I was looking at the standings tonight and noticed that the Lakers and Spurs had played 22 home games and only 15 (Spurs) and 16 (Lakers) on the road, whereas the Rockets had just about the opposite: 17 home and 23 road. Since nearly all NBA teams do much better at home, that's a significant stat. That piqued my curiosity, so I computed the percentage of home games for every team in the league, and guess what -- the Rockets have played a bigger percentage of road games than every other team except Golden State. Of the teams who are currently among the top 8 in their conference, it looks like this: Code: @home @road home-road games % home games San Antonio 15-7 10-5 22-15 59.4 L.A. Lakers 20-2 11-5 22-16 57.9 New Jersey 9-13 10-8 22-18 55.0 Boston 20-2 12-7 22-19 53.7 Phoenix 12-7 10-7 19-17 52.8 Denver 16-5 11-8 21-19 52.5 Dallas 12-7 10-10 22-20 52.4 Cleveland 19-0 11-7 19-18 51.4 Utah 16-4 7-12 20-19 51.3 Atlanta 15-4 8-11 19-19 50.0 Orlando 16-3 15-5 19-20 48.7 Detroit 12-6 10-9 18-19 48.6 New Orleans 12-5 11-7 17-18 48.6 Miami 12-6 9-11 18-20 47.4 Philadelphia 10-8 8-12 18-20 47.4 Portland 14-4 10-11 18-21 46.2 Houston 12-5 12-11 17-23 42.5 That's a huge difference between the top and bottom teams on that list. And over the next month or so, things start to swing our way, as 13 of our next 18 are at home. Obviously, there's more to a team's record than where you play -- like WHO you play, for example. Good news there, too: 6 of our next 7 road games are against teams that suck. In fact, between the Pistons on January 25 and the Jazz on March 4, we have a stretch of nearly a month and a half when we won't face a single good team on the road. That's pretty amazing. Again, there's no guarantee we'll beat a bad team on the road, but it's statistically more likely than us beating a GOOD team on the road. So that's the reason for optimism: Even if the T-Mac drama doesn't get resolved, as the % of home games for each team starts to even out over the next month or two, we should be moving up in the standings anyway, and the Lakers and Spurs should start moving down a bit.
Also, as I understand it, we've played by far the most back-to-backs in the league. Meaning the rest of our schedule as plenty of rest and practice time in it. I like it. I think we will go on a league leading run in the second half of the season as we always do.
It's funny because those teams are starting their tough stretch and getting their players injured now. Hopefully once Tmac comes back and Artest...Hopefully...PLEASE BBALL GODS no more significant injuries because guys won't have the hellish schedule we had. That's why i'm confident we'll turn this ship around. As for the whole Tmac thing, if it's his knee he'll turn it around also. So i'm very confident of this team.
The schedule is easier that's for sure. Don't you forget that we lost to a CRIPPLED wizards AT HOME with all of our stars player. Like i said, we can beat any team across the NBA on paper but the energy level from game to game is the problem with this team. Sometime you will see a game like the one against the Lakers where everyone was showing 110% then there were games like vs Wiz and Bucks where our game's just not there. This team is not a steady team and i have accepted that already. Rockets are more of a momentum type of team. During the 22-0 streak, everyone believed in the same goal that they can beat anyone and we had different guys stepped up when someone's else not playing their best. Lets face it, Yao might avg 50% field goal but there were every 1 out of 3 games where he shoots around 30% because he's tired. T-mac's the same way. That's why the management bought in Artest, they hope that someone can step up in a big way to save their night from a mediocre night by both t-mac and Yao. An easier schedule is favoring us for having a better record, but the main thing is to build the momentum (the killer instinct) and carry it over to the postseason. That's the most important part.
Nice post. I'm amazed that this far into the season, NO has still played 4-5 games less than almost every other team in the league. I hope it kicks them in the ass when they have to play catch up.
I wouldn't put too much faith in a supposedly easy schedule. Wasn't the stretch with the Raptors and 76ers easy enough?
Wrong. We could be better, but we don't suck. The home-court winning percentages of the current playoff-bound teams: Code: Cleveland 19-0 100.0 L.A. Lakers 20-2 90.9 Boston 20-2 90.9 Orlando 16-3 84.2 Utah 16-4 80.0 Atlanta 15-4 78.9 Denver 16-5 76.2 Portland 14-4 77.8 Houston 12-5 70.6 New Orleans 12-5 70.6 San Antonio 15-7 68.2 Detroit 12-6 66.7 Miami 12-6 66.7 Phoenix 12-7 63.2 Dallas 12-7 63.2 Philadelphia 10-8 55.6 New Jersey 9-13 40.9 Despite the injuries and the T-Funk, we're right in the middle there with the same % as the Hornets.
Mr. Sunshine! Thanks for clicking on the optimism thread! I can just imagine your thought when you saw that thread title: "Optimism? That's the thread for me!" Nice sig, too, Northeast"fan" -- it must suck to be a fan of a team and hate the entire starting lineup.
Nice to see that someone thinks the glass is half full. Thanks for investing the time to do the numbers.
Something tells me that Morey is WELL aware of all this, and I actually believe that this is one of the main reasons why he will hold off trading any major pieces of this team (Artest, Battier, Scola, McGrady) before the trade deadline this year. It's been fairly obvious to me that this team just looks physically and mentally exhausted out there, and some rest and practice time would do these guys some major good. I'm hoping that McGrady takes these next 2 weeks to heart, and really rehabs the correct way so that when he comes back, we'll be ready to roll. The schedule that we've had has also made guys like Landry and Wafer priceless this season.
This team, with its big 3 intact, has a home loss to the wizards on its balance sheet, which I had the misfortune of watching in person. Nothing is going to be easy for this group.
hmmm... even if the Lakers and Spurs start moving down a bit, they'll still be one and two. well at least the Lakers. they could go on a 5 game losing streak and still be number one no matter what any other team did. there are only 3 games that separate number 4 and 9 though, and then a whopping 10 between 9 and 10, so the Rockets are almost guaranteed to make the playoffs as long as they can stay ahead of either Dallas or Utah who appears to have lost Boozer for practically the rest of the season.
Judging by seeing yesterday's game against Lakers, I feel when this team is healthy, we can face anybody on whichever spot we will be in the playoffs. Although Homecourt will give us a tremendous advantage. I keep on having the faith for this team because this is the most talented depth we have ever had. And I hope I and we won't be disappointed.
yes, great thread. there is plenty 2b optimistic about. Von Wafer gets more minutes to shine and will take a load of confidence and skill back with him to the bench when tmac gets back, who, btw, will be healthy rejuvenated, recommmited and have something to prove. and Artest, well ... he's just a Mac truck idling in a noisy, deep rumble, sure to roll over anything that gets in his way once the doctors give him clearance 2b back on the court. if all of this happens and we load up on wins with a softer schedule the next few weeks, the glass will be overflowing.
