Is Yao going to show that aggressiveness again? Is T-Mac going to find his shot back? Is Swift finally going to show some game? Is Alston going to keep his hot streak? Is Wesley going to continue his torrid 3-point streak? Who is going to be replacing out DA? Will we finally have a healthy squad to make the playoffs? ....and many looming questions ahead.
If Tmac gets over his personal issues NOW, Rockets will barely miss/make the playoff. Otherwise, it will be a loooooong second half.
We're either going to barely miss the Playoff or make it to the FINAL if we get in because Yao/Tmac is going to be having one hell of a 2nd hf if we get in
The Rockets are going to make the playoffs and go at least to the Western Conference finals ( I was 7-2 out of those last nine games, so give me a break :] ). Fans that dont think we have a chance should be separated from the pack right now so they dont pull a Randy Quaid and change their minds when the Rockets are there.
-------------------- Is Yao going to show that aggressiveness again? Well, if he is starting to show this aggressiveness, then odds are that, yes he will... slowly but surely... Is T-Mac going to find his shot back? If the All Star Game is of any indication, then he probably found it already! Is Swift finally going to show some game? I am unsure on this guy, he is a work in progress, but odds are that if he gets coached the right way from Van Gundy and Co. that yes he will be something special... Is Alston going to keep his hot streak? Yes. Is Wesley going to continue his torrid 3-point streak? Maybe, unsure on this... Who is going to be replacing out DA? McCarty (Clippers) or someone similar to him... Will we finally have a healthy squad to make the playoffs? I think in due time we will have a healthy squad, but as to if we'll make the playoffs? Right now, it looks unlikely, but with a healthy squad, that would be up in the air...
Rockets have 29 games remaining... i will break it down in 3 categories, namely Against Easten conference teams, Against Top 4 Teams in Western Conf teams and Against Remaining West Conf teams, plus also my predictions W/L: Eastern Conference Teams: Feb Sun 26 @ Orlando Mar Wed 1 Philadelphia Mar Wed 8 Indiana Mar Mon 13 New Jersey Mar Sun 26 Cleveland Mar Fri 31 Washington Rockets still have 6 games against the Eastern Conf opponents for the remaining of the schedule and none of them are considering 'tough' teams except probbaly Cleveland. I will say 5-1. Top 4 Teams Western Conference: Feb Wed 22 L.A. Clippers Feb Mon 27 Phoenix Mar Sun 12 @ San Antonio Mar Wed 15 Dallas Mar Sat 18 San Antonio Mar Mon 20 L.A. Clippers Mar Tue 21 @ Dallas Apr Wed 19 San Antonio Rockets still has to face Spurs(3 times), Mavs(2), Clippers(2) and Sun(1). This could be ugly. I will say 2-6. Remaining Western Conference Teams: Feb Fir 24 Golden State Mar Fri 3 Denver Mar Sun 5 Portland Mar Tue 7 @ Minnesota Mar Thu 23 @ NO/Okla. City Mar Wed 29 Seattle Apr Sun 2 @ L.A. Lakers Apr Tue 4 @ Seattle Apr Wed 5 @ Portland Apr Fri 7 @ Golden State Apr Sun 9 @ Sacramento Apr Mon 10 @ Utah Apr Wed 12 Minnesota Apr Sat 15 Memphis Apr Mon 17 @ Denver And Rockets have 15 games against potential playoffs competitors, all in my opionion are beatable. But this is Rockets who are very inconsistent, I will say 10-5. I m afraid the rockets will finish the season... 39-43... and barely miss the playoffs...... Hope they can prove me wrong.......
Hey they won 7 out the last 9. If they keep up that pace then they will finish 22-7 and end up with 44-38!
Given that the remaining schedule is tougher, they will have to become even better to keep up the pace. But they can become better, and chances are they will. A 44 win season certainly isn't out of the question yet.
I totally agree, the main thing the Rockets are going to need to find is consistency. No more super highs and super lows, ala Clips win and Suns loss. They need find the happy medium where they bring they the same kind of passion every night. I think it's totally possible that they can pull it off, just going to be tough
Thinking about how this statement would've looked at the beginning of the season really depresses me.
I really hope we make the 8th spot--- but according to ESPN the Rox have the toughest remaining schedule.... A look ahead to the post-All-Star break part of the 2005-06 NBA schedule: • The toughest remaining schedules (based on and weighted by the current record of remaining opponents): Rockets (.539), SuperSonics (.538), Trail Blazers (.532), Clippers (.527), Raptors (.527). • The easiest remaining schedules (using the same criteria): Heat (.446), Nets (.467), Pacers (.469), Grizzlies (.477), Bucks (.479). http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-060221
JVG always wants to win as much games as possible, which is detrimental to the team's long-term plan by just barely misses the playoff and misses great chance of getting a top 5 pick. I say for this reason only, JVG should go.
I'd like to see the Rockets miss the playoff so that they can get Gay or/and Reddick. It will be hilarious when the announcers say sth like: "Gay penetrates Reddick swish the ball."
Actually, I think it depends more on other teams than us. We need the Lakers, Clippers, Grizzlies or Hornets to go on a losing streak. We need help.
On my calculations the Rockets SHOULD win 21 games of the remaining schedule. I'm going to say we win 20 games. That would mean what everyone is saying we have to do to get into the playoffs, win 2 out of every three. Looking at the upcoming schedule I think the key game will be against the Lakers. We won a thriller up in LA a while back and then we sucked it up at home when the Lakers came into town. We are on paper a much better team then the Lakers and for that reason alone we "should" have the 8th seed. Oh yea and of those upper echelon(sp?) teams that we face, I think we should win at least one of them (Upper teams being S.A., PHO, and the Mavs). Go Rockets!
