You failed to mention that only 2 games separate us from the 3rd seed as well so it's a glass half full-half empty type of thing. With how our team is constructed right now, i see us right around 7th to 9th. And our lineup after March 15? Who knows? Can't wait for the trade deadline. Being 6th seed right now only helps the market value of our players, IMO.
We got a #1 for Battier, and he's terrible this year, and was a UFA. We got a #1 + Dragic for Brooks. We signed Dalembert with the salary we would have used for Chuck. I'd argue that all were great moves, and hardly 'gone for nothing'.
I want the Sperms. We should have taken all four games from them this year, and they're a perennial regular season overachiever now just like the Nuggies. A second round appearance would really boost morale around our team and lead our young guys to believe that they really can take more steps forward. Next year: Lowry/Llull Lee/Rivers Parsons/Morris Gasol/Motiejunas Patterson/Dalembert
that's like calling the Spurs overachievers because of manu, TP, and blair.....everyone minus parsons was already an established player/talent, so predictions were made knowing what 4 of 5 starters could do, that's enough.
If there is not a major trade on this team by the trade deadline, then we will fade after the All-Star break. And even with a trade, we may still fade, if we do one of those type trades that Morey mentioned on the radio earlier today, a trade to set up a big trade down the road. And we may fade before the All-Star break. We are playing as good as we can possibly play right now. This team, as currently constructed, is a lottery team.
If you've watched every game, I really do not know how you can say "We are playing as good as we can possibly play right now." The games against Minnesota have been atrocious, laden with turnovers and no inside physicality. The Golden State game was another turnover fest that led to 3 ball after 3 ball for them. We just haven't been playing crisp offense and have been playing sporadic defense. There is definitely a lot of room to improve our play IMO.
There is a lot of room to improve with youngsters maturing and with trades changing the roster. But what you see is what you got. Inconsistent effort, inconsistent performances, and when the better teams in the league come up against us, they water down the efficiency of Lowry, Martin, Scola enough to leave us on the losing end. Oh, but we look great from time to time if we are fresh and really playing hard against a team that is dinged and tired or otherwise a lottery team themselves. Upper end lottery teams generate lots of hope but in the end, they are picking 12-14 in the draft. That's where we are at.
Lately Rockets can only beat good teams (DEN, UTA, MEM, POR, OKC) and gets killed by the losing teams (MIN twice, GSW). But I like this trend, if we can make it to the playoffs. :grin:
Other than the Thunder no team in the western conference scares me. I even like our chances against the Clippers or the Lakers in a 7 game set. I'm not saying we'll be favored it just seems that no one is really playing outstanding ball. The only team that really seems to have our number is Minny and there is no way we end up facing them in the first round.
You sound pretty pessimistic, you do realize you're describing almost every team 3-8 in the Western conference right now? Lakers, Dallas, Nuggets and the Clippers have all lost easy games and been incredibly inconsistent.
The emergence of Lowry is the biggest factor. The productions of Scola and Martin has dropped off. Lee is still Lee, and Hill is about the same. Patterson was injured but is slowly but surely coming back to form. We lost Hayes but added Dalembert, who is inconsistent. Parsons is a surprised addition. Overall, the team's talent level is about the same as last year with the exception of Lowry's improvement.
I am a realist at present and optimistic about the future. We aren't staying here. Morey is going to make moves. I fully expect trades. Lakers, Dallas, Nuggets, Clippers, Spurs, Thunder, TWolves, Grizzlies, and Blazers all beat us in a 7-game series today, even if we have home court advantage.
I'd hold up on a few of the aforementioned teams... Grizz, Blazers and the Nuggets most notably. I'd put Minnesota in there, but we just play so damn soft against them. If we just played them tough inside we'd be more than capable of knocking them off. Spurs aren't the same in the post-season as they are in the regular season, I'd hypothesize that it has something to do with them not getting every foul call when the refs swallow the whistle a bit more during playoff time, but who knows? Clippers are entirely unproven, and even the Lakers are going to probably have to move Pau, and we don't know what their roster will look like come playoff time. I just don't see the whole picture being as black and white as you are making it appear.
