Oh my! I think I'll wait till the preseason till I pronounce the Rockets as the NBA champs. You know, like when you see the team together and stuff. huh? okay. Bandwagon slots are available at any time. ------------------ I am so exasperated that I could expectorate.
doxy, Are you manic depressive? ------------------ In order to be a success in life, you need 2 things: 1. Don't tell everything you know. [This message has been edited by BobFinn* (edited September 10, 2000).]
You talkin to me? You think I'm funny? I'll show ya funny ------------------ In order to be a success in life, you need 2 things: 1. Don't tell everything you know.
The Jazz: They lost a 50% shooter at the 2 guard spot. They replaced him with a 40% shooter (37% last year). They have problems, but don't forget about Donyell. The TWolves: They're about to lose their PF. The TWolves are about to lose their own first round pick next year. The TWolves are about to hurt the feelings of my former hs's local rival's star player KG (I went to Hillcrest he went to Mauldin for his first 3 years). The TWolves lost the player Malik Sealey this summer, second only to Moochie in having a fun name to pronounce. Smith is their backup PF/C. An important role, no doubt, but this loss will affect their depth more than anything. KG will be more bothered by the loss of Sealy than Smith. The Lakers: Shaq has had one year not marred by injury. It was last year. What about his rookie year? The Sonics: If only Vin was in Utah. Prozac and a suburban would get him through all of the battles a housewife must endure. They're getting Ewing for Ho Grant! The Spurs: Don't get a back spasm trying to catch up with the Rockets' players, David. Contenders. The Suns: Sure Jason, try to outshoot Steve. That's exactly what the Rockets want you to do. An even better backcourt than the Rockets. The Blazers: The Rockets went 2-2 last year against the Blazers. They added Kemp. Cato blocked Kemp 8 times in a preseason game last year. Too bad it was just a preseason game. ------------------ "Homosexuals are just trying to make their sodomy as morally acceptable as the sodomy I enjoy in my church-sanctioned marriage." Frank Brodhagen, The Onion
Without Joe Smith the T-Wolves find themselves in a bit of trouble... I expect the Rockets/T-Wolves/Kings/Mavs to be fighting for the 7th and 8th spots. The Sonics will be 6th or above if they get Ewing - he'll certainly help Baker with the banging more than Ho ever did. Don't be surprised to see Denver or even Golden State challenging for a playoff position if things go well for them (ie no injuries and other franchises suffer major losses!) .500 is definitely going to be good enough for a playoff spot this year!! ------------------
There is no such thing as a play-off lock. All it takes is one freak injury and then thats it, season over. The Rockets have an excellent chance to be in the playoffs, they have a superb point guard and two good shooting guards. they added an explosive scorer at PF and they have chemistry, something they lacked previously. I predict a 6th seed and we take out the Blazers in four. ------------------ Who would've thought Don Nelson would pass up Olumide Oyedeji not once, not twice, but thrice?
Remember, Steve will be none too happy if the Rockets don't make the playoffs.....Francis is gonna be a 20ppg player this year........Cato will be better, Hakeem will be healthier, Walt found his groove (let's hope he doesn't loose it), Cuttino is the BEST sixth man in the league, Shandon also has improved on O, and will get beter..... So what do u have? Last year's team, plus improvements on Steve, Shandon, Cuttino, Walt, KT, Cato + adding Langhi, Mo, and Collier + a system they've learned before, not DURING the season + the faces are more familiar + the ambition's all there..........I don't know, somehow I see at least 10 more wins than last year....... ------------------
It's quite depressing to see some people have already started talking TANK. ------------------ Hack a Shaq you'll be winning Hack-him you'll be dreaming.
