage in the 1st round. I dont expect us to make a run for the title this year, but next year with our new stadium and uniforms, and better chemistry, I see us being in the same class as the Lakers, Mavs, and Kings
The battle for last place will be heated. It looks like there's going to be a wide gulf between quality and crap. Orlando might do well. Boston may surprise people with Vin Baker and no pg. Indiana could turn the corner. Portland gets overlooked. Atlanta could roll, if healthy. All those teams need better brains. LAC could really put it together, probably won't. Probably not that many surprises. It would surprise me if Denver won 25 games or LA lost 30, but neither is likely.
Who is going to be our main rebounder? We shouldn't depend upon Francis, I don't see Ming being a big rebounder this year, MoTay is not a rebounder either. Just wondering. We need somebody who concentrates on rebounding, averaging 10 a game or so. Maybe Thomas, but I don't know.,
I think our main rebounders will be Ming and Eddie Griffin. Spacer23 you are correct that Francis should not be our best rebounder like he was last year. That slows down the break and gets him more nicked up and possibly injured in the land of the trees.
Okay, get those flame-throwers fueled, but are you ready for this?... Maybe Cad'oh could board some for us? He was snagging about 10 per toward the end of last year. Sorry to post such sacriligious swill; I forgot how he's the AntiChrist. (Damn! There I go using Christ again. Well, actually I used "AntiChrist", and that should be okay, and anyway it wasn't in vain).
I want to see Yao Ming as our main rebounder and Kenny Thomas. I feel those two guys will be our main rebounders. But I want our rebounding to be spread all around so I would like to see Griffin and Taylor grab a few.
Cato averaged 7 a game last year and he wasn't even playing starter minutes. Of course, he'll continue to not play starter minutes. The point, though, is I don't think we need to much worry about rebounds. I don't think we'll have anyone that does 10 a game, but we'll probably have decent rebounders at every position.
I agree with this post almost whole-heartedly. I am not sure if we can/will win a championship, but I do like to favorably compare us to the Angels this year. I really think we have all the pieces, and if they can come together somewhat quickly, the rest of the league had better watch out.
I agree. Francis and Mobes also get to the boards, and people forget Rice for his career averages about 4 to 5 rebounds. Kenny Thomas will probably get us 7 to 8 rebounds per game. This team will be fine on the glass.
instead of rebounds it should be the assist to worry about.. when the rockets rotate the ball, most of the time its a win.
Were you here for last season, or did you miss it? WE WERE HORRIBLE! The rest of your remarks made sense.
I hope the Rockets big men can rebound well enough to the point we don't need our guards crashing the defensive glass. People complain about how the Rockets lacked any transition game whatsoever, that's because we had no guards running free, they were in the paint getting rebounds the big men couldn't get. If we can block shots/rebound as well as we should be able to, the Rockets will have a ton of fast break chances. Hopefully, Francis knows how to run the break this year.
What you said is so true about Francis needing to run the break effectively. I was talking about this in another thread kinda. Not sure if Francis has the passing skills and court vision to make it all happen. He could develop them. I think you either have it or you dont. Maybe Stevie will work on that.
I really like what Mr. Basketball said about the talent that we have now compare from last season. For onething, we got the depth that we need to push the ROCKS to the playoff spot!
steve actually has very good passing skills, imo. however their not put to full use becasue he still has some ways to improve on his court vision/running the break. you never want to tell a player to be less agressive, like steve with the rebounds, but i hope we have the big men to grab them where as to he won't feel the need to go after everything.
Thats a good point. I might be wrong when I say Steve does not have good passing skills (although his high assist/turnover ratio is not good at all). I dont think I am about the court vision thing. You can perhaps theorize that passing skills dont really matter if you cant spot the right man to pass it to (court vision).
I agree that we can be the sleeper, but we only had a bad year last year because of injuries...we had the talent, it's just that they missed games. So, in all, we wouldn't exactly be a sleeper but I do think that the media is underestimating what the Rockets can do this year.
I think all the front line players need to rebound. There should be a main rebounder. Teams don't play traditional 3-4-5 front lines as much where you can designate rebounders. We just have to be tenacious on the boards 1-5...
