I know its early but... Rockets place in the Western Confrence Playoffs

Come on at least wait til the season starts to say we're not gonna make the playoffs.

 

1.) Seattle doesn't deserve to be ranked twice.

2.) The Clippers? Damn, people are going on and on about how much losing our SF will hurt us. You *do* realize that the Clippers have lost their starting center, are poised to lose their starting point guard, and quite possibly will lose either Odom or Maggette as well? Chris Kaman must have been damn good draft pick if the Clippers are going to outdo the Rockets, a team they finished 16 games behind? Hell, if Mike Dunleavy is that good, we were crazy to sign Van Gundy.

 

You have "Seattle" twice. I assume you mean "Utah" in the 11th spot.

I would include JVG in the reasons we will likely be lottery bound

With the non-movement and the Asian Games "issue," my worst-case scenario seems to be coming true

38 wins +/- 5. ninth, tenth, or eleventh in the west.

 

they'll be in the playoffs, The clips and sonics are nowhere near better than the rockets. not even close

 

ding ding ding, we have a winner.

 

The CLIPPERS!? We were better then the Clippers and the Clippers are losing key players! You don't have to make a trade every year to be good, sometimes the best trades are no trades.

1. LA Lakers despite Kobe's problems
2. San Antonio
3. Minnesota - Minnesota is close to getting Sprewell while only giving up Brandon's contract. If that goes down they can hang with anyone in the league, including the new Lakers
4. Sacramento - assuming Webber is back fully healthy
5. Dallas
6. Houston - keep Posey, and if Van Gundy does his thing Rockets could compete with Dallas or Sacramento for the 5th spot
7. Portland - depends if they trade players. Say what you want about Pippen, he kept that team together and was versatile. Now he's gone
8. Seattle - Sonics are loaded, and assuming they keep Campbell they'll be loaded at every position and will have a nice bench.

9. Golden State - I like the Speedy Claxton signing, and he can help relieve the loss of Arenas since he's a pure PG.

10. Phoenix - no moves, everyone got better, even the Rockets from a coaching stand point. Phoenix got by last year, but they don't have a bench, and not much support after their Big 3.

11. Utah

12. Denver

13. Memphis

14. Clippers

 

1. LA Lakers - Kobe, Shaq, Payton, Malone (Enough Said)

2. SA Spurs - Practically the same team, still a contender

3. SAC Kings - Champions had Webber not gotten injured

4. Dallas Mavs - high tempo offense/no D works in reg season

5.) Minn TWolves - They are solid at every position

6.) Portland Tblazers - in limbo, but right now, team still solid

7.) Houston Rockets - New system, Yao improves, still need work

8.) Phoenix - great team but so are the rest


So Close, but not good enough

Goldenstate
Seattle
LA Clippers

 

Shall we start up the Train to TankCity...... choo choo

Damn we are more pessamistic than a goth at the last Cure concert.

 

this is where i get pissed...

WHY CAN"T WE BE IN THE EAST!

If we were in the east, there wouldn't be a question about making the playoffs.

The teams in the West are far superior to the teams in the East.

 

I know what ya mean szman, but strangely enough i have some sort of pride that we're in the west. at least i will once we make the playoffs

 

First off, "we" aren't in either division. Our team is in the west, but unless you draw a paycheck from the organization (Hi Tim!), I don't think that is an appropriate pronoun.

Second off, the Rockets aren't in the east. Period. If realignment is put on the table, maybe the question could be asked. Otherwise, might as well go with "why can't the Rox be in the WNBA," or "why can't the Rox be in the NFL, where 16 wins is a perfect season."

 

This has got to be the most optimistic post I've ever seen in all the years of playoff berth predictions (excluding the silly Rockets No. 1!!! posts).

I hate Phoenix as much as the next guy, but placing them at 10th is not looking at it objectively at all. They didn't lose any players. They, in fact, drafted two pretty good rookies. Rockets are about to lose Posey, Nachbar is a bust, Rice's wheels are coming off by December. Unless we get a significant FA signing (or maybe even if we do, looking at the remaining FA's), WE WILL MISS THE PLAYOFFS. I actually have a feeling that Golden State will actually have a better record than we do.

 

i second that bury3,

somehow we jump three spots? and phoenix drops two?

not likely

 

Minnesota's starting lineup looks pretty solid...

Cassell
Spree
Wally
Garnett
Kandi

ESPN report that it's already a 15pt upgrade...

Compared to our starting FIVE...

1) Cassell/Steve = EVEN. Steve struggles vs. Cassell...
2) Spree/Mobley = Spree has problems defending Cat. I was at the Garden (2 yrs ago) when Cat tore him up...Cat even blew by him to hit a game-winning layup. SLIGHT ADVANTAGE ROCKS
3) Wally/Posey = EVEN
3a) Wally/Rice or Boki = HEAVY ADVANTAGE TWOLVES
4) Garnett/Mo or Eddie = HEAVY ADVANTAGE TWOLVES
5) Yao/Kandi = ADVANTAGE ROCKS
6) Bench = HEAVY ADVANTAGE TWOLVES. Ervin Johnson, Marc Jackson (although he is might be going to the Kings), Ebi, Troy Hudson, Kendall Gill (FA), Strickland (FA)...

 

Yeah, but it's really nice to dream isn't it? For the life of me, I can't understand why so many folks on this board believe that having JVG as coach will make the Rockets a contender. Last time I looked, neither JVG nor his assistants will be out there on the floor shooting baskets so exactly where will all of these "wins" come from?

 

Do you know that the Rockets are going to lose Posey? No. Why do we need to sign a FA, I don't understand. And why is putting Phoenix not looking at it objectively? I put down my reasons, The Suns lack of a bench is going to come back and hurt them. You act like the Suns were the #1 seed in the West, they were #8 and barely got in. And why would Golden State have a better record then us? Lets see, the Rockets will get worse because they didn't sign a FA, yet Golden State, who have DOWNGRADED at the PG spot will be better then us!? We have should have a much improved Yao Ming coming in who makes everybody better, a coach who should get the best out of everyone, and structure. Yet the Rockets are going to fall behind Golden State, and it's impossible for Phoenix to struggle in an improved West, especially since they were only 8th in the West? Lets see, Golden State could beat out the Rockets for a playoff spot without getting a significant upgrade, but if the Rockets don't get a FA there's no way they can get in!?

 

This analysis is pretty much the way I see it too. I have to say though, with the Wolves getting Sprewell, they could punch into the top 4.

Dallas - LaFrentz, Nowitzki, Najera, Finley, Nash + NVE
Minn - Olowokandi, Garnett, Wally, Sprewell, Cassell + Hudson

You can make a case Minnesota is stronger here! Chemistry will be an issue of course but the talent is there!

I see the Rockets landing somewhere between 6-8. So 7 seems like a good bet. Of course a lot depends on what players we have on our roster, but as of right now we look good at #7.

 

I don't know, maybe because he'll add structure and discipline to the team? It's funny how people are negative, you act like we were 15 games under .500. We just missed the playoffs by a game or 2 blowing games because of coaching. Now we have a coach who is going to stress discipline on the team, and that is good enough for a LOT of wins. But I guess that's "dreaming" right? Teams where coaching has helped them, the Lakers, Nets, T-Wolves, Detroit, Utah, etc., etc. You don't need a coach out there shooting baskets to improve the team. That's where all of those "wins" are coming from.