the rockets won't tank. i just don't think they're any good. they'll play hard. they're just (imo) are a very bad team. ------------------
Execllent analysis since I completely agree with you except your final choices for the 7th and 8th slot. First a caveat: a key injury to any of these teams (Sonics, Kings, Mavs, Rocks and Nuggets) fighting for the last two slots would be enough to make the difference for their teams playoff bid. Barring injuries, I think the Sonics are a lock for one of those slots. On paper last year, the Sonics should not of had an above 500 record or a playoff team, but they did. I do not see that changing for next year. Baker is in better shape (since he did not want to embarrass himself in the Olympics) and Lewis is a year older, both of which should led the Sonics to a better record than last year. Of the five teams, I think the Nuggets are the longest shot. I do not see any reason that they can do much better than their 37 wins they had last year. As you mentioned, the Kings lost two players from their starting rotation, which should be enough to drop them to a 500 team. Like last year, a 500 record will not be good enough for the playoffs. That leaves two very good teams battling for the last playoff spot: Rockets and Mavericks. I know another thread beat the comparison of these two teams to death. I think most Rocket fans here discount the Mavericks due to the Don Nelson Factor. The DNF was not in force last year. The Mavericks also played last year without one of their key players, Gary Trent. If healthy, Trent should provided them with consistent low post O every game. This and this alone should be enough to push them over 500. The Mavericks also added two veterans to their starting rotation, Laettner and Mills, and three rookies, Alexander, Thomas, and Harvey (assuming Najera is Europe bound). These five players will add considerable depth to their team, which will help them weather the stretches when any of their starters go onto IR, if needed. I also think they got a steal in the draft in Alexander, who I think should become a second teir starter in the league. I would not be surprised to see Alexander starting at the end of the year. With the return of Trent and the additional depth, I see the Mavericks winning 47 games next season The Rockets to me are enigma. They only won 34 games last year, but from January on they were a 500 team. They were very few games last year that the Rockets did not have or very closing to having the lead in the fourth period, including their worst two months November and December. They became a 500 team when they started to figure out how to play the last four minutes of the fourth period. Without any roster changes, I see them starting next year playing 500 ball in the first half and even better in the second half, winning say 44 games. The biggest and most significant offseason addition, MoMoney, has both of pluses and minuses. The pluses are that he will provided more low post O than KT, while KT will certainly provide more O than Los (his backup from last year). With MoMoney, the Rockets also have another go-to guy in the last four minutes of the game, who will give them a lost post dimension to this part of the game. The MoMoney minuses are his big mouth. There is absolutely no way MoMoney resigns next year with what the Rockets will be able to offer him (or more importantly so he and his agent will think). He will try for the max again next offseason and will let everybody know about. I think that will shot the team chemistry in the foot and that RudyT will end up benching his sorry ass toward the end of next season (which is when his sorry mouth will go into high geer). My guess is that the pluses and minuses will cancel each other out and that the Rockets will win 44 games next year. If I am wrong about MoMoney, the Rockets could win enough games to be in a dead heat with the Mavericks for the last playoff spot. ------------------
Grummett: I understand the sentiment that the Rockets won't make the playoffs... but 36-46? I don't see how that's *possible*, barring some major horrific incidents (Stevie pulls a Marbury). The Rockets have so many factors indicating improvement: to me, Stevie alone will improve enough to get the Rockets to the record you predict. If he cuts down a bit on turnovers alone, I think that serves for your record. Having a post presence has to give us a few games... Langhi and Walt are almost certainly better than just Walt. Shandon Anderson improved EVERY month in scoring last year... that has to have an affect. If Cato's healthy all year... if KT shoots better than 39%... There are just so many things that could go BETTER than last year, and almost none that could get worse. I see a substantial improvement, even if the Rockets don't make the playoffs. Could you please EXPLAIN that figure you give a bit more? And that's predicting absolutely minimal improvement ------------------ Shandon Anderson rocks. The lottery sucks. Playoffs 2001.
