3/29 - Denver - W 3/31 - @New Jersey - L 4/02 - @Milwaukee - W 4/04 - @Philadelphia - L 4/06 - Orlando - W 4/08 - Portland - L 4/09 - @Utah - L 4/12 - Seattle - W 4/15 - Memphis - W 4/16 - @Denver - W 6-4 to close out the season aint too bad.
Phoenix 38-34 8th seed 3/30 - @Indiana L 4/01 - Denver W 4/05 - Minnesota W 4/06 - @LA Lakers L 4/08 - @Denver W 4/09 - Dallas L 4/11 - Golden State W 4/13 - San Antonio L 4/15 - @Portland L 4/16 - @Seattle W (5-5) Final Record: 43-39 Houston 37-35 9th seed 3/29 - Denver W 3/31 - @New Jersey L 4/02 - @Milwaukee W 4/04 - @Philadelphia L 4/06 - Orlando W 4/08 - Portland L 4/09 - @Utah L 4/12 - Seattle W 4/15 - Memphis W 4/16 - @Denver W (6-4) Final Record: 43-39 Golden State 35-37 10th seed 3/28 - @Philadelphia L 3/29 - @New Jersey L 4/01 - @Portland L 4/04 - Portland W 4/06 - Denver W 4/08 - Utah L 4/11 - @Phoenix L 4/12 - @Dallas L 4/14 - LA Clippers W 4/16 - LA Lakers L (3-7) Final Record: 38-44 IMHO, Golden State shouldn'e even be looked at or worried about, their schedule is BRUTAL, and there's no way in hell they'd win more than 4 or 5 games. I honestly think the Rockets have a real good chance of taking the final playoff spot, and am not being biased here. I never expected the Rockets to win against the Lakers and Spurs, but i was honestly surprised to see Phoenix win at Detroit. Nevertheless, Phoenix will be lucky to got 6-4 during this strech! and the Rockets easily have a better schedule than the Suns. I see the Rockets very capable of winning atleast 44 games, which in my opinion will be enough to make the playoffs. I hope
Pheonix. Indiana - LOSS Denver - WIN Minnesota - LOSS LA Lakers - LOSS Denver - WIN Dallas - LOSS Golden State - LOSS San Antonio - LOSS Portland - WIN Seattle - WIN This is what the Rockets can wish for. That the Suns end up 42-40. Just hope they don't do well at home...it makes a huge difference. Now Rockets - Denver WIN New Jersey WIN Milwaukee WIN Philadelphia WIN Orlando WIN Portland WIN Utah WIN Seattle WIN Memphis WIN Denver WIN We could end the season 47-35. We are capable of beating all of them. There is no more Lakers. No more Spurs. No more Timberwolves. No more Pistons. No more Knicks. No more Mavericks. I just hope the Rockets will not be distracted by Rudy's absence. Hopefully Steve and Glen Rice can spark an emergence and get our team to play like a playoff team. This would be lovely! It could happen!
We really need to make the playoffs this year. I can't believe I am seeing some people say it would be better if we don't make the playoffs. Aside from the fact that we have no lottery pick this year, this team needs PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE. The only way we are going to get that is to make the playoffs. It doesn't matter if we play badly in the first round. We need that experience of being there as a team, similar to the Rockets in '93, getting beat by Seattle in the playoffs helped prepare them for the title run the next year. Missing the playoffs and sitting at home will do nothing.
I dont think this team makes it in. I agree with BubbaMac and have been saying for a long time that there will need to be changes this offseason starting with Cuttino Mobley. I dont think this team will need a complete overhaul, but a few changes on the perimeter should do the trick. This team can win 50 games next year if they get rid of Mobley and complement Steve and Yao with the appropriate talent; getting a true point like Parker, Tinsley, Miller, Snow etc or adding Lamar Odom and replacing Mobley with a shooter that plays well off the ball. My biggest concern would be that they somehow squeeze into the playoffs and then all of a sudden think its ok to go with this team as is next season. That right there is a recipe for disaster and asking to be stuck in mediocrity till the end of time. Mediocrity is the worst sentence that can happen to a team in basketball; they are not good enough to win the whole thing and not bad enough to get top 5 picks in the draft.
If Larry forces Yao to play ISO game and shot one on one, then Larry is stupid. Yao is a team player. He screens, he passes, he helps out, he takes open shots, he only dunks when he should. ISO is the game the rest of the Rockets including Larry are good at. ISO is not Yao's game. If you force him to be ISO, or in you guys words be strong, be physical, or in my word be stupid, then he will have to settle with fadeaways and shot 1/9 or 2/12. He is not shaq, he has not shaq's body and strength. You cannot say 'you are 7'5", so you should be under the basket.' He is not as strong as shaq, it is just a fact, not his willingness. He should work on his strength but he does not have it now. You cannot force him mentally and magically, his muscle grows 100% more. Larry is an idiot. As I said, if you don't know how to use him, trade him for someone you know how to use. It's the coach or coaching style. It's the game planes that destroyed Yao's touches. He should not shot in those situation but he was forced to shot.
Phoenix 38-34 8th seed 3/30 - @Indiana L (45%) 4/01 - Denver W (90%) 4/05 - Minnesota W (50%) 4/06 - @LA Lakers L (35%) 4/08 - @Denver W (80%) 4/09 - Dallas L (45%) 4/11 - Golden State W (60%) 4/13 - San Antonio L (45%) 4/15 - @Portland L (45%) 4/16 - @Seattle W (55%) (5-5) (550%) Final Record: 43-39/(44-38) A though schedule where normally I could see Suns splitting the games 5-5, but they also have a chance to steal a game here as they have home advantage against the better teams. Houston 37-35 9th seed Date - Opponent - Win% 3/29 - Denver W (90%) 3/31 - @New Jersey L (45%) 4/02 - @Milwaukee W (55%) 4/04 - @Philadelphia L (40%) 4/06 - Orlando W (65%) 4/08 - Portland W (55%) 4/09 - @Utah L (40%) 4/12 - Seattle W (65%) 4/15 - Memphis W (70%) 4/16 - @Denver W (80%) (7-3) (615%) Final Record: 44-38/(43-39) Game by game I can see us winning 7 of the remaining 10 (with a chance to beat any of the teams). Looking at it with a percentage win shot I think 6-4 is more likely, and us ending up with a 43-39 record. All in all this looks like it could go down to the wire but I could hope for Suns choking away a few games for a 4-6 record, while Rockets bring their forces together for a 7-3 finish.
3/29 - Denver - W 3/31 - @New Jersey - W 4/02 - @Milwaukee - L 4/04 - @Philadelphia - W 4/06 - Orlando - L 4/08 - Portland - W 4/09 - @Utah - L 4/12 - Seattle - L 4/15 - Memphis - L 4/16 - @Denver - W 5-5 We take Portland by surprise, but lose to Utah, Seattle, and Memphis! Stuart