[/B][/QUOTE] Personally with the addition of Mo, Langhi and Collier, I think Rockets have more strenght and depth in the squad. It is my opinion that DEPTH is the most factor which decides the playoffs since some niggling injuries are inevitable. Depth not only useful when players are injured but also it gives extra dimension to the team. Therefore, it is easier to build efficient chemistry. ------------------ Hack a Shaq you'll be winning Hack-him you'll be dreaming.
hetero doxy, "i honestly think the rockets will "fight" with denver for the worst record in the west...." So by this you mean the Clippers, the Grizzlies, and Golden State are ALL better than the Rockets?.....AND Denver??!! The Rocks sign Jason Collier, Dan Langhi, and the Clips leading scorer from last year. The Rockets spanked the Clips 4 straight by an average score of 109 - 92. I think you are just a little too impressed by Cory Maggette and Darius Miles. The Grizzlies? They won 12 less games than the Rocks (22-60). Stromile Swift, Ike Austin, Massenberg, and Abdul-Rauf are going to make up these 12 games and 10 more to catapult them into the playoffs? Lol... The Warriors...Fortsons' rebound avg last year was the same as Mo's... they move Jamison further from the basket, Hughes never met a shot he didn't like and Bryce and Walt BOTH shoot 3's better the ANY 1st or 2nd unit player on GS and they too have catapulted over the Rocks and into playoff contention. Pre-season power rankings by NBAtalk, FOX, ESPN, CNN/SI, TSN, & CBS have the Rocks at 19 (except one @ 21). The BEST any of these 3 are ranked is 25th (the Grizz). You apparently have a crystal ball. I am anxiously awaiting some killer stock picking tips in your next post. ------------------ GATER [This message has been edited by GATER (edited September 11, 2000).]
I think the Rockets will improve at least 10 games because of chemistry alone. Then improving three more games because of a proven low-post scorer in Maurice Taylor and deeper power forward slot. Then four more games because of the work Franchise and Cato have put in over the summer. That brings our total to 51-31, a winning percentage of 60%. Which would be good enough for sixth place in the West. If everything is smooth sailing, that is my prediction.
I think it's fair to say that with the exception of the clips, a lot of the lesser teams in the West have improved. Unfortunately there are only 8 play off slots, but the good news is that a "mediocre" record of around 40-45 wins may be enough for a sixth(?) or seventh seed. Think about it, if the Rockets and Mavs and the other cellar dwellars have improved then they HAVE to beat somebody to get their wins, and unless we're predicting that Western Conference teams will all sweep their series against the Eastern Conference then a W gained from last year means a W lost for a team that was already in the playoffs!! ------------------ [This message has been edited by DrNuegebauer (edited September 11, 2000).]
?????? I'd think the Clips improved a lot. They lost 2 disgruntled players, have Odom and Kandi a year older, and added Quentin Richardson, Corey Maggette, Keyon Dooling, and Darius Miles to the mix. Richardson, Maggette, Dooling, Miles > Taylor, Anderson ------------------ The Serious Police are watching. Follow the rules or be assimilated. Shandon is underrated.
IMHO, I think we have the best chance of any non playoff team to break through. Here are my estimates in the West, I have to admit these are off the top of my head so the odds may not equal out exactly right. THE LOCKS Lakers 75-1 (Shaq & Kobe both would have go down) Portland 100-1 (3 players would have to go down) Spurs 35-1 (if TD + another cog goes down) ALMOST LOCKS Suns 15-1 (if Kidd goes down 50/50) Jazz 15-1 (if Malone goes down 50/50) GOOD BETS Minn 8-1 (KG or a ton of other stuff would have to go down or they are still in) Sonics 5-2 (still BIG chemistry question, probably not enough to keep them out though) WHO KNOWS Sac 1-1 (IF someone is knocked out, it is them) Rockets 2-3 (less than 50/50, but not bad) Mavs 1-3 (they play well, but don't have our talent) REAL LONG SHOTS Grizzlies 1-6 (more talent than Denver) Nugs 1-8 LAC 1-75 GS 1-100 ------------------ Elie buried the clutch 3 that would launch the Rockets to their second title run, driving a stake through the onwatching Suns fans hearts that will forever be etched in the dry Arizona landscape.
gat-E-r 1) nice spelling. 2) my crystal ball worked well the past two years, much better than the blind optimists in here. like i said, i hope to be proven wrong. ------------------